Recapping The Age of Conversation Summit!

At the start of the year, we certainly didn’t expect this rapid digital transformation of events. However, when social distancing measures made many in-person events impossible, we knew we had to adapt. For businesses in similar situations, it’s hard to figure out what to do next to keep your business thriving. Earlier this month, we were proud to be part of the Age of Conversation Summit, originally conceived by Liz Lathan, Nicole Osibodu and Tom Spano. The event, sponsored by Haute Dokimazo was produced on the Qiqochat platform, and created to help marketing & event professionals discover connection and conversation through virtual events.

The Age of Conversation

The purpose of The Age of Conversation was multifold. First and foremost, this event brought together over 40 event professionals to launch a one-of-a-kind interactive and participatory online event with a core of volunteers that had little or no virtual event experience, in under 6 weeks. The event was created to support the growth and development of event professionals to be prepared for and have the experience in creating virtual events. The summit offered attendees human connection and conversation and participatory virtual event that engaged and opened up their minds to what could be, and the direction events can move in the digital landscape.

Heidi Hiller jumped in about 2 and a half weeks before the summit and took on the role as a Room Parent. She was more than a little nervous as she was elevated to the main session, where she was tasked with introducing the main speakers including the keynote speaker for the main event session! Heidi was one of over two dozen session administrators, or as they were known, Room Parents, who spent weeks training for their role in the summit.

In this role, Heidi helped train other Room Parents on how to navigate the Zoom platform, as well as connect with each of her main session speakers to prepare them for the conference. On the day of the event each Room Parent was assigned with facilitating the Zoom sessions, introducing the speakers, checking the green room tech between sessions, launching their polling, videos and slides during the sessions, and engaging the audience. Attendees had some wonderful and enlightening conversations with our main session speakers: 

Lisa Bodell

2020 has been a year characterized by change. Lisa Bodell, CEO of Futurethink, is an expert in the world of strategy and innovation. As a speaker at the Age of Conversation Summit, Lisa shared her expertise and showed attendees how to ignite change and think more creatively about their future.

Carina Bauer

Uniting and advancing the meetings industry took on a new meaning once in-person meetings were cancelled.  Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group, has been an active member of the meetings industry for nearly two decades.  When IMEX Frankfurt 2020 was cancelled, Carina and her team saw a need for a brand-new kind of experience to connect suppliers with meeting planners across the world in a virtual setting.  PlanetIMEX provides online visitors with access to a variety of activities and content in three different interactive 3D spaces, Community Island, Education Island, and Networking Island, each with entirely unique landscapes.  Carina showed how this “innovation through transformation” led to a fun new way for professionals to connect from all around the globe. 

Paige Dorman and Charles Eide 

Now more than ever, leadership is feeling the need to adapt while staying relevant. Paige Dorman and Charles Eide of EideCom broke down how teams can deliver more value now than ever before, even amidst a global pandemic! Interested in similar content? Check out their podcast called Meeting Minds.

Simon T. Bailey

It’s hard for businesses to truly thrive without healthy company culture. TedTalk speaker and former Disney Executive Simon T. Bailey had an open discussion with attendees about how businesses can take action to create a culture where everyone matters. He certainly kept everyone smiling and engaged.

Rachel Sheerin

Heidi’s new BFF!!! We all have hopes, desires, goals, and needs. How can we tap into them in a practical way? Certified Behavior Analyst and award-winning speaker Rachel Sheerin gave a fun and fast-paced keynote exploring just that! Attendees were guided through the core transformational questions that help illuminate their desires, reexamine the pressure to stay the same and make way for a new evolution in themselves. After Rachel was done she called to thank Heidi for her hosting. Mind blowing, right!?

Since the Summit, the volunteers and staff from The Age of Conversation Summit have continued to add to the content and catch up on all the sessions (there were over 100) that they missed. Did you miss The Age of Conversation? Get access to the session notes and recordings from the speakers above and many others here!

We Can Help Plan Your Next Virtual Event!

Innovative Party Planners is your resource for live, hybrid and virtual event design and planning in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Virginia. To learn more about all our event planning services and how we can help make your event one of a kind, contact us by calling (410) 998-9999.