The season’s almost wrapped. Budgets are in. And for many event marketers, that means it’s time to shift into prep mode for 2026. But where do you start? And how do you plan with intention, not just habit?

While every company is approaching things a little differently, seasoned event pros know this moment sets the tone for next year’s success. But too often, planning gets lost in spreadsheets, silos, or surface-level reflection.

So Coty Adams is stepping in to host—and we’re bringing back two strategic voices to share how they’re approaching 2026: what’s shifting, what’s working, and how to make your planning process more effective than ever.

→ Sarah Gannon (Director, Corporate Events at MathWorks), a 25-year industry leader and recognized voice in corporate experiential marketing and strategic event planning

→ Garrett Burnett (Head of Global Events at Silicon Labs), a seasoned global event leader with a strong track record across user conferences, trade shows, and international activations

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ How experienced marketers audit the past season and spot what to improve

✅ Where to begin when mapping out a 2026 strategy rooted in results

✅ Small tactical shifts that lead to stronger alignment and fewer planning missteps

If you’re ready to prep with purpose (not guesswork) this is your starting line.

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Connect with them:
Sarah Gannon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahehamilton/
Garrett Burnett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-burnett/

Connect With Us

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Sloppy seams. Sagging walls. Zero strategy. If your booth looks like you don’t care, that’s exactly what your audience will believe.

Too many companies treat trade shows like a checkbox, not a channel. They work with order takers, cut corners to save costs, and focus on the wrong things… then wonder why the event didn’t deliver.

But on the floor, it shows. Dull design. Generic messaging. An experience no one remembers. And the worst part? You’re spending real money on that.

In this episode, Pablo Gonzalez joins Matt to talk through what a high-impact booth actually looks like, and how to flip the conversation from “just get it done” to “make it count.”

Learn:

✅ How to spot order takers vs. partners who elevate your strategy

✅ What truly great booths have in common (hint: it’s not the size)

✅ Why booth ROI starts way before install—with the right people in the room

If you’re serious about turning your trade show into a real growth driver, start here.

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Connect with Pablo Gonzalez
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablotheconnector/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

The post-event handoff to sales is where so many event programs lose steam.

Leads get cold. ROI disappears. And all that effort on the show floor doesn’t translate to results.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

In this fourth installment of our “Back to the Basics” summer live series, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams (Director of Sales + Marketing at Rockway Exhibits + Events) break down the musts for a successful sales handoff so your hard work doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Here’s what you’ll take away:

✅ Exactly which parts of the handoff event marketers can (and can’t) control

✅ How to advocate for your team and get sales to follow through

✅ Simple ways to set expectations and create accountability

If you’re tired of watching your post-event leads disappear, this is your blueprint for turning event energy into measurable impact.

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Connect With Us

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Whether you’re collaborating with external partners, internal teams, or cross-functional stakeholders—shared events come with shared pressure. And if you’re not careful, your strategy can get lost in the noise.

Suddenly, you’re managing 20 different opinions, 5 conflicting goals, and a booth space that feels more like a compromise than a campaign. The event might still “run,” but it rarely delivers what it could have with true alignment.

For the third episode of our “Back to the Basics” summer live show series, we’re digging into one of the trickiest fundamentals: how to stay focused, aligned, and intentional when you’re not doing it alone.

Sonia Murphy (Senior Director, Marketing Events & Partnerships at SOCi) and Kassidy Gala Carpenter (Director, Global Events at World Fuel Services) return to the show to share what actually works when collaboration is non-negotiable.

What you’ll take away:

✅ What it looks like to lead when the event isn’t 100% yours
✅ How to balance shared input with strategic clarity
✅ Post-event follow-through: who owns what, and how to stay accountable

Planning a shared activation or juggling competing inputs? This is your roadmap to leading shared events with confidence.

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Connect with them
Sonia Murphy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniamurphy/
Kassidy Gala Carpenter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kgalacarpenter/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Too many event programs are spread thin, under-resourced, and missing the mark. Budgets get diluted, sales handoffs break down, and strategy never makes it past the slide deck.

When that happens, even the best-looking booth or smoothest show can’t deliver meaningful results…. and event teams get stuck in a cycle of “just execute.”

At CEMA Summit 2025, Matt Kleinrock, Coty Adams, and Mollie Stahl saw firsthand how top event marketers are breaking that cycle and leveling up from order-takers to strategic growth drivers.

Discover:

✅ Why “less is more” is redefining event portfolios
✅ How soft skills and business acumen separate high performers from the rest
✅ The real roadblocks to strategy adoption and how to overcome them

Listen now to learn how to elevate your event program before another season slips by.

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Connect With Us:

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Job loss, career pivots, and the quiet in-between—they’re not talked about enough in our industry.

But nearly every event marketer has faced them.

That’s why for this second episode in our 2025 summer live show series, we’re going there—with honesty, empathy, and some real talk from two pros who’ve lived it.

Join Matt Kleinrock as he brings back two familiar voices: Matt Bohn, Field Marketing Manager at Tines, and Kimberly Kee, Director of Event Marketing, for their first-ever live conversation together. They’ll share what it’s really like to navigate career change in events and how to stay grounded, strategic, and true to yourself along the way.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

✅ What helped them move forward after layoffs or long searches

✅ How to rebuild confidence and communicate your value—without buzzwords

✅ The small mindset shifts that made a big difference

If you're in the middle of a transition (or supporting someone who is), this episode is packed with practical encouragement and sharp perspective you won’t want to miss.

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Connect with them
Kimberly Kee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyakee/
Matt Bohn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjbohn24/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

You want your event to connect. To be remembered. To make people feel something. And most importantly, you want it to work.

But too many event marketers skip the hard part: crafting a story that actually moves people.

This episode peels back the curtain on what it really means to build a strategic event narrative—one rooted in customer insight, emotional resonance, and purpose. Matt Kleinrock and Pablo Gonzalez break down:

✅ How story-driven pitches outperformed every other idea at Event Marketing Congress 2025

✅ What it means to design for both emotional and strategic outcomes

✅ Why understanding what your audience cares about is the real unlock and how to build everything from that

If your event strategy feels stuck or stale, this is the clarity you didn’t know you needed.

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Connect with Pablo Gonzalez
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablotheconnector/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Trade shows are back in full swing and at InfoComm 2025, the energy was real.

The booths were bigger, the tech was smarter, and the stakes felt higher for event marketers trying to drive business and make their brand stand out.

But the truth is, success doesn’t come from flashy screens or clever activations alone.

It comes from alignment, authenticity, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes strategy that most people never see. From prepping sales teams to planning customer dinners, managing internal politics to executing last-minute surprises—it’s all part of the job.

That’s why in this special episode, we’re handing the mic to the real event marketers behind the booths. Rockway Exhibits + Events’ Coty Adams, Mollie Stahl, and Karen Adair caught up with leaders from brands like Williams AV and Barco to talk shop:

✅ What’s changing in how they plan and measure success

✅ How they're tackling event challenges with small but mighty teams

✅ What they wish more people understood about the role of events today

It’s a candid, insightful look into the evolving reality of trade shows, and a must-listen for anyone in the events world.
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Connect with them
Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/
Mollie Stahl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molliestahl/
Karen Adair: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-adair-18b747a/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/
Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined