Aaron Wolowiec

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

Event Garde is a professional development consulting firm committed to lifelong learning—for ourselves, our community and those who attend the meetings we facilitate—believing in its ability to create well-connected leaders and to foster performance improvement.

Conference 130

Conference 130

Aaron Wolowiec

OCTOBER 27, 2023

One of our clients elected to depart from its usual 90-minute panel presentations to experiment with a new and highly interactive learning format for about 125 people. Overall, I think this was an important and much-needed change that most people really enjoyed. Of course, there remains room for improvement both in planning and in implementation. Following represents a list of 13 lessons learned, many of which you might benefit from in the design and development of your own interactive learning

Education 130

Education Conference Course 130

Aaron Wolowiec

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

As the holiday season and year end approaches, many organizations look for ways to acknowledge the season with their members, customers and staff. But this isn’t always an easy task and depending on your audience(s), coming up with the right messaging and/or gift-giving idea is crucial to ensure your well-intended gesture reaches your audience as imagined.

Organization 100

Organization 100

Aaron Wolowiec

JANUARY 13, 2023

​How are you going to make this your year to beat the odds and finally meet, and sustain, your workout goals? We’ve come up with a few simple tips to help you along the way.

Tips 100

Tips 100

Aaron Wolowiec

APRIL 14, 2023

Bias shows up in our lives every day whether we want it to or not. Having a bias is how our brains naturally work. It doesn't mean that we have done something intentionally wrong or harmful. It does mean that our experiences have created biases that may cloud and negatively impact our actions toward those around us. We must work to understand what bias is, how bias is formed, and how to address it when it does.

How To 100

How To 100

Aaron Wolowiec

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Over the past few weeks, Shannon has had a refresher course in managing on-site event hiccups! While these unexpected situations come with the territory of live events, she's been reminded of why it is so important to keep up with our best practices when approaching each new event. Even the most well-laid plans are subject to interpretation and interruption without careful communication of needs and expectations.

Course 130

Course Communications 130

Aaron Wolowiec

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

Tracy King is our Gardian of the Month! Learn about a subject she'd like to learn more about, her preference for networking styles, and read about a recent experience that she considered profoundly impactful.

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130

Aaron Wolowiec

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

The decision to mandate antiracism or diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) training should be made carefully. While antiracism training can be valuable and effective when implemented thoughtfully, it is most effective when participants are engaged, willing, and open to the learning process. Mandating it for individuals who are not receptive may lead to a superficial compliance without genuine understanding or behavior change.

Innovation 130

Innovation Technology Process Marketing 130

Aaron Wolowiec

AUGUST 25, 2023

Today, more than ever, organizations are challenged with staffing issues. Whether the challenge lies in finding the right staff member, or budget constraints keep you from hiring a full-time employee, securing an outside contractor may be the perfect solution. Here are just a few of the benefits that come along when you bring in an external partner to plan and manage your meetings and events.

Organization 239

Organization 239

Aaron Wolowiec

AUGUST 18, 2023

John Bacon is our Gardian of the Month! Find out his strategy for helping someone learn a difficult topic, he share his favorite network and why it's special, how he thinks mentorship aids in knowledge transfer, the book he can't live without, and what the title of a book about his life would be called.

Strategy 246

Strategy 246

Aaron Wolowiec

AUGUST 11, 2023

What exactly is a facilitator? The terms "facilitator," "consultant," and "trainer" are often misunderstood, leading to confusion about their distinctiveness. Dilhara explores the differences between the terms and sheds light on why facilitation stands out as a unique and invaluable investment.

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225

Aaron Wolowiec

AUGUST 2, 2023

In honor of the upcoming ASAE Annual Meeting in Atlanta, but equally relevant to your own organization’s meeting and events, here’s a list of 25 ideas you might consider implementing to help get you, as an introvert, into the right headspace.

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Atlanta Industry Tips 246

Aaron Wolowiec

JULY 28, 2023

It’s pretty few and far between where the registration software an association uses can effectively print the name badges as needed. It’s just TOO basic usually. We then turn to colored stock, various shades of holders, different colored lanyards, a wall of ribbons, stickers, buttons and more to enhance, differentiate and display all the 1,000 things we want to show on our badge.

Conference 130

Conference Software Products Process 130

Aaron Wolowiec

JULY 7, 2023

How do we expect mobile devices to affect event engagement this year? In this post, we will review what opportunities await your association’s events this year and beyond!

Review 246

Review 246

Aaron Wolowiec

JUNE 23, 2023

This post sheds some light on the history of Juneteenth, why it is important and steps you can take to educate and open dialogue for your members and/or participants to talk about it.

Education 214

Education 214

Aaron Wolowiec

JUNE 9, 2023

Chapter events are a surefire way to get members engaged and excited about being a part of your organization. Plan them the right way to get them to show up post-pandemic!

Member Engagement 214

Member Engagement Organization 214

Aaron Wolowiec

JUNE 2, 2023

Wouldn't it be nice to have a secret formula that would magically select the perfect F&B that would accommodate all attendees and ensure everyone was happy with every meal? Unfortunately, we haven't found that quite yet, but here are a few tips and considerations you may find helpful while planning your next meeting or conference.

Tips 246

Tips Conference 246

Aaron Wolowiec

MARCH 24, 2023

Aaron was recently asked to build and present a custom session on the topics of burnout and innovation. Following represents an overview of his research and key findings.

Innovation 243

Innovation 243

Aaron Wolowiec

MARCH 17, 2023

Get ready to experience the future of event planning! As we enter 2023, the AV and event planning industries are embracing new trends and technologies to cater to the ever-changing needs and preferences of attendees and planners alike. This year, personalization, AI-powered event technology, sustainability, and immersive experiences take center stage.Get ready to experience the future of event planning!

Event Planning 219

Event Planning Technology Industry 219

Aaron Wolowiec

MARCH 3, 2023

If it seems more difficult to engage members these days - you are right. But don’t worry because Amanda Kaiser has got a whole passel of solutions for you!

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48

Aaron Wolowiec

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

When we talk about successful event planning, the emphasis is quite often on the word “planning” and all the tools and techniques we employ to ensure a successful event. But what about after the event? Let’s take a look at a few ways we can use an After Action Review (AAR) to help wrap up an event planning cycle and guide us in future events.

Event Planning 48

Event Planning Review Tools 48

Aaron Wolowiec

JANUARY 20, 2023

Kris Mayo is our Gardian of the Month! Find out her favorite thing about learning something new, networking advice for wallflowers, her go to resource and what she would title a book about her life!

Resources 130

Resources 130

Aaron Wolowiec

JANUARY 13, 2023

​How are you going to make this your year to beat the odds and finally meet, and sustain, your workout goals? We’ve come up with a few simple tips to help you along the way.

Tips 49

Tips 49

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 23, 2022

2023 is the year leaders will benefit from disruption in the association sector. This post looks at three disruptions and how associations can turn discomfort into benefits to better focus on members, manage operations and invest wisely.

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237

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 16, 2022

Yesenia Murillo is our Gardian of the Month! Find out what subject she'd like to learn more about, one of her favorite professional networks, the resource she thinks you should check out and which season best represents her!

Resources 223

Resources 223

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 14, 2022

For day 10 of our 12 days of recipes, we invite you to check out this heavenly English Toffee shared by Aaron Wolowiec, Event Garde Founder & President.

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48

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 12, 2022

For day 8 of our 12 days of recipes, we invite you to check out this recipe for these tasty Sweet Potatoes shared by Jenny Hill, Event Garde Manager of Marketing.

Marketing 49

Marketing 49

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 9, 2022

For day 7 of our 12 days of recipes, we invite you to check out this luscious Crustless Cranberry Pie shared by Dilhara Muthukuda, Event Garde Facilitator.

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48

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 9, 2022

In today’s busy environment there are many things vying for attendee’s time and money, making it more important than ever to build the “perfect” event to entice them to attend. How do we find just the right mix of structured programming while offering opportunities for organic networking and some fun too?? Here are several ideas to incorporate some “downtime” that keeps attendees engaged – without burning them out.

Organization 238

Organization 238

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 8, 2022

For day 6 of our 12 days of recipes, we invite you to check out these yummy Mini Cheesecakes shared by Kate Pojeta, Event Garde Director of Meetings & Technology.

Technology 48

Technology 48

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 7, 2022

For day 5 of our 12 days of recipes, we invite you to check out these scrumptious Butter Cookies​​​​​​​ shared by Trevor Mitchell, Event Garde Consultant.

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48

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 5, 2022

For day 3 of our 12 days of recipes, we invite you to check out these delectable Soft Cinnamon Cookies with Maple Pecan Frosting shared by Krista Rowe, Event Garde's Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

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48

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 2, 2022

Accountability Groups are becoming common practice - they can serve lots of different functions and mean lots of different things to different people. They are any group of like professionals who want to provide support for, provide personal and professional growth opportunities for, and build relationships with others in their field. Read on for the benefits of these groups.

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246

Aaron Wolowiec

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

One of the questions organizations struggle with regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is, “How do we measure our efforts to ensure we are making the impact we are striving for?” Data-driven decisions are a good way to eliminate bias in any situation. There are research studies out there demonstrating the fact that successful DEIA efforts do lead to more innovative, productive, and higher earning organizations over their competitors.

Innovation 49

Innovation Products Organization 49

Aaron Wolowiec

OCTOBER 28, 2022

Many of us are back to planning in-person events and while we continue to use our experience to help deliver first-class events, not everything is as it once was when it comes to event planning and execution. Here are some of the key lessons Kara will take with her into 2023.

Event Planning 246

Event Planning Class 246

Aaron Wolowiec

OCTOBER 4, 2022

Association execs are often tasked with choosing or even creating research on which our organizations will base important decisions, but many of us lack formal research training, which can be a little daunting! Fortunately, there's a new, free resource out that can help you develop your skills and confidence in research terminology and methods.

Resources 242

Resources Organization 242

Aaron Wolowiec

OCTOBER 1, 2022

In basketball, you win as a team, and you lose as a team. It doesn’t matter if you personally play your best game, if you aren’t supporting each other and working together as a team, you won’t be successful. This is true of events too!

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Event Planning Team 241