30 Featured Disruptor A Rolling Masterclass on Interesting Networking and Building Memorable Moments with Others Deedre, your specialty is creating memorable and engaging experiences. What were your first thoughts when you heard about the idea for the Association Chat Road Trip? Initial Thoughts on the Road Trip Idea When I first heard about the Association Chat Road Trip from Lucas McCann, I was thrilled! The concept immediately sparked my imagination, and I instantly said, “Heck, Yeah!” to riding on the bus. The bus trip was a unique opportunity to blend networking, professional development, and pure fun. Lucas originally asked me to ride along as a guest, but I wanted to get involved and help plan the trip. The idea of transforming a simple bus journey into a dynamic, engaging experience for association professionals was exciting and challenging, and I was bubbling over with ideas! I sent them to KiKi, which she loved, and then suddenly, there I was, buying zip ties and testing lock-picking sets. More on that later. What was the most important factor in your creation of a fun and productive environment for the 30 association professionals during the six-hour journey? Creating a Fun and Productive Environment The most important factor in creating an engaging environment was balance. We needed to strike the right chord between fun activities, networking opportunities, and sharing topics they would remember. I worked with KiKi on designing a flexible schedule that allowed for both structured activities, spontaneous interactions, and “Sip & Chill” time, ensuring that riders could engage in ways that suited their personality and energy levels. The Big Red M team did an excellent job providing an array of snacks and hydration options to maintain energy, too. Can you share some of the unique activities or interactions you designed for the bus ride? How did you ensure these would resonate with our specific group of association professionals? I ran the Affinity Marketing division at GEICO for 11 years. Next month, I will celebrate the sixth anniversary of my business. So, that is 17 years of experience working with association professionals. I know most of these executives have been to many dull networking events because I used to attend those with them. You know the format: an open bar to the left of you, cheese cubes to the right, and there you are, stuck in the middle with a boring conversation. KiKi INTERVIEW WITH DEEDRE DANIEL Founder and President: The Interesting Conversations Company®; Comedic Keynote Speaker; Game Inventor; Show Host; and Soonto-be-Author https://interestingconversations.com/
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