In this episode Andrew Vine is in conversation with former CNBC TV anchor Mark Laudi.  Mark founded Hong Bao Media, a marketing and media firm based in Singapore and Malaysia, and advises companies on their media and communications strategies and is a personal coach to many senior business executives. 

In this conversation Andrew and Mark discuss 

• The role of moderators:  the power and magic that can be achieved from having meetings and events professionally moderated 
• What it takes to moderate events well: the skills you need to look out for when choosing a moderator 
• How COVID-19 and the present switch to virtual events is changing the game; for ever?  
• The future of real vs virtual events: and are hybrid events really the answer? 

In this episode, Andrew Vine gives in-depth answers to questions that were submitted in advance, specifically relating to the impact of the on-going Coronavirus pandemic:  

• Has this changed some of work and social norms? 
• Is this now the beginning of the end of physical events? 
• How well has  the meetings industry responded in terms of embracing virtual events?
• Just how damaging will this be? 
• Are hybrid events the new model to adopt?  
• And how optimistic are you about the speaking business? 

In this episode, Andrew Vine is in conversation with special guest, Fredrik Haren, one of the world's truly global conference speakers. 

• They firstly discuss together what it really takes to be successful speaker, and discuss the list of six key factors that featured in Honestly Speaking when it was published:  content, communication, pitch, being authentic, unique, and memorable.  
• And  then turning to what it really takes to get the best out of the professional speaker you've just hired

In this episode we take a look at the world of meetings and events, and of speakers and moderators and we take a look at three important concepts that help us frame our thinking about the business activity of engaging speakers: 

• The Look-Smart and the Act-Smart World 
• The Pull-Factor and the Wow-Factor
• The Virtuous Cycle of Conferences 

Only by identifying all our stakeholders and thinking about their needs and motivations can we really set out to achieve successful results

Tags: #events#conferences#speakers#moderators#briefings

In this inaugural episode of Honestly Speaking, Andrew Vine -- Founder of The Insight Bureau and formerly with The Economist Group -- introduces you to what this podcast is all about, how it works, who it's designed for, why it was created, and importantly why you should bother to listen to it! 

The world of meetings and events is both vast and complex, and thanks to the recent global COVID-19 pandemic,  in a state of great change. Meetings and events are critical tools we rely upon to achieve so many  business objectives.  

Honestly Speaking will hold your hand and take you on a journey into the world of meetings and events, and into the sometimes mysterious, often baffling and occasionally notorious world of professional speakers.  

Through the mix of monologues, dialogues with insightful guests, and taking your questions, this podcast aims to raise the bar in terms of knowledge, understanding and therefore confidence in embracing events and hiring speakers. 

Tags: #events#conferences#speakers#moderators#briefings