A great dinner or VIP experience means nothing if it doesn’t lead to a meaningful conversation.

In this episode, Stephanie Hunicke (Director of Global Marketing Events at Aderant) breaks down how to design bespoke events that prioritize relationships and real business outcomes from the start.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why depth beats scale when it comes to executive events

✅ How to align purpose, people, and experience to drive real outcomes

✅ What most teams get wrong about VIP dinners, roadshows, and exec forums

As more teams invest in smaller, high-touch events, the question isn’t whether to do them, it’s how to do them well.

Stephanie shares a clear, practical framework for building bespoke experiences that are intentional, audience-first, and tied to real business goals. From defining purpose upfront to shaping the full attendee journey, she explains how these events can strengthen relationships, create meaningful conversations, and move deals forward.

With over 25 years of experience leading global event programs, her perspective is grounded in what actually works in the field, not just in theory.

If you’re rethinking your event strategy, this is a must-listen for making your smaller events matter more.

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Connect with Stephanie Hunicke
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephhunicke/

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

Most trade show booths fail for one simple reason: they’re built to be seen, not experienced. In this conversation, Matt breaks down why the old playbook no longer works and what actually drives pipeline today.

Learn:

✅ Why “show up and pitch” is killing engagement and what to replace it with

✅ How pre-show and post-show strategy often matter more than the booth itself

✅ What it really takes to turn events from a cost center into a revenue driver

In this guest appearance on the Behind the Experience Podcast, Matt Kleinrock joins Francisco Opazo of Eventify to unpack the shift happening across trade shows and B2B events.

The conversation goes beyond booth design and into strategy -- covering audience intent, experience design, and how today’s attendees engage on the show floor.

From aligning sales and marketing to rethinking how events influence the full customer journey, this episode challenges the way most teams approach events today and what needs to change moving forward.

If you want your events to actually drive pipeline, not just check a box, start here.

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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

How do you know if the event agency you hired is actually a strategic partner? Or just a middleman?

Choosing the right agency partner can shape the success of an entire event program, yet many teams still rely on RFP processes that miss what truly matters.

In this episode, Matt Kleinrock sits down with event strategist and fractional Head of Events Gianna Gaudini to unpack how organizations should rethink agency selection from the start. Together, they explore how event leaders can run smarter RFPs, ask better questions, and evaluate agencies based on strategic value rather than surface-level proposals.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why many RFP processes fail to reveal whether an agency can truly be a strategic partner

✅ What questions event leaders should ask agencies to uncover real capabilities and alignment

✅ Red flags that signal when an agency relationship may create more friction than value

With experience spanning Google, AWS, and Airtable, Gianna brings a unique perspective from both brand-side and agency-side roles.

Tune in to rethink how you choose agency partners and how better questions can lead to better event outcomes.

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Connect with Gianna Gaudini
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giannagaudini/

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