Reflections of our First Customer Summit

Perfection is not all it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes, it takes things going wrong to realize what went right. 

Last week, Eventbrite hosted RECONVENE, a virtual summit designed to help event organizers navigate the future of events. I was humbled by the opportunity to bring our community of creators together to listen, connect, and learn from each other. 

I was reminded of the power of that community — and the magic of live events — when a technical glitch cut short my fireside chat with acclaimed author Priya Parker. Many of us have had that nightmare scenario where you're on stage in front of a massive crowd, lights blinding, and you freeze, as time seems to stretch out in front of you. 

Now imagine that happening while you're alone, in your make-shift home office! There I was, stranded in a virtual chat with my esteemed guest trapped off video. So, what did I do? I turned to our community of attendees, who could not have been more supportive, and got them to participate and connect in the chat, where we made the most of it.

When I look back on this first RECONVENE, I’ll think back to that moment, when our community filled the silence created by a webstream malfunction. The conversation and sense of connection that grew out of that moment were energizing and authentic.

Thousands of experience makers from more than 150 countries tuned in to eight-plus hours of programming over two days. They engaged with our guest speakers, like Katie Couric, Dr. Bob Wachter, and Hrishikesh Hirway, but they also engaged with each other in the chats, where they traded industry tips and tricks, deepened their expertise, and, hopefully, made new friends. 

We brought this community together to arm them with the tools they need to succeed as live events return, but we also discovered, as we’d hoped, that this group of event producers wants to support each other. They want to learn. They want to grow. They want to come together as a community just as much as they want to bring people together.

I’ve been floored over the past year by the ingenuity, resilience, and adaptability of our event organizers. During RECONVENE, CraftJam’s Nora Abousteit shared how her crafting company pivoted from in-person classes to virtual events, and is now modeling a hybrid approach. Served Up’s Jess Doren demonstrated how a little creativity enabled her to host in-person events in New York City in the middle of a pandemic. Joe Lurgio of subterranean music venue The Caverns detailed how they partnered with musician Jason Isbell to build an outdoor, podded venue for safe, socially-distanced concerts.

RECONVENE was a chance to celebrate all that these entrepreneurs have accomplished — and the exciting experiences that lie ahead. 

One attendee, Saya Hillman, shared how the summit inspired her. Saya hosts experiences designed to build connections, including a summer camp where you unplug to reconnect. “I signed up thinking, maybe I’ll have it on in the background,” Saya said. “You all have pushed me and stretched me in the best way possible, and I engaged in ways I did not think I would.”

Watching the way our event creators came together to support each other moved me, and I can’t wait for the chance to bring us all together again. 

Missed the conference but want to see the talks? Everything is accessible here.