S04 E09 - From Spreadsheets to Smart Awards: Evessio’s AI Revolution

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Yeah, so my name is Gary Clement. I'm the CEO of Avesio.
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And yeah, I got started in the events industry probably about 20 years ago.
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So I was working with a company called RBI or Reed Elsevier.
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And yeah, it was a bit of a strange introduction into the events industry whereby
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this particular company had just started off doing events.
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And rightly or wrongly I just said yeah don't worry
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I can build you something to manage that online and that's
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how kind of my journey started in the
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events industry and then born from
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that was of SEO when I got together with
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Paul Schnell and Tom Howie at
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PolicyTO he came from a background kind
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of citrix very data driven fantastic
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technology base and he was
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excited by the events industry and just said yeah let's let's
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let's do this so that was just over
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10 years ago that we got we started building a vessel from
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the learnings of my previous system
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so which was a really good start so that's yeah that's how
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i got started well first of all mate congratulations for
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making it a decade because there's many people that don't make it
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past the year in this sector itself yeah it
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it's oh my goodness from from the
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initial technologies that were available there was
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zero basically there was zero technology available so it was an interesting
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start and it was it was great what a journey but the knowledge that we had from
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our from the first system that we built was give us a really good you know a
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start starting point to build a vessel which was fantastic.
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So yeah I've got it's certainly changed,
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I've got a question that I'll come back to you on that, which is,
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you know, what was your biggest learning from that first round in event technology?
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But before I go on to that, what does a CEO do?
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Because we hear this term CEO within the event technology companies.
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What's Gary's day-to-day job, mate?
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A bit of everything, which I'll find really interesting. So we've got our board
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meeting later on today. So it's discussing everything from strategy,
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what's happening in the industry, where do we want to go?
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We're very fortunate we're not, there's no venture capitalists in here with just the three owners.
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So we can choose our own destiny. And that gives us, we can start looking at
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marketing events that we're going to attend.
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Obviously, ETL is one of our favorites and highlights of the year.
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So we're looking forward to that.
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Speaking to customers, HR through to marketing.
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So that is pretty much kind of everything chucked all at once,
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looking at new technologies and how we can integrate those technologies and
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make sure that they're fit for purpose, not just for marketing, but for sales.
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Driving the sales pipeline, looking at new technologies, AI,
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looking at that whole plethora of technologies in our industry to see how we
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can kind of like smooth our process.
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So I love it. I think it's really exciting.
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And I think now, especially with the introduction of AI and how that's going
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and accelerating, it's even more of a fascinating area for me.
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It's It's really exciting times. It really is.
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So what was that one thing from your first time around producing event technology
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before you came into Avesio that you carried forward as a learning,
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as a lesson when it comes to event technology?
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Wow, that's a great question. So for us, it was, and for Paul specifically,
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is making sure the technology that we built is that it's our platform.
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It's it's using our technology there
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was in a technological symphony whereby you you
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you're forever trying to catch up and it wasn't your platform effectively
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you're using somebody else's and then they would make upgrades so
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that to us is doing something that we
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could control that was the most important
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for us as a sas business that's incredibly important
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to being able to develop scale build modules
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do what you want not being relying on an underground technology
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that isn't ours that was that was kind of the
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first thing that we learned yeah it was that was but not to do that in in the
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sas business and why what's the dangers of relying on somebody else or another
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piece of infrastructure to build your your technology on top of i think you
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well you don't know what's going to happen to that technology.
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It could change dramatically. The infrastructure can change,
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and then you've got to adapt to that. That means you kind of might have to redo all the code.
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I'm not a technical person. Let me just clarify.
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I hear every day, and it was something I learned from Paul, and he was a great,
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kind of mentor in that area and he was you know it's just
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not being reliant on somebody else's technology you know
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things come and go technologies change so you've
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got to be you know having that underlying thing is is not following that path
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was very important for us you're being able to determine what we want to do
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in the future was you know for us a starting point of seo yeah it's.
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It's one of the lessons in media as well is never really rely on building your
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audience on the backbone of somebody else's platform and exposure because if
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they change something or turn the light switch off.
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Then you've got no audience again.
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So it brings me on to another question, actually, then,
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and I'm going to preface this with, with the advent of AI technology,
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I think the appetite that I've seen has increased from organizers or others
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thinking, maybe this now gives us an opportunity to build X, Y, and Z internally,
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manage it and tweak it to our particular needs.
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Do you see the same thing and if so
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do you think that is also potentially dangerous
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you know some of the ai platforms that we
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hear lovable ball cursor these kinds of platforms that people are building their
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technologies on the backbone of it if somebody isn't technically led and they're
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just vibe coding let's say does that leave them open to dangers in that sense
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yes i yeah i've i've been a lovable,
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had a look around, played, see what you can do. Yeah, it's fantastic.
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The technology is getting better. I would say it's not there yet.
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You need that whole infrastructure. You need a development team. You've got to have that.
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You've got to make sure that your time is good. It's okay building something,
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but what about everything that goes behind what you've built?
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That to me is like, yes, customers could go away and build their own technology
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to satisfy their needs, but So, yeah, we've got to keep ahead of that.
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We've got to innovate as well. We can't stay stagnant and expect...
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We've got to stay ahead and give them opportunity to not do
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that but at the same time it's not
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that easy it's it's the whole infrastructure the
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you know if things change again their whole system might
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especially if it's it's a system
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that they're reliant on heavily financially and interaction
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with the customers doing registration absolutely possibility
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there but it's not something that i would advocate anybody doing
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it it sounds fantastic on the surface but
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when you dig a little bit deeper it it becomes
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you're opening a huge can of worms yeah i
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think there's an opportunity for people to create little
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tools whether that's internally for the planning process or
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yes you know maybe it's a ai activation
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on site and if that falls over it's
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not going to break the event right it's it's not integrated into.
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Registration it's not affecting anything commercial
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it's actually not necessarily gonna leave
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a really bad lasting impression for an attendee experience
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but if it's crucial event tech as i call it
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i think far from it should that we
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would even consider ourselves to code anything
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and not have that support and technical knowledge behind it do what do for me
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i always say to customers do what you're best at doing your best at organizing
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events right i mean when we first started we had customers that would say well
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we've got our own system and we said fine okay that's that's all well and good that's great.
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But then a year or two later they come back to us and say can we can we have
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a little bit of a chat please and so absolutely we're open to that because that
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system has its end of life they're changing.
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I would totally agree with you that i think it's it's really a fantastic time
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where people can develop little add-ons that's going to enhance the product
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that we have or they have and i think that's where the winds are building something
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which is is an incredibly complex platform,
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requires the services behind it to be able to keep it up to speed you know keep up with technology,
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i would say that's that's a bridge too far for companies
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i think yeah you you hit the nail on the head
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for me is is building things now and our customers are some of our customers
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are doing that which i think is fantastic building those little niche bits that
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are going to get them new revenue streams or enhance what they're actually doing
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do what you know best you can't fix everything for everybody do what you know best.
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We would not go into running events because I just don't know how to run an
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event. That's not what we do. We do software.
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So saying it on the reverse side of things sounds fantastic,
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but yeah, there's many, many pitfalls.
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Yeah, and I think we're already starting to see people fall into those pitfalls as well.
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Keeping a little bit while we're on the AI theme, mate, I've got two questions for you.
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First one, how is Avesio looking at AI technology from its customer experience? How are you using it?
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Or if you can tell us what does a little bit of the roadmap look like that your
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customers are benefiting from AI within Avesio?
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Yeah i think we've changed into like
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initially we put ai in to help our
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customers and their customers doing entrance entries and
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judges as well i think we're in a different phase
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now it's like looking at not just improvements for speed
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improvements efficiencies and changes it's like looking at
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new revenue streams how can we now
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use this technology to save time but then
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open up new revenue streams for our customers and that
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that to me is really exciting and i think one
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is is kind of the back end
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of we within awards you have so much
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data and that data
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is effectively entrants do their entry and then in
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the opening i'll say the olden days it's probably still relevant now is
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uh you do the entry you have a ceremony and it
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finishes well that that's changing now with
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ai because then you can do lots of reports which
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you can then do back to entrance for benchmarking.
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So they can feel as if they've had some sort of engagement with that particular
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event but then it how can you do that for judges how can you do that for sponsors
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and the sponsor thing is really exciting for me is being being able to give
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value not just a logo on a on a spreadsheet or a,
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or a menu or on the, on the night of the presentation saying,
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right, okay, this is your category that you've sponsored.
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Here's some real insights about what's, what's trending in your category.
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I think, yeah, AI is fantastic. And I think it's just opening up new revenue streams.
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And that's how we're engaging as well with our customers to make sure that we're
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not just producing something that we think is right. We're producing something
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that our customers need.
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We can all build software.
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You know, we can go out and build something wherever we want to and say,
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great, it's fit for purpose.
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But fit for purpose means nothing. It's got to do something for our customer.
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So for me, it's asking the customer, what do they need?
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Where are their pain points? AI is going in. It's incredible.
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I love it. I think it's great.
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There's always that. People are talking about AI and this, that,
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and the other, and it's doing this.
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So there's a lot of noise at the moment in the industry.
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So it's like just filtering out the noise to make sure that what AI you do is
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relevant for your customer.
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Another question i have for you around the
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use of ai then you know as a technology company no doubt
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just across the spectrum everybody's investigating
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and use technology and tools whether that
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be on a personal day-to-day basis or as a company so
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how is ai technology been the
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most useful to you gary as ceo of abessia me
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personally see oh my goodness yeah it just
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allows you to be able to do things a lot quicker you know
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it it allows you to plan look at different angles
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what what's interesting for me is like you can put
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something into chat jbt and it would it'll give
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you different thought process it's it's opening out
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your thought process you're not restricted uh to.
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What you you know what you think about it's just it
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opens it out into different areas which
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i think is really an interesting area for
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me personally so different ways of
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reacting to things or different ways of doing things or
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just you know that that's how it's useful for me
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yeah i think certainly you
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know i think we're in very similar positions you mentioned earlier probably
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two dozen elements of the business that you're involved in or touch and things
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like that which means that you're you know you only have so many hours in the
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day and your time is essentially like an hour on this, two hours on this,
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three hours on this and so on.
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And, and I feel it's, it's not necessarily that it's allowing you to do.
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A 16-hour day in an eight-hour day but what it is allowing you to do is move quicker through the,
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cycle of let's say the year so that
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you can move the needle quicker in terms of growth and strategy
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and execution and things like that so you're still
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doing hopefully and we know CEOs we don't do
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eight-hour days we probably do still do 16-hour days but rather
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than it taking essentially a year to achieve something
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that cycle is in some ways being shortened to
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maybe six or even three months kind of thing that's that's
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how i'm seeing the impact of it yeah i i
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would totally agree with that i think for me it just
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like i said earlier on it just opens up that different way
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of thinking give you different different perspective
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different points different ways of achieving something that you
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things that you've never thought about and it's
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like oh that's quite an interesting avenue you to go down you
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know what happens if we put that information in the
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chart what do you get back from the results from that so it's yeah
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i think it's it's like having a few brains isn't it
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in the same room it's almost like having a whiteboard with other people and
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that's what i find quite interesting do you find it's also the fourth impartial
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person in the room when you're having conversations with paul and tom and and
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kind of like well let's see what the impartial person decides and who it sides with.
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Sneakily put something into chat to be too while you're having a board meeting.
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Yeah, I might do that this afternoon.
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Yeah, I think, no, that's a good point. I think it just gives you a balanced view as well.
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And I think we all have our own opinion. We all think what's right.
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And I think it just opens you up to a different way of thinking.
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Which is useful yeah but i'm definitely going to use that on the board meeting.
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I've used it on the wife more than once i think yeah even she uses it now on
00:16:52.204 --> 00:16:56.104
me though so i will i will give her that caveat you said right at the top you
00:16:56.104 --> 00:17:00.584
know it's been 10 years of seo has been in the industry supporting awards and
00:17:00.584 --> 00:17:02.644
the awards organizers deliver their events,
00:17:03.364 --> 00:17:08.844
what do you think how do you think the industry the awards industry has evolved
00:17:08.844 --> 00:17:14.304
over those 10 years I think it's changed from, well.
00:17:15.044 --> 00:17:19.044
Reliance on spreadsheets, managing entries in our whole data process.
00:17:19.084 --> 00:17:24.164
The use of software now is an integral part of any awards process.
00:17:24.404 --> 00:17:31.544
And we're taking that next step now is using the data. So it's not just that
00:17:31.544 --> 00:17:36.084
entries, submission, judging, and an award ceremony.
00:17:36.264 --> 00:17:42.944
It's that longevity now, all your community giving entrants really actionable
00:17:42.944 --> 00:17:45.564
feedback, constructive feedback
00:17:45.564 --> 00:17:49.904
from judges to encourage them to come back next year and re-enter.
00:17:50.224 --> 00:17:55.064
And data, and the data is an incredible side of things.
00:17:55.064 --> 00:17:58.124
There's so much data within awards entry that
00:17:58.124 --> 00:18:01.024
you can now analyze using ai and that's
00:18:01.024 --> 00:18:05.104
going to further help entrants judges sponsors organizers
00:18:05.104 --> 00:18:08.404
in that whole process so yeah it's it yeah
00:18:08.404 --> 00:18:13.444
it's it's different now from what it used to be we first built a vessel by facilitating
00:18:13.444 --> 00:18:18.464
that entry process and making it taken away from a spreadsheet to a more automated
00:18:18.464 --> 00:18:25.684
process but now taking that next jump into the next era, which is really exciting.
00:18:26.597 --> 00:18:33.217
And I see it also, full caveat, or full disclosure, being a Vesce or customer.
00:18:33.937 --> 00:18:39.337
That's a real differentiator then as an awards organizer when you're able to
00:18:39.337 --> 00:18:42.917
provide your sponsors and your entrants that feedback.
00:18:43.417 --> 00:18:48.617
Because no doubt the companies that enter my awards will also enter other industry
00:18:48.617 --> 00:18:52.717
awards or external awards in other sectors and other verticals.
00:18:52.717 --> 00:18:56.017
Yeah and if i'm able to provide them something that
00:18:56.017 --> 00:18:59.177
all of those other awards are currently
00:18:59.177 --> 00:19:01.977
not then that's a lasting impression and
00:19:01.977 --> 00:19:04.977
the value that's a differentiator going into the next season
00:19:04.977 --> 00:19:07.957
and the next cycle to say well if we're
00:19:07.957 --> 00:19:11.317
going to do anything let's do adams adams at
00:19:11.317 --> 00:19:14.217
the top of the list because we also got x y
00:19:14.217 --> 00:19:17.497
and z even if we didn't win right and
00:19:17.497 --> 00:19:20.417
i think that's the biggest thing is that value even if
00:19:20.417 --> 00:19:23.157
somebody didn't win on the night yeah and i
00:19:23.157 --> 00:19:26.257
think i think we enter awards we do all around
00:19:26.257 --> 00:19:29.097
the world and it's quite interesting the different way that people
00:19:29.097 --> 00:19:31.857
manage and i think it you know
00:19:31.857 --> 00:19:34.557
you would do a submission and then all of
00:19:34.557 --> 00:19:37.357
a sudden you'd make the shortlist but you you didn't
00:19:37.357 --> 00:19:40.517
win which is absolutely fine but there's no tangible you know
00:19:40.517 --> 00:19:44.737
what the judges thought about you which areas were stronger than others where
00:19:44.737 --> 00:19:50.377
where do you think you could improve move within your entry and for me that's
00:19:50.377 --> 00:19:55.037
really important when it comes to an organizer because you want to keep them
00:19:55.037 --> 00:19:59.157
the entrant focused on your event and not anybody else's.
00:19:59.825 --> 00:20:03.885
So it's retention, brand awareness. So for me,
00:20:04.105 --> 00:20:11.485
these feedback or benchmarking is an important part of that whole process,
00:20:11.485 --> 00:20:17.345
as well as selling seats or tickets for the event or however the event is managed.
00:20:18.145 --> 00:20:24.505
So that for me is really important. And then that extends itself into the entrance
00:20:24.505 --> 00:20:30.925
being able to do things, being able to do on social media. So what are they strong at?
00:20:31.185 --> 00:20:34.925
Where are their weaknesses and where can they improve is incredible.
00:20:35.185 --> 00:20:37.585
You know, that tangible feedback is so important.
00:20:37.845 --> 00:20:45.125
So you mentioned previously that the value to organizers was beyond that feedback
00:20:45.125 --> 00:20:53.065
and the ability to look at that data and look at creating new additional revenue streams.
00:20:53.065 --> 00:20:57.465
Because the traditional revenue streams for an event organizer has been entries,
00:20:58.125 --> 00:21:02.805
headline sponsorship, category sponsorship, tables, tickets.
00:21:03.345 --> 00:21:11.725
Yeah. What else are organizers now being able to uncover and generate revenue from using that data?
00:21:13.225 --> 00:21:18.985
So anything for a particular category, it could be generated for the sponsor
00:21:18.985 --> 00:21:22.525
to see what the key highlights are from that particular category.
00:21:23.065 --> 00:21:30.865
If you've got sponsors categories, or if you've got an overall event sponsor,
00:21:31.265 --> 00:21:37.345
for all the categories, you can do kind of like key top 10 entries from all
00:21:37.345 --> 00:21:38.425
the categories. What are they?
00:21:39.345 --> 00:21:44.445
And kind of give a, what are the general flaws within your awards?
00:21:44.745 --> 00:21:50.785
Has anything been highlighted? Is any trends happening within the awards?
00:21:50.785 --> 00:21:57.205
So it's, and then that can move on to kind of benchmarking reports for the industry.
00:21:57.745 --> 00:22:01.825
You know, you could tell, you know, if you're running from your particular event,
00:22:01.965 --> 00:22:02.765
what's, what's trending?
00:22:03.588 --> 00:22:07.048
Yeah what's what is it is it something like is technology
00:22:07.048 --> 00:22:10.168
is it's renewables what what is trending within
00:22:10.168 --> 00:22:12.908
all the categories and that kind of
00:22:12.908 --> 00:22:16.388
helps the future as well you know that can help you formulate
00:22:16.388 --> 00:22:19.288
what your categories might be for next year so there's lots of
00:22:19.288 --> 00:22:22.508
things that you can do with that data so create workshops
00:22:22.508 --> 00:22:27.828
consultancy services for the entries that i've gone through do key highlights
00:22:27.828 --> 00:22:33.288
for them it's not just they've won okay they once they've won you know are there
00:22:33.288 --> 00:22:36.348
Is there anything that you can do for that entrant that might give them more
00:22:36.348 --> 00:22:39.608
valuable insights about judges' comments and that alignment?
00:22:41.068 --> 00:22:45.068
So what we're really talking about then is a shift between just being an awards
00:22:45.068 --> 00:22:48.368
organiser and now actually having the data,
00:22:48.528 --> 00:22:53.348
the insight and the capability to also become a publisher with that content,
00:22:53.348 --> 00:22:58.468
which has a value to the industry and audience that you're serving and then ultimately,
00:22:59.368 --> 00:23:03.668
sponsorable or driving of revenue by either people paying to access that content
00:23:03.668 --> 00:23:09.208
or have their brand aligned with it as the the sponsor of xyz report correct
00:23:09.208 --> 00:23:13.388
absolutely yeah you've got you hit the nail on the head there where you can
00:23:13.388 --> 00:23:16.108
it could be a report on the whole event.
00:23:17.128 --> 00:23:21.808
And get that publicized and get sent out and monetize that if you wanted to
00:23:21.808 --> 00:23:24.668
so yeah you're absolutely right. There's a lot of things with the data.
00:23:25.028 --> 00:23:29.668
The data is the key in awards and being able to monitor.
00:23:30.148 --> 00:23:35.208
Do you think you'll see Avesio play a part and a role in that?
00:23:35.408 --> 00:23:40.748
So do you see the Avesio platform once the entries have closed,
00:23:41.088 --> 00:23:45.308
the winners have been announced, the feedback from the judges is in,
00:23:45.548 --> 00:23:48.008
and those benchmarking reports have been generated?
00:23:48.408 --> 00:23:54.488
Do you see Avesio then being the tool that essentially generates that content
00:23:54.488 --> 00:23:57.828
report for organizers so they can they they,
00:23:58.565 --> 00:24:02.105
the heavy lifting, shall we say, is taken out of it for them?
00:24:02.665 --> 00:24:05.525
Yeah, yeah, we currently are doing that now.
00:24:05.785 --> 00:24:12.665
We've created kind of BenchSmart, which allows all the entries filtered using
00:24:12.665 --> 00:24:18.725
API into our tool, then allows the awards organisers then to get these reports out,
00:24:19.305 --> 00:24:22.025
change the tone of the reports, anonymise it,
00:24:22.805 --> 00:24:27.865
kind of pull all that information out in different ways, however you want to do it.
00:24:28.625 --> 00:24:34.465
Give me information about what's trending for me to determine what categories I could expand on.
00:24:35.045 --> 00:24:37.945
Give me information about what's trending in this particular thing.
00:24:38.085 --> 00:24:44.645
Could we launch another awards based on what's been submitted for this particular one?
00:24:46.045 --> 00:24:52.185
We get that all the time. They'll use the data, but it was a very manual process.
00:24:52.425 --> 00:24:55.925
But now it's within seconds that you can get that information.
00:24:56.125 --> 00:25:00.705
So, yeah, we're doing that already. And some of the best recommendations that
00:25:00.705 --> 00:25:05.045
we've had have been through our customers, which I think is so important as well.
00:25:05.505 --> 00:25:11.705
See, as somebody that's both a media and an events owner that also produces
00:25:11.705 --> 00:25:15.825
reports of the industry, what would be really interesting for me to see as a
00:25:15.825 --> 00:25:19.465
customer is a best CEO, do everything that you've done.
00:25:20.305 --> 00:25:26.885
Everything that you've just explained, but also allow me to create some thought
00:25:26.885 --> 00:25:32.445
leadership content by asking the judges a set of specific questions because
00:25:32.445 --> 00:25:36.565
they're generally the industry leaders, the thought leaders in the market,
00:25:36.805 --> 00:25:41.565
the experienced ones, the ones that would generally be top of line to be interviewed
00:25:41.565 --> 00:25:44.985
in any type of content or article around a particular topic.
00:25:45.605 --> 00:25:53.365
And even maybe also ask some additional questions of the companies that are entering because then,
00:25:54.181 --> 00:26:00.741
you're changing that content from being data-led to also an additional value
00:26:00.741 --> 00:26:02.741
of being thought leadership-led as well.
00:26:03.021 --> 00:26:06.461
And I think that combination could be super, super powerful.
00:26:06.661 --> 00:26:10.481
And if people are already in the platform and they're already either responding
00:26:10.481 --> 00:26:15.021
through voice or typing these responses anyway, it kind of makes sense to capture
00:26:15.021 --> 00:26:16.061
that insight there and then.
00:26:16.601 --> 00:26:22.381
Totally agree. I think some of the things, it's not a case of re-educating apologists,
00:26:22.381 --> 00:26:27.061
It's just informing judges to give more information back when they're judging.
00:26:27.781 --> 00:26:32.401
For example, you could ask the judges, do you feel within the category that
00:26:32.401 --> 00:26:34.521
you've been judging, is there anything missing?
00:26:35.121 --> 00:26:38.501
What do you think is missing from all of the submissions?
00:26:39.421 --> 00:26:45.921
So then they've got it. For me, judges are so important for awards.
00:26:46.341 --> 00:26:50.401
AI will never replace judges. judges peers
00:26:50.401 --> 00:26:53.261
within the industry will always go to an
00:26:53.261 --> 00:26:56.381
award and to be judged by these people is so important
00:26:56.381 --> 00:26:59.681
but they can give valuable feedback as well
00:26:59.681 --> 00:27:02.501
feedback for the entrant but feedback to the
00:27:02.501 --> 00:27:05.641
organizer so i think yeah there's lots of
00:27:05.641 --> 00:27:09.261
interesting things that we are doing now with
00:27:09.261 --> 00:27:12.021
existing customers but it's getting as the usual it's
00:27:12.021 --> 00:27:14.741
getting it out getting that word out getting people to understand what they
00:27:14.741 --> 00:27:18.201
can do with the data is pretty cool so you
00:27:18.201 --> 00:27:21.081
you've also towards Gary I know
00:27:21.081 --> 00:27:23.861
and and there's a plethora of
00:27:23.861 --> 00:27:27.181
reasons why people judge a war a passion for a sector relatable
00:27:27.181 --> 00:27:30.001
of they want to they see the
00:27:30.001 --> 00:27:32.641
value in the visibility and the alignment with the rest of
00:27:32.641 --> 00:27:36.241
their business they want to give back all these kind of things but let's be
00:27:36.241 --> 00:27:42.401
honest often those judging roles go unpaid so there's not a financial incentive
00:27:42.401 --> 00:27:45.301
there maybe some get black maybe
00:27:45.301 --> 00:27:50.021
some get a brown paper bag I don't know that's for others to decide but.
00:27:50.814 --> 00:27:59.034
What tactics do you think an organizer can use to really encourage judges to give that feedback?
00:27:59.214 --> 00:28:03.634
Because we've had wildly different experiences over the last 13,
00:28:03.754 --> 00:28:05.514
14 years of running the Event Technology Awards.
00:28:05.574 --> 00:28:09.094
Some years we get loads of feedback, other years we get almost none.
00:28:09.634 --> 00:28:13.174
And it's a really, you know, that's something that we all know is super,
00:28:13.334 --> 00:28:16.354
super valuable to the entrants and the shortlisted companies.
00:28:16.574 --> 00:28:19.974
But in your opinion, what do you think we can do there to incentivize judges to give feedback?
00:28:20.814 --> 00:28:24.774
Well, one of the, yeah, so we've got to, I totally agree that we've got to incentivize judges.
00:28:24.894 --> 00:28:29.094
And I've seen comments where they're just one-liners or very little information
00:28:29.094 --> 00:28:31.034
in there. And you want them to expand a little bit.
00:28:31.514 --> 00:28:34.294
Judges are kind of time constraint. They're really, you know,
00:28:34.434 --> 00:28:39.834
important industry leaders or the thought leaders within that industry.
00:28:39.954 --> 00:28:40.654
That's why they're judge.
00:28:41.914 --> 00:28:46.454
But for me, it's making or giving them tools that's going to make it their job a lot easier.
00:28:46.674 --> 00:28:49.994
So one of the tools that we've done is a dictation in the back office.
00:28:49.994 --> 00:28:54.174
So judges don't need to type their response.
00:28:54.474 --> 00:28:59.394
There's AI as well. They can just talk into the platform, which you've got to
00:28:59.394 --> 00:29:03.494
make it easier for judges to be able to give the comments that you need back.
00:29:03.634 --> 00:29:07.974
So in software, and that was one of the comments that we had probably about a year ago.
00:29:08.174 --> 00:29:15.454
How can we encourage judges to give that feedback in a constructive but easy way?
00:29:15.694 --> 00:29:18.394
Because judges are time constraint.
00:29:18.674 --> 00:29:22.334
It's very difficult for them. haven't got time there can be lots of entries
00:29:22.334 --> 00:29:27.674
in some of the categories quite it's quite a time consuming job for a judge
00:29:27.674 --> 00:29:32.294
we've got to realize that it is time consuming yeah i think that's a really
00:29:32.294 --> 00:29:37.954
really good way to elevate that feedback experience because if a judge was sat in front,
00:29:38.574 --> 00:29:41.554
physically in front of somebody and they asked for feedback they would
00:29:41.554 --> 00:29:44.714
probably just naturally give that feedback and and
00:29:44.714 --> 00:29:47.434
voice their opinion right so yeah it totally makes sense
00:29:47.434 --> 00:29:50.394
to bring that into a platform present it
00:29:50.394 --> 00:29:55.594
in that way to make it a lot easier a lot less friction to give that feedback
00:29:55.594 --> 00:30:01.434
yeah yeah and i think it's it's giving the judges the tools to be able to do
00:30:01.434 --> 00:30:06.314
that easily without any barriers there that's that's the key thing is getting
00:30:06.314 --> 00:30:07.594
them to do that in seconds.
00:30:08.434 --> 00:30:12.974
And the voice dictation thing just helps them want that's one tool i'm sure
00:30:12.974 --> 00:30:19.014
we'll be coming up with other things in the future to be able to even enhance that for judges as well.
00:30:19.514 --> 00:30:28.554
Yeah, I don't think I would be against as an award organiser and actually incentivising a way that the.
00:30:29.470 --> 00:30:36.410
Judges were able to gain something out of it and whether that be a level of
00:30:36.410 --> 00:30:44.930
income or a prize pool or a part or even a value of a charity donation or something
00:30:44.930 --> 00:30:47.050
like that that was a gift.
00:30:47.330 --> 00:30:50.270
I think, you know, if we as an organizer,
00:30:50.290 --> 00:30:53.650
if I see value in my entrants
00:30:53.650 --> 00:30:56.690
who are the paying customer to get
00:30:56.690 --> 00:30:59.710
more value out of it then i should be investing in
00:30:59.710 --> 00:31:03.070
the judges so that they get something out of it and incentivize to
00:31:03.070 --> 00:31:09.670
give that feedback so judging reports so what could you do for a judge's report
00:31:09.670 --> 00:31:15.330
so they've done the sub done the judging as an event organizer what can you
00:31:15.330 --> 00:31:20.710
then give the judge back something tangible for that they can use you align
00:31:20.710 --> 00:31:22.970
a judge to a particular category in industry.
00:31:23.330 --> 00:31:25.870
They're really important. They understand that that's why they judge.
00:31:26.130 --> 00:31:27.870
That's why you choose them as a judge.
00:31:28.410 --> 00:31:33.590
So what else can you give them back? And if there's reports or stuff that you
00:31:33.590 --> 00:31:37.190
can get from the entries, the AI, or a little document that they can have,
00:31:37.290 --> 00:31:41.470
then that to me is that feedback after they've judged.
00:31:41.690 --> 00:31:44.030
It's recognizing that they've done the judging, which is hard,
00:31:44.130 --> 00:31:46.630
and this is something tangible you get back from it.
00:31:47.690 --> 00:31:51.610
Another way, I guess, would be to actually bring
00:31:51.610 --> 00:31:56.410
those judges together physically
00:31:56.410 --> 00:32:03.970
host them have dinner record the conversation between people and actually go
00:32:03.970 --> 00:32:10.890
through a feedback process in person together transcribe that through ai and
00:32:10.890 --> 00:32:15.070
i guess this could be done digitally on a zoom or even potentially in the avessio platform,
00:32:15.630 --> 00:32:21.350
so that the feedback is collected together so it's a collective experience and
00:32:21.350 --> 00:32:23.890
then that's fed back into those benchmarking reports.
00:32:25.070 --> 00:32:28.610
Yeah, I think that's a really good point. I said at the moment...
00:32:29.516 --> 00:32:34.496
Judges work in isolation in a best of all, rightly so. You don't want other judges' influence.
00:32:34.796 --> 00:32:38.196
However, there is a place for judges to come together.
00:32:39.216 --> 00:32:43.716
And judges can talk through the whole process of why they like this particular
00:32:43.716 --> 00:32:45.276
entry and that particular entry.
00:32:45.596 --> 00:32:48.336
And I think that gets the human element for me.
00:32:48.456 --> 00:32:53.376
You can see there's a little bit back and forth and decisions might change because
00:32:53.376 --> 00:32:57.256
it's like using AI, isn't it? When you've got all the judges together.
00:32:58.076 --> 00:33:01.196
Judge Eyre says, well, I've seen this in this entry.
00:33:01.376 --> 00:33:04.896
And Judge Bees said, I've seen. Then there's a kind of a collective understanding.
00:33:04.916 --> 00:33:09.976
And then they'll go, ah, right, well, I think entry C is the winner. And they all agree.
00:33:10.136 --> 00:33:13.376
I think there's an element, human element as well. I like that.
00:33:13.656 --> 00:33:18.176
And there's quite a few awards still do that process, which is really good.
00:33:18.856 --> 00:33:23.276
On the smaller ones, it's not necessarily that there isn't the budget to do that.
00:33:23.276 --> 00:33:26.496
But i i think that's an interesting proposition what
00:33:26.496 --> 00:33:29.556
you've just said there is is doing something whereby it
00:33:29.556 --> 00:33:35.516
could be hosted on a webinar or you you know teams or a zoom or whatever you
00:33:35.516 --> 00:33:39.356
want to do how you want to get the online together the judges and then that's
00:33:39.356 --> 00:33:46.496
fed back into the seo with the collective talking about each particular entry
00:33:46.496 --> 00:33:49.436
but yeah that's another way and these,
00:33:50.036 --> 00:33:53.636
these are the things i like and get excited about because it's
00:33:53.636 --> 00:33:57.076
only with talking about like people to you or customers
00:33:57.076 --> 00:34:03.136
do you get a really exciting that's that's quite a nice idea let's come can
00:34:03.136 --> 00:34:07.516
we implement that i love that i love i love love stuff like that because it
00:34:07.516 --> 00:34:13.436
makes sense there you go mate you can use that one i will use it i think that's
00:34:13.436 --> 00:34:16.696
a great it's a great idea because you're kind of getting judges to be together.
00:34:17.656 --> 00:34:20.496
Yeah. Do you know what, mate? I would honestly, I would honestly,
00:34:20.536 --> 00:34:23.856
and I'm sure you've got a massive freaking roadmap, but.
00:34:24.664 --> 00:34:28.684
I think that feedback piece, and it doesn't necessarily necessarily need all
00:34:28.684 --> 00:34:33.904
judges all at the same time, but maybe there's a moment in time that you can
00:34:33.904 --> 00:34:35.964
bring those judges together in person.
00:34:36.124 --> 00:34:39.764
They can see each other and it's like, okay, we'd just love to go through,
00:34:39.764 --> 00:34:43.924
you know, some feedback with you guys on this entry, this entry, and this entry.
00:34:44.304 --> 00:34:47.644
And then contextually, you're getting that out. You can probably smash that
00:34:47.644 --> 00:34:50.824
out in half an hour, 45 minutes.
00:34:50.824 --> 00:34:53.944
So it's nothing more than a zoom call but then
00:34:53.944 --> 00:34:56.984
you're chipping away at that feedback even if it's just the missing
00:34:56.984 --> 00:34:59.724
feedback right let's say there's loads of stuff that's got
00:34:59.724 --> 00:35:03.904
feedback you go right we need feedback here let's
00:35:03.904 --> 00:35:07.644
let's host people in a vesio so you're getting more value they're getting more
00:35:07.644 --> 00:35:13.164
value out of a vesio you can use the internal ai transcription model to collect
00:35:13.164 --> 00:35:19.764
and analyze that feedback and push it back into those entries to your benchmarking reports,
00:35:20.324 --> 00:35:23.264
and then that way the organizer can
00:35:23.264 --> 00:35:26.584
help to ensure that they can cover off as
00:35:26.584 --> 00:35:29.224
much feedback as possible so that all of your
00:35:29.224 --> 00:35:33.804
other systems are really singing and all those entries get all of that value
00:35:33.804 --> 00:35:38.724
back out of it from being shortlisted and stuff yes they could yes they could
00:35:38.724 --> 00:35:42.464
do it on zoom yes they could do it on a third-party platform but then they've
00:35:42.464 --> 00:35:45.884
got to do it there and get it back to you why not just let them do it within
00:35:45.884 --> 00:35:49.164
your platform again thank you i think.
00:35:49.944 --> 00:35:55.604
That would kind of finish the loop up for us when it comes to SEO, making sure that,
00:35:56.424 --> 00:36:01.664
it's that whole engagement piece, entries, judges, sponsor value.
00:36:02.604 --> 00:36:05.484
Being able to have almost a community, make it easier.
00:36:05.864 --> 00:36:07.284
You're absolutely right. Being
00:36:07.284 --> 00:36:11.084
able to give judges the tools that make it easier for them is so key.
00:36:11.944 --> 00:36:18.124
Yeah. I also think there's one other idea I have for you.
00:36:19.164 --> 00:36:23.044
And you might already be doing this or your customers may also be doing this already.
00:36:23.244 --> 00:36:28.284
But one of the, I forget her name now, one of the, Sarah, I think it is,
00:36:28.604 --> 00:36:34.184
Sarah Austin, we interviewed Sarah Austin, the British Entrepreneur Awards.
00:36:35.224 --> 00:36:43.424
And she allows companies that are shortlisted to pitch in front of those judges,
00:36:43.944 --> 00:36:47.004
their business and their entry to bring a human element into it.
00:36:47.004 --> 00:36:52.704
And I think there's an element of that that's potentially missing where especially
00:36:52.704 --> 00:36:56.864
maybe some of the startup entry categories, the newer companies,
00:36:57.104 --> 00:37:02.844
and maybe even the newer categories that are entered, opened up,
00:37:03.324 --> 00:37:07.884
maybe that's again, there's a place and a space and a time digitally for those
00:37:07.884 --> 00:37:11.644
companies to be able to present to those judges those entries.
00:37:11.664 --> 00:37:13.504
I think there's value in that as well.
00:37:14.275 --> 00:37:21.895
Again, you're right. I think what I find intriguing is the events awards industry is very complex.
00:37:22.375 --> 00:37:27.915
You will find different companies run their awards completely differently.
00:37:28.755 --> 00:37:33.315
Honestly, it's incredible. So you might get another awards program that will
00:37:33.315 --> 00:37:36.755
do the same type of process, but it'll be an on-site visit.
00:37:37.415 --> 00:37:41.235
It's not necessarily something online. They want to go and see something physical.
00:37:41.515 --> 00:37:45.195
So you've got physical entries. you got so we've always
00:37:45.195 --> 00:37:48.095
got that challenge in in any bit of software is is managing
00:37:48.095 --> 00:37:50.855
what we're doing what we're developing what's going
00:37:50.855 --> 00:37:54.295
to bring value but at the same time it's a
00:37:54.295 --> 00:37:57.495
very complex area awards was kind
00:37:57.495 --> 00:38:00.675
of one of the for us why we specialized
00:38:00.675 --> 00:38:04.135
in awards because we could see the complexity of all
00:38:04.135 --> 00:38:07.055
the different nuances that each company
00:38:07.055 --> 00:38:10.935
had and how how could we help that so yeah
00:38:10.935 --> 00:38:13.815
i get where you're coming from in that particular scenario but
00:38:13.815 --> 00:38:16.795
it is it's you know it's
00:38:16.795 --> 00:38:19.635
very complex when you when you look at all the different companies and
00:38:19.635 --> 00:38:22.435
what they do yeah i've got
00:38:22.435 --> 00:38:26.315
a question here about about future proofing
00:38:26.315 --> 00:38:29.575
do you think organizers need to
00:38:29.575 --> 00:38:32.775
do anything to future prove
00:38:32.775 --> 00:38:35.775
their programs in what is clearly
00:38:35.775 --> 00:38:39.155
a rapidly changing world that
00:38:39.155 --> 00:38:41.915
we live in at the moment in what
00:38:41.915 --> 00:38:45.015
sense would you say like future proofing there you talking
00:38:45.015 --> 00:38:48.075
about the brands or the categories or looking at
00:38:48.075 --> 00:38:50.895
diversity i think let me frame
00:38:50.895 --> 00:38:54.535
it as this do you think there's any.
00:38:54.535 --> 00:38:58.275
Outside model that
00:38:58.275 --> 00:39:01.295
would would threaten an awards
00:39:01.295 --> 00:39:04.195
program in general in terms
00:39:04.195 --> 00:39:09.035
of could there be a replacement for it i i
00:39:09.035 --> 00:39:11.855
don't think so however i'll probably use
00:39:11.855 --> 00:39:14.635
chat jbt after this meet after this chat to
00:39:14.635 --> 00:39:18.575
see what we what what it thinks look there's
00:39:18.575 --> 00:39:21.635
always a danger in any bit of technology and
00:39:21.635 --> 00:39:25.035
any bit of process whether it's webinars it changes
00:39:25.035 --> 00:39:27.935
and it is changing dramatically and you've
00:39:27.935 --> 00:39:31.515
just always got to be aware of that whether there's
00:39:31.515 --> 00:39:34.355
anything think that's in danger no i think that
00:39:34.355 --> 00:39:37.635
there's a lot of different dangers when it comes to price and
00:39:37.635 --> 00:39:42.615
we've seen the explosion of cost how it is quite expensive to run an event now
00:39:42.615 --> 00:39:50.135
ticket prices table prices there's different pressures from the value what a
00:39:50.135 --> 00:39:53.495
sponsor what's the sponsor value i think there's different worries and concerns
00:39:53.495 --> 00:39:54.875
i don't think there's any particular.
00:39:55.929 --> 00:40:02.589
Worry at the moment from our customers that the status quo is going to change, but you never know.
00:40:02.749 --> 00:40:05.909
And it's always good to keep your finger on the pulse. I think it's more to
00:40:05.909 --> 00:40:08.469
do with pressures from elsewhere.
00:40:08.989 --> 00:40:12.689
How do you get a sponsor? How do you show a sponsor value?
00:40:13.489 --> 00:40:17.909
Cost increases, new categories, new awards, where do they come from?
00:40:18.769 --> 00:40:20.989
So there's different things at different times.
00:40:21.869 --> 00:40:25.949
Yeah, yeah. I mean, you can include this,
00:40:26.089 --> 00:40:31.829
but within the awards report, I think we've actually come up with a strategic
00:40:31.829 --> 00:40:37.909
calculation of how you can ensure that an awards program essentially can't fail.
00:40:38.289 --> 00:40:44.109
And if you look at the history of awards, especially in really tough economic
00:40:44.109 --> 00:40:52.109
times where marketing spend and budget is cut in terms of these types of things.
00:40:52.529 --> 00:40:57.389
Actually, awards tend to be really robust and really resilient to the impact
00:40:57.389 --> 00:41:01.549
of an economic downturn, a cut in awards programs, and actually,
00:41:01.989 --> 00:41:06.809
after those times, almost also see an uplift in that period as well.
00:41:06.809 --> 00:41:11.309
Yeah our customers said exactly the same is that they were the most robust,
00:41:11.969 --> 00:41:15.229
thing in their in their whole strategy purely because
00:41:15.229 --> 00:41:21.049
we just consume different things at different times and and certain how we consume
00:41:21.049 --> 00:41:26.289
webinars and how it's changed but something that an award ceremony is is all
00:41:26.289 --> 00:41:31.769
about people there's people so people come together to celebrate and And that,
00:41:32.029 --> 00:41:34.069
in my opinion, won't change.
00:41:34.329 --> 00:41:36.649
It will change in different ways.
00:41:37.469 --> 00:41:41.689
But as a company, it's not going to change because that's what people do.
00:41:41.769 --> 00:41:44.089
They like to get together. It's like going to a concert.
00:41:44.989 --> 00:41:49.589
You can't experience a concert online. You have to be there. It's just not the same.
00:41:50.420 --> 00:41:56.440
As a follow-on question for that then, do you think a virtual award ceremony,
00:41:56.600 --> 00:42:00.420
a digital award ceremony, can be a successful model?
00:42:00.440 --> 00:42:07.420
Because we also live in a world that is highly connected digitally and global in so many instances.
00:42:07.420 --> 00:42:14.180
And there's an element of time, money, logistics, and also an element of sustainability
00:42:14.180 --> 00:42:17.600
for certain companies when it comes to attending things in person.
00:42:17.600 --> 00:42:25.220
So do you think a digital or virtual award ceremony can be a valid and viable program?
00:42:25.520 --> 00:42:30.500
I think it can be for certain awards. I don't think it's certainly viable for
00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:33.180
a lot of awards. I think you can extend the reach.
00:42:33.360 --> 00:42:37.860
So if you've got an event which is kind of a global event, it's doable.
00:42:38.120 --> 00:42:40.920
But when you've got something which, if you're trying to engage with people,
00:42:41.100 --> 00:42:42.180
it becomes very difficult.
00:42:42.580 --> 00:42:47.100
You're kind of passive. You're sitting behind a screen. You don't get the atmosphere.
00:42:48.020 --> 00:42:53.220
And that engagement is really difficult. I've seen a few events that have succeeded,
00:42:53.420 --> 00:42:58.060
but generally it is quite a difficult one and not to crack. It really is.
00:42:58.460 --> 00:43:04.700
So that's why I think live events for awards particularly and exhibitions will
00:43:04.700 --> 00:43:06.980
always be the same. It's not going to change.
00:43:09.020 --> 00:43:15.000
You said previously in this interview that you're more than happy to stay in
00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:18.780
your lane and not become an awards organizer, an event organizer.
00:43:19.360 --> 00:43:23.480
And that's a reason for those people to also do what they do best.
00:43:23.700 --> 00:43:25.240
But let me ask you this question.
00:43:25.800 --> 00:43:30.900
Having seen all the awards and businesses and entries and judges and judging
00:43:30.900 --> 00:43:35.860
processes and things like that, if you were to launch your own awards program tomorrow,
00:43:36.791 --> 00:43:41.931
Who would it be to recognize and what would be the format? I wouldn't.
00:43:43.271 --> 00:43:47.791
I wouldn't be doing it. I would not do it in a million years.
00:43:48.031 --> 00:43:52.091
I see the stress that our customers, you know, it's one of the most stressful
00:43:52.091 --> 00:43:56.511
jobs to organize an event and an award, and I would not run one.
00:43:57.711 --> 00:44:02.671
Not for a million years. It's a hard job to do.
00:44:03.731 --> 00:44:06.651
Saying that, what would I do? i've got a passion for
00:44:06.651 --> 00:44:09.351
design so if it was me it would be anything on
00:44:09.351 --> 00:44:12.651
design that's just me and my passion so we've got
00:44:12.651 --> 00:44:15.471
a few awards that work in the design and packaging area and
00:44:15.471 --> 00:44:21.151
i love those i love seeing what what's happening there but absolutely no
00:44:21.151 --> 00:44:24.071
never do never do that there's no
00:44:24.071 --> 00:44:26.871
chance i would do that i think
00:44:26.871 --> 00:44:29.751
you know there's something you've said there which i i
00:44:29.751 --> 00:44:33.371
think is so true of any event
00:44:33.371 --> 00:44:36.591
of any type that is successful ultimately long term
00:44:36.591 --> 00:44:41.031
and that is that the individual founder
00:44:41.031 --> 00:44:44.311
team or whoever's running or behind
00:44:44.311 --> 00:44:47.431
it has to at some level have an interest at
00:44:47.431 --> 00:44:50.551
it and at best have a passion for it
00:44:50.551 --> 00:44:53.871
because when it is tough it's
00:44:53.871 --> 00:44:59.371
that interest and passion that actually is the golden nugget to making these
00:44:59.371 --> 00:45:05.491
things sustainable and long term and viable because if you're just coming at
00:45:05.491 --> 00:45:10.971
it from a commercial aspect then I think people also quite,
00:45:11.729 --> 00:45:15.209
they see through it and they see the hollowness of it.
00:45:15.449 --> 00:45:21.549
They see the X of X awards launched and it's kind of like, right,
00:45:21.969 --> 00:45:27.109
is there any really value in that then as a program or is it literally just
00:45:27.109 --> 00:45:28.829
to tell some bums on seats?
00:45:29.869 --> 00:45:36.609
Yeah. I mean, from my point of view, the best year is, is our baby and we love the industry.
00:45:36.849 --> 00:45:44.509
It's it's up and down the industry as we all know, but as, as what we do, we love it.
00:45:44.969 --> 00:45:49.789
Great. Connecting the excitement, understanding the different events that happen.
00:45:50.969 --> 00:45:56.269
Yeah. It's one of those things. I just love awards, going to sponsoring awards, going to awards.
00:45:56.509 --> 00:45:59.669
It fascinates me to see the different types of awards that happen,
00:45:59.809 --> 00:46:01.089
which work and which don't.
00:46:01.909 --> 00:46:06.849
Would I organize one? Absolutely not. But at the same time, I love the industry.
00:46:07.209 --> 00:46:10.069
The events industry is a good industry, difficult, but it's a good
00:46:10.069 --> 00:46:13.109
industry to be in uh i want
00:46:13.109 --> 00:46:16.189
to i want to change tact and an
00:46:16.189 --> 00:46:19.029
angle ever so slightly for the for the last
00:46:19.029 --> 00:46:22.129
part yeah as a as a
00:46:22.129 --> 00:46:29.549
founder of an event technology business what's your advice or how have you stayed
00:46:29.549 --> 00:46:36.749
focused within your niche because i would imagine that it's very tempting to
00:46:36.749 --> 00:46:40.129
be working with some fantastic companies, Haymarket,
00:46:40.909 --> 00:46:46.729
ourselves, et cetera, and see the other technologies that those organizations
00:46:46.729 --> 00:46:51.869
are also investing in, which are not too far away from what a VSEO does.
00:46:52.029 --> 00:46:56.529
You know, you yourself have registration solutions, a surveying solution, essentially.
00:46:56.969 --> 00:47:01.309
You know, you can do a lot of what these other companies successfully also do.
00:47:01.309 --> 00:47:08.209
What's your advice to other companies to I guess stay focused stay in the lane and not get.
00:47:09.766 --> 00:47:14.906
Scope creep i think is the technical term isn't it yeah for focus on what you're
00:47:14.906 --> 00:47:20.426
good at is that in constant don't be don't be you know you sometimes you you
00:47:20.426 --> 00:47:23.366
might fall into the trap of chasing the money because on a startup you're looking
00:47:23.366 --> 00:47:25.406
after revenue you want to keep progressing,
00:47:26.046 --> 00:47:29.466
but if somebody's offering something that is not really what you want to do
00:47:29.466 --> 00:47:34.146
you've got to really think is is there value in you doing that for them are
00:47:34.146 --> 00:47:35.686
you going to get value in the future,
00:47:36.306 --> 00:47:39.166
you've got to really take a hard look at what you are
00:47:39.166 --> 00:47:42.866
doing and what you're building so you've
00:47:42.866 --> 00:47:45.866
got you've got to be really that that motorway don't
00:47:45.866 --> 00:47:49.346
tell you keep on going and believe in what you're doing that
00:47:49.346 --> 00:47:53.006
to me is is is key let those
00:47:53.006 --> 00:47:55.906
other technologies do what they're doing and they'll do it really
00:47:55.906 --> 00:47:58.786
good don't be sidetracked by that because
00:47:58.786 --> 00:48:01.866
then it'll take the focus on what you want to achieve you know
00:48:01.866 --> 00:48:06.046
you've got to really stay focused that's being
00:48:06.046 --> 00:48:09.766
our key staying focused on what we do best awards yes
00:48:09.766 --> 00:48:12.406
we can do conferences we can
00:48:12.406 --> 00:48:15.266
do everything for the conferences but now with new
00:48:15.266 --> 00:48:19.926
technologies coming on board i think you just you stay focused we are the best
00:48:19.926 --> 00:48:26.046
believe in what you do and stay focused like stay true to what you originally
00:48:26.046 --> 00:48:32.626
started out and looking a little bit into the future what are you most excited
00:48:32.626 --> 00:48:33.986
about for the events industry.
00:48:34.883 --> 00:48:43.763
For us it's it's ai and that how we can help or facilitate or increase production and help people.
00:48:45.063 --> 00:48:49.143
I think that we've got lots of we've got lots of new technology coming down
00:48:49.143 --> 00:48:53.423
the line in in our pipeline which is really interesting and i think that's what
00:48:53.423 --> 00:48:55.803
happens when you get things happen,
00:48:56.483 --> 00:49:02.523
with especially ai it spurs you on to the next thing and it opens up new doors
00:49:02.523 --> 00:49:09.523
for you so So, yeah, I think it's an incredible period of time to be in the events industry,
00:49:09.903 --> 00:49:11.943
period. It's so good.
00:49:12.963 --> 00:49:21.563
Do you think AI will have positive or negative effects on event attendance?
00:49:22.823 --> 00:49:25.683
I'm going to take a little pause on that one. I like that question.
00:49:27.083 --> 00:49:30.623
I just want people to get away from negativity about AI.
00:49:30.623 --> 00:49:34.483
Right we've got to move away from that we've got to look at the positives,
00:49:35.423 --> 00:49:38.563
it's going to change what how
00:49:38.563 --> 00:49:41.583
we do but there's but within that doors close new
00:49:41.583 --> 00:49:45.203
ones will open there'll be opportunity let's not
00:49:45.203 --> 00:49:48.283
look at this as a negative it might
00:49:48.283 --> 00:49:51.803
have an impact it probably will but
00:49:51.803 --> 00:49:55.063
at the same time there'll be some positive out
00:49:55.063 --> 00:49:58.163
of it so what is that positive so if you're
00:49:58.163 --> 00:50:01.063
launching something you're an entrepreneur you're doing something now
00:50:01.063 --> 00:50:03.943
is the time within the next two years
00:50:03.943 --> 00:50:06.603
to be able to do something which is you need to
00:50:06.603 --> 00:50:09.583
be able to adapt quickly and change
00:50:09.583 --> 00:50:12.703
so does do you think then that people will look
00:50:12.703 --> 00:50:15.943
back fondly and nostalgic on
00:50:15.943 --> 00:50:18.643
organizing their awards on a spreadsheet is that what you're saying
00:50:18.643 --> 00:50:21.823
yeah yeah it will be
00:50:21.823 --> 00:50:24.663
like that it will but i think that's
00:50:24.663 --> 00:50:29.183
that's it's it's progressed don't don't think what is ahead of us is negative
00:50:29.183 --> 00:50:36.043
to me look at it as a positive yeah yeah and i think that to me yeah i think
00:50:36.043 --> 00:50:44.443
most negativity is i see specifically around technology and i think this goes for any topic is.
00:50:45.271 --> 00:50:50.531
An opinion founded on most likely a lack of knowledge, experience,
00:50:51.231 --> 00:50:55.651
a fear of it through that lack of knowledge and experience because they don't
00:50:55.651 --> 00:51:01.151
know how it will impact them or the opportunities it presents or how they themselves
00:51:01.151 --> 00:51:07.251
navigate maybe a changing role as a job or a career and things like that.
00:51:07.251 --> 00:51:13.851
And I think if we look at the music industry as one, nothing's changed about
00:51:13.851 --> 00:51:16.171
music. People still consume music.
00:51:16.371 --> 00:51:21.691
People still go to concerts and gigs and things like that and festivals.
00:51:21.691 --> 00:51:24.671
But the way that we consume music has
00:51:24.671 --> 00:51:27.471
changed you know we've gone from only being able
00:51:27.471 --> 00:51:31.111
to watch it live to the gramophone to the
00:51:31.111 --> 00:51:34.071
evolution of music being on various different
00:51:34.071 --> 00:51:37.511
mediums and formats like tapes and cds and those
00:51:37.511 --> 00:51:40.431
kinds of things to digital to now
00:51:40.431 --> 00:51:43.311
people you know consuming new music on even
00:51:43.311 --> 00:51:46.211
platforms like tiktok and that music discovery and things
00:51:46.211 --> 00:51:50.171
like that and i think when it comes to any industry
00:51:50.171 --> 00:51:53.231
the events or otherwise I think you have to
00:51:53.231 --> 00:51:56.311
appreciate that things change and
00:51:56.311 --> 00:51:59.331
things evolve and yes I loved
00:51:59.331 --> 00:52:02.811
the time when I had my little mini Discman and I was rocking around
00:52:02.811 --> 00:52:05.671
that with my roller skates on but now I
00:52:05.671 --> 00:52:08.451
find it liberating that I've got access to
00:52:08.451 --> 00:52:12.151
all the music in the world in my pocket and if
00:52:12.151 --> 00:52:16.371
I lose that I don't lose all access to that music i can find it somewhere else
00:52:16.371 --> 00:52:21.091
i think i think it's exciting it's an exciting time to be in i think you've
00:52:21.091 --> 00:52:24.771
got to look at that for every period of time things change it's and it will
00:52:24.771 --> 00:52:29.651
keep changing yeah it's gonna change after we've gone adam and it'll keep changing and evolving.
00:52:30.131 --> 00:52:35.191
That that's that's cool that's great i'm i'm happy to be a part of that and
00:52:35.191 --> 00:52:39.511
to be able to kind of go wow there's an opportunity there what i wonder who's
00:52:39.511 --> 00:52:44.151
going to do that i want to bring out the official recognition is coming in now
00:52:44.151 --> 00:52:45.771
where is that going to take us.
00:52:49.128 --> 00:52:53.888
Although somebody did tell me the other day they just had to buy their young
00:52:53.888 --> 00:52:58.848
one going into high school, a scientific calculator. Can you believe that? No.
00:52:59.208 --> 00:53:01.388
I've not touched one of those things since high school.
00:53:01.868 --> 00:53:05.068
I don't know. I was going to say, were you able to buy it anywhere?
00:53:05.528 --> 00:53:08.368
I was going to say, wait, do you even start looking for one of those?
00:53:08.928 --> 00:53:12.748
You have to go on eBay and get a used one from like 1972.
00:53:14.408 --> 00:53:17.948
I get the understanding. it's like the the
00:53:17.948 --> 00:53:20.628
teaching isn't in necessarily this is
00:53:20.628 --> 00:53:23.488
totally not for this conversation but the teaching is
00:53:23.488 --> 00:53:26.448
not necessarily in the it's the mr miyagi
00:53:26.448 --> 00:53:29.308
scenario right yeah the wax on wax off
00:53:29.308 --> 00:53:32.548
for the karate kid was not about learning how
00:53:32.548 --> 00:53:35.728
to wax a car it was the discipline of
00:53:35.728 --> 00:53:39.448
learning and the time spent and the conditioning and
00:53:39.448 --> 00:53:42.128
the the commitment and the consistency that was the
00:53:42.128 --> 00:53:45.308
lesson right it was that how to learn how
00:53:45.308 --> 00:53:49.348
to problem solve how to understand and
00:53:49.348 --> 00:53:52.368
i think that's the same with any of this technology as well it's it's
00:53:52.368 --> 00:53:55.228
it's you've got to learn and repeat and understand it
00:53:55.228 --> 00:54:00.408
and things like that yeah yeah i think i totally agree with you so i think our
00:54:00.408 --> 00:54:06.408
kids are in such a good era to be in and i think it's it's and they're just
00:54:06.408 --> 00:54:10.968
they're they're picking it up they're like what is it what's a calculator what's
00:54:10.968 --> 00:54:13.088
a gramophone what's what's a tape deck.
00:54:13.888 --> 00:54:17.048
It's a second technology second nature to to our
00:54:17.048 --> 00:54:19.888
kids they don't even worry about it they just join it and
00:54:19.888 --> 00:54:22.968
they're flicking around before you even know they're changing settings and
00:54:22.968 --> 00:54:26.388
doing things so i think you've got
00:54:26.388 --> 00:54:29.228
you've got this is a good that's a bit of a question mate you've got
00:54:29.228 --> 00:54:31.988
you've got children yourselves and there's
00:54:31.988 --> 00:54:35.788
so many young hungry individuals
00:54:35.788 --> 00:54:38.688
coming into the events industry who are
00:54:38.688 --> 00:54:41.468
probably you know tech adapted as
00:54:41.468 --> 00:54:44.148
i always call them they've grown up with technology they've grown up
00:54:44.148 --> 00:54:47.428
with software it's almost expected of
00:54:47.428 --> 00:54:52.728
them or not expected of them but they expect it of businesses and the world
00:54:52.728 --> 00:54:57.248
that they live in yeah what's your advice for anybody starting their journey
00:54:57.248 --> 00:55:01.748
out in events and planning from a technology perspective what what would you
00:55:01.748 --> 00:55:06.948
say is a great way to learn and understand about event tech?
00:55:08.388 --> 00:55:12.248
Hmm. That's a good question, I think.
00:55:13.269 --> 00:55:15.109
I think I'm going to take a little
00:55:15.109 --> 00:55:19.409
bit of a step back here. I don't think technology is an enabler, right?
00:55:20.069 --> 00:55:26.409
For me, the event industry is still people, still about people and engagement.
00:55:27.469 --> 00:55:31.549
So yes, the younger generation need to understand technology,
00:55:31.549 --> 00:55:35.749
but they need to understand how to communicate with other people.
00:55:36.169 --> 00:55:40.789
You can't lose that. You can't use that connection of meeting people.
00:55:40.789 --> 00:55:43.789
These apps and these the
00:55:43.789 --> 00:55:47.349
technologies facilitate that and but
00:55:47.349 --> 00:55:50.449
you've still got that fundamental thing of human nature
00:55:50.449 --> 00:55:55.049
of being able to communicate somebody when you meet them and for
00:55:55.049 --> 00:55:58.569
me anybody that's coming into any sort of technology business
00:55:58.569 --> 00:56:01.449
or any business that uses technology should have
00:56:01.449 --> 00:56:05.549
that anywhere and they probably will have but.
00:56:05.549 --> 00:56:08.869
Then they have to be able to speak on
00:56:08.869 --> 00:56:11.829
an exhibition floor talk to somebody when
00:56:11.829 --> 00:56:14.529
they've made that connection on the app they need
00:56:14.529 --> 00:56:17.409
to be able to judge and articulate what they think
00:56:17.409 --> 00:56:21.549
about that entry sponsor so communication is
00:56:21.549 --> 00:56:24.509
more important for me and i find that i find
00:56:24.509 --> 00:56:27.409
that very strange that we talk about
00:56:27.409 --> 00:56:30.949
technology which they should just be able to use it yeah
00:56:30.949 --> 00:56:34.129
it's we are fundamentally a
00:56:34.129 --> 00:56:37.469
people industry yeah yeah i
00:56:37.469 --> 00:56:40.369
think that's great advice actually and probably myself
00:56:40.369 --> 00:56:43.789
I would say that success can sometimes
00:56:43.789 --> 00:56:46.789
be very much down to your ability to
00:56:46.789 --> 00:56:49.889
be able to build relationships and speak
00:56:49.889 --> 00:56:54.089
to other people and network and things like that right isn't it is yeah we've
00:56:54.089 --> 00:56:58.749
probably both seen it ourselves people that are extremely intellectual know
00:56:58.749 --> 00:57:03.629
their job but maybe like those soft skills and and that's actually a hindrance
00:57:03.629 --> 00:57:08.609
to themselves progressing and going on to bigger and better things.
00:57:08.749 --> 00:57:13.849
Whereas others that are probably less able than them just have a better.
00:57:14.069 --> 00:57:17.809
Shall we say, gift of the gap, and they're the ones that end up progressing
00:57:17.809 --> 00:57:21.749
and opportunities present themselves and they take hold of those.
00:57:22.529 --> 00:57:26.029
Yeah, communication is key for me.
00:57:26.809 --> 00:57:31.389
You're right, you can have the best idea in the world, but if you can't speak to customers,
00:57:31.609 --> 00:57:35.049
articulate to people and communicate with people then where
00:57:35.049 --> 00:57:41.969
does your software go people buy from people and and that to me is so fundamental
00:57:41.969 --> 00:57:46.909
within our industry is that you communicate you go on a journey together with
00:57:46.909 --> 00:57:54.189
your customers that that to me is so intrinsic in our in our industry one two.