PRESS RELEASE// San Diego, CA (April 23, 2020) The Hospitality + Events Fight Back coalition (HEFB-20) today announces their latest initiative, a Virtual Hackathon bringing together thought leaders from various industries impacted by the COVID-19 global health crisis. New partners to join the coalition with Syzygy Cities and Soundings Connect include Cvent, Access Destination Services, Hello! Destination Management, Bishop-McCann and The Center for Health Design.

Great news! Meeting Professionals International is offering a complimentary 3 month membership to the hospitality + events community!

MPI Blog // The COVID-19 global health crisis has forced businesses to pivot faster than ever, especially in the hospitality and event industries. We went from industries of abundance to industries of drought, almost overnight.

PRESS RELEASE// San Diego, CA (April 8, 2020) In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Syzygy Cities and Soundings Connect today announced the launch of the Hospitality + Events Fight Back Initiative (HEFB-20) made possible by a grant from an anonymous donor. The HEFB-20 initiative is a plan to aid victims of COVID-19, help save lives, and create jobs and business opportunities in the meetings and events industry through the cultivation of Public-Private partnerships and brand diplomacy.

SMART MEETINGS // Soundings Connect Founder & Chief Connector, Tracy Judge, honored with Smart Women Entrepreneur award. The quest to be our highest and best selves is never an escalator ride straight to the top. As women work to elevate their careers, their peers and the industry as a whole, the path often requires detours, taking a step back, evaluating obstacles in the way and calling on others to help chart a new course.

We highly recommend that you put Lower Manhattan on the top of your list of NYC neighborhoods to consider for your next meeting or incentive trip. The changes happening downtown between the Hudson River and the East River make Lower Manhattan the perfect destination to create thought-provoking and innovative meetings and events. Read more on our recommended sites!

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you’re getting the best price is to understand the different pricing models used for meeting and event services. As you know, pricing is not one size fits all. In fact, savvy companies often use multiple pricing models to meet their clients’ needs. Our Founder & Chief Connector, Tracy Judge, analyzes the pros and cons of the various pricing models used for event services to help customers and their service providers build trust and, of course, profitability. Read all about it here.

SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS // It’s one thing to get enough people to register for a conference but enticing them to stay for the duration of the event is another. At conferences, the attention of our attendees is often pulled in many directions and some might be tempted to duck out of a multi-day event early. With a little extra effort, we can revamp our agendas and work wonders that will keep participants on site until the very end!

If you haven’t had the chance to experience the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, we highly recommend that you put it on your travel wish list for 2021! Sundance is the perfect event to enjoy some personal time and to spark innovative ideas for your upcoming events. Learn about our experience here!

PRESS RELEASE // San Diego, CA - Jan. 6, 2020 - Soundings Connect Founder and Chief Connector, Tracy Judge, MS, CMP, will serve a special term on the Meetings Professionals International (MPI) Board of Directors in 2020. Judge will represent freelancers, solopreneurs and small business owners who make up a growing segment of MPI.

Press Release// San Diego, CA - Jan. 6, 2020 - Soundings Connect Founder and Chief Connector, Tracy Judge, MS, CMP, will serve a special term on the Meetings Professionals International (MPI) Board of Directors in 2020. Judge will represent freelancers, solopreneurs and small business owners who make up a growing segment of MPI.

2019 was a year of growth for Soundings Connect!  We have grown our team, our network of freelancers, and our customer base.  In addition, we are proud to be leveraging our network to support philanthropy and our business partners.

The current conversation about shifts in corporate strategy is great news for meetings and events professionals. Through meetings and events, companies create brand experiences for stakeholders that leave a lasting impression. Corporations and their leaders will continue to rely on meetings and events to accomplish the objectives set forth in the Statement of Purpose.

CORPORATE EVENTS NEWS BLOG // Founded in San Diego in 2018, Soundings Connect is a network of 200 (and growing!) freelance meeting and event professionals, all of whom have professional experience in the fields of trade show management, meeting planning, event marketing and more.

Event technology continues to increase efficiency in the meetings and events industry. How do we balance the need for event technology and the need for human connection?

Press Release // San Diego, CA - Nov. 26, 2019- Soundings Connect, an innovative network of freelance meeting & event talent, is excited to announce its partnership with ECPAT-USA, a trailblazing organization committed to raising awareness, advocating for policy and providing community education about human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children around the world.

Did you know that each year there are 40 million victims of sex-trafficking globally? As meetings and events professionals who travel regularly throughout our careers, we are in the unique position to help combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the United States and around the world.

The news is in. The gig economy is going strong. According to the latest Deloitte study on Global Human Capital Trends, self-employment is expected to triple by 2020. That means 42 million independent workers will be available for hire.

MPI Blog // If meeting professionals have learned anything from the Great Recession, it’s that the travel industry is hit hard during an economic downturn. Throughout the recession, companies made significant cutbacks on corporate travel expenses. As a result of the reductions in spend, major meetings were canceled and non-revenue-generating departments such as meeting planning were downsized.

I’m always interested in learning more about how innovative technology is elevating events. Soundings Connect was founded on the idea that we can reshape events through leveraging technology and strategically building the best teams possible to serve our clients.