Are you heading into fall events the same way you did last year? Same booth, same playbook, same hope that something sticks?

Most event marketers aren't lazy. They're just busy. And busy has a way of turning strategy into autopilot. That gap between teams who show up and teams who show up READY starts forming right now, in summer.

As part of The Summer Circuit, we're dropping a special compilation episode where host Matt Kleinrock shares the unfiltered advice he'd give any event marketer preparing for the back half of the year.

(Yes, Matt filmed this from a kiddie pool. The advice is still dead serious.)

Here's what you'll walk away with:

✅ Why chasing a perfect ROI calculation before you have any measurement at all is the fastest way to measure nothing

✅ How a real event theme works and what it has to be rooted in to actually move through your entire execution

✅ When to stop order-taking from internal stakeholders and start asking the questions that get to the why

Fall is coming faster than most strategies are ready for. Give this one a listen.

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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

Your booth traffic looked good. Badge scans were high. Leadership wants ROI numbers. But none of that fully explains whether your event actually moved deals forward.

In this episode, Matt talks with Cynthia Montalvo (Regional Field Marketing Manager at Steno) about the growing gap between event metrics and actual event influence.

Cynthia, an event strategist known for pushing teams beyond surface-level reporting, explains why signals like stakeholder expansion, deeper conversations, follow-up meetings, and peer validation can tell a far richer story than lead volume alone.

Together, they explore how event teams can become more intentional about designing experiences that create momentum across the customer journey—especially in complex B2B sales environments.

Learn:

✅ Why conversation quality often matters more than booth traffic

✅ The signals that reveal trust, deal acceleration, and buying intent

✅ How to design events around influence instead of activity metrics

Listen in for a practical conversation on how modern event teams can better understand what’s really happening at their events and how to prove the value of it.

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Connect with Cynthia Montalvo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-montalvo/

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 event teams are still measuring trade shows by booth traffic, badge scans, and “good vibes.”

But when budgets tighten and leadership wants answers, those metrics stop meaning much.

Bethany Gustafson leads events at ACTIVE Network, where her team manages everything from small pop-up trade shows to large-scale flagship exhibits across multiple markets and products.

In this episode, she joins Matt Kleinrock to break down what it actually takes to run a high-volume event program strategically—not just operationally. They get into the pressure event marketers face to prove impact, why clean attribution is harder than executives think, and how strong teams build scorecards, feedback loops, and sales alignment around real business outcomes.

Learn:

✅ How Bethany structures Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 event strategies across 75–100 shows a year

✅ The leading indicators she watches before ROI is fully visible months later

✅ Why operational systems and sales alignment matter more than flashy booths

If you’re being asked to prove the value of your trade shows while managing more events with fewer resources, this episode will probably feel very familiar.

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Connect with Bethany Gustafson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethany-gustafson/

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 are still being designed for the render. Not the person walking a crowded aisle deciding in seconds whether your booth is worth their attention.

Recorded live from EXHIBITORLIVE 2026, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams break down what they’re noticing on the show floor right now: bigger structures, tighter aisles, shorter attention spans, and event teams trying to balance nonstop execution with pressure to deliver better ROI.

✅ Why some of the “best-looking” booths still fail to pull people in

✅ How immersive, eye-level design impacts dwell time and engagement

✅ What burnout is doing to strategy, creativity, and event performance

This episode goes beyond booth aesthetics. Matt and Coty dig into why many exhibits are blending into the noise, why themed experiences tend to stick with attendees longer, and why connection still matters more than spectacle. They also talk openly about the reality many event marketers are facing right now: running at full speed while still being expected to think strategically, innovate constantly, and prove results.

If your team is trying to create more meaningful event experiences without burning out in the process, this conversation will probably feel very familiar.

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Connect With Us

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

Everyone wants better event ROI, but most event marketers are navigating a frustrating reality: they are expected to think strategically while being buried in execution.

In this episode, Matt and Coty break down their EXHIBITORLIVE experience as a live case study in what it looks like when an event is planned more intentionally from end to end.

From pre-show planning and alignment to on-site engagement and post-event momentum, they walk through how thinking about events as a full campaign—not just a moment—can change outcomes.

They also share key takeaways from the “State of the Race” poll, revealing what event marketers are trying to achieve right now, what is getting in the way, and why the gap between strategic expectations and day-to-day execution keeps holding teams back.

You’ll learn:

✅ How to approach events as a full campaign (pre, during, and post), not just a booth experience

✅ Where creativity and scrappiness actually show up and how to use them to drive engagement

✅ What 150+ event marketers are focused on right now, and what’s slowing them down

This is a practical conversation for marketers who want to create stronger event outcomes without pretending they operate in perfect conditions.

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Connect With Us

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined

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