Computer technologies, such as AI, are important for modern event planners to keep up with as audience expectations increase.

Joining a professional or charitable community can rekindle your passion for the job, while expanding your career horizons.

Evolving as a financial and insurance meeting and event planner is crucial for staying relevant, delivering exceptional experiences for attendees, and maintaining a solid focus and competitive edge in an industry that is continually changing.

When Elyse Dawson, CMP, CPCE, DES, senior events manager at HB Wealth in Atlanta, GA, thinks about the evolution of a meeting planner, the key steps really revolve around curiosity and the willingness to grow oneself. Dawson believes that success doesn’t come from just one trait, it’s a combination of creativity, focus, delegation and more.

“You need to be able to hyper-focus on your goals, visualize the next step in your career and understand what that looks like in practice,” Dawson says. “That includes identifying the people who are currently in the roles you aspire to and having honest, thoughtful conversations with them to understand how they got there.”

She adds that creativity plays a role in trying new things and expanding your skill set as a meeting planner. For example, it might mean pursuing a certification, seeking volunteer opportunities or taking on new projects that push you outside of your comfort zone. Delegation also becomes critical, especially as you grow, because part of evolving is finding ways to free up bandwidth to focus on higher-level responsibilities.

“One of the most important exercises I’ve found useful is vision mapping, essentially mapping out where I want to go, identifying the gaps in my skills and discussing this with people I trust, whether that’s mentors, colleagues, or even my spouse, to get honest feedback,” Dawson says. “Ultimately, though, what fuels this evolution is internal desire. You need the fire, the curiosity and the persistence to keep going, even when progress is slow or setbacks occur. Growth doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s rarely easy.”

Katherine LaMacchia, director of corporate events at Baird in Milwaukee, WI, says focus and attentiveness to client needs, while also paying attention to industry trends on behalf of attendees, is key to the evolution of a financial meeting planner.

“Creativity – whether it’s with the newest interactive experience or lighting elements, or even getting creative with the budget – is so important,” LaMacchia says. “And in order to survive in our world, delegation is key – delegating trust to your vendors that you have given them all of the information you possibly could for load-in and load-out to go seamlessly or trusting you’ve trained and involved your team on a level that exceeds your expectations. I honestly can’t pick between focus, creativity or delegation – they all are an important foundation of how an event planner achieves success.”

Bella Gigante, senior event planner at DCE Productions in Tampa, FL, plans large-scale conferences, advisory board meetings, investor events, webinars and other hybrid/virtual events for major financial management firms. Gigante has first-hand experience leading complex, compliance-sensitive, content-heavy events where attendee engagement and seamless executive communication are non-negotiable.

When Gigante thinks about how the role of a financial event planner has evolved, she believes success is measured more by how you think than just what you do.

“With technology advancing and more resources available to us than ever, the role has expanded far beyond logistics and operations,” Gigante says. “To be successful, you need the focus to prioritize and create clarity and practice creativity with purpose — whether that’s solving problems, enhancing engagement or designing experiences that support measurable outcomes and the ability to delegate and collaborate so you can stay strategic instead of getting stuck in the weeds.”

Focusing on Growth

Having growth as a key focus area significantly contributes to evolving as a meeting planner. As Dawson explains, growth is really the foundational block of evolution in this field. If you don’t have a genuine desire to grow, it’s almost impossible to leverage opportunities effectively.

“Growth is rarely comfortable, it comes with ‘growing pains,’ moments where you feel like you’re doing things wrong, or even just lost. But those moments are where learning happens, and learning is at the heart of evolving professionally,” she says. “Every step in a planner’s career – from coordinator to associate, from manager to senior manager, and eventually to leadership roles, requires embracing growth. Each new level demands new skills, new perspectives and a willingness to tackle challenges that may feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable. Growth is the vehicle that allows you to move from one stage to the next, and embracing that discomfort is essential to long-term success.”

Dawson says one of the biggest steps for growth is relationship building. The events industry is built on relationships – relationships with stakeholders, hospitality partners, peers and even people you haven’t met yet.

“A key way to grow is simply reaching out and having conversations. On numerous occasions, I’ve set up brief meetings with people I aspire to emulate, just to hear about their experiences. Those conversations often spark new ideas, reveal opportunities I didn’t know existed and can even lead to mentorships or career openings down the line,” Dawson says. “Networking can feel intimidating, especially if you’re an introvert, but it’s an essential step for growth.”

Pairing relationship-building with mentorship is equally important.

“Mentors can give perspective, guidance and help you navigate challenges because they’ve been where you are,” Dawson says. “If a mentor isn’t actively seeking you out, it’s absolutely okay – and often necessary – to reach out yourself. These relationships can be career-changing.”

For Dawson, enhancing her career has always revolved around education and exposure through volunteering. She’s made it a point to identify learning opportunities that expand her toolkit. For example, she pursued her CMP certification, which involved late nights, study groups and a lot of persistence. That gave her a formal credential, but the real growth came from applying that knowledge in the real world.

“I’ve also sought out volunteering opportunities that allowed me to work on things outside my day-to-day responsibilities. Early in my career, I volunteered with a local association to help run a half-day event,” Dawson says. “Being in the room with other planners, seeing behind the scenes and understanding how events come together gave me invaluable insights. It also helped me stand out within my organization as someone serious about growing my craft and contributing beyond my immediate responsibilities.”

As Dawson progressed, she took on bigger opportunities, such as serving on committees and eventually on the board for FICP. These experiences combined education, hands-on practice and exposure to different perspectives, which allowed her to grow continuously. Dawson believes growth in this field is cyclical, you’re constantly taking in knowledge, applying it and sharing it in ways that expand both your skills and your network. “That’s ultimately what propels you to the next stage in your career,” she says.

LaMacchia adds that, in the growing world of AI, soft skills and expertise will remain integral to the success and evolution of the meeting planner. “The ability to provide a good onsite experience by making someone feel seen, heard and helped in the real world when you have to think on your feet and respond to real life conversations in real time will remain a key skill,” she says. “Similarly, while we continue to use AI to help us move at times faster and further in our roles, the planner expertise to determine if what AI is providing is good or garbage will become paramount.”

She has been very fortunate to spend more than 17 years at the same firm – and always within event planning. She has been in the same title longer than many of her peers that went on to other organizations. “Despite that,” she says, “I never felt like I was lacking in being challenged or growth – partially because I work for an incredible firm with supportive leadership, but also because I continue to find ways to keep myself from feeling stagnant and ensure I’m still adding value to my organization.”

She adds, “One way I’ve done that recently is to become more involved in FICP, the premier association for financial insurance conference professionals. It’s really reinvigorated my love for what we get to do, but also made me better at my job and expanded my boundaries to benefit my firm.”

Lesley Travis, managing director at The CE Group in San Antonio, TX, says that when you grow, you’re learning – and meeting planners should also be learning something new every day in this industry.

“Whether it’s the length and width of your average parking space so you can determine how many 10×10 tents you can put in a parking lot or that, in order to bring a vehicle into a convention center or hotel, the gas tank needs to be empty — these little details we keep in our heads are what sets us apart to be able to react quickly with solutions when issues arise as we gain more and more experience,” Travis says.

Continuous Effort to Evolve

One common misconception is assuming you know everything it takes to succeed at the next level. Early in Dawson’s career, she fell into the trap of thinking that she understood what was required for a role without fully appreciating the scope and nuances. “I learned the importance of self-awareness and being honest with yourself about what you don’t yet know,” Dawson says.

Another mistake is not asking questions. Understanding what it takes to succeed means being inquisitive, clarifying expectations and learning from others who have experience. “Advancement often isn’t just about acquiring new skills, it’s about understanding the complexity and downstream impact of your work. For example, you might start by creating an invitation, but as you grow, you need to consider the broader event strategy, audience, communications and overall experience,” Dawson says. “Thinking holistically is essential, and assuming a role will be simple because you’ve done something similar before is a trap.”

LaMacchia recommends fellow insurance and financial meeting planners take the opportunities they can, either an assignment that stretches their skills or something that involves learning a new skill. “Reading this publication is a great sign that you are someone who values continuing to educate yourself, but don’t let it stop here.  Take what you’re learning and apply it – share it with your team or your boss,” she says.

She also recognizes that patience is a virtue – and one that is sometimes lacking in event planning. “Sometimes, there’s no replacement for consistent experience other than time. And it’s rare that time syncs exactly with your metronome. But just like our events, sometimes your career ambitions may veer off from the timeline you so carefully constructed,” LaMacchia says. “Sometimes, opportunities come faster than you’re ready for or they drag on and seemingly never arrive. Sometimes, new opportunities that weren’t on your radar at all pop up. Remember to keep a north star on what your overall needs and desires are from your career and recalibrate when needed. But, don’t let a timeline shift alone take you off your desired course.”

Gigante says having “growth” as a key focus area pushes event planners to constantly elevate how they think, work and lead. “This industry changes so fast whether it’s technology, attendee expectations, client goals, etc. It’s continuously evolving, so staying committed to growth keeps you adaptable,” Gigante says. “It encourages you to learn new tools, adjust your systems of operation, expand your creativity and build stronger relationships. When growth is intentional, you become more strategic, more confident in decision making and better equipped to design.” I&FMM