Planes, Uber, rental cars, hotel check-in, name badges, wi-fi passcodes, handshakes, hugs, swag, and maybe a tear; for many, many, years these were part of my regular professional routine (the tears not so much). However, for the last 14 months, they have been absent. Last week they returned as I attended the IRF Invitational at […]
OneView
“…Fern OneView is absolutely the best and most comprehensive, easy-to-follow online ordering show site platform I’ve ever used, and I’ve used a lot of them doing almost 200 shows a year for the past 6 years…..whoever created it listened to what people needed and made it happen…”
Regaining Momentum in the Events Industry…
Aaron recently had the opportunity to be a guest on the The Business of Meetings Podcast with Eric Rozenberg where they talk about the impact of trade shows on the economy. Aaron discusses why he believes that face-to-face events will never get replaced with online events, and he also explains how we can help others […]
Overdue Changes and the Resilience of the Event Industry
Written for The Oregon Festivals & Event Association (www.https://www.oregonfestivals.org/) As I write this, it is Friday the 13th in November. As with any Friday the 13th, there are superstitions and talk about it being an unlucky day for it to occur in 2020 … well, what can we say about that. However, November the 13th is also […]
EXHIBITOR MATERIAL HANDLING JUST GOT A LOT EASIER…
“At its core 1Rate addresses what is perhaps the most confusing and frustrating aspect of the exhibiting experience, that proper calculation of material handling. We feel strongly that it should not be that way. The new model provides the exhibitor a level of predictability when it comes to calculating their expenses associated with trade show […]
FERN ANNOUNCES NEW EXHIBITOR FRIENDLY CANCELLATION POLICY
As part of an ongoing series of changes to the traditional official services provider model, Fern and its sister company, NexxtShow, have eliminated service cancellation charges. This change is intended to simplify the relationship between Fern/NexxtShow and the exhibitor while easing the exhibitor’s decision to commit to show participation, according to Fern CEO Aaron Bludworth. […]
A DOZEN YEARS AT FERN
Preface: If you think my writing wanders, try having a face to face conversation with me…squirrel! Twelve years ago, yesterday, I walked into Fern with the task of taking over the management of a company with a storied 99-year legacy. The company was hugely successful. Less than three years earlier, the company had transferred from […]
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…
The CEO’s Time Machine “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the […]
MONDAY MUSINGS – Exhibitions Day 2020
During the mid-1700s, Benjamin Franklin quoted a proverb in Poor Richard’s Almanac that tells about how a tiny nail was lost in a horseshoe, which led to the loss of a horse. The loss of the horse resulted in the loss of the rider, which then led to the loss of a battle. Because of […]
MONDAY MUSINGS…Can we learn from this and get better?
Today is Monday, May 4th. The first Monday following an April that none of us will soon forget. COVID-19 has changed our world in ways that none of us could have imagined. I keep thinking that our current reality is leaning more towards a Stephen King novel or a Hollywood movie; however, this is not […]