Industry expert talks getting started and growing strong careers in the ever-evolving meetings world
In this sparkling grand opening of Smart Meetings’ re-branded podcast, formerly Meeting of the Minds, now Smart Start: The Meeting Planner’s Toolbox, Smart Meetings editors Eming Piansay and Sara Robertson bring in managing editor Gary Diedrichs to dig into his extensive industry knowledge and expertise as a long-time meetings industry writer.
Discover the tie between the meetings industry and mushrooms (a mushroom leather conference booth? And it’s biodegradeable? Sign us up.), how business travelers tackle time zones, the key to getting your foot in the door at conferences, and why Gary wants Hawaiian barbeque.
Tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon to join us as we put together the toolbox every planner needs for a Smart Start.
Editor’s note: This interview has been transcribed by Otter.ai and lightly edited.
Sara Robertson Today we are here with Gary Diedrichs, our managing editor here at Smart Meetings, and we are going to dig into all of his industry knowledge and expertise. We are just so pleased to have you here today, Gary. Thank you for joining us.
Gary Diedrichs You’re very welcome. And I feel humbled by the invitation.
Eming Piansay Well, you’re kind of a big deal here at Smart Meetings! I mean, personally, I met you through your writing. To kick things off, the one thing that really stood out to me about you as a writer is that you really focus on niche topics—which I appreciate, because there’s a lot of topics that I’m not familiar with—that a lot of people probably aren’t familiar with. So just out of sheer curiosity, as you’ve been writing for the industry for quite some time now, how have you found these stories? What draws you to them? And how do you research them?
GD Well, I’m drawn to the stories that haven’t been told as often or as well. And in the meetings industry, there are lots of them, as it turns out. But I think the baseline point here is that just about everything that happens has some impact on the meetings industry. I mean, whether it’s today’s headlines, today’s weather—you know, we have a hurricane in the Caribbean right now*—how is that going to affect meetings? I mean, that’s the meetings angle! We have a messy political situation; will that affect meetings? Will that affect the where the cities where these [political] conventions are going to be held? Just about anything you can think of somehow impacts the industry and has a takeaway for meeting planners who are paying attention.
*Editor’s note: At the time this episode was recorded, the Caribbean faced Hurricane Beryl. Read more on our breaking news archive.
EP That’s a really good point. So, for example, you did a story on mushrooms once. I remember that it stood out to me as a story, because it not something I’ve read before in Smart Meetings. So, using that story as an example: what made you want to do that? And how did you think that would help people who are trying to create events?
GD Well, F&B is one of my interests, and it’s one of the things I’ve been writing about for quite some time now, at Smart Meetings; and I have a have a personal interest in mushrooms. I happen to think they’re cool and largely unknown. There are thousands and thousands of species of mushrooms that have never been identified. But the ones that have can do amazing things, so I thought it’d be fun. Because meeting planners are always looking for something new and different to put out.
In F&B, there’s an increasing demand for meatless meals. Mushrooms fit that bill because they are high in protein. And they have different flavor qualities that you can use to do spins on popular dishes that people would really resonate with. And it turns out you can even make event materials—you can even make conference booths from mushrooms. There’s a company up in upstate New York that is using a particular kind of mushroom, and they’re turning it into leather—mushroom leather—and they’re turning it into something that’s very much like plastic, so they can make chairs, they can make tables. And they can probably make an exhibit booth which, by the way, will be biodegradable—another big hot button in the meetings industry.
SR We love to see biodegradable. That reminds me once, I was on a FAM trip in LA at the Anaheim Marriott, and we did a mushroom tasting experience. I got to try a ton of mushrooms, Lion’s Mane included. There were so many. Really cool. I wonder about how topics as niche as mushrooms can be related to the meetings and events industry and how planners can discover these things, especially when you’re a new planner, and you’re just starting out. How do you not get overwhelmed by entering an industry that is so complex, that has so many arms in so many places? Where would you suggest new planners start discovering?
GD I think the first thing I would say is, they will quickly find out this is an industry that’s all about sharing. People are very generous with their information and with their knowledge. So be mentored. And then, as you progress, mentor. And I think you need to know that you can do it slow and steady. Just add a dash of your own creativity.
And all along this journey, just beware of burnout. You can have a race to the finish line when the curtain is about to go up. But it’s really important to measure your activity as you go along to make sure that you’re not one of those that just falls behind because you’ve run out of breath.
For someone just starting out in the industry for where they can find these niche ideas? Again, I think colleagues are great for this. I think it’s necessary and desirable in the meetings industry to be curious, and to be inquisitive about just about anything, because meetings happen everywhere. And for every reason.
Nothing really big, almost nothing, ever got done in the history of the world that there wasn’t a meeting that got the ball rolling. So, attend as many of these as you think you can. Get your mentors. And then just be curious, read the news, read the blogs, listen to podcasts. There’s a lot of information out there.
What you need to do then is put on your meeting planner hat and say, what’s the takeaway for me? What can I get from this that I can use to make a better experience for those who are attending my events?
EP Right. So, as you know, the whole point of our relaunch of this podcast to Smart Start is to create a toolbox for planners of all sorts, but mostly ones who are new to the industry. With your experience, you’re someone who has seen a lot, you’ve done a lot, you know a lot about how this works, whereas we are still learning.
People have misconceptions about what you do in the industry. So, when you are explaining what it is that you do to people, how do you best encapsulate all the different aspects of this industry, and how do you write about it, how you how you view it, how you experience it in your own way?
GD Well, first of all, I think you have to kind of reconcile yourself to the fact that your mom’s gonna think you throw parties. I mean, it’s just
EP But they’re fun parties, Gary, they’re fun!
GD They are fun! What’s wrong with throwing parties?
But as you soon learn, it’s so much more than that. And that’s one of the joys, for me, of covering this industry, because there are so many aspects of it, whether it’s the hospitality world, the various kinds of meetings that happen out there, all the different industries that are involved, who have meetings.
And the more you know, the more you realize there is more to be learned. So, when you’re telling friends what to do, you can start by saying, I work in the biggest industry that nobody ever knows about. It’s bigger than gas and oil. It’s bigger than the automotive industry, when you take all the economic impact that events, meetings, hospitality have together. It’s huge. It’s enormous. So, you know, it’s something to be proud of, and it’s something to talk about. But I think, just know that in the end, when your mom tells her best friend what you do, yeah, you do parties.
SR But they’re parties where we get things done!
GD Very good point. That is the reality of it. They are parties with a purpose.
EP Parties with a purpose. I like that. We might have to steal that for the show.
SR Maybe that’s our headline.
So, Gary, I wonder, as somebody who has had the privilege of being able to be one of the forefront writers in this industry right now, and one of our amazing writers at Smart Meetings for a long time, you’ve gotten to see the industry evolve, you’ve gotten to see our magazine evolve. What are things that have happened in recent years that you didn’t expect? What are some developments in this industry that you think are going to bring us towards a stronger future that we maybe didn’t anticipate?
GD Well, that’s a big question.
EP Got them all. Locked and loaded.
SR Lots of big questions.
EP We’ve got some hard questions for you Gary—you’d better get ready!
GD Big questions for the big industry.
Obviously, the first thing you have to mention is the pandemic. And I know we’re all kind of sick of hearing about it. But it made such an impact. It did change our industry forever, because so many people left, because they couldn’t make a living. And now we have so many younger people starting out on their journeys and trying to put their arms around a very confusing and very amorphous kind of industry. The pandemic’s influence on the airlines industry and the hospitality industry cannot be ignored.
I’d say the other one, which, again, we may be a little sick of hearing about. But as I heard Sherrif Karamat, the president of PCMA, say at Educon, in Detroit, where I attended last week, he said, “I know you’re all sick of hearing about AI, but it’s not going to go away. So you better get used to it.”
I mean, it’s going to change the way we do work. And, we hope for, the better—because it’s going to make doing a lot of the time-consuming, tedious things that we have to do to get our meetings launched so much easier, so that we can hopefully concentrate on the big stuff.
SR How did people respond to that?
GD They kind of laughed nervously. You know, I mean, some people are worried that’s going to take planner jobs away. And personally, I don’t think so. What we say around here at Smart Meetings is that, if anything, it makes the human touch even more important. The more automated and robotic aspects of it are, the more the high touch, that only another human can bring to the party, will make a difference.
I just read a piece not long ago that was making the argument that, in the midst of AI and all the other technological developments that we’re seeing in this industry, as well as any other, that those moments at hotels, where they go the extra mile to do the human thing, to reach out to another person to make them know that they’re valued and welcome, is going to be more important than ever. And I tend to agree with that.
SR Yeah, it really does make all the difference. And, I think, meeting planning and hospitality is so intertwined when it comes to that human touch.
GD Yeah, it’s a very big part of what the industry is all about. And that goes back to the way that I think there’s a lot of generosity in this industry. I think it draws the kind of people that want to make other people happy, and productive, and bring out the best in them. I mean, that’s one of the things that certainly draws me to it. And I’ve met some wonderful warm, generous and very smart people in this business.
EP So on that note, since being part of this industry means that you are traveling quite a bit—like, if you’re like our boss, JT Long, you’re always on a plane. So, in that respect, what’s some advice you would have for people who aren’t used to that kind of lifestyle and they just starting an industry like this? What some tips and ideas you have that will help them adjust into that kind of world?
GD Well, yeah, travel is a big part of what we do. Certainly, with some planners more than others. Some planners are fairly local, others are global. But they all travel, to one degree or another. And, frankly, I think that’s one of the big reasons that draws them to the industry, because they like that. You know, like any business, people in general who have to do a lot of business travel just kind of learn over time how not to burn yourself out on it, how to pace yourself a little better, how to, if possible, make it a leisure trip, or you blend a little leisure travel along with your business travel—which by the way, can be a great learning experience, because you’re you can be checking out venues that you might find useful in the future for your meetings. So, it’s all work in a way, but it’s also play. I think I have a harder time than I used to getting adjusted to time changes.
SR Yeah, dealing with the time changes. There’s nothing like it.
GD Yeah, it’s a big one. It’s a big one. And, you know, there’s all kinds of advice out there, and products out there that are supposed to help you get over those humps. Find out what works for you. Is it changing your watch three days ahead and pretending you’re the next timezone already? Is it some sort of vitamin supplement? I mean, there are all kinds of things. Find out what works, and try it, and find a combination that you think keeps you functioning the way you want to function.
SR Yeah, one of the hardest things I think, with traveling so frequently is just habits, maintaining your habits, your routines. You’re not in your home, you’re in your hotel room. Are you going to do your morning walk? Maybe, maybe not? It’s hard!
GD It’s hard! Because oftentimes, those sessions start very early. You know, I always try to get up early enough at least so I can do some stretches, because I’m at that age, when that really helps me. And, if I can get a walk in, great, but I also know that probably, at most meetings, especially anything that involves a trade show, I’m going to get my steps in. You’re going from the meeting room, the booth. You look at your phone [step count], you get your steps.
SR Right. One of the things that you brought up earlier that I wanted to actually circle back to is burnout. I think that that’s a really, really relevant topic right now. And you know, when it comes to an industry as fast paced is this, you said to be careful to avoid burnout.
But it’s hard to! You get so involved with your work, and if you’re a young planner and you’re trying to build up your career, seize opportunities, traveling all the time and just trying to maintain your daily habits that keep you sane. And it’s hard. Ww just came out with this 32-hour Work Week story in our July issue, and we wrote about burnout and trying to manage your workload. But all of these things have to do with how a person individually chooses to handle their workload. And we continue to talk about how meeting planning is a demanding career. How do you balance it?
Read More: Hack the 32-hour Event Work Week
GD It’s always a struggle. I certainly agree with that. And I’m glad you mentioned that issue, because I think there are a lot of valuable tips in there for people to, if not work 32 hours a week, at least to find a pace that works for them and find ways to work more efficiently and be more productive, so that they don’t have to put in as many hours. That’s kind of what it’s all about.
I mean, I think you realize after a while that it’s not how many hours you put in, it’s how good the work was that you did.
And hopefully you find yourself—maybe you keep moving on until you do—in a team, in a collaborative situation. Because this industry is very collaborative. It’s all about teams. It’s very seldom that somebody flies solo. You find a team that believes, as you do, that it’s important to have a work-life balance, and that facilitates that whenever possible.
When it comes time to set up the show, at the end of the planning process, you’re probably going to have work 24/7, or close to it. You’re going to work, you’re going to do whatever it takes. But then there should be time to unwind, relax, reflect, learn. I mean, there are there are lessons to be learned from every experience. And if you rush into the next one, you’re not going to have time to process what you’ve just been through.
EP Yeah. Very true. So, when you were on your trip for a week in Detroit, how did you make time for yourself? Because when you got back, you seemed like you were fine!
SR You, like, waltzed into the office with your sunhat, your yellow shirt.
EP You were like, “Hey guys, good morning! I got back last night!” And I was like, “Okay, you look like you’ve been here, like, a while.” Because, you know, you were in a different timezone for several days. It was like five days, maybe more. So, how did you maintain yourself during that time? Because that was fairly recent. And it was a chunk of time.
GD Well, for one thing, I went to Michigan, and it’s kind of easy when you’re going in that direction [from California]. For me, anyway. If the adjustment doesn’t seem as great, it’s coming back that’s harder because everything is earlier instead of later.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t go to every session. I was strategic.
EP Bravo, Gary, bravo!
GD I’m admitting it here, for the first time. I was strategic. I tried to choose those sessions that I thought would be the most impactful for our audience. Not every one was. And sometimes there were conflicting sessions.
But here’s a good example of why AI may make it easier for us: I also knew that a program called Wordly—an AI program—was recording every word. And at the end of the conference, all I had to do was go into the app and get a summary and get a download. So, anything I missed, I know I really didn’t miss. How cool is that?
So, I went to the ones that I thought were really important. And as far as the social events were concerned, I went to them all, and I tried not to drink too much!
[laughter]
EP Very adult of you, Gary, very adult.
SR It’s hard, it’s definitely a skill to learn, how to prioritize. I think, my first-ever conference, I felt, like, I have to go to every session. And then I went to every session. And by the end, I was completely wiped.
EP Newbie, Sara, newbie move!
SR It was! It completely was! And so, I learned from that, and I’m not going to do that to myself again. But it really is a skill. And I just want to hit on that point. Because I think it’s really valuable to prioritize what you can. And, we have access to resources, where we can gain the information and knowledge that we need to gain.
GD We do. And, I also think, it needs to be said that not all of the best stuff comes out of those sessions. Sometimes the best stuff comes out of the people you meet in the networking. And if you don’t have the energy left to do that, well, then you might miss out. I mean, I met some people that I hadn’t seen for quite a while, and it was great catching up. And I think I even got some story leads out of it. So, I’m not sorry a bit that I skipped a few sessions—because I think I did what I set out to do.
EP Actually, I have a question for you about that. I was at C2 a little while ago in Canada, and I realized I struggled with approaching strangers when I felt I had a story idea. I was like, Oh, you work at so-and-so—I want to talk to you. But how do I not sound like a crazy person when I approach you?
So, in your experience, Gary, when you’re at events, and you find people that you think are interesting or cool or worth like talking to for the future, what’s your spiel, when you do that?
GD Well, it’s kind of case specific, but often, I would just go up to someone and say, “What did you hear today that really moved you? What did you learn out of this day?” Or, “Are you glad you came? Is this working out for you? What did I miss? What sessions did you go to that I maybe should have caught?” If you make it kind of subject matter focused, people are happy to talk about that. I find that it’s more effective than you know, “What’s your sign?” or “Do you come here often?”
[Laughter]
SR That’s true.
EP Some people do really respond to that! If you find the right person, but not always.
GD If you find the right person, yes.
EP Okay, so two questions. It’s kind of the same question, but it takes two different meanings. One goal of this new podcast is to ask our guests, “What are some tools for your toolbox that you would impart on to new planners?”
But, I also want to ask, what do you want to impart on to us? Because I am curious, what you have for us as people. we haven’t been in the industry very long. We’re still very green, and we don’t know all the things, obviously. We’re still learning. So, what is a piece of advice you would give to a planner who is brand new, brand-spanking-new, and to us, who are semi-brand-spanking-new?
SR We also want to learn from you. Our listeners want to learn from you, and Eming and I want to learn from you too.
GD Wow, that’s a big question, too.
SR I guess, to rephrase, if you had one golden tip.
GD Yeah, I thought about this a little bit. And I guess I would say, always remember, this is not a lone ranger job. I kind of alluded to this earlier. It’s really all about teamwork and collaboration. Just like in a magazine, here at Smart Meetings. I mean, we work as a team—we look at each other’s work, we make—we hope—constructive suggestions to make it better.
And, you know, everybody needs an editor. Everybody needs a team. So, look for the team you want to play on, and be the best team player you can be. Be generous with yourself, and hope that others will be as generous with you. And that’s how you learn. And that’s how you make connections and friends that you’ll keep for your career.
I know, in journalism, I have journalism friends that go back decades. And we keep in touch. And the same can be true in in the meetings industry. Just don’t try to do it alone. Try not to be shy about asking for help, asking questions. And mentor others as you as you go along.
EP What I’m hearing is, teamwork makes the dream work.
SR It certainly does.
GD It does. It really does. You know, and if it’s done in the right spirit, it’s the greatest thing ever. You know, if it’s done, cooperatively and without malice or forethought. It’s all good.
SR Well, this right here, I think is a living example of that. Gary, thank you for joining us today and speaking with us for this official relaunch. You are a fantastic writer. If you haven’t read Gary’s work, you have to read Gary’s work.
EP Google him! Go to smartmeetings.com!
SR He has an amazing voice, he has a great voice. There’s so much character in his writing, and he’s a wonderful editor and we’re so lucky to have him on the team. He’s a great part of the team.
EP And we hope, if he’s up to it in the future, we’d love to include him in other segments on our new relaunched podcast if he’s, you know, willing and likes us enough.
SR If we could encourage you to come back and join us again.
GD Maybe. maybe, if you put some special snacks in the break room.
EP We can do that. We might have to expense that. But yes, we can definitely have it.
SR Well, there’s some kettle chips in the kitchen.
GD I want that Hawaiian Barbecue that you two have been raving about.
EP Noted. Hawaiian barbecue. Gary, we’ve got you covered. We’ve got you covered. But thank you so much, again, for coming on. It’s been fun.
GD I really enjoyed it. I’d love to do it again.
