Year-End Event Planning Checklist: Preparing Your 2026 Strategy

Ava CookTips & Tricks

As December winds down, event managers have a unique opportunity to reflect on the past year’s successes and challenges while strategically positioning themselves for an even stronger 2026. This comprehensive guide will help you evaluate your 2025 performance and build a data-driven strategy for the year ahead. Part 1: Reviewing Your 2025 Performance Financial Analysis Budget Performance Review Start by …

What You Can Do to Improve Your Business Before the New Year

Ava CookTips & Tricks

December is weird. Half your team is mentally checked out, planning their holiday travel. The other half is in panic mode trying to close deals and finish projects before everything shuts down. You’re somewhere in between, trying to keep things running while also knowing that nothing major is going to happen in the next few weeks. But here’s what most …

Why Smart Business Managers Lock Down Their Holiday Events Before December 10th

Ava CookTips & Tricks

Let’s be honest, nobody wants to plan another holiday party. You’ve got year-end reviews to complete, budgets to finalize, and an inbox that’s already spiraling out of control. But here you are, responsible for pulling together the company holiday celebration, client appreciation event, or team year-end gathering that everyone will either love or complain about for months. Here’s the thing, …

How to Give Feedback That Creates Change, Not Defensiveness

Ava CookMarketing Summit, Tips & Tricks

You’ve been preparing for this conversation all week. You’ve chosen your words carefully, rehearsed your key points, and scheduled a private meeting. You sit down with your team member, deliver what you believe is constructive feedback, and then watch it happen: their arms cross, their jaw tightens, their responses become clipped and minimal. The conversation you hoped would improve performance …