Event Leadership Institute Launches Business Mentoring Program for Event Pros
September 28, 2020
Event Leadership Institute (ELI) and McVeigh Global Meetings and Events have partnered to launch the Business Owner Mentorship Program, providing coaching and consulting to event professionals who’ve been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
“Event business owners, agencies and third-party suppliers went from a banner year in 2019 to a full ground stop of work in March,” said Howard Givner, founder of ELI and a former event agency owner. “Now they’re scrambling for survival and resources to help them chart a path to come out of this crisis.”
The new program came out of an ELI-led initiative called the Situation Room that Givner hosted earlier this year. Held over four months, the Situation Room involved 15 event business owners from the United States and Canada meeting regularly in private Zoom conferences. Attendees shared the challenges they were facing, exchanged ideas and provided support to each other. “We kept coming back to the question of how we could help each other and the industry as a whole,” said Givner.
It was through these sessions that Givner said they started to recognize that an opportunity existed for industry professionals who had been through previous crises — and could relate to the kinds of pressures and challenges this year has brought — to help others navigate the pandemic.
“None of us got where we are without mentorship,” said Jeff Guberman, CEO of McVeigh Global Meetings and Events, who will lead the new mentorship program. “We are excited to pair experienced mentors in the industry with small business leaders looking for guidance on how to weather this challenge.”
As the chair of the program and a volunteer mentor, Guberman will look to match event professionals seeking guidance with mentors based on the size and type of their business and the challenges being faced. Once matched, the mentors will offer approximately two hours of consulting and coaching support.
“While no one has the magic answers,” said Guberman, “it is helpful to have a second pair of eyes or an auxiliary sounding board who understands your business so we can all emerge stronger as an industry.”
Mentors and mentees are invited to apply for the program here.
Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started.
Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind.
“Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for."
What’s New – AT&T Discovery District
Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall.
Hotels Coming Soon
Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond.
JW Marriott
This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar.
InterContinental Dallas
Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.
Hotel Swexan
Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.
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