Why the Limp?

I’ve written about shoes before. One blog was literally titled “Shoes.” Another was called “These Boots Ae Made for Walking.” In the meeting and events industry, shoes can make or break you during an event. Everybody needs to wear shoes, but sometimes you need to sacrifice style and fashion for comfort and survival. I’ve spent hours upon hours upon hours on my feet (as I’m sure many event planners can attest to) walking back and forth on cement convention center floors overladen with the thinnest carpet known to man. I’ve racked up 13,000 steps before 10am several days in a row during an event. I learned in year one that wearing good, comfortable shoes is a necessity regardless of whether or not they coordinate with my outfit.

I don’t normally have the opportunity to sit and smell the roses during an event. I’m usually the person calling the shots; ensuring the task list is complete, people are in place, wheels are in motion, and everyone has what they need to be successful. Recently, however, I was a cog in the system, doing my part to contribute to the greater good. I was only responsible for a small portion of the sum total, a position I can’t remember finding myself in for the last couple of decades, but one I rather kind of enjoyed as it gave me a chance to make more observations than I generally have time for.

As I watched the masses walk back and forth between breakout sessions, the exhibit hall, registration, meals, conversations, and bathrooms, I was looking for a variety of things. I’m always on the lookout for a good backpack. Event planners are the best source of information when it comes to knowing which backpacks are lightweight, comfortable to wear, can fit everything a planner needs, are durable, provide padding for the computer, hold all of the gadgets and whatnots, have smooth running zippers, and can withstand a multitude of flights, site visits, hotel rooms, drops on the floor, kicks under the table, and changing weather conditions.

Besides backpacks, event planners also provide great information on which pants, skirts, blazers, shirts, and socks make the cut for the ever broad category of “business casual” or as I like to refer to it as “snappy casual.” When talking with professionals from the meetings and events industry, you can learn which fabrics are breathable or might spontaneously burst into flames as you walk; which ones won’t wrinkle, which ones are itchy, and which items can be mixed and matched to wear interchangeably for the duration of the event so you can pack your entire week into just a carry-on.

But during this particular event, shoes got my attention. I watched as, what appeared to be smart, well-educated individuals, trudged back and forth wearing the most unusual selection of footwear. I saw slip on sandals with kitten heels almost take down a woman because she tried to outwalk them. I observed as women who thought it was a good idea to wear their highest and thinnest heels to a convention center event walk like baby giraffes for days. But the one that took the cake was this adorable, well-appointed young man in a spectacularly tailored suit, wearing pointy-toed, pink flats, shuffling and limping miserably past my desk. I would be interested to hear what his thought process was as he got dressed this morning.

Needless to say, I just want to remind event-goers that your shoe selection will dramatically impact your experience. Take pause, think about how much you will be on your feet and how little anyone will care what shoes you are wearing.

Do you have an extraordinary shoe observation? Share it here or send me an email!

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It Depends

To quote the character M. Gustave H from the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel, “Of course it depends, of course it depends…” I was at a FAM recently (a familiarization trip) and the theme for the trip was “it depends.” The ambiguous answers from host venues were less than helpful. Of course their final answers will depend on how many are in attendance, what time of year, or what support services I’d need, but to answer everything with “it depends” while sourcing a location, doesn’t give me a ballpark figure of whether or not the venues will work for my group. I wrote another blog called “A Walkable City” about the helpfulness of information needed to create an executive summary or convince the “powers that be” to take the plunge and get something on the books.

After 20 years, this is not the first time I sourced a venue for an event, however, it was one of the most cryptic. What is the square footage of this space? How can I configure this arena to meet my needs? Do I need to hire union workers in this non-union facility? What is the current cost of a gallon of coffee? Do I need to rent screens and projectors or are they included in the price of my space rental? If I have an F&B minimum do I also need to pay for the meeting space? “It depends” seemed to be the answer for everything.

When visiting a city, more specifically their venues like convention centers, arenas, hotel meeting spaces, etc. the last thing we need to hear is “possibly” or “conceivably.” As planners, we KNOW it depends. There has to be some common denominator we can use to gauge the information needed relevant to our event. What is the overall square footage? I realize it will depend on the setup. That’s my responsibility to calculate. Providing me with the size of your staging and round tables, and letting me see what your chairs look like is all helpful information. I can calculate how much floor space to allot for the stage based on our design, and if the chairs are bulky or padded, I may want to put less around a table which impacts capacity.

The price of a gallon of coffee can be astronomical. If your price per gallon is significantly less than others, and we plan to add coffee breaks for 500 people on three days, not only can I calculate if the event can afford this luxury, it may be a swing vote in your favor. During these trips, we’re rarely crafting a contract on the spot; we’re talking potential future business. I can’t determine if your city and venues are right for my group if every time I ask a question about the space-time-cost-continuum the answer is obscure.

I love FAM trips. They allow me to visit potential cities and see venues I may not have ever thought to look at for my groups. To justify the time and cost of attending one, providing me with an arsenal of evidence I can bring back to the team and the decision-makers is better for both of us.

Have you experience these enigma FAM trips? I’d love to hear how you handled it.
Share it here or send me an email!

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Put to the Test

Test taking. Test planning. When I even mention the word “test” many people get clammy palms and break out into a cold sweat. Others think of it as a battle to be won and chant “bring it on” over and over. My sister and her family live in England. As my niece prepared to end her high school journey, she would spend her final years studying to pass the GCSE exams. Initially, I equated these with the US’s SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Testing) exams, which our students take to help college admissions boards assess a student’s supposed “intelligence” and ability to make it through to graduation. I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

The GCSEs, or General Certificate of Secondary Education exams, are taken at the end of everyone’s “sophomore” year (which sounds absurd to a Brit, but bear with me). British students end their education at age 16. Before leaving, they study for over a year to take GCSEs if they intend to go to college or into a trade. Any student wishing to take the GCSEs must test in a minimum of five subjects including the English Language, English Literature, Math, and Science. Additionally, they can add other subjects to be tested in based on what they would like to do as a vocation in their future. Students can take up to sixteen GCSEs, but most average around nine. Taking the GCSEs is highly favored by universities, colleges, and employers. Students earn a grade of 1-9, with 9 being the highest possible score per subject.1 From here, there’s no obligation for them to continue their education, and off into the workforce they go at 16 years old. However, for those who want good-paying jobs, to enter “University,” or do something other than learn their father’s trade, they must then take A-Level exams. 

Essentially, their “junior and senior” years of high school are dedicated to studying to pass the A-Level tests which they take at the end of the two-year period, provided a student has passed the required minimum GCSEs. The A-Level exams are more refined than the GCSEs. Students can choose from 40 different subjects. They are encouraged to take exams in subjects they wish to study in University or ones they might consider useful for future employment.2 

During the two-year period where a student selects and studies for their A-Level exams, they are also applying to Universities, traveling to view campuses, interviewing with university faculty, and thinking about what’s next for their future. This process initially was very confusing to me as this period in their educational journey is called “college.” The US uses the terms university and college almost interchangeably, but they are very different in the UK. In England, the most prestigious universities include: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Durham University. 

I watched my niece spend the last several years of her life studying to take tests. It’s not like we don’t take tests in the US, but they’re usually done periodically throughout the school year, or in the form of mid-terms or finals. We struggle and study to pass exams as a whole in the US, but England has made it an artform. Over the years as I have visited my sister and her family, there have been varying degrees of flash cards, study guides, notebooks upon notebooks, reference materials, and a lot of tears. For all of you US students who are concerned about your next upcoming test, just remember, there are students out there who ONLY study for two years to ONLY take tests that determine their future. I’m pretty sure you can do it.

After all of this, kudos to my niece, Mina. She aced both her GCSEs and her A-Levels and was accepted to the University of Cambridge where she will start this fall. I couldn’t be more proud!

Have you taken a test you thought you’d never make it through? Comment here
or send me an email!

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1.Edumentors. What are GCSEs? Everything You Need to Know. Tornike Asatiani. February 223, 2026. https://edumentors.co.uk/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-gcse-exams-in-2023/
2.UK Department of Education. Skills for Careers. A-Levels. Crown Copyright. 2026. https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/training-choice/a-levels

To Reprint or Not Reprint

I recently helped at the registration desk for a large, multi-day conference with exhibit hall. There were almost 4000 attendees and just over 225 unique exhibitors. Name badges for the host organization were very important, and luckily, security at the convention center was fantastic. They policed the different areas and allowed or didn’t allow access based on whether or not a person had theirs and which color their lanyard was. Attendees and exhibitors had different colors so security knew who could access the show floor early for setup.

Because everyone needed a lanyard and name badge, those who lost their badge had to swing by registration to get another one. This organization has had a history of “lost” badges to the point they now charge $25 for the first missing badge and $50 for the second in an effort to dissuade those who just forgot them in their hotel room and are too lazy to walk back and get them. It also prevents someone “losing” their badge, coming and getting a second one, and giving it to either another booth worker or their spouse who came with them and now wants to participate as well without paying a full conference fee, attempting to game the system.

Sitting at the registration desk for several days was quite entertaining. Some people provided what sounded like a legitimate excuse for needing a replacement badge. Some, however, told fish stories like my grandfather. Those who received a replacement were asked to bring back one of them when they found the original. Surprisingly enough, I think all but two or three actually did. Only one person came for a second badge, sheepishly approaching the desk with her credit card in hand. She knew what she had done and what the cost would be. These were grown humans with jobs. If she can’t hang onto a name badge, no two name badges for four days, I can’t imagine what her workspace looks like.

Once things at the desk slowed down and we had time to watch the people walking by (which is one of my favorite hobbies-people watching), we did see one particular exhibitor on a daily basis make a hand-off in the atrium to one new booth worker each day. It’s amazing how differently Robert Johnson looked from day to day…. Nobody minded as long as there was only one Robert Johnson in attendance each day.

Having been a Certified Event Professional (CMP) for as long as I have, I had thoughts about how the organization could reduce their concern about duplicate badges being used or eliminate the issue altogether.

At no point were badges scanned, only observed. If this organization wanted to, they could have people scanning the badges of everyone as they entered (and exited) the exhibit hall, breakout rooms, and space where lunch was being served. Trust me, this would not deter attendees nor take a ton of time if done right. I know a large number of people can get through the doors quickly because I attend a very large conference in Las Vegas every year where 18,000 people manage to get onto the show floor in about 10-15 minutes. It’s about having enough access points, spreading people out, ensuring there are plenty of scanners, and the system is working. By doing this, if there was a duplicate name badge, the scanning device would not allow the “same person” to enter twice.

Luckily in four days, we didn’t have too many duplicate badge requests, and those who forgot their badges in their hotel rooms in fact, did not want to fork over the $25, and reluctantly made the trek back. The most outrageous story we heard for a lost badge was a gentleman who claimed he lost it “alligator wrestling.” We did happen to be in the south, on the water, however, did not believe his story. He did get points for originality and didn’t have to pay for the replacement.

The most truly lame story was from a guy who just picked his name badge up a couple of hours ago, claimed it was bothering his neck so he took it off, and he “just dropped it.” Coincidentally, a woman came to the desk to have her badge reprinted who also had just picked hers up this morning with the same lame story…. Just pay for the day pass. It’s not much more than a lost badge fee and you won’t need to hide from anyone.

Does your organization allow or charge for reprinted name badges? Share your guidelines here or send me an email!

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name badges!

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