Julius Solaris

Boldpush

Boldpush is a vertical agency helping corporate teams and associations with their event strategy.

Go-to-market, content, registration and sponsorship strategy.  

Past clients include: SAS, Swoogo, Kaltura, InEvent, Smartsource, BW Events Tech, IMEX, Bizzabo, Tourisme Montreal, Visit Newport Beach.

Founder

Hopin

I looked after Hopin's go-to-market strategy for the meetings and events industry. I learned a lot about tech, they learned a lot about events.

VP of Marketing Strategy, Events

Swapcard

My first tech role after 15 years in media. We figured out a complex content machine in a few weeks. I loved the team and had a lot of fun.

Head of Engagement

EventMB

EventMB (now SkiftMeetings) was the point of reference for the event industry. Bootstrapped and sold in 2019 to Skift. We revolutionized the way to do content in the event industry, influenced trends, and had fun while doing it. Millions of readers and numbers never seen before in our industry.

Editor In Chief - EventMB, a Skift brand

Showthemes

I thought the market needed WordPress themes specifically made for events. Turns out I was right. 6,000 customers later I sold the business.

RS Components

The first proper job I had in the UK. Set up a social media strategy when it was just a buzzword. Loved the boss and the team.

e-Commerce Marketing Executive - Social Media

blur Marketing

Crazy first work experience in London. Creating a crowdsourced marketplace from nothing and turning in a revenue. Unbelievable.

Head

amiando

Evangelised and developed business for amiando in the UK as well as online.

UK and online evangelist

ecoCamp

A user-generated conference covering ecology, the environment, sustainability, and green consumption (http://barcamp.org/ecoCamp).

Organizer

Natuzzi

I was checking the compliance of advertising across the world with branding guidelines. Plus: seeing the founder, who is a genius, stopping by the office, the team, the scope of the company. Minus: a boring task.

Worldwide Retail Advertising Supervisor

My free weekly newsletter read by 20k event professionals -> insights.Boldpush.com

I am obsessed with media, content, and events. I sold two businesses, a tech company and a media business, worked in fast-paced environments, keynoted worldwide, planned iconic virtual events during the pandemic, and wrote reports downloaded 300k times. 

Longer story:

I founded EventMB (exited to Skift in 2019) and Showthemes, exited in 2018, and worked for technology companies and tech events. 

I have been in senior marketing positions in hypergrowth tech companies. Recently, I founded Boldpush, a management consulting agency for the event industry. 

In 2023, 8 million LinkedIn users read my content and I became a Top Voice, an invite only program for top content creators on LinkedIn.

The government of the United States granted me an EB1 visa as an alien of extraordinary ability for my contribution to the event industry and research on event technology.

Many publications have nominated me as the most influential individual in the event industry for several years.

300,000 event professionals downloaded my books.

Boldpush is a vertical agency helping eventtech, corporate teams and agencies grow.
Go-to-market, content, registration and sponsorship strategy.  


Every trade show I go to, I ask 2 exhibitors how it was. Every time one says it is awesome, the other says it is horrible.

We’ve seen it all.

Those on their laptops.
Those giving away pens.
Those (94%) not downloading leads from the app.

It’s with them, right?
Is it?

I mean, you can’t educate every brand on how to do events.  
But their success is your success.

If you think about it.
Their ability to close business means repeat business for you.

Should we provide an exhibitor coach at every trade show?

Forget about those resources that nobody has the time to read. 
What about an actual human who spends the time sharing best practices?

Someone who actually explains how the hell that hosted buyer program works. Or why you need to get on those leads within 24 hours.

A stretch? Feasible?

P.S. If you spend $$$ exhibiting at events, let me send you the best strategies and tactics every Wednesday.

35K event marketers and planners cannot be wrong.

Look at what’s on top next to my name. That is my free newsletter.

Events Consultant and Creator | Follow me for insights on events, marketing and technology.

Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, got served a subpoena on stage while participating in a panel.

Olivia Wilde experienced the same thing at CinemaCon in 2022.

This is a concerning trend.

Serving subpoenas at public events is indeed legal. 

What concerns me is how easily accessible the stages are.

When hosting high-profile speakers and celebrities, security should prevent anyone from stepping onto the stage. 

At CinemaCon the following year, there was a tight grip on the first rows when celebrities were on stage. 

Making security visible is also needed in many cases.

Stage accessibility can open up a nightmare of security issues and emulation.

I often discuss how in-person events are serving as an antidote to online polarization. How they connect opposing views.

But that polarization does not magically disappear.

Should we do more to protect the safety of our speakers?

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Maple & Monroe: Global Social Impact Think & Do Tank

Founder & Chief Impact Officer 

Johnson PR & Events

With a standard of excellence, execute strategic communication campaigns and experiences for a myriad of clients and partners including elected officials, professional athletes, speakers, corporations, small businesses and nonprofits. 

Featured partners & clients include Prudential, Microsoft, Saks Fifth Avenue, MetLife Stadium, Ninety Acres, Gridiron Group, Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth, Middlesex County Cultural & Heritage Commission, Calais Foundation & La Casa de Don Pedro.  

Campaigns have generated over one billion media impressions, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and been covered by national and international media.  

Boutique creative services include;
Marketing Event Management | Strategic Communication | Community Outreach & Development  
Education & Teaching | Employee Training & Development

Founder & Creative Director

Rutgers University

The Design Thinking Certificate Program at Rutgers focuses on teaching innovative thinking as a means of designing products and services that manage complexity, serve human needs, and are sustainable to both businesses and the people they serve. You work in small teams to work through a project from beginning to end, with guidance from professional designers and educators - See more at: http://designthinking.rutgers.edu/#sthash.04i34hHx.dpuf

Board Member

Liberty Science Center

Sold, produced and assisted more than 22 events for clients including; Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, United Continental Holdings, ZT Systems, Blue Apron and Good Guy Vapes.  

Other external events include: 
American Society of Interior Decorators Expo 
Bayer Research Forum
Celgene Global Drug and Risk Management Dinner
Investor Bank Employee Team Building
JP Morgan Panel Discussion
R & D Council of NJ Edison Patent Awards
NJCU Global Initiatives Scavenger Hunt 
Miller & Chitty Meeting & Reception
NJ Sharing Network 30th Anniversary Gala
Sikh American Chamber of Commerce Gala
National Adoption Day
Superson NYC Dinner
2 Logical Seminar
Synchron Holiday Party
RBB Communications Presentation
Field Construction Holiday Party
Sagitec Family Event
Sickle Cell Association of New Jersey 5th Annual Symposium

Produced and collaborated on three internal events, including
2017 "Winter is Coming" All Staff Meeting and After Party featuring Paul Hoffman, LSC CEO
Munch, Mingle & Jingle Employee Breakfast
LSC Fall Board Meeting

Special Events

The OMG Tea Party

The OMG Tea Party (OMG), is a safe space for women and girls to experience positivity and support. Our mission is to empower women and girls to set goals and pursue success.  To meet these goals, we produce transformative experiences, curate content and provide a network of support.

The OMG Tea Party stared in 2009 as a one-off tea party for young girls. The event was a remarkable success, selling out and creating demand for more events for both women & girls. To date The OMG Tea Party has impacted over 1000 women and girls via our content and signature experiences including The OMG Signature Tea Experience for Women & Girls, OMG Women in Business Master Class, OMG STARS Mentorship Program and OMG Digi Girlz, a program that exposes girls to education and careers in STEM. 

Media features include; Spotlight NJ, News 12, NJ Biz, NJ.com, The Star Ledger, NJ Mom, Modern Mom, Mommy Poppins & More.

Middlesex County College

Worked cooperatively to plan and execute New Adjunct Orientation, Welcome Back Night, and Adjunct Faculty Development Day, an annual professional development and continuing education one-day conference.  Promoted the collegial exchange of information and ideas and assisted the College in providing resources to enhance the pedagogical skills of the adjunct faculty and thereby, benefit the student body as well.  Regularly collaborated with the college president, senior administration and department chairs.  

Courses taught include COM 208 Communication Seminar & Field Study Experience, SPE 121 Fundamentals of Public Speaking, SSD 101 Student Success and Media & Society.

Adjunct Professor

City Of Perth Amboy

Planned and executed a myriad of press conferences, community programs, and special events on behalf of the mayor and municipality.  Notable partners include Governor Jon Corzine, Attorney General Peter Harvey, Congressman Albio Series, Senator Frank Lautenberg, Kushner Companies, Kaplan Companies, The Tallship Unicorn, and Entrepreneur and Activist, Russell Simmons.  

Served as the official media contact and spokesperson for the municipality and Mayor. Quoted for television, radio and print.   Earned media include The Associated Press, The NY Times, CNN, News12NJ, Star Ledger, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Univision, Telemundo, and WPIX.  

Routinely prepared speaking points, full written speeches, and press releases for mayor.  Co-wrote the annual “State of the City Address” and provided staging and audience coordination.  

Starred in and produced; Life Around the Circle, a talk show featuring local stories and notable special guests.

Public Information Officer

Shakira M. Johnson is the Founder and Chief Impact Officer of Maple & Monroe, a Social Impact Think and Do Tank, formerly known as Johnson PR & Events. With a mission to drive social change, Maple and Monroe empowers organizations to catalyze their social impact by creating and executing innovative and sustainable Environmental, Social, and Governance campaigns, initiatives, & events that move the needle.  

Shakira's portfolio includes collaborations with esteemed brands such as Google, Microsoft, Prudential, MTV Entertainment Group, Johnson & Johnson, MetLife Stadium, City of Rahway and more.  She has also forged impactful alliances with non-profit organizations and government agencies, amplifying her ability to effect change.

As a solution based thinker and speaker, Shakira possesses expertise in strategic planning, public relations, marketing communication, social impact, ESG, design thinking, and comprehensive meeting and event planning. Her innovative approaches have garnered recognition and accolades, including the title of "Mover, Shaker & Deal Maker" by the American Marketing Association, a member of World’s Best Events, and being named a Top Event Planner by NJBiz. Shakira's dedication to excellence in public relations has been repeatedly honored by the Public Relations Society of America Pyramid Awards, where she secured the coveted Best in Show Award.  She was also honored as part of the inaugural cohort for Diversity Action Alliance's Distinguished Communicators of Color.  The prestigious honor recognizes Shakira’s formidable communication skills and the unique perspectives she brings to the table.

In addition, Shakira is set to release her first book, entitled "Over the Veil: 21 Keys for Leaders Who Want More."  The insightful guide promises to provide practical takeaways and wisdom for leaders looking for personal and professional fulfillment.  

Shakira is a member of the 2023 Social Impact Leadership Cohort at the University of Pennsylvania, for leaders and innovators working to make an impact around the world.  She holds a Master's degree in Organizational Communication and a Bachelor's degree in Communication and Sociology, both from Rutgers University.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Shakira finds joy in gardening, hiking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Shakira Johnson

When Purpose-Driven Leaders Come Together, Magic Happens 💎

One of the true highlights of Maple & Monroe’s journey has been the opportunity to collaborate with the brilliant minds behind Google Xi. 

Their vision, generosity, and commitment to human-centered leadership and impact continue to elevate the work we do and the way we show up in the world.

We were supposed to be together this week at their ATL office for Xi Days….. a gathering where innovation, belonging, and purpose-driven impact take center stage. 

The government shutdown postponed the event, and in many ways, it made me realize just how much I miss this community.

I can’t wait to reunite in February

Sending love to the entire Google Xi leadership team and community today. 

Wishing you a fantastic event tomorrow — even from afar, the impact you spark continues to ripple through every space you touch.

See you soon 🤍

Megan Henshall, Ryan Howard, Naomi Clare Crellin, Rachel Lowenstein, Maya Razon  

#Leadership #Innovation #GoogleXi #Community #PurposeDrivenImpact #Belonging #MapleAndMonroe #ImpactLeadership #FutureOfWork

Shakira Johnson 

Social Impact & Sustainability Expert | Founder @ Maple & Monroe | Pioneering Innovative Solutions & Events for Global Change

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