Reflecting on My First CEMA Experience: A Blend of Warmth and Insight

Hard to believe it’s already been two weeks since attending my first CEMA-Corporate Event Marketing Association ! What a fabulous experience. The warm welcome and engagement from this incredible community felt like attending an industry family reunion—catching up with old friends, meeting new faces, and embracing the connections that make our industry so special.

But beyond the fun and camaraderie, we tackled some serious challenges that we all face in the live event industry, whether we're on the client side or agency side. Common threads emerged throughout the event: nurturing creativity, the influence of pop culture, innovative communication tactics, corporate innovation, purpose-driven leadership, doing more with less, and navigating the ever-evolving event landscape.

Through conversations, mingling, and shared experiences, I was reminded of the undeniable value and primary function of live events: fostering in-person connections, building trust, and finding common ground.

As a leader of an agency TENCUE that partners with event marketers, purpose-driven leadership is top of mind for me. CEMA truly delivered on this front, and I walked away with three key takeaways that I found immensely helpful:

1. Set Expectations: It may seem obvious, but treating the C-suite as part of the buying committee is crucial. Remind everyone of timelines and the implications of their decisions. As Tavar James pointed out, "speed is expensive."
2. Budgets Are a Team Sport: While only a limited number of people may directly interact with the budget, delivering within its constraints requires a team effort, aligning expectations across the board. Marrah Thomas, CMM , Thao Nguyen, CMP and Elizabeth Thomas emphasized during the "The Era of Doing More with Less" session the importance of engaging event partners and leaning into those partnerships. By treating partners as fiduciary allies, we can effectively explore location options, keep a sharp focus on key deliverables, and ensure that everyone is working collaboratively toward the same goals.
3. Level Setting & Taking Risks: Our strategies should always focus on human connection and engagement, but we must also be willing to cut what’s underperforming. Invest in content that matters to attendees, and drives three emotions: know it, like it, love it.

What an incredible first CEMA experience! Grateful for the insights and the community that made it unforgettable.