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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Event Tech World

Event Footprints

Advisor

Financial Times

Supporting FT Forums, FT Board Development Programmes & FT Live with strategic growth projects.

Strategy Consultant

Interim Head of Strategy - FT Live

Public Sector Network 

Forte Futures

Strategic consulting and growth advisory for Founders and Senior Leadership Teams.

Managing Consultant

Collingwood Advisory Ltd

Senior Advisor

Bemuse Limited

Strategic Advisor

Notified

Highlights:
1)	Created advisory board strategy to connect sales, marketing and product development in truly understanding our target market best position our product and GTM strategies
2)     Established core strategy, goals and KPIs for a brand new Customer Marketing programme
3)	Rapid launch of customer community
4)	Developed comprehensive customer advocacy strategy, connecting marketing, customer success and sales organisations

My role at Notified covered all three technology lines: Public Relations, Investor Relations, and Webinars & Events cross all three lines of business I was responsible for:
1)	Launching a customer community
2)	Developing and owning all customer marketing initiatives including: Customer Data Management, Customer Advocacy, Customer Education, Customer-Lead Thought Leadership Content, Customer Advisory Boards
3)	Customer Events & Webinars
4)	Customer Roadmap Updates
5)	Events & Webinar business only: advising new business sales and also account management teams on strategies to engage prospects and existing customers. I regularly joined both prospect and customer sales conversations.


These were all new initiatives for the Notified business and their 10,000+ customer base. After the launch of the primary initiatives KPIs for consideration included:
-	Customer Renewals & Expansions
-	Percentage engagement of community members and engaged customer
-	Customer Advocacy content development
-	Customer Data Cleanliness & Enhancement
-	Advisory Board Member Engagement & Contribution

Head of Customer Engagement 

Glisser

Highlights:
1)	Integral in signing a deal with one of the Big 4 for in excess of $500k ARR
2)	In the final quarter before I left, NRR was 106% 
3)	Outstanding staff recruitment and retention levels in my departments

My time at Glisser was a privilege. Working at such a high potential start up during such a high potential time was an incredible period of excitement, personal learnings and opportunity. 

As the second member of the senior leadership team to join the business, I was a go to adviser for all departments within the business, with particular responsibility for

1)	Marketing: Sector-wide evangelism, demand generation, content creation, branding, positioning, go-to-market, product marketing, team training and development
2)	Customer Success: Developed the CS team to enable outstanding onboarding, NPS establishment and improvement, QBR establishment & delivery, customer comms for roadmap and product updates, outstanding customer relationship build, customer advocacy, CS system selection and implementation, team training and development
3)	Account Management: Renewals & Retention, Expansions, recruitment & retention
4)	Sales support: Integral to multiple sales and AM process, particular to advise customers on product 
 need, fit and suitability 
5)	Roadmap development

Chief Evangelist

Time 4 Equality

Time 4 Equality shared powerful and successful case studies from organisations who have included both men and women in their efforts for change. An inspiring collection of strong male and female contributions to gender equality - an effort that demands equal effort and action.

Events | B2B Media | Communities | Strategy Consulting | Advisory

With over 20 years of experience in the B2B digital media, communities, tech, and events sector, I now have a truly wonderful work life, splitting my time between these:

1) Founder of Event Tech World - the ultimate community for buyers and users of event technology
2) Strategy Consultant at FT Live, the events arm of the Financial Times
3) Consultancy and Fractional Leadership across the event sector
4) Event Moderation & Meeting Facilitation for both your internal meetings, and for industry events

I have a CPD accredited Board Advisory qualification and a track record of delivering results in go-to-market, positioning, and customer retention initiatives.

As a former managing director of three businesses I truly believe that a customer-first approach to business is the only way to max out your potential. I have built and grown communities, events, and brands across various industries and markets, using data-driven insights, technology, and customer marketing. 

I absolutely love public speaking and love to make great meetings, of all size, happen with purpose and outcomes in mind. 

I'm also very passionate about gender equality in the world of business. 

Most of all, I love getting to know interesting people, so please do connect.

Vanessa Lovatt

If you think event tech is just about tools, you missed the real stories in the room this week at Event Tech Live

Where to even begin?

→ Interviewing Christine Renaud from Braindate about turning attendees from passive participants into active contributors
→ Hosting the Event Tech World Meetup in the meetup zone-thank you, Céline Laukemann Laukemann, for the BarCamp inspiration! We tackled challenges in using, buying, and selling event tech (vendors joined too, which made it even better). It was very much a spontaneous gathering as I had no idea who would turn up, but I know there was some value and I will create some content on the back of it. 
→ Recording a podcast with Eventify and a quick interview with First Sight Media . Loved every moment.
→ Breakfast with Leanne Velky and Tamar Beck and finally getting to meet Darcy Gabriele from BW Events Tech and Chris Kearney from Blackthorn -those micro meetups for the supply side of the industry are magic.

And then there was the Event Tech Live Dating Game. If you were there, you know. Epic format, fresh ideas, and a whole new way to experience demos. And bloody funny. 

The highlight? The Event Tech World Supper Club for corporate event leaders.

We got into the challenges of aligning marketing goals with event delivery realities. It was an evening of real talk about tech adoption, understanding, and budgets. Thank you, CrowdComms, for sponsoring such an great night.

I loved judging Launchpad and seeing early-stage businesses shine. Rozie Synopsis took the win, but every entry was inspiring.

Event tech isn’t just tools people - it’s about people as much as anything! 

Can’t believe it’s done for another year.

PS - thanks to Memento Photo AI for the epic snaps

I'm SO freakin' excited about Event Tech Live!

I'm struggling how to articulate this without sounding like an absolute weirdo/maniac/nutter. 

But I really truly cannot wait - it's going to be just brilliant. 

I'll be on stage and around and about and making the most of all of the great people to meet. Event Tech World has a Meet Up from 12-12.45pm tomorrow in the Meet Up area - completely open to all so please come and say hello. 

I'll probably force you to answer some questions about your greatest challenges and struggles if you do, because I just can't help myself ;) 

And Adam Parry - we are going to try and make you miss the UK so much that you move back. Joking. Not joking. You decide. 

See you all soon!

This is just one of the things I LOVE about Event Tech World. We are super niche, super targeted and as such we get great engagement. 

21.54% Click Rate on a hyper targeted email sent an hour ago. 

Yes please.

Event Tech World isn't about engaging everybody in the events world, it's about helping the B2B event profs who are responsible for making event tech decisions to do just that. Click below my name to sign up, it's free. 

This is defo a happy dance emoji moment. 💃

Panels are great, but give me more 20-minute solo talks please!

brightonSEO absolutely nailed this format. Short, punchy, focused sessions – no time for intros, no padding out to fill time, just gold nuggets of learning.

In 12 hours onsite, I managed to hear around 30 speakers. That’s 30 unique insights, 30 actionable takeaways, and a whole lot of brain food.

Here’s why this format works:
→ Solo talks keep the message clear. No tangents, no overlapping ideas, no panellists politely duplicating the same message
→ Twenty minutes is the sweet spot. Enough time to dive deep but short enough to keep energy high. And as a regular presenter, this is WAY more appealing than 40mins....
→ It’s fast-paced. You’re constantly learning, constantly moving, and never bored.

The exhibition was buzzing too – lively booths, friendly conversations, and a vibe that made networking effortless (even for someone feeling a bit less clued-up than the pros around me).

Contrast that with CHS | For Event Professionals in Birmingham , where I had the joy of playing an immersive VR game of Squid Games during the welcome reception. It was unforgettable. Fun, engaging, and a brilliant icebreaker.

Both events reminded me of something simple but essential:
→ Make people feel special
→ Create experiences they’ll remember
→ Build moments of connection that stick

From the VR game to the fantastic community vibe at CHS Birmingham (and the way they treated speakers – wow, thank you!), these events showed how to combine great content with great experiences.

Events aren’t just about learning; they’re about feeling.

What’s the most memorable format or experience you’ve had at an event recently?

🌹 The tables have turned - I’m the 'bachelorette' looking for a date, and the spotlight’s on the event tech suitors! 😆 

At The Tech Dating Game: Beyond Borders Edition during Event Tech Live London, I’ll be interviewing some of the brightest tech minds, searching for that one solution that truly understands event planning challenges. It's Event Tech's equivalent of Blind Date (although they wont be behind a screen, because I could recognise most of their voices anyway! 

🗓️ November 13 | 1:00–1:45 pm
 📍 Event Tech Live London

Forget the sales pitches and rehearsed demos. I want to know:
🔥 Who’s really listening to what planners need?
🤜 Who can solve the pain points that keep us up at night?
👏 Who’s ready to go beyond the surface and build a real connection?

With the fabulous Dahlia El Gazzar 🧿 El Gazzar who I cannot WAIT to see (think of her as Cilla Black in this instance), and Vinodhini Deshetty as our matchmakers, I’ll be putting our tech suitors - 
Johnny D. Martinez - EWD (CrowdComms), Huong N. (Aletheia), Daniel Raines (Mavexa), and Cecilia Lavin (Evessio) - in the hot seat. 

Only the best match will win the rose!

Planners, join me for some fun, real talk, and maybe a little friendly competition. Let’s find the tech solutions that truly get us.

RSVP now: 🌹 The tables have turned - I’m the 'bachelorette' looking for a date, and the spotlight’s on the event tech suitors! 😆 

At The Tech Dating Game: Beyond Borders Edition during Event Tech Live London, I’ll be interviewing some of the brightest tech minds, searching for that one solution that truly understands event planning challenges. It's Event Tech's equivalent of Blind Date (although they wont be behind a screen, because I could recognise most of their voices anyway! 

🗓️ November 13 | 1:00–1:45 pm
 📍 Event Tech Live London

Forget the sales pitches and rehearsed demos. I want to know:
🔥 Who’s really listening to what planners need?
🤜 Who can solve the pain points that keep us up at night?
👏 Who’s ready to go beyond the surface and build a real connection?

With the fabulous Dahlia El Gazzar who I cannot WAIT to see (think of her as Cilla Black in this instance), and Vinnu Deshetty as our matchmakers, I’ll be putting our tech suitors - 
Johnny D. Martinez - EWD (CrowdComms), Huong Nguyen (Aletheia), Daniel Raines (Mavexa), and Cecilia Lavin (Evessio) - in the hot seat. 

Only the best match will win the rose!

Planners, join me for some fun, real talk, and maybe a little friendly competition. Let’s find the tech solutions that truly get us.

Get registered now:

Love this 😁😁😁 

The Visual Hive tech picked a GREAT match here 

Leanne Velky Adam Parry Bogdan Maran - EWD who’s excited for Event Tech Live?!

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

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