Virtually Remarkable

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Make STEAM Work For You

You have to plan a virtual event. You want it to be fun, memorable and relatable. AND, you have to compete with what's going on with everyone's lives as we all connect remotely. Sean Specie, Chief Strategy Officer of Alpharetta, Georgia-based Elevate Experiences, can tell you exactly how to make it remarkable. That's because Sean is both an event planner and an emcee. He loves what he's doing. And like many other events professionals, he's had to pivot, with the past year's pandemic. The result? Today, he's an expert in producing excellent virtual events of all types. He and the Elevate Experiences team have also produced some amazing free resources, that can serve as guides for anyone planning a virtual experience. Sean talked about what works, and what doesn't, in creating virtual events, as he shared his story. On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear: How Sean's background led to his passion for creating special events; What the transition was like, for Sean and the Elevate Experiences staff, going from onsite events to virtual; A troubleshooting lesson from the first paid virtual event they did ("it's funny thinking back," Sean says); A walk-through of planning a virtual event, using Sean's five-step process; How to engage audience members; A preview of Sean's upcoming book!; Three types of backgrounds that work well for virtual events; Two common mistakes people make, when conducting virtual events (and what to do instead); Some great free resources, for planning your next virtual event!; How to troubleshoot, if something goes wrong while you're hosting a virtual event; One statement that can help ensure a smooth virtual event, if shared with the audience upfront. Look for Sean's new book, "Shattering the Fourth Wall" (working title), which will be coming out very shortly! Follow him on LinkedIn for updates.