By John Platillero
Our first week on the Road to VenueConnect was hilariously described by my colleagues as “The Griswolds Meet The Office” road trip. I must admit, covering 6,000-plus miles in three weeks and visiting as many venues as possible on our way to the IAVM VenueConnect conference is a bit crazy. We’re meeting with venue professionals in multiple cities to ask, “How can venue technology evolve to make your job easier?” Then we listen.
When I started EventBooking in 1997, no one had heard of “web-based software” or “software as a service.” Google calendar didn’t 
exist and a few lucky venue employees had an AOL dial-up account. A lot has changed since then and expectations are high for venue tech companies to be in touch with the needs of the industry, if not ahead of the game. Fortunately, speaking with event professionals face-to-face is a great way to do just that.
Our first workshop was just down the road from our office, graciously hosted by the Knoxville Convention Center. From there, we’ve made our way to Chicago, Davenport, Des Moines, Lincoln, and Topeka. The venues represented in each discussion always vary in size and type, but face similar challenges and seem to enjoy learning a few tips from each other.
One of the interesting unknowns in all of this is whether or not we will actually make it to Nashville. You see, I borrowed a 10-year-old RV that has seen better days. In our first week, we have already pulled some incredible MacGyver moves—complete with three small nails, duct tape, and some prayerful pleas. There was also span of time which convinced us that the AC and electricity was indefinitely broken, but thanks to a mysterious, unlabeled button we pressed as a last-ditch effort, we are back in business.
If we make it, we will be excited to present our findings at this year’s VenueConnect annual conference. Hope to see you along the way!
View EventBooking’s Week 1 video experience here.
To join us at one of our stops, click here.
John Platillero is founder & CEO of EventBooking
