Entry Level, Experience Required: Why Breaking Into the Events Industry Feels Impossible and How to Fix It

Recorded in person from Las Vegas ahead of IMEX America, this special episode of Eventualists features a conversation between Taylor and Hannah during which they reflect on IMEX America in 2024, when they met as mentor participants at the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum, and just one year later, they return to the Future Leaders Forum as co-moderators.

In this episode of Eventualists, co-hosts Taylor Smith and Hannah Elston speak with Gwendolyn Hood, founder of Butterscotch Cloud, a career development platform designed to help emerging professionals break into the events industry with confidence. Starting her own journey producing church events on a $50 budget, Gwendolyn went on to build a 25-year career spanning more than 400 events across 12 countries. Today, she helps entry-level candidates, career changers and aspiring planners better understand the realities of the industry, develop transferable skills and navigate the often confusing pathway into events careers.Together, the Eventualists unpack the growing disconnect between hiring expectations and reality, why so many job descriptions unintentionally alienate qualified candidates and the mentorship, transparency and career resources young professionals actually need to thrive. The conversation also explores the confidence gap many early-career professionals face, the value of transferable skills and why the industry must rethink how it defines “qualified.”

Your success doesn’t depend only on how you manage your work. It also depends on how you manage your relationships, especially with senior leadership.For many early-career professionals, knowing how to communicate effectively, align priorities and build strong working relationships across levels isn’t something that’s explicitly taught.In this episode of Eventualists, co-hosts Hannah Elston and Taylor Smith are joined by special guest Hannah Van Alstine Srsen, marketing manager at Augeo Experience, to explore what it really means to manage up. From building credibility and navigating feedback, to aligning priorities and influencing decisions, they unpack how professionals can work more effectively with senior leadership and why these relationships matter more than we often realize.Tune in as the Eventualists dive into how strong upward relationships can accelerate both individual careers and organisational success, and why managing up isn’t about politics or performance, but about clarity, trust and learning how to work better together.

The way people learn, build careers and engage professionally is changing fast—and the meetings industry is being forced to rethink how education actually works. Traditional conference formats, outdated professional development models and one-size-fits-all learning experiences are increasingly struggling to meet the expectations of modern event professionals, especially younger generations entering the workforce.Live from MPI’s 2026 World Education Congress (WEC) in San Antonio, Eventualists co-hosts Taylor Smith and Hannah Elston sit down with Jessie States, vice president of consulting at MPI, to explore why the future of event education may require a complete reset.In this episode, the Eventualists unpack why attention spans, audience expectations and workplace culture are reshaping education at conferences and events, and what MPI did to ensure WEC met the mark this year.

There’s no formal roadmap for career progression, both in the events industry and almost all others. Nobody gives entry-level employees a clear checklist to follow that will lead them to their next promotion, or a map showing them how to climb the corporate ladder rung by rung. Yet somehow, some people figure out how to progress quickly while others compare themselves and wonder what they’re doing wrong and why they’re so “behind.”In this episode of Eventualists, co-hosts Taylor Smith and Hannah Elston are joined by Maiya Dambawinna, event producer at Make Events, host of the Beyond the Verse podcast and a Tomorrow’s Talent 2025 winner, to lay out the unwritten rules that shape career progression in the events industry and remind listeners that there is no set timeline to follow. Just because someone else is getting ahead doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.The goal: to uncover how careers actually evolve, and what professionals can do to navigate progression with greater clarity and intention. Success in the events industry isn’t just about what you do; it’s about how you grow, who you know and the things you do to position yourself for progression over time.

Meeting planners and event professionals are expected to deliver flawless experiences, manage constant pressure and stay calm behind the scenes, no matter what happens. They work long and odd hours, spend many weekends and days onsite and are often expected to be available for clients 24/7. That need to be “always on” can take an emotional and physical toll on event professionals, but it’s rarely talked about openly and honestly, especially with those just entering the industry.In this episode of Eventualists, co-hosts Hannah Elston and Taylor Smith are joined by ELX Head of Content Chloe Richardson to explore why burnout has become such a common experience in events, what causes it, how to identify it and why we shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed to talk about it. In the business events industry, there is a culture of overextension that can quietly shape early careers, but the Eventualists are here to pull back the curtain on the risk that comes with overworking yourself in a high-performance industry, especially when you’re just getting started.

Every generation has its labels. Gen Zers are often described as job-hoppers who are purpose-driven, as tech-dependent individuals who are too online, as highly sensitive employees who are impossible to manage—but what is Gen-Z actually like to work with? What do they want from their careers, and are leaders really listening?In this episode of Eventualists, co-hosts Taylor Smith and Hannah Elston speak with guest Preston Krzyzak, customer engagement and growth manager at Soundings, to unpack the reality behind the labels, headlines and stereotypes. From flexibility and feedback to financial security and work-life balance, the Eventualists explore what matters most to the next generation entering the events industry.

In this episode of Eventualists, co-hosts Taylor Smith and Hannah Elston are joined by Tyler Sturdivant, assistant manager of events at Inspire Brands, to explore what new professionals can really expect when entering the events industry.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Eventualists: Real Stories, Eventual Experiences, a new podcast from Meetings Today that pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like to be a next-gen professional in the meetings and events industry.In this debut episode, Eventualists co-hosts Taylor Smith of Meetings Today and Hannah Elston of Event Leaders Exchange (ELX) introduce the concept of an “eventualist”: someone early in their career who will eventually be an industry leader and is looking to learn the ropes—without feeling the pressure of having it all together at the start.The inaugural episode sets the tone for all Eventualists episodes to follow: honest reflections, relatable stories and a safe, authentic space where new voices in the industry are heard, validated and amplified, and where senior leaders get real about experiences and lessons next-gen event professionals will use in their careers…eventually.