Speaker 1: 0:02

What's up? Denver event professionals, welcome back to another episode of the Denver NACE podcast. I am your host, jared Judge, and music director of Extreme Strings Electric Violins and a proud member of the Denver NACE chapter. I'm joined by two very special guests today, one of which you've already heard on this podcast. So first I'd like to welcome back Bonnie Vidal of Biscuits and Berries, and then I would also like to, of course, I'd also like to welcome for the very first time, amy Palafroni. Welcome.

Speaker 2: 0:37

Thank you, Jared.

Speaker 1: 0:38

Awesome and we were talking about something very special that is coming up here in July. Something that doesn't happen that often here in the Denver area, which is the NACE Experience Conference, is coming directly to our own backyard. How exciting For our listeners who don't know what this is, who would like to kind of share what the NACE Conference is all about.

Speaker 2: 1:04

All right, yeah, happy to describe that. So NACE experience happens every year and moves across the country to different host cities of our various NACE chapters across the country. So we are super excited to have experience come to Denver for the very first time. This is an exceptional opportunity for really great education for hospitality and event industry professionals. Some of the top speakers from across the country come to this conference to deliver their education. I have certainly taken away a lot of great pieces to propel my career in the times that I've been able to attend this conference in other cities, so I'm super excited to have it come here where we get to show off what Denver has to offer and show our colleagues and professionals from all over what we do here and get some great education and keep moving forward.

Speaker 1: 2:10

That's awesome and it's happening at the Sheridan downtown. Is that right?

Speaker 2: 2:14

That's right.

Speaker 1: 2:15

Very cool. Any special reason why that venue was selected?

Speaker 3: 2:21

Probably location was key. I think that proximity to all the stuff downtown um kind of being just right there for attendees to explore, um and get to know denver a little bit closer, um with ease was very important. Um, obviously it's a great property, it's beautiful, it's uh huge, so it's got enough room for all of us. And yeah, we just wanted to show off one of the great properties in Denver.

Speaker 1: 2:51

That's awesome and this is a really big deal, like how many people typically attend the NACE Experience Conference.

Speaker 2: 2:59

We are expecting to see around 400 attendees this year. We are expecting to see around 400 attendees this year. So obviously, covid, everything took a dive for a little bit, so those numbers are coming back up. But we know that people love Denver and want to come to Colorado, so we're looking for around that 400 number will be a nice fit for us.

Speaker 1: 3:20

Yeah, and that's great. You know, it's always nice to even just bring that kind of tourism business to Denver. There'll be hotel room blocks and people just eating and drinking and enjoying the finest that Denver has to offer. Amy, you had mentioned that it's a great way to boost your career. I'm wondering if you guys can talk about the various aspects. What are these speakers going to be talking about? What will I, as an attendeeee, take away from this conference?

Speaker 2: 3:47

Absolutely. Well. Up on the NACE Experience website you can view and take a look at all the speakers that we have lined up for education. There's really going to be something for everybody here. That's one of the things that I've really loved about NACE experience as opposed to maybe a different conference, where NACE is so broad and we have so many different types of vendors and venues and services that there really is something for everybody and a lot of the topics cross over where you may not have thought that that was going to be something that you are going to get good education from, but it surprises you when you go to some of these other topics as well.

Speaker 1: 4:37

Yeah, very cool. And I know Definitely, oh sorry.

Speaker 3: 4:40

I was just going to say I definitely concur, I went to last year's. I was just going to say I definitely concur, I went to last year's experience conference and there was at least a couple of sessions that I kind of attended on a whim and I didn't go to a single session that I didn't take something away from it. That was like unexpected and super helpful, whether that was with like leadership in my new position as director at the time, or if it was like, you know, something to do with sales or design or something. There's just such a wide variety of topics that are covered and it's just been super beneficial.

Speaker 1: 5:17

Yeah, for sure. Can you kind of talk about what some of the specific topics were?

Speaker 3: 5:20

topics were. Sure, I actually went to one that was about introducing play into the workplace, and that was one that, like, has stood out with me because I was not expecting it to be I don't know like not important, but like as poignant as it was, like it was a really great, great way to show how, like, you can have fun and lead and learn all at the same time. Um, and it helped really like kind of focus on the type of person that you're like as a leader in your company, like that to analyze each person in your company and understand the type of person that they are in order to help you manage, and that was really, really helpful for me. At that point. I had only been in my position for like a year, so I was still kind of new in leading the sales team at my office, and so that was really cool and unexpected. I really did not know what to expect when I was going into that session.

Speaker 1: 6:27

Yeah, that's very cool. It actually looks like there's a session on purposeful play again this year, which is really cool.

Speaker 3: 6:35

I would recommend going to it. It was really interesting.

Speaker 1: 6:40

I'm taking a look at the agenda right now and there are some very catchy titles here for people's sessions. One of them is about introducing cannabis into the events industry and the legality of that. Have either of you had experience with cannabis incorporated into any of your?

Speaker 2: 6:56

events once or twice, but it's been very on the low key, not as involved as what is available out there. I have talked to some of the other planners that do that and it's always been really interesting to me how the process they have to do to set everything up and the education that goes with it I think is really interesting and a piece that maybe a lot of people don't understand or expect. But have you had any Bonnie been making over there in business or what?

Speaker 3: 7:41

No, we have not been doing that as of yet. It is an interesting kind of additive to your event, I think, but I definitely think it's a certain type of client or type of event or you know, maybe it's not and maybe everybody's into it, but I think it's an interesting, you know, fun kind of way to incorporate things that people are into, especially in Colorado.

Speaker 1: 8:14

And the session there's a song by John Denver called Rocky Mountain High that I'm reminded of right now. But it seems like that session talks about like the legalities of it and the process, because it sounds like like there is a bit of red tape if you're going to do it the legal way, just like your bartenders have to be licensed in order to pour. I'm sure there's so much similar things for the cannabis side.

Speaker 2: 8:44

Yeah, they've been doing that for a few years now already, which is great, and I know that you can have a can of cocktail bar um at your event. It has to be separate from your alcohol bar. Um, they do educate the guest as they come up and have a conversation with them about what they are about to do. How familiar with it are they beforehand? Um, and, of course, the safety net of if you don't feel good, come on back over and I'll help you out there. But there are the legality parts of you know whether you can have ingestibles, or is it smoking and do you require filtration systems? And is it in the food and what does that look like, filtration systems? And is in the food and what does that look like?

Speaker 1: 9:33

and I think that we have a long way to go with it, but I'm really excited to see where it ends up yeah, for sure, and that is just one of many sessions for the experience conference where we'll learn a little bit more about the nuances. You mentioned that we've got some local representation in the speakers, particularly Anthony Lombados of Footers Catering. Could you tell us a little bit about him and what he might be talking about this year?

Speaker 2: 10:01

Yeah, I am sure that he's going to be playing off of MIME, which is their Make it Better Every Day there. Make it better every day that's how Footers operates and something that Anthony teaches to other companies, and it's really about how you work together, how you are looking out for each other and really keeping that motto in your head every day. How do we make it better every day and what can I contribute to that? And Anthony does an amazing job describing that and putting it into perspective for people to take that back to their own teams.

Speaker 1: 10:46

Yeah, that's fantastic. So it seems like in the sessions there's a good mixture of both event design like here's how to incorporate cannabis, here's how to incorporate play but also the business and leadership aspects of the events industry. I know, anthony, his talk was titled something about seven numbers that you need to know and probably make better every day, and there's sessions on selling events and being more consultative. I saw there's even one called dispute resolution how to hug it out and cash in. So it seems like there's something for everybody. On the educational aspect of this conference, would you guys agree with that?

Speaker 3: 11:26

Yeah, the education is amazing. Like I said, I went last year and of the conferences that I attended last year, the education and experience was like by far the best Like I came back from that trip to Dallas and immediately was telling my boss how amazing it was like and our whole team is going this year because I talked it up. So so much from last year. But yeah, the education was fantastic and it was so varied that, like it, it could appeal to literally anybody in any point in their business journey and their careers and really anything that relates at all to hospitality, events, sales, like any aspect of it is really covered in the education pieces.

Speaker 1: 12:21

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 12:22

I think one of the reasons that it is done so well is that the education really appeals to management line level owners. It crosses all of those planes of your career. So it's not. I've been to a lot of other conferences where I've been sitting in a session and thinking to myself I'm not at a level to do any of this work, or vice versa. So I love that. I think NACE puts that kind of at the forefront, to where it is very open to everybody and you're not going to feel like I can't use this information or I'm not at a level to make those decisions. It's education that everybody can use.

Speaker 1: 13:11

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Well, sounds like something that I should attend to.

Speaker 3: 13:15

Yeah, yeah, register today.

Speaker 1: 13:21

Now I'm going to. I'm going to let's turn the tables a little bit, because we events people don't just like to learn, we also like to experience hence the name Experience Conference and so I imagine that there's going to be some amazing experiences for the attendees, apart from the education. Does anyone want to talk about what those might look like?

Speaker 3: 13:44

Yeah, it's going to be fun. Amy and I and Rob from elite get to plan some fun parties for people, for all y'all. Um, rob is handling the opening night reception, which is just literally gonna be a blast. It's just gonna be amazing and, um, really each party, I guess that or event that we're planning is really focused on highlighting something special about Colorado. Because it's a national conference, we really wanted all of the people from out of state to get a feel for the different things that make Colorado unique and special and amazing and special and amazing. So Rob's opening night is going to really focus on the like, music, culture and the kind of unique aspects. I don't want to say too much about it because it really is an experience that you should just go into.

Speaker 2: 14:45

And then I am going to come on this trip with us.

Speaker 3: 14:48

Yeah, come on this trip with us on. Yeah, come on this trip with us On a Sunday night, no less. And then I'm doing the culinary experience lunch, which I'm very excited about, working and catering. You know, food is basically my life right now and it's been really fun to plan it to be a great experience for attendees and also educational in and of itself. It'll be really focused on sustainability and events, which is a super important piece to the event industry and hospitality. You know, given what we're doing to our planet and all of that. And you know there's a lot of food waste and there's a lot of waste in general. So it'll be a really lovely lunch, but also we'll be educated as well on how to incorporate that into our daily hospitality lives. And then Amy gets the really fun one.

Speaker 2: 15:52

MACE experience culminates into a awesome awards event. So at that time we get to recognize all the work that our MACE chapters have done throughout the year putting on their own events, raising funds, their education, really celebrating all the hard work that our chapters do to continue educating and having this space for the events industry. And then we get to also celebrate our members and non-members who submitted for the NACE won awards. So you're going to see awards like best wedding of the year, best corporate event, best entertainment. That's really fun to get to celebrate those events that we know how much hard work goes into. I was very, very honored to win one of those awards in 2019 or 2021.

Speaker 2: 16:52

Um 2021, we won wedding of the year for budget over $150,000. That was an amazing honor. So I know what that feels like to be recognized from your peers and to be recognized for all the hard work that goes into what we do and what we love. So awards we're going to start with that and then we're going to party into the night. So we've got an awesome gala closing reception planned. I'm just super excited to show off what our partners are doing here in Colorado and the ones that are already expanding to other states and just showing off, and I love it. I'm super excited. It's going to be a really fun party.

Speaker 1: 17:46

That sounds awesome, sounds going to. It's going to be epic, so can't wait to see what that's like. Now there is one other aspect of the conference that really is kind of the intangible that is not the thing that's advertised on the website or anything which is the people you get to meet. So I'm wondering if both of you could talk about your experiences just networking and meeting all these amazing event professionals from across the country at the ones that you've attended in the past.

Speaker 3: 18:17

Yeah, it was really fun to meet all the different people that are part of NACE.

Speaker 3: 18:26

So we have that kind of camaraderie built in, which is awesome. We already have a community in which we are both in, but to see what's going on in different markets and kind of learn from each other is awesome. To have each other as a resource, like I can't tell you the number of times in the last year that I've like reached out to the greater NACE for advice or like suggestions. I've had clients that need you know caterers and other markets, and I'm like I don't work in that state but let me find you somebody, cause I know that one of my NACE people has a recommendation. So it's really great to kind of broaden your network in that way and then you know you'll have those people kind of in your back pocket if you need it for whatever reason. And everybody has just been so amazing that I've like met at that conference or at any of the conferences that I've been to for NACE that conference or at any of the conferences that I've been to for NACE.

Speaker 2: 19:29

It is one of the most welcoming conferences I've ever been to, where you walk in and feel like it's a family reunion, even if you don't know all these people. It's a very weird magical energy, I think. Weird magical like energy, I think, and probably because you know people do stay members for a really long time, so you do see the same people over and over and I've I've made friends with people I met at those conferences, at you know experience and that I'm still friends with that. When I go to New Orleans, I'm going to you, going to call up Matt and tell him I'm coming in and he's meeting me for drinks.

Speaker 2: 20:08

So and that's all through NACE. So there is it's two parts, Jared, because it's the people that you get to meet and do new networking and expand that portion of it. But then you also have increased camaraderie with your local people that you go with. So you know, when I've been to this conference in other cities and we're all there as a group, then we're all there the whole time. We're, you know, we're doing all the events together and we're hanging out, and that strengthened us as a chapter, being able to go and do that together. Also.

Speaker 1: 20:49

You get two good pieces out of it, yeah that is awesome and this industry really is about the people that you meet and stay friends with and connected with, because when I moved from Milwaukee to Denver, about almost two years ago now, I was a member of NACE in Milwaukee and then I moved here and I plugged into this Denver community, which I didn't know any of you beforehand, but I felt like I was just joining an extension of the family that I already had in Wisconsin. And then when I went to one of the NACE Evolve conferences, which is similar to this but more for chapter leadership, and I saw my old Milwaukee pals there. It was like a family reunion. It was so much fun.

Speaker 2: 21:30

Yeah, that's awesome, I love it.

Speaker 1: 21:33

All right, so let's kind of talk logistics. When is this conference happening? How do people register? What do we need to know about cost hotels meals, all that kind of stuff?

Speaker 3: 21:43

cost hotels meals all that kind of stuff. Sure, the conference is July 21st through the 23rd, so, coming up fast, better register soon. You can actually go to the NACE Denver website and it'll link you to where you can register. It's probably a little bit faster than me reading off this website address so nacedenvercom and then hit meetings and it'll take you right to where you can register for conference. And yeah, I don't remember, I think registration closes like 10 days before.

Speaker 1: 22:24

I want to say that sounds right July 12th at 1155.

Speaker 3: 22:29

At 1155 PM. So get it in. But yeah, it does close. And then right now I think it's just full conference passes, but eventually we will have some single event, single day registration registration available, um, depending. That's not guaranteed, so it's better to get your full conference pass, um. And then also, foundation of mace has a fun event too. That's a a la carte option, um, that was like the best event I attended last year. It was amazing, um. And then that supports also the foundation of NACE, which supports our local chapter, um and all the chapters with scholarships and opportunities, uh, for continuing education and things like that, which is super awesome.

Speaker 1: 23:21

Yeah, that's awesome. And then what's kind of the typical cost for a conference pass?

Speaker 2: 23:30

There's a couple different tiers. If you're a member.

Speaker 3: 23:32

It's better. Yeah, there's different tiers. Go ahead, amy.

Speaker 2: 23:38

Sorry, oh no, I thought you were looking it up. But yeah, there's a couple different tiers education, full conference, including the parties and whatnot. So that's what Bonnie was saying, that there will be lots more ticket options, we've been told, hopefully coming up here soon, so people can kind of pick and choose what they would like to attend. But it is a Sunday, monday, tuesday, so keep that in mind. We're, you know, we're all event people, so we're all working on the weekend, so, but the room block is still open at the Sheridan as well. A couple things are still TBD as far as logistics, but right now everything you need is at the Sheridan.

Speaker 1: 24:31

Awesome, very cool. And yeah, I'm taking a look at the website right now. It looks like the passes are anywhere from $11.55 to $23.99, depending on if you're a member and how many things you attend $23.99, depending on if you're a member and how many things you attend. But this is not really a cost because this is an investment in your career in the events industry. So if you want to learn amazing things that you can take to your next event, learn new skills that you can apply directly in the business of your events industry business, this really could be the thing that you're missing, and the connections that you build are just going to be worth their weight in gold. So, yeah, that's why, if you feel like that conference price might be a little on the high side, it's not, because it's way more worth it than what you actually put into it.

Speaker 2: 25:21

I agree.

Speaker 1: 25:21

I agree.

Speaker 2: 25:22

I would say one of the, you know, being able to sit in a session with a planner that I really admired and had followed for a long time. And I got to have one on one time with her because it was a smaller group and that was invaluable to me because some of the things that she said I was never going to learn in a book, I was never going to learn anywhere else but from her experience, and I could only get that from attending something like this, where I felt so that I invested in it. But NACE invested in it as well to give people what they actually need to succeed.

Speaker 1: 26:12

For sure, and I've attended conferences that cost more than this and they've all been so much like, so worth it just for those reasons alone where you get to pick the brain of somebody you wouldn't normally get to. Reasons alone where you get to pick the brain of somebody you wouldn't normally get to, and even just like feeling that energy, and like leaving the conference feeling on fire, ready to take on the world, to me that is so worth it. Like, have you guys felt that after attending these conferences?

Speaker 3: 26:36

Oh yeah. But inspiration is like immediate, Like I've like been in the middle of a session and like emailed myself to do something, because I'm just like been in the middle of a session and like emailed myself to do something, because I'm just like oh, my God, you got to do this.

Speaker 2: 26:54

Well, there's so much insight flying around and we are a group of creatives, so that's what makes it even more magnetic is that you're not just at a you know, joe Schmo conference. You're in a room with with really creative people. So there's a lot of energy flying around. Yeah.

Speaker 3: 27:09

And they're really creative people that are like there to share, right. They really want to like share their knowledge, share what they're doing and like help bring everybody up, which is awesome.

Speaker 1: 27:21

Yeah, that's very cool. So we're kind of getting close to the end of this episode. The one other little thing I wanted to slide in there is that if you are pursuing your CPCE certification that is, your Certified Professional in Catering and Events there is an exam that is happening early in that conference. I think it's actually on the first day at 9am, so that would be a great way to fast track your CPCE certification as well. Was there anything that I missed or did not ask that people should know about the conference?

Speaker 2: 27:54

I think for us, you know, between myself, bonnie, rob, angie and Karen, we are just really, really excited to have this in Denver. We're so excited to show off what we're doing here and the creativity and the innovation that is brewing up in the Rocky Mountains and sharing that with everybody. So we've got some really awesome, neat things planned for these parties you know these parties but it's all centered, you know, it's sandwiched with the education. So I think I just want to throw that in there, that we're just very excited to get to show off and have everybody come to Denver and experience it.

Speaker 3: 28:40

Yeah, and to piggyback off that, we would love to highlight our local community of really great people and yes, we are very far along in the planning process, but if people want to sponsor and donate something like their services or you know something, reach out to us, because we would love to showcase as many Denver people as we possibly can, just to show everybody how awesome we are. Yeah that's awesome. Lots of opportunity, lots of opportunity, you know very cool.

Speaker 1: 29:14

I'm actually taking advantage of that. I'm sponsoring at least one event, possibly two.

Speaker 2: 29:19

We are so excited to have you. I'm so excited.

Speaker 1: 29:23

Fantastic. Well, bonnie, amy, it has been a pleasure chatting with you both about the NACE Experience Conference. If any listeners would like to attend again, go to the Denver NACE website, or actually you can also find it at nacenet slash events. That's N-A-C-E stands for National Association for Catering and Events, nacenet slash events, and it is the first event on the top there and that'll just get you right to the tickets and agenda. So thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Denver NACE podcast. Thank you, amy and Bonnie, for joining us and hope to see you at the Denver the NACE Experience Conference in July. Bye, everybody.