Event Business Formula

Pioneer of transformative education for event entrepreneurs | Voice behind "The Business of Meetings" podcast—sharing insights and stories for your professional and personal growth | Author of the acclaimed "Meeting at C-Level," guiding you through the strategic nuances of event planning | Former Chairman of MPI's International Board.

We come alongside overwhelmed event business owners and help them set themselves free. The Event Business Formula Innovation Lab empowers entrepreneurs to get to the next level while gaining their time back!

President

Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)

Providing expert guidance and strategic advice to enhance the organization's offerings and strengthen its position in the luxury hotel and events industry.

Advisor

Private Optimizing, LLC

About 10,000 baby-boomers are retiring every day. Those who own a small business generally don’t have a succession plan or are too small for Professional Investment Firms. That’s where we come in.

Imagine a Team of highly experienced, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and successful achievers bringing together the power and processes of Private Equity Firms and the business and operational acumen of Small Business owners. Welcome to Private Optimizing. We acquire, optimize, and grow small businesses across the United States of America.

Founder

Moomenti

Representing Moomenti as a Brand Ambassador, helping people book their next luxury moments across the US, Canada, Mexico, and The Caribbean.

Brand Ambassador

Forbes Business Council

Contributing insights and thought leadership as an Official Member of the Forbes Business Council, with a focus on the business and events industry.

Official Member

SecuTix SA

Started from scratch–developed and oversaw the US operations of SecuTix SA. Our cutting-edge, blockchain enabled, open cloud ticketing and engagement platforms help you to understand and engage with your customers, monetise your products and services, secure your operations and enhance your audiences’ experience before, during and after the event.

CEO USA

Swantegy

Based out of Belgium, we produced some of the most exciting events that business people have ever attended. Each event was designed to not just entertain attendees but to align them with corporate goals, generate profits and empower teams.

Keyway LLC

Co-founded Keyway LLC, focusing on unlocking payment potential in the hospitality and events industry. Launched an innovative program to help secure the Convention  Centers in America (now under the wings of IAVM as "Academy for Venue Safety and Security - AVSS").

Founding Partner

Reed Exhibitions

Provided strategic oversight and guidance to Reed Exhibitions' global meetings and events portfolio, driving growth and excellence in the sector.

Non-Executive Chairman of Global Meetings & Events Portfolio

Culture22 Communications Group

Led the Event Strategy Practice at Culture22, delivering strategic event solutions that enhanced brand engagement and achieved business objectives.

Managing Director Event Strategy Practice

Feeling stuck in your event business?
Buried in client work, struggling to delegate, and constantly putting out fires?
You’re overwhelmed, exhausted—and quietly wondering if you're the only one feeling this way.
You're not.
And you don’t have to figure it all out alone.
I’ve built, scaled, and sold a successful international event business—and now I help event entrepreneurs like you do the same.
More clarity. Better clients. Sustainable growth.
Let’s build a business that works for you—not the other way around.

Who Am I?
I’m Eric Rozenberg—Belgium-born, American by choice 🇧🇪🇺🇸—fueled by strong coffee, strategic thinking, and an even bigger heart for helping Meetings & Events entrepreneurs succeed.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve organized events in 50+ countries, written two best-selling books, hosted 280+ episodes of The Business of Meetings podcast, and advised some of the smartest and most successful event business owners in our Industry.

I’ve also been where you are—navigating overwhelm, wearing too many hats, and carrying the full weight of the business on my shoulders.
That’s why I created Event Business Formula—a coaching platform built to help you gain clarity, create systems, and grow with confidence.

What We Do
Through our coaching programs and peer community, we help event business owners:

Regain control of their time
Build scalable teams and systems
Shift from service provider to strategic partner
Raise prices, attract better clients, and boost profitability
Feel less alone and more empowered to lead

Whether you’re making 6, 7, or 8 figures—growth without clarity is chaos. We help you build a business that serves your life—not the other way around.

How Can You Benefit?
When we work together, you’ll get:
A strategy tailored to your goals—not a cookie-cutter plan
Tools to delegate and scale without burning out
Accountability from someone who’s been in your shoes
Access to my global network of trusted industry experts
Practical systems you can implement immediately
A partner who challenges, supports, and drives real results

The Business of Meetings
My weekly podcast features raw, insightful conversations with global industry leaders and innovators.
If you’re in the business of events, this is your go-to source for clarity, connection, and inspiration.

Let’s Connect
👉 DM me here on LinkedIn
🎙 Listen to The Business of Meetings

Let’s get you out of survival mode and into ownership—of your time, your value, and your growth.

Eric Rozenberg

Your title is the quietest voice in your network.

As small business owners, our network rises with our character when no one is buying.

I watched a President's Club winner go from champagne to severance in one email. Big logo. Loud title. Thin network. Two months later, the only thing that was calling back was the echo.

I also watched a mid-level rep with no fancy title change companies and fill her calendar in two weeks. She hosted a small roundtable every month. She shared honest field notes. She introduced smart people to each other with consent. Her reputation traveled faster than her business card.

Here is the unpopular truth. A network built on job titles collapses the moment the title changes. A network built on value survives every reorg.

Your network is more than your role. It is proof of work outside your payroll. It is the room that remembers you after your badge changes color. It is an insurance policy for your pipeline and your identity.

If you want to grow your event business and your relationships require a calendar invite to exist, you are one action away from irrelevance. The market rewards connectors who create value without a pitch.

Practical ways to build that kind of network today:

Be known for a problem, not a position. Teach the market how to think about that problem.

Publish your field notes weekly. What you tried, what you learned, what failed. Make it useful and specific.

Create one valuable introduction each week with clear context and mutual permission. Track outcomes and follow up.

Keep a give list. Three people you can help right now with a brief teardown, a reference story, or a resource.

Ask for advice before you ask for access. Then report back with results. Close the loop.

Own a recurring ritual. Office hours, study group, book club, and customer panel. Show up even when attendance is small.

Send gratitude with receipts. Name the specific moment that helped you and how you applied it.

Stop collecting titles you would not invite to coffee if you lost your quota tomorrow. Start building friendships that still return your call when there is nothing to buy.

If your network knows your craft, your generosity, and your follow-through, you have leverage no downturn can erase.

Growth starts when you walk your talk. Here’s how leaders evolve from doing to leading. 📈 ✅ 
#ProfessionalGrowth #SuccessTips #EventBusinessFormula #Leadership

Confidence isn’t something you wait to have, it’s something you build by showing up, even when it feels uncomfortable. 

In this conversation, with Shannon Thaler Cherry dive into why the moments that stretch us are often the moments that shape us most.

Keep showing up. Keep leaning in. That’s where the growth is. 💪✨ 

#Leadership #EventProfessionals #GrowthMindset #ConfidenceBuilder #KeepShowingUp #BusinessOfMeetings #EricRozenberg #ProfessionalGrowth #MeetingsIndustry #EventLeaders #MindsetMatters #MotivationDaily

The final quarter sets the tone for the year ahead.
Most people slow down; high performers take massive action.
Here’s the mindset and strategy to finish strong and build momentum for 2026.”

#Leadership #EventBusiness #BusinessGrowth #Q4Strategy #MassiveAction #EventProfs #EntrepreneurMindset

In events industry, the to-do list never ends.
But here’s what I’ve learned after decades in events and business:

You don’t win by doing more.
You win by doing what matters most.

Protect your time. Prioritize the needle-movers.
That’s where real growth comes from. 

#EventProfs #BusinessOfMeetings #EventLeaders #EventPlannerLife #PurposeDrivenWork #DoWhatMattersMost #EntrepreneurMindset #EventSuccess

This is a true “American Dream story” in the making. Congrats Sam Adlerfligel. Welcome to the Land of Freedom and Entrepreneurship. Welcome to America.

Building the spiciest network of padel clubs across the U.S.

After successfully spicing up padel games in Belgium for the past two years, WeSpice is crossing the Atlantic to launch a network of premium padel clubs across the United States!

Our pilot project in Florida is already well on track 🇺🇸🔥

And we’re now looking for passionate partners and investors to join us on this exciting adventure !

Feel free to reach out for more information or any questions !

#padel #investmentopportunity #usa

“When your business aligns with your purpose, growth becomes effortless.”

Wonder how you can successfully implement AI in your organization? Read this article!

As interest in AI continues to grow, our research and client experience continues to reveal a key insight: successful AI integration depends on the alignment of AI Experience (AIXP) Strategy & Design and Human-Centered Enablement (HCE). Together, these approaches ensure AI solutions are designed with users' unique needs and preferences in mind.

Discover how our team bridges the two below, and please connect with us to learn more!

Ryan Watts, Stephanie Stobart, Sydney Edelstein, Julia Lauer, Analese Lutz, Ella Johnson
https://lnkd.in/eS2xjyhb

Open article: Designing the Intersection of AI Experience and Human-Centered Enablement by medium.com

Designing the Intersection of AI Experience and Human-Centered Enablement

Action is the bridge between ideas and results.💯✅  

Here’s how to finish your year strong.

#LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #StrategicAction #FinishStrong #ProfessionalGrowth #PurposeDrivenLeadership #ResultsFocused

Strong operations = sustainable growth.

Lisa Gregory shares key lessons on building event services operations that fuel capacity, consistency, and success.

A must-listen for every event professional aiming to scale.

#EventBusinessFormula #TheBusinessOfMeetings #EventPros #EventOperations #BusinessSystems

Lisa Gregory said it best:
“Scale comes from systems, not sweat.”

If you’re still relying on effort alone, you’ll eventually hit a ceiling.
But when you build systems, you build freedom, capacity, and consistency.
That’s where real growth begins.

#EventBusinessTips #TheBusinessOfMeetings #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #EventPros

Des (D.G.) Hague

President & CEO

Hague Enterprises

15 Minutes of Shame launched in September 2023.

Think Your Way To The Top launched on October 1, 2024. 

Book 3 is currently under development along with my first screenplay in a collaboration with the brilliant Emmy award winning John Rota #Takedown

Leadership Development Program - Thinking Academy + Author/Speaker

Hague Enterprises is dedicated to investing in businesses where our expertise can add value at the strategic and operational level. Preferred opportunities are with turnarounds or expansions. Additionally a comprehensive suite of advisory services are also available with an unmatched network of proven global business experts. Since inception in 2015 investment positions have been taken in WC&P, Froozer, Serenity Spa, Halls Cheese, World of Beer, Ohle Sports, Jada Spices, VIPER EA, MRGN, Messenger Corporation and most recently nebula9 as CEO + Co Founder. Current advisory projects being carried out for RAS, TorchFi and r4 Technologies,  Spark Resultants, Fat Tuesday, Ikoniq and specific assignments for several private equity firms.

Hague Enterprises also spends time searching out local causes where we can have an impact at the grass root level and be a force for good.

Founder + CEO

Ikoniq

Get to work with a world-class team to bring to life innovative, wonderfully designed portable solutions that elevate the event hospitality industry and enhance the fan experience.

Strategic Advisor

MRGN

Super charged to be helping Yoni and the team commercialize what I believe will be a disruptive force in enabling small businesses to take their accounting and forecasting capabilities to new highs.

Member Board of Directors

YoungCaruso

I get up every day and have the honor of working on projects that elevate hospitality properties around the world. How cool is that!

Happy Clinic Denver

So proud to work with Dr Phil.  Launched On The Right Track program where we provide services for recovering addicts. Humbling experience. We need more people giving back like Dr. Phil. The world would be a much better place. So glad to be part of the mission of doing good.

Messenger

Worked with the founder and sold venture to the management team.

CEO and Managing Director

VIPER - Enterprise Acceleration

Fueling game changing Enterprise Acceleration for retailers globally. Awesome to wake up every morning, get to work with the brightest and where I get to learn my way forward.

Led the company to a $100M valuation a 20x increase. Total team effort and special thanks to the 20+ Advisors who made it all possible.

SurgiStrong

Proud to help a company with the potential to significant impact surgery recovery.

Exciting role to help commercialize breakthrough AI robotic solutions for large venue facilities.

Cool technology and awesome dedicated team. This mission is a blast.

Board Advisor

TorchFi

Helping Anup and team to commercialize an exciting innovation in the hospitality space.

This bio does not include everything but gives you a good idea of my history, well mainly the successes, as there have been plenty of horrible learning experiences along the way but each one made me stronger, smarter, and better equipped to handle life. The good and bad are listed in my first book 15 Minutes of Shame - How A Twitter Mob Almost Ruined My Life. For those with time constraints or podcasts are your thing check out my podcast with Eric Rozenberg- hope you enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OITxyu8PheQ. and here's my bio summary https://biographies.executivesdiary.com/2023/12/22/des-hague/

My life experiences and lessons in business are captured in my second book THINK YOUR WAY TO THE TOP. 

Now, if you have some time on your hands and want to know more details please scroll down. 

Des Hague is an acclaimed executive leader with a proven track record of leading global brands. In his private equity ventures he has returned over half a billion dollars to investors. Hague is the co founder of Hague Enterprises LLC and has made several investments since its inception in 2015. Hague has served on the advisory board or interim CEO when needed  for several companies; Stamford Youth Foundation, Halls, RAS Technologies, MRGN, Ikoniq, YoungCaruso, Happy Clinic, Messenger Corporation, VIPER EA and nebula9 where he served as CEO and Co-Founder. Hague also advises several start ups and not for profit organizations. Additionally, Hague provides expertise and advisory services for several private equity firms.

Prior Hague served as the Managing Partner of Messenger Corporation, a brand activator in the Sports and Entertainment world, which he sold in July 2023. Before that Hague served as the President and CEO of VIPER EA a leader in retail profit optimization. Hague increased the enterprise value of the company to $100 million a 6x plus increase. 

Between 2009 to 2014, Hague held the position of CEO of Centerplate, Inc., which grew under his leadership to become North America’s largest hospitality business and sold to Olympus Partners resulting in Kohlberg (equity owner) largest return at the time of the transaction. 

Prior to Centerplate Hague has had the pleasure of working for iconic brands such as Safeway, IHOP, 7-Eleven, Maytag, PepsiCo and Whitbread.

Hague is heavily involved in the community and his efforts to date has helped raise over one hundred million for worthy causes, has won numerous awards but is most proud of the ones associated with being a force for good from Baltimore, Toronto, Vancouver, California and Connecticut…

Get to work with a world-class team to bring to life innovative, wonderfully designed portable solutions that elevate the event hospitality industry and enhance the fan experience. 

Des  Hague

Day 16: Lifting Others Up for November

Life is messy and leadership is difficult at times. 

It’s easy to harshly judge others actions through the eyes of a saint 

And surprisingly convenient to not look too hard in the mirror about our own shortcomings. 

No one knows how they will actually act until they are  in the middle of a four alarm emergency.

Talk is truly cheap. 

The moment in the cauldron is never as easy as it feels when it’s actually happening. 

Many have folded under the pressure. 

The smart ones among us sharpen our readiness by learning from others experiences. 

This next incident challenged me in ways I had never experienced. 

It was not for the faint of heart but it has provided life long lessons. 

But before we get there let’s get to the issue at hand. 

Just imagine if one of your employees was accused of rape?

Worse yet, that they were arrested by the police and locked up.

And everyone screaming for their head.

I was CEO and this happened to one of my managers.

Clearly this was a shocking development. 

It was hard to get my head around. 

It turned my stomach and gave me many sleepless nights.

My thinking at the time was that everyone is innocent until proven guilty but in a crisis, especially one so horrific, this is easier said than done. 

I also had spent a lot of time with this person. I knew in my heart that this was not possible. 

But what if I was wrong. That my instincts were off. 

Not many felt as supportive.

Especially our board who at the time wanted me to create distance.

Really to throw him to the wolves. 

For the company to remain in the background. 

I believe doing the right thing is always the right thing no matter the pressure to cave. 

We got this individual representation.

We hired our own investigators. 

Within days the accusers story unraveled. 

The truth came out.

The manager was being framed. 

He was released and today is a free man.

If we did not take those actions this person would have most likely served years in prison 

His life and that of his family ruined. 

While I hope you are never confronted with this type of issue you will face adversity.

In those moments I wish and hope you have the strength to do the right thing. 

In my opinion this is an essential element of Lifting Others Up. 

It will not be convenient. It will not be easy. The rage machine will be out for vengeance. 

But this is when you need to quiten the chaos and noise around you and move forward with conviction and clarity. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 


Onwards!
Des

Investor–Operator & Board Advisor | PE Value Creation, Turnarounds & Growth | Interim CEO / Operating Partner | Hospitality, Sports & Entertainment | Author & Speaker

No alternative text description for this image

Day 14: Lifting Others Up for November

In my opinion outside of the love of family and friends nothing gives me as much pleasure as lifting others up. 

As I laid out in an earlier post the Second Chance program I implemented in my early career while in the UK was a life highlight for me.

At Centerplate we had the privilege of providing event hospitality for hundreds of iconic venues across the globe. 

Our commitment was to make every community we operated in better for our presence. 

Enter the re-boot of the Second Chance program. 

At the time in Washington DC we operated several high profile venues: the DC Convention Center, Carnegie Hall, several restaurant operation, RK Field and the Washington Redskins operation. 

Multiple thousands of hard working people were employed. 

This is where we worked with the city and employed many of the previously incarcerated. 

The mission was to provide former felony’s  with an opportunity to learn life skills so they could lead productive life’s. 

Our local teams stepped up and brought the program to life that helped many during this time. 

Please give some thought to how you can lift others up. Every small act helps.

Reach out to me if you have questions or don’t know how to start. 

Here’s to raising up the world together. 

Onwards!
Des

Day 10 of “Lifting Others Up Month” for November. 

I want us all to pause for a moment and think back to a time when every one of us was looking for a job. 

The powerlessness we felt. 

The abandonment we felt.

The frustration with sending out hundreds, sometimes thousands of applications to not even get a response.

The loneliness. The soul searching.

It’s crushing.

It’s like no one was in your corner.

I want us ALL to change that. 

If you know someone is looking for a chance to shine please take a moment and help them. 

Right now I know two great people just starting out in their careers and looking for work. Both are equally talented and open to working in the USA or internationally. 

Please meet Cecilia Falkenstein and Rohan Rodrigues  - resumes are attached. 

Their talents are off the charts. 

To anyone in HR recruiting talent please take a look at these two bright people and share with your network. 

To anyone in my network reading this please take a look and see if you have positions available or pass on to others hiring. 

Let’s do for these people what we wished others would do for us and help Lift Others Up please. 

Onwards!
Des

Amazing Talent Available Right Now! 

How to recession proof your career! 

We don’t want “yes people” but people who can get us to “yes”.  Who can make things happen in the most difficult and tumultuous times.

Make sure you are that person and your potential and future value is limitless. 

The Thinkingacademy.co was designed for you to maximize your potential. Check it out. Let’s talk. 

Soar Onwards!
Des

taplio

The Battle

Eric Rozenberg

Des Hague

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreEric Rozenberg's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDes Hague's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Eric Rozenberg

Des Hague

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Eric Rozenberg's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDes Hague's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreEric Rozenberg's LinkedIn Performance