Experiential Experts With Impact XM Impact XM

Courtney Stanley made a bold shift in her career at the end of 2019 and early 2020. She decided to pursue the path of entrepreneurship. She is a keynote speaker, event emcee, podcaster, and coach. Her humility is personable, and her approach is empowering. “It’s important to remember that you’re really only seeing the tip of the iceberg when you see people on stage, hear them on a podcast. You’ve missed the struggle to get there,” said Stanley.

While the pandemic may have put a pause on travel over the last two years, things are gearing back up, with different industries hosting a splurge of in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. ImpactXM is proud to be servicing over 25 clients at the ICSC Las Vegas event from May 22-24th. In the meantime, hosts Lorre Crisswell and Holly Zalenski reflect on ImpactXM’s 15th Anniversary Rethink conference last year, with special guest and now Vice President of Account Management Sohini Mitra leading the way on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Loree Crisswell, Holly Zalenski and Impact XM VP Executive Creative Director Erik McKinney breakdown how to produce effective marketing experiences.

Crépes Á Latte shares recipe for navigating through the pandemic and the current trends driving the events market today.

The hospitality industry revolves around interpersonal interactions—or so it seemed. Marti Winer, Vice President of MGM Resort Events Production, spoke with Experiential Experts hosts Lorre Crisswell and Holly Zalenski about how the industry has changed since the pandemic.
One significant business change is slower decision-making, partly due to the need for flexibility. For example, businesses may not be able to commit to the number of people attending an event or decide whether there will be a virtual option until right before the event. Thus, flexibility is key for the industry.
Customers have mixed, heightened emotions, so the hospitality workers need to meet them at their level. “Everybody’s answer is the right one for them. And we need to accommodate that,” Winer emphasized. She added that everyone had a remote and the option to change the media around them throughout the pandemic, which is not the case with live content.
“The whole shared experience of watching something simultaneously and participating in the rise and fall of emotion, or learning, etcetera, is on that we will really have to take into account in that customer experience as we start to really curate and orchestrate what upcoming events look like.”
The pandemic did result in positive changes for hospitality as well. Ubiquitous content access created thought and geographic diversity. Additionally, the pandemic revealed that current workers persevered and showed they have true dedication and passion for the industry.

For this first episode of Experiential Experts, hosts Lorre Crisswell and Holly Zalenski spoke with Aimee McGranahan, whose mission is to support shadow warriors and their families. The foundation she works for supports these families through various fundraising events they host.