The Eventapalooza Podcast Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/eventapalooza-podcast The Eventapalooza Podcast - https://e3webcasting.com/ © 2026 E3 Webcasting e5fe95a2-6970-5db3-9341-f839f8f23a8a yes en Wed, 27 May 2026 12:01:31 -0700 Wed, 27 May 2026 12:02:13 -0700 https://e3webcasting.com/ https://img.transistorcdn.com/lNPYXAk1F5NKFPNvrT2AET2tJ2Hs2LpdRlIoZBITICQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jNGNm/M2IzMDM0NDQwZGY3/ZjZhMjQxNWVkZTEx/NzAwOC5qcGVn.jpg The Eventapalooza Podcast https://e3webcasting.com/ episodic E3 Webcasting The Eventapalooza Podcast - https://e3webcasting.com/ The Eventapalooza Podcast - https://e3webcasting.com/. E3 Webcasting No No Experience Design Is Not Event Planning 4 4 Experience Design Is Not Event Planning full 1aab8205-4355-478f-960f-b74b2d3f010f https://share.transistor.fm/s/8d46bc81 Most events are planned. A few are designed — and the difference shows up in how people move through a room.

Mallory Gott — co-owner of a Las Vegas restaurant and newly appointed executive director of the Nevada Psychology Association — brings a background in adult education and event strategy to this conversation. We cover what separates experience design from execution-focused event planning, drawing on two case studies: a contemporary African art fair in Marrakesh that used the city itself as infrastructure, and a Chicago regional conference that treated a single open convention hall as a multi-session learning environment.


What You'll Learn

  • Citywide programming: Using a city's distinct architecture and cultural history as event infrastructure — rather than a backdrop — creates experiences that aren't replicable in a generic hotel ballroom.
  • Early-stage access: Emerging events at scale give attendees proximity to artists, speakers, and gallery owners that becomes structurally impossible once the event matures and prices out general attendees.
  • Open-plan learning design: Placing concurrent sessions in a single open hall, with deliberate sound design and physical demarcation, can produce organic audience movement that forces-free interaction couldn't replicate.
  • Sound as session boundary: Managing audio bleed in multi-session spaces requires more planning investment than vendors typically expect — and under-specifying it turns a creative concept into a disaster.
  • Curiosity as a design outcome: Ambient energy from adjacent sessions — applause, laughter, a rising hum — pulls in attendees who would never have entered a closed session room.
  • Content extension strategy: Short-form clips and soundbites extracted from recorded sessions are more effective marketing assets than full recordings that get uploaded and ignored.
  • Recording ROI: When production costs are already paid, not extracting short-form social and email content from that footage is a missed monetization and engagement opportunity.
  • Experience vs. execution: Large-scale conferences often optimize for efficient execution at lowest cost; the events that stay with attendees are the ones where the producer had latitude to design for the full sensory and learning experience.


Time-Stamped Highlights 

  • (00:00) Introduction — Mallory's background: restaurant, new executive director role
  • (00:46) Favorite attended event: 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Marrakesh
  • (05:00) How 1-54 used the city — Yves Saint Laurent compound, local architecture
  • (09:42) The access equation: why emerging events give you proximity big fairs don't
  • (13:34) Photographer Hasan Hizaj — buying prints, meeting artists
  • (16:40) How 1-54 could extend the experience: evergreen content and the Architectural Digest model
  • (17:08) Pivot to: Mallory's favorite event produced — Chicago regional association conference
  • (18:54) Open-hall multi-session design — physical space as learning architecture
  • (23:21) Sound design as session boundary — advocating with vendors
  • (24:29) Ambient curiosity: how laughter and applause pulled in unplanned attendees
  • (26:34) Content extension: what she'd do differently today with shorts and AI-assisted editing
  • (29:10) The difference between experience design and event planning
  • (31:09) Closing and Vegas restaurant invitation

Guest bio Mallory Gott is co-owner and co-founder of Winnie & Ethel's, a restaurant in Las Vegas opened in October 2023 following a competition win. She recently began serving as executive director of the Nevada Psychology Association and holds a background in adult education and large-scale event strategy. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mallorygott | Restaurant: winnieandethels.com

About the podcast Eventapalooza is a podcast about what makes events memorable, featuring conversations with planners, producers, and attendees on the design decisions that separate forgettable gatherings from lasting experiences.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing content around the globe. His background spans marketing, technology, production, and event coordination. He approaches each project with a focus on increasing reach and value through creative, discerning production work.

]]> Most events are planned. A few are designed — and the difference shows up in how people move through a room.

Mallory Gott — co-owner of a Las Vegas restaurant and newly appointed executive director of the Nevada Psychology Association — brings a background in adult education and event strategy to this conversation. We cover what separates experience design from execution-focused event planning, drawing on two case studies: a contemporary African art fair in Marrakesh that used the city itself as infrastructure, and a Chicago regional conference that treated a single open convention hall as a multi-session learning environment.


What You'll Learn

  • Citywide programming: Using a city's distinct architecture and cultural history as event infrastructure — rather than a backdrop — creates experiences that aren't replicable in a generic hotel ballroom.
  • Early-stage access: Emerging events at scale give attendees proximity to artists, speakers, and gallery owners that becomes structurally impossible once the event matures and prices out general attendees.
  • Open-plan learning design: Placing concurrent sessions in a single open hall, with deliberate sound design and physical demarcation, can produce organic audience movement that forces-free interaction couldn't replicate.
  • Sound as session boundary: Managing audio bleed in multi-session spaces requires more planning investment than vendors typically expect — and under-specifying it turns a creative concept into a disaster.
  • Curiosity as a design outcome: Ambient energy from adjacent sessions — applause, laughter, a rising hum — pulls in attendees who would never have entered a closed session room.
  • Content extension strategy: Short-form clips and soundbites extracted from recorded sessions are more effective marketing assets than full recordings that get uploaded and ignored.
  • Recording ROI: When production costs are already paid, not extracting short-form social and email content from that footage is a missed monetization and engagement opportunity.
  • Experience vs. execution: Large-scale conferences often optimize for efficient execution at lowest cost; the events that stay with attendees are the ones where the producer had latitude to design for the full sensory and learning experience.


Time-Stamped Highlights 

  • (00:00) Introduction — Mallory's background: restaurant, new executive director role
  • (00:46) Favorite attended event: 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Marrakesh
  • (05:00) How 1-54 used the city — Yves Saint Laurent compound, local architecture
  • (09:42) The access equation: why emerging events give you proximity big fairs don't
  • (13:34) Photographer Hasan Hizaj — buying prints, meeting artists
  • (16:40) How 1-54 could extend the experience: evergreen content and the Architectural Digest model
  • (17:08) Pivot to: Mallory's favorite event produced — Chicago regional association conference
  • (18:54) Open-hall multi-session design — physical space as learning architecture
  • (23:21) Sound design as session boundary — advocating with vendors
  • (24:29) Ambient curiosity: how laughter and applause pulled in unplanned attendees
  • (26:34) Content extension: what she'd do differently today with shorts and AI-assisted editing
  • (29:10) The difference between experience design and event planning
  • (31:09) Closing and Vegas restaurant invitation

Guest bio Mallory Gott is co-owner and co-founder of Winnie & Ethel's, a restaurant in Las Vegas opened in October 2023 following a competition win. She recently began serving as executive director of the Nevada Psychology Association and holds a background in adult education and large-scale event strategy. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mallorygott | Restaurant: winnieandethels.com

About the podcast Eventapalooza is a podcast about what makes events memorable, featuring conversations with planners, producers, and attendees on the design decisions that separate forgettable gatherings from lasting experiences.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing content around the globe. His background spans marketing, technology, production, and event coordination. He approaches each project with a focus on increasing reach and value through creative, discerning production work.

]]> Wed, 27 May 2026 12:01:31 -0700 E3 Webcasting E3 Webcasting 1968 Most events are planned. A few are designed — and the difference shows up in how people move through a room.

Mallory Gott — co-owner of a Las Vegas restaurant and newly appointed executive director of the Nevada Psychology Association — brings a background in adult education and event strategy to this conversation. We cover what separates experience design from execution-focused event planning, drawing on two case studies: a contemporary African art fair in Marrakesh that used the city itself as infrastructure, and a Chicago regional conference that treated a single open convention hall as a multi-session learning environment.


What You'll Learn

  • Citywide programming: Using a city's distinct architecture and cultural history as event infrastructure — rather than a backdrop — creates experiences that aren't replicable in a generic hotel ballroom.
  • Early-stage access: Emerging events at scale give attendees proximity to artists, speakers, and gallery owners that becomes structurally impossible once the event matures and prices out general attendees.
  • Open-plan learning design: Placing concurrent sessions in a single open hall, with deliberate sound design and physical demarcation, can produce organic audience movement that forces-free interaction couldn't replicate.
  • Sound as session boundary: Managing audio bleed in multi-session spaces requires more planning investment than vendors typically expect — and under-specifying it turns a creative concept into a disaster.
  • Curiosity as a design outcome: Ambient energy from adjacent sessions — applause, laughter, a rising hum — pulls in attendees who would never have entered a closed session room.
  • Content extension strategy: Short-form clips and soundbites extracted from recorded sessions are more effective marketing assets than full recordings that get uploaded and ignored.
  • Recording ROI: When production costs are already paid, not extracting short-form social and email content from that footage is a missed monetization and engagement opportunity.
  • Experience vs. execution: Large-scale conferences often optimize for efficient execution at lowest cost; the events that stay with attendees are the ones where the producer had latitude to design for the full sensory and learning experience.


Time-Stamped Highlights 

  • (00:00) Introduction — Mallory's background: restaurant, new executive director role
  • (00:46) Favorite attended event: 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Marrakesh
  • (05:00) How 1-54 used the city — Yves Saint Laurent compound, local architecture
  • (09:42) The access equation: why emerging events give you proximity big fairs don't
  • (13:34) Photographer Hasan Hizaj — buying prints, meeting artists
  • (16:40) How 1-54 could extend the experience: evergreen content and the Architectural Digest model
  • (17:08) Pivot to: Mallory's favorite event produced — Chicago regional association conference
  • (18:54) Open-hall multi-session design — physical space as learning architecture
  • (23:21) Sound design as session boundary — advocating with vendors
  • (24:29) Ambient curiosity: how laughter and applause pulled in unplanned attendees
  • (26:34) Content extension: what she'd do differently today with shorts and AI-assisted editing
  • (29:10) The difference between experience design and event planning
  • (31:09) Closing and Vegas restaurant invitation

Guest bio Mallory Gott is co-owner and co-founder of Winnie & Ethel's, a restaurant in Las Vegas opened in October 2023 following a competition win. She recently began serving as executive director of the Nevada Psychology Association and holds a background in adult education and large-scale event strategy. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mallorygott | Restaurant: winnieandethels.com

About the podcast Eventapalooza is a podcast about what makes events memorable, featuring conversations with planners, producers, and attendees on the design decisions that separate forgettable gatherings from lasting experiences.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing content around the globe. His background spans marketing, technology, production, and event coordination. He approaches each project with a focus on increasing reach and value through creative, discerning production work.

]]> No Something Will Always Go Wrong: How Event Teams Handle It With Professionalism 3 3 Something Will Always Go Wrong: How Event Teams Handle It With Professionalism full 33a6e82c-f7d2-46ec-b8a4-ee5fafa02540 https://share.transistor.fm/s/02022189 Face-to-face events are still the most powerful tool for trust-building in technical communities — but only if you design them that way.

Brandon Wick, head of marketing at NetActuate, has been running and attending technology events for 20 years — including large open source summits under the Linux Foundation umbrella. In this episode, he and host Tim Arthur dig into the specific choices that made the OPNFV Summit in Berlin a standout event, what it takes to welcome new community members at scale, and how recorded and streamed content extends the value of a live event long after the venue clears out.


What You'll Learn

  • Hallway track design: The conversations between sessions are often the most valuable part of an event, and they require intentional setup from organizers, not just scheduling gaps.
  • Welcome mat strategy: Open source communities become closed by default unless organizers actively communicate inclusivity — from registration copy to on-site accessibility and food options.
  • Thematic coherence: Tying an event's branding, swag, and programming to a single theme (in this case, the Euro football championships) meaningfully increases attendee engagement and memorability.
  • Content extension: Recording and archiving session videos turns a single event into an evergreen content pipeline for community onboarding and sponsor visibility.
  • In-person trust compounding: Communities that hold excellent in-person events see measurable improvement in members' willingness to communicate and collaborate online in the months that follow.
  • Competitor collaboration: Open source events bring competing companies together under a shared mission; that framing — the project logo, not the employer — is worth designing around explicitly.
  • Incident response: Something will go wrong at every event; the professional response is calm acknowledgment and a process improvement, not visible panic.
  • AV as infrastructure: High-quality audio and video support isn't a production luxury — it's what makes content reusable and makes attendees feel the event was worth their time.

Time-Stamped Highlights

  • (00:01:06) Brandon Wick's background: 20 years of technology marketing and events
  • (00:02:05) What NetActuate does and why edge infrastructure matters
  • (00:03:18) Picking a favorite: the OPNFV Summit in Berlin
  • (00:04:53) The Euro football championship tie-in and the scarf swag strategy
  • (00:06:43) Heather's keynote and the "name on the front of the jersey" moment
  • (00:08:27) Community composition: AT&T, Verizon, and competitors building together
  • (00:11:11) How recording and streaming extended the summit's reach
  • (00:12:26) Onboarding new community members: welcome guides, get-started paths, and event framing
  • (00:13:54) The hallway track: making the in-between time work
  • (00:15:31) Managing the slide deck glitch — calm under pressure
  • (00:17:42) Why face-to-face still drives measurable community morale
  • (00:18:24) The Linux Foundation founder's framing: "we're in the relationship business"



Guest bio Brandon Wick is Head of Marketing at NetActuate, a global edge infrastructure and networking services company operating in 45+ locations worldwide. He has spent 20 years in technology marketing with events — both attending and producing — as a core part of his work, including multiple years supporting Linux Foundation open source summits. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-wick | Company: netactuate.com

About the Podcast The Eventapalooza Podcast is a show for event professionals, producers, and community builders exploring what makes live and hybrid events work — from strategy and design to AV execution and content reuse. Hosted by Tim Arthur, produced with support from E3 Webcasting.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing video across the globe. His background spans marketing, technology, production, and event coordination, with a focus on helping organizations increase reach and value through high-quality production. He is the founder of The Eventapalooza Podcast and works with clients including E3 Webcasting.

]]> Face-to-face events are still the most powerful tool for trust-building in technical communities — but only if you design them that way.

Brandon Wick, head of marketing at NetActuate, has been running and attending technology events for 20 years — including large open source summits under the Linux Foundation umbrella. In this episode, he and host Tim Arthur dig into the specific choices that made the OPNFV Summit in Berlin a standout event, what it takes to welcome new community members at scale, and how recorded and streamed content extends the value of a live event long after the venue clears out.


What You'll Learn

  • Hallway track design: The conversations between sessions are often the most valuable part of an event, and they require intentional setup from organizers, not just scheduling gaps.
  • Welcome mat strategy: Open source communities become closed by default unless organizers actively communicate inclusivity — from registration copy to on-site accessibility and food options.
  • Thematic coherence: Tying an event's branding, swag, and programming to a single theme (in this case, the Euro football championships) meaningfully increases attendee engagement and memorability.
  • Content extension: Recording and archiving session videos turns a single event into an evergreen content pipeline for community onboarding and sponsor visibility.
  • In-person trust compounding: Communities that hold excellent in-person events see measurable improvement in members' willingness to communicate and collaborate online in the months that follow.
  • Competitor collaboration: Open source events bring competing companies together under a shared mission; that framing — the project logo, not the employer — is worth designing around explicitly.
  • Incident response: Something will go wrong at every event; the professional response is calm acknowledgment and a process improvement, not visible panic.
  • AV as infrastructure: High-quality audio and video support isn't a production luxury — it's what makes content reusable and makes attendees feel the event was worth their time.

Time-Stamped Highlights

  • (00:01:06) Brandon Wick's background: 20 years of technology marketing and events
  • (00:02:05) What NetActuate does and why edge infrastructure matters
  • (00:03:18) Picking a favorite: the OPNFV Summit in Berlin
  • (00:04:53) The Euro football championship tie-in and the scarf swag strategy
  • (00:06:43) Heather's keynote and the "name on the front of the jersey" moment
  • (00:08:27) Community composition: AT&T, Verizon, and competitors building together
  • (00:11:11) How recording and streaming extended the summit's reach
  • (00:12:26) Onboarding new community members: welcome guides, get-started paths, and event framing
  • (00:13:54) The hallway track: making the in-between time work
  • (00:15:31) Managing the slide deck glitch — calm under pressure
  • (00:17:42) Why face-to-face still drives measurable community morale
  • (00:18:24) The Linux Foundation founder's framing: "we're in the relationship business"



Guest bio Brandon Wick is Head of Marketing at NetActuate, a global edge infrastructure and networking services company operating in 45+ locations worldwide. He has spent 20 years in technology marketing with events — both attending and producing — as a core part of his work, including multiple years supporting Linux Foundation open source summits. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-wick | Company: netactuate.com

About the Podcast The Eventapalooza Podcast is a show for event professionals, producers, and community builders exploring what makes live and hybrid events work — from strategy and design to AV execution and content reuse. Hosted by Tim Arthur, produced with support from E3 Webcasting.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing video across the globe. His background spans marketing, technology, production, and event coordination, with a focus on helping organizations increase reach and value through high-quality production. He is the founder of The Eventapalooza Podcast and works with clients including E3 Webcasting.

]]> Thu, 21 May 2026 11:43:50 -0700 E3 Webcasting E3 Webcasting 1143 Face-to-face events are still the most powerful tool for trust-building in technical communities — but only if you design them that way.

Brandon Wick, head of marketing at NetActuate, has been running and attending technology events for 20 years — including large open source summits under the Linux Foundation umbrella. In this episode, he and host Tim Arthur dig into the specific choices that made the OPNFV Summit in Berlin a standout event, what it takes to welcome new community members at scale, and how recorded and streamed content extends the value of a live event long after the venue clears out.


What You'll Learn

  • Hallway track design: The conversations between sessions are often the most valuable part of an event, and they require intentional setup from organizers, not just scheduling gaps.
  • Welcome mat strategy: Open source communities become closed by default unless organizers actively communicate inclusivity — from registration copy to on-site accessibility and food options.
  • Thematic coherence: Tying an event's branding, swag, and programming to a single theme (in this case, the Euro football championships) meaningfully increases attendee engagement and memorability.
  • Content extension: Recording and archiving session videos turns a single event into an evergreen content pipeline for community onboarding and sponsor visibility.
  • In-person trust compounding: Communities that hold excellent in-person events see measurable improvement in members' willingness to communicate and collaborate online in the months that follow.
  • Competitor collaboration: Open source events bring competing companies together under a shared mission; that framing — the project logo, not the employer — is worth designing around explicitly.
  • Incident response: Something will go wrong at every event; the professional response is calm acknowledgment and a process improvement, not visible panic.
  • AV as infrastructure: High-quality audio and video support isn't a production luxury — it's what makes content reusable and makes attendees feel the event was worth their time.

Time-Stamped Highlights

  • (00:01:06) Brandon Wick's background: 20 years of technology marketing and events
  • (00:02:05) What NetActuate does and why edge infrastructure matters
  • (00:03:18) Picking a favorite: the OPNFV Summit in Berlin
  • (00:04:53) The Euro football championship tie-in and the scarf swag strategy
  • (00:06:43) Heather's keynote and the "name on the front of the jersey" moment
  • (00:08:27) Community composition: AT&T, Verizon, and competitors building together
  • (00:11:11) How recording and streaming extended the summit's reach
  • (00:12:26) Onboarding new community members: welcome guides, get-started paths, and event framing
  • (00:13:54) The hallway track: making the in-between time work
  • (00:15:31) Managing the slide deck glitch — calm under pressure
  • (00:17:42) Why face-to-face still drives measurable community morale
  • (00:18:24) The Linux Foundation founder's framing: "we're in the relationship business"



Guest bio Brandon Wick is Head of Marketing at NetActuate, a global edge infrastructure and networking services company operating in 45+ locations worldwide. He has spent 20 years in technology marketing with events — both attending and producing — as a core part of his work, including multiple years supporting Linux Foundation open source summits. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-wick | Company: netactuate.com

About the Podcast The Eventapalooza Podcast is a show for event professionals, producers, and community builders exploring what makes live and hybrid events work — from strategy and design to AV execution and content reuse. Hosted by Tim Arthur, produced with support from E3 Webcasting.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing video across the globe. His background spans marketing, technology, production, and event coordination, with a focus on helping organizations increase reach and value through high-quality production. He is the founder of The Eventapalooza Podcast and works with clients including E3 Webcasting.

]]> No Your Attendees Aren't There for the Sessions 2 2 Your Attendees Aren't There for the Sessions full 9cf2142b-aca7-4926-baab-388006121cb5 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f7b3e4e9 Most conferences are optimized for the wrong thing — and the people running them know it.

 Adam Cuppy is a technologist, speaker, and event organizer who has served on the organizing committees for RailsConf and RubyConf, planned franchise culture events at Dutch Bros Coffee, and currently works as a Chief Product and Technology Officer. This conversation covers what actually drives conference attendance, why over-scheduling kills engagement, and how AI is reshaping both the software industry and our relationship to screens.

What You'll Learn

  • Hallway track: The networking and informal connection that happens between sessions is often the primary reason people attend conferences, not the content on stage.
  • Over-scheduling: Filling every minute of a conference schedule creates the illusion of value while ignoring what attendees actually want from being in the room together.
  • Post-lunch attendance: Roughly 10–20% of attendees skip sessions after lunch — placing critical content in that slot is a predictable failure mode.
  • Speaker craft: A 30-minute talk can only implant one concrete idea effectively; trying to teach a broad skill in that window results in a spoken blog post.
  • Physical activation: Getting attendees on their feet — even with a simple "stand up if" exercise — measurably improves engagement and post-event reviews.
  • Sponsored tracks: Separating sponsor presentations into their own track creates a counterintuitive incentive for sponsors to produce higher-quality content.
  • AI and thought workers: The surface-level impression that AI eliminates the need for skilled practitioners misses how deeply conceptual and experiential expertise still determines quality outcomes.
  • AI and analog culture: Widespread AI-generated content is paradoxically driving a cultural pull back toward offline, analog experience — especially for parents concerned about what their children encounter online.

Time-Stamped Highlights

  • (00:00:00) Introduction — Adam's background in events and acting
  • (00:06:33) Dutch Bros franchise events and culture-driven gatherings
  • (00:08:21) RailsConf, RubyConf, and organizing a track of 550 submissions
  • (00:17:27) The Australian conference that closed down a theme park
  • (00:12:27) Why the hallway track is the real conference
  • (00:14:18) How much can you actually learn in 30 minutes?
  • (00:20:04) The sponsored track model and why it produces better content
  • (00:29:04) AI as a tool for understanding, not just generating
  • (00:27:27) Why thought workers are the most at risk from AI displacement
  • (00:30:10) Camera auto-tracking and AI quality control in event production
  • (00:35:05) The physics of engagement: get people out of their chairs
  • (00:36:42) The weakest slots in a conference schedule — and what to do about them
  • (00:37:42) The "stand up if" technique from theater games
  • (00:34:43) Closing thoughts: knowing why people are really there

Guest bio Adam Cuppy is a Chief Product and Technology Officer, speaker, and longtime open-source community organizer who served on the Ruby Central organizing committee for RailsConf and RubyConf, previously led marketing at Dutch Bros Coffee, and co-founded a design-for-developers conference in Medford, Oregon. Find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/adamcuppy and on Instagram at @onelungdown.


Sponsor: E3 Webcasting — E3 Webcasting helps event producers, associations, and organizations broadcast, stream, and record live events with professional-grade reliability. From hybrid conferences to virtual summits, they handle the technical production so your content reaches every attendee — in the room and online. Learn more at e3webcasting.com.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing content globally, with a background spanning marketing, technology, production, and event coordination. He approaches each project with a focus on increasing client reach and value through creative, discerning production. Tim is the founder of E3 Webcasting (e3webcasting.com).

]]> Most conferences are optimized for the wrong thing — and the people running them know it.

 Adam Cuppy is a technologist, speaker, and event organizer who has served on the organizing committees for RailsConf and RubyConf, planned franchise culture events at Dutch Bros Coffee, and currently works as a Chief Product and Technology Officer. This conversation covers what actually drives conference attendance, why over-scheduling kills engagement, and how AI is reshaping both the software industry and our relationship to screens.

What You'll Learn

  • Hallway track: The networking and informal connection that happens between sessions is often the primary reason people attend conferences, not the content on stage.
  • Over-scheduling: Filling every minute of a conference schedule creates the illusion of value while ignoring what attendees actually want from being in the room together.
  • Post-lunch attendance: Roughly 10–20% of attendees skip sessions after lunch — placing critical content in that slot is a predictable failure mode.
  • Speaker craft: A 30-minute talk can only implant one concrete idea effectively; trying to teach a broad skill in that window results in a spoken blog post.
  • Physical activation: Getting attendees on their feet — even with a simple "stand up if" exercise — measurably improves engagement and post-event reviews.
  • Sponsored tracks: Separating sponsor presentations into their own track creates a counterintuitive incentive for sponsors to produce higher-quality content.
  • AI and thought workers: The surface-level impression that AI eliminates the need for skilled practitioners misses how deeply conceptual and experiential expertise still determines quality outcomes.
  • AI and analog culture: Widespread AI-generated content is paradoxically driving a cultural pull back toward offline, analog experience — especially for parents concerned about what their children encounter online.

Time-Stamped Highlights

  • (00:00:00) Introduction — Adam's background in events and acting
  • (00:06:33) Dutch Bros franchise events and culture-driven gatherings
  • (00:08:21) RailsConf, RubyConf, and organizing a track of 550 submissions
  • (00:17:27) The Australian conference that closed down a theme park
  • (00:12:27) Why the hallway track is the real conference
  • (00:14:18) How much can you actually learn in 30 minutes?
  • (00:20:04) The sponsored track model and why it produces better content
  • (00:29:04) AI as a tool for understanding, not just generating
  • (00:27:27) Why thought workers are the most at risk from AI displacement
  • (00:30:10) Camera auto-tracking and AI quality control in event production
  • (00:35:05) The physics of engagement: get people out of their chairs
  • (00:36:42) The weakest slots in a conference schedule — and what to do about them
  • (00:37:42) The "stand up if" technique from theater games
  • (00:34:43) Closing thoughts: knowing why people are really there

Guest bio Adam Cuppy is a Chief Product and Technology Officer, speaker, and longtime open-source community organizer who served on the Ruby Central organizing committee for RailsConf and RubyConf, previously led marketing at Dutch Bros Coffee, and co-founded a design-for-developers conference in Medford, Oregon. Find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/adamcuppy and on Instagram at @onelungdown.


Sponsor: E3 Webcasting — E3 Webcasting helps event producers, associations, and organizations broadcast, stream, and record live events with professional-grade reliability. From hybrid conferences to virtual summits, they handle the technical production so your content reaches every attendee — in the room and online. Learn more at e3webcasting.com.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing content globally, with a background spanning marketing, technology, production, and event coordination. He approaches each project with a focus on increasing client reach and value through creative, discerning production. Tim is the founder of E3 Webcasting (e3webcasting.com).

]]> Wed, 13 May 2026 08:28:19 -0700 E3 Webcasting E3 Webcasting 2342 Most conferences are optimized for the wrong thing — and the people running them know it.

 Adam Cuppy is a technologist, speaker, and event organizer who has served on the organizing committees for RailsConf and RubyConf, planned franchise culture events at Dutch Bros Coffee, and currently works as a Chief Product and Technology Officer. This conversation covers what actually drives conference attendance, why over-scheduling kills engagement, and how AI is reshaping both the software industry and our relationship to screens.

What You'll Learn

  • Hallway track: The networking and informal connection that happens between sessions is often the primary reason people attend conferences, not the content on stage.
  • Over-scheduling: Filling every minute of a conference schedule creates the illusion of value while ignoring what attendees actually want from being in the room together.
  • Post-lunch attendance: Roughly 10–20% of attendees skip sessions after lunch — placing critical content in that slot is a predictable failure mode.
  • Speaker craft: A 30-minute talk can only implant one concrete idea effectively; trying to teach a broad skill in that window results in a spoken blog post.
  • Physical activation: Getting attendees on their feet — even with a simple "stand up if" exercise — measurably improves engagement and post-event reviews.
  • Sponsored tracks: Separating sponsor presentations into their own track creates a counterintuitive incentive for sponsors to produce higher-quality content.
  • AI and thought workers: The surface-level impression that AI eliminates the need for skilled practitioners misses how deeply conceptual and experiential expertise still determines quality outcomes.
  • AI and analog culture: Widespread AI-generated content is paradoxically driving a cultural pull back toward offline, analog experience — especially for parents concerned about what their children encounter online.

Time-Stamped Highlights

  • (00:00:00) Introduction — Adam's background in events and acting
  • (00:06:33) Dutch Bros franchise events and culture-driven gatherings
  • (00:08:21) RailsConf, RubyConf, and organizing a track of 550 submissions
  • (00:17:27) The Australian conference that closed down a theme park
  • (00:12:27) Why the hallway track is the real conference
  • (00:14:18) How much can you actually learn in 30 minutes?
  • (00:20:04) The sponsored track model and why it produces better content
  • (00:29:04) AI as a tool for understanding, not just generating
  • (00:27:27) Why thought workers are the most at risk from AI displacement
  • (00:30:10) Camera auto-tracking and AI quality control in event production
  • (00:35:05) The physics of engagement: get people out of their chairs
  • (00:36:42) The weakest slots in a conference schedule — and what to do about them
  • (00:37:42) The "stand up if" technique from theater games
  • (00:34:43) Closing thoughts: knowing why people are really there

Guest bio Adam Cuppy is a Chief Product and Technology Officer, speaker, and longtime open-source community organizer who served on the Ruby Central organizing committee for RailsConf and RubyConf, previously led marketing at Dutch Bros Coffee, and co-founded a design-for-developers conference in Medford, Oregon. Find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/adamcuppy and on Instagram at @onelungdown.


Sponsor: E3 Webcasting — E3 Webcasting helps event producers, associations, and organizations broadcast, stream, and record live events with professional-grade reliability. From hybrid conferences to virtual summits, they handle the technical production so your content reaches every attendee — in the room and online. Learn more at e3webcasting.com.

Host bio Tim Arthur is a film and video production professional with 20+ years of experience producing content globally, with a background spanning marketing, technology, production, and event coordination. He approaches each project with a focus on increasing client reach and value through creative, discerning production. Tim is the founder of E3 Webcasting (e3webcasting.com).

]]> No Trailer 1 1 Trailer full 7b193bd2-33e3-4863-abfa-961e661cc1ee https://share.transistor.fm/s/5382f20a Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:05:48 -0800 E3 Webcasting E3 Webcasting 3 No