MESA Monthly Member Meetings (4M's)
Takes place in the last week of the month (where possible)
1400-1500 GMT / BST
1500 - 1600 CET / CEST
2026
Next session:
Wednesday 18th February - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute News Brief from Paul Cook, Storyteller & Creative Producer of Paul Cook Storyteller, MESA Member and Bob Toovey, Founder & Owner of Event Planner News (EPN), MESA Member.
Main topic: Events as the Engine: Mastering Event-Led Growth (ELG) for Pipeline & Revenue with speaker Richard Morris, Director of Active Media Events Ltd, MESA Member.
Join us for an essential session on Event-Led Growth (ELG) - the strategy that positions events as the central driver for customer acquisition, engagement, pipeline, and revenue growth. We will explore this powerful concept, including:
- The ELG Framework: What the term truly means, its strategic origins, and the business models it's designed to supersede
- Stages of Delivery: A detailed look at the real-life stages of delivery, supported by practical examples
The WIIFMM (What's In It For MESA Members)?
This session is focused entirely on practical takeaways for your business:
- Business Impact: Understanding what ELG could mean for your company's growth and positioning
- Client Positioning: How to effectively introduce and position the ELG concept to your clients to unlock new opportunities
- Internal Implementation: Practical steps for implementing and capitalising on the Event-Led Growth strategy within your own organisation
Moderated by Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member.
Tuesday 24th March - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute Window from Marlen Chason, Senior Sales Executive, Conference Compass, MESA Member.
Main topic: A Roadmap for the Next Generation of Event & Tech Explorers with speaker Danny Stevens. After 35 years on the event industry highway, Danny is in a career transition and as he himself states on LinkedIn – is “Chief of Nothing” – currently! From founding Event Masters in 1991 to disrupting the global market with fielddrive, his journey has been a high-speed masterclass in evolution.
In this candid session designed for the MESA community, Danny looks at what it really takes to build, scale, lead, and eventually exit a tech powerhouse. He moves beyond the "founder's story" to speak to the teams who keep the engine running, sharing how to navigate the inevitable potholes of the industry - from global crises to technical blowouts - and how to keep a "discovery mindset" in a high-pressure, live-event world.
What the MESA Community will learn:
- Building the team: How to transition from a "solo rider" mentality to a collaborative culture where developers, moderators, and support teams are all synchronised
- Navigating and integrating: Insights on how different tech stacks - from registration and apps to onsite tracking - must integrate seamlessly to create a "zero-friction" attendee journey
- Surviving the Roadblocks: Real-world lessons in resilience earned through 9/11, the 2008 crash, and the COVID-19 pandemic
- The View from “What’s Next”: What a successful "exit" looks like for the team left behind and how to prepare for the world of tomorrow (AI, face recognition, and beyond)
- The Adventure Mindset: How different passions can make you a better, more creative professional
Moderated by Sébastien Braun, CEO & Founder of idloom, MESA Member.
Tuesday 21st April - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute News Brief from Paul Cook, Storyteller & Creative Producer of Paul Cook Storyteller, MESA Member and Bob Toovey, Founder & Owner of Event Planner News (EPN), MESA Member. .
Main topic: Mastering the Science of Tradeshow ROI - with speaker Jakob Dyrbye, Founder of The Trade Show Academy, MESA Member. As MESA Members increasingly exhibit at industry tradeshows throughout the year, it is key to understand the ROI on your participation. Whether you are new to exhibiting, or a seasoned exhibitor, there are simple and effective actionable ways to improve your experience at the exhibition and that of the potential client meeting with you.
We will find out more about new sensory technology service data coordinates on how visitors move throughout the show - their 360-degree tradeshow participation as well as fundamental rules for engaging with your audience and prospects. What are their stages of awareness that turns them into a qualified lead, and what is the science to capturing attention on a crowded show floor?
Join us and find out about:
- Decoding Visitor Behaviour: Understand visitor movement to optimise your stand’s positioning
- "How” v “What": Strategies to differentiate your brand from a sea of competitors
- Engagement Essentials: The fundamental, non-negotiable rules for initiating and maintaining high-quality interactions
- Quantify Your Impact: Move beyond "gut feelings" to proven methods for measuring and documenting ROI
- Improving Client Experience: Actionable ways to get potential clients to want to do business with you
Since 2009, Jakob has helped exhibitors measure, document, and improve their success, starting with the right questions. These insights, along with years of participant feedback, led to the creation of The Trade Show Academy, which focuses on how to exhibit successfully, not just what to do.
Moderated by Sebastien Braun, CEO and Founder of idloom, MESA Patron Member.
Thursday 28th May - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute Window.
Tuesday 30th June - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute News Brief from Paul Cook, Storyteller & Creative Producer of Paul Cook Storyteller, MESA Member and Bob Toovey, Founder & Owner of Event Planner News (EPN), MESA Member.
Thursday 23rd July - OUR SUMMER NETWORKING
Thursday 27th August - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute Window. Main topic:
Tuesday 29th September - Including The Five-Minute News Brief from Paul Cook, Storyteller & Creative Producer of Paul Cook Storyteller, MESA Member and Bob Toovey, Founder & Owner of Event Planner News (EPN), MESA Member. Main topic:
Thursday 29th October - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute Window from Clare Forestier, Emcee / Event Host / Moderator, MESA Member. Main topic:
Wednesday 25th November - Including E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute News Brief from Paul Cook, Storyteller & Creative Producer of Paul Cook Storyteller, MESA Member and Bob Toovey, Founder & Owner of Event Planner News (EPN), MESA Member. Main topic:
Wednesday 9th December - Xmas Quiz - Join us for this year's MESA Xmas Quiz with prizes! Hosted by Gordon Glenister, Author, Keynote speaker, CEO Membership World, Co-Founder of MESA, MESA Member.
If you have not received your calendar invite, or the zoom link, please contact Sandie
MESA is my go-to industry body for me and my own well-being and self-interest. It's different from other associations where I'm with my 'tribe', but usually tends to be purely focused on business.
Michael Jackson, Global Conference Presenter - The Other Michael Jackson, MESA Member.
Thursday 29th January - Included E-Book Express Showcase from Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member and The Five-Minute Window from Al Mercuro, Strategic Marketing & Client Engagement Advisor, Genesis Exhibits, MESA Member.
Main topic: Your Voice, Your Value: Using Speaking to Define Your Supplier Expertise! With Guest Industry Speaker Maria Franzoni, Founder & Chief Mentor of Speaking Business Academy.
As more MESA Members are being introduced to speaking opportunities at online and exhibition events, in the competitive events industry, your voice is your best asset.
Speaking Business Strategist Maria Franzoni, author of "The Bookability Formula", shared candid insights into how professional speakers can make an event soar or crash - the difference between genuine value and a "same-again" session. This essential session was designed for MESA members: we explored how you can strategically position yourselves, understand speaker market value, and get valuable tools on how to work effectively as the critical go-between for speakers, agents, and clients.
Moderated by Richard John, COO of Realise, MESA Member.
SUMMARY - YOUR VOICE - YOUR VALUE