May 15, 2025 • 17 mins
Forget mega-conferences with endless cab rides and low engagement. Hyve Group CEO Mark Shashoua explains why the best events are built around human connection, intentional design, and a relentless focus on audience quality. In the season one finale of Possible Now, Mark and Christian talk Possible 2025, what Hyve looks for in acquisitions, and how to grow without losing your magic.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome back to Possible now, and this time we are
live and in person from the Possible Studio right here
at the Possible twenty twenty five show in Miami. Today,
I have the distinct privilege of sitting down with a
visionary leader who has had a profound impact on the
global events industry, Mark Joshua, CEO of Hive Group, which
(00:25):
is the owner and shareholder of Beyond Ordinary Events and Possible.
Mark's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. From co founding
It Group in nineteen ninety one to transforming it into
the global force that Hive Group today, Mark has consistently
been at the forefront of innovation in the life event space.
Under his leadership, Hive has not only expanded globally, but
(00:49):
strategically acquired groundbreaking platforms like Shop Talk, Grocery Shop, and
most recently, Beyond Ordinary Events and Possible Itself, further cementing
Hives's position at the forefront of the industry. With deep
entrepreneurial roots, an eye for transformation, and a passion for
creating meaningful human connections, Mark is leading the charge and
(01:11):
redefining what world class event experience look and feel like.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
This is more than just a business chat.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It's an unscripted look into the mind of a global
leader driving innovation, scale and culture in one of the
most exciting industries today. Please join me in welcoming Mark
Joshua to the Possible Now studio here in Miami.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Mark, welcome, Christian. A real pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
It's hard to believe for me as well that this
is just the third edition of Possible and it's our
first together after the acquisition. So tell me about, or
tell our audience about your first impressions after the first
one and a half days or so.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Well, listen the sheer excitement, the buzz when you walk in,
so that the lobby and then walking around, the genuine
excitement of people being here. You know, all I do
is go to events. I've been doing this, like you said,
like they're over thirty years. But here it's really quite special.
It's the engagement and the excitement of people being here.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
It's palpable.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I have to say it so well, congratulations to you
and the team because it's rare.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
So I also talked about this this morning a bit
that the idea was always not to do the usual stuff. Yeah,
and you know, of course tons of other events. What
is for you to make an event special? When do
you go to events and feel this is something different
than any other industry events independent from possible Let's say, well, look,
of course.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The format is what's made it quite special. You guys
have chosen to do it in something different. It's not
a traditional event whole or event convention space, which is
not easy. Right, So it may make it seem easy
that you can do it in a hotel and you
got inside outside, but actually it's actually very hard to
pull off. So one, the format is innovative, is different.
But two, what you guys have done, which is absolutely critical,
(02:55):
is maintain the ratio of who is it what I
call the gold dust, who are the most important people
here at an event, which is clearly the marketers and
the brands and the marketers, And stay true and honest
to the fact that that has to be the driving
force of everything around This event is for that group.
(03:16):
And that's that you will see in many events, either
people don't realize or they forget that that's what's important
and that possible hasn't done and it's very important to
maintain that.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Do you think this is also linked to the size
of such an event. Could it be very successful with
let's say just a few thousand people, or it doesn't
has to be necessarily a couple of ten thousand people either.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
It's all relative.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
I mean, I do think you need to get to
a certain scale in order to become the critical place
for the voices of a particular industry to come and
get together, like the critical voices, you know, for them
to come to a few hundred people is maybe more intimate,
but at the same time it's not that powerful. So
you do need a certain scale. But quid pro quote,
(04:01):
you don't need to be tens of thousands either, because
then it takes away from the exclusivity of the event
as well. So it's a fine balance, and I'm sure
one that you will be able to navigate in the
years to come and will help and support. But it's
never losing the fact that the core ratio and the
core of this event will always be for marketers and
for brands, and as long as that never ever changes,
(04:23):
this event can continue to grow and will be very successful.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I would say in terms of possible, you know, we
have I think an outstanding conference with several stages. We
have well, let's call it exposition. It's more an activation space,
right where a variety of different formats, and of course
we have this growing hosted meeting program. I would say
these are the three pillars in general. Do you see
(04:49):
something else in general for the future or maybe from
under other industries we should consider to be added.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I think overall, frankly, early in your third year, right,
still in its infancy. Yes, it's got to a certain
scale and a very quick time, but you're still in
the infancy. So I think you'll see and I'm sure
you will, is develop the content even more. You'll add
even more relevance to the content and more specificity, if
I can say it, to the content, which I think
(05:17):
is important. But at the same time, the meetings is
absolutely critical because that's what drives the ROI, not only
of the people trying to sell solutions, but very much
for the marketers who are in control of their budgets
in order to make software solution decisions like they are
being inundated with.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Choice because we connect marketers them with the other side.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Absolutely critical.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
So the meetings will grow, there's no question, as well
as the activations as well as the content.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
And we have big plans ahead of us. We're doing this,
we already announced yesterday. Yes, so let's talk about the
general environment. I mean, I don't want to spress it
out too much because I still hear a lot of positivity,
which is great. I was expecting a bit, you know,
different kind of feedback. So far, I'm really surprised in
(06:08):
a very positive way. But there is something going on
out there. Of course, the economy provides some kind of uncertainty.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
People start talking about this, So what.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Should we expect for the next couple of months and
how do you see possible? But also our portfolio at
High Group prepared for this.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Well, look, the portfolio has been engineered and it's been
a very specific strategy to focus on key and markets,
but also the main event of its kind in that market.
Why is that so important? Or it's an up and
coming event like yours that has a wonderful opportunity to
become the main event of its kind, which frankly is
already I'd say, so, why is that so important? Is
(06:48):
that that becomes the critical voice, that becomes the critical
platform in which people meet and engage, learn network trade. Yes,
but they also learn on how to navigate these certain situations.
That everybody's going through. So yes, there's the economic way. Look,
the reality is the world that we're living in today
is moving so fast is that there are going to
(07:09):
be constant. It's never going to end. So, yes, there's
something today, there'll be something else tomorrow. But what is
constant is where is the platform, Where is the meeting point,
Where is the future of that particular industry sector going?
That has to be at the type of events that
we run, and that's what we do. So we also
think about that in our content. We think about that
in the way that we put the show the event together.
(07:32):
So that is very relevant in all of our events.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
And I think it's also true that in times of uncertainty,
partners tend to go back to the trusted platforms. They
know what they can expect, right, And I think we
are well prepared for this.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
One hundred percent, because where else are you going to
get together, especially in such a disconnected world through hybrid working?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Right?
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Right?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
So how are people going to connect only with other
companies but within their own teams?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Right, so they do it.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
We're seeing this more learn more often that we're seeing
it at our events. Yeah, So one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Let's talk about your leadership.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
So let's talk a bit about more yourself halve expanded
it's global footprint across industries under your leadership, how do
you identify markets or opportunities out there? Is there a
playbook for you or I mean, we didn't know each
other before we met first time some time ago, and
then we started, you know, to think about possible in
(08:41):
our common future.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
What is your strategy here?
Speaker 4 (08:44):
What's a very specific strategy?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I mean to be clear, So we are and you
know this, but I'll say this to your your audiences.
We are not consolidators. Yeah, we have absolutely no interest
in buying portfolios of shows just to get a geographic
footprint or expect into a geography. I've absolutely no interest. Okay,
and good luck to those that do it. I'm sure
(09:06):
they'll do very well with it.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I think that what we're interested in is absolutely is
what is the end market? Is this an end market
that is being massively disrupted through technology? Now you would
say is everything's being disrupted through technology? So therefore, take
traditional industry sectors be involved in what is the disruptive elopment?
And that's why when you look at your event, is
(09:29):
the disruptivelopment when you look at shop Talkers retail, but
it's the disruptivelopment because it's that disrupt development that then
becomes the leading voice within the ecosystem or where it's
going in the future.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
So we look very much first at the end market.
That is all important.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Two is this the type of event that will benefit
from our best practice?
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Our ability to our skill set is not in what
you've done, which is create something from nothing. That's not
what we're good at. What we're good at is actually
knowing how to evolve it and how to grow it
sustainably and not so it's not a flash in the
pan up and down.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
That's one.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Two is how to then export it and get very
close to the customers to bring them to other geographies
where they want to go to, but do it without
losing the inherent magic that this event was created on.
And then apply our best practice to whether it comes
sales marketing, but very much in terms of the connections,
the meeting programs and the digitization. So we're very very,
(10:29):
very very careful and selective on what we do. You'll
never see us by big business big portfolios, but will
be very very precise events within n sectors that we're
interested in, so Possible, we bought Health to healthcare. One
in every five dollars goes towards healthcare in America. This
is a critical industry of the future. We bought health
(10:52):
because it is the one that is all about healthcare
innovation and technical disrupt to technology disruption, and that is
now the leading voice in healthcare. So that's why we
bought that one that makes sense, makes sense, I mean
when it comes to the integration itself, it could be
always you know, have a surprising outcome.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I think we did pretty well.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
I think for us it was beside a lot of
other stuff, it was very important to get you know
a lot of strategic support from your team as well,
but also allowing our teams, you know, to think beyond
a year to year plan, right, more long term, Yeah,
more following the vision, which of course expands over a
couple of years. How High has learned also from Possible
(11:35):
Is there something you would say after a couple of months, Yeah,
that was definitely something in your week that was also
maybe some inspirational new ideas or something we might think
about also for.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Other parts of our portfolio. Is there anything.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Oh no, no, there's no question. I mean, first of all,
just in the type of format of this event. Yeah,
what you have managed to do, which is exceptionally difficult,
is blend inside and outside. And I know and maybe
to your audience it doesn't sound that hard. It is
exceptionally difficult. The flow out of an event is actually
probably one of the more important things that happens to
an event. Well, first, the most important thing is get
(12:10):
the right people in the room, which you did automatically.
But then what's the right flow? Yeah, so no, we've
learned a lot about that because we've launched a show
called Shop Talk Blocks right, which is in Abu Dhabi,
which is exactly the same thing. It's going to be
inside and outside. So there's a lot of learnings that
we're getting from you and vice versa. Hopefully we'll do
from doing lucks that we can also share here.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
So now there's a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
So considering you know that, you also let you know
a lot of transformations in the past. What's one mindset
or principle you always return to when navigating change for
you personally? Do you have again kind of playbook you
know for things like this, because it seems that transformational
(12:55):
process comes back very regularly.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, what's the playbook. The playbook is be very clear
with what you want to do. Yeah, get everybody aligned
alongside with you, and then commit.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Like that.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
You you, you know and you, and then you have
to be all in right. There's no such thing as
transformation where you're only putting one foot forward and how
on foot back and trying to protect the back. Agree,
it doesn't work because by doing that you've automatically failed.
I've done and by the way, this philosophy and mentality
is through lots of trial and error, and I have learned.
The one thing I've learned in life is that if
(13:30):
you're doing something, you do it. And if you're not
wholeheartedly committed and your team is not wholeheartedly committed, then
don't do it, because there's nothing worse than doing something half.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
That's one good example where where you're on the same
page one percent.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Let's fast forward to possible twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I made announcement yesterday on stage about our expansion plans
for next year. That's quite obvious what we would like
to do in terms of growth for the growth, but
what do you hope we are talking about on this
podcast next year, sitting here twelve months time.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
What's yet to come?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Oh, it's yet to come.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Well.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
First of all, which we and you and I are
very aligned about is nothing can ever change from the
core being the brands and the marketers, right, So that's
number one. So we'll be sitting here saying we're very
proud and very pleased that we have maintained minimum thirty
percent brands and marketer, which means the largest constituents at
(14:25):
this event will always be marketers and brands.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
So that's one. Two.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
It will be more that the is the flow you know,
we thought we I mentioned it earlier in this podcast.
Is the flow is very important and your plans and
your ideas of your team and hopefully what you know
others that have learned from other shows can help and
give advice on is the flow? How do you manage
that growth inside outside using nextdoor meetings on the beach,
(14:55):
getting that flow right to maximize people the ability to
find each other and connects. That is an art which
I'm sure we'll learn from and we'll get you.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Know, of course, there's always a but.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
That I'll be very excited about it and to keep
people on side.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I think this could be a huge benefit not being
in a huge location like you know, Vegas, for example,
or in can et cetera. I mean, there are several
events where you have we need to jump in a cab,
you know, to go from one meeting to another, and
this is one. Yes, it's a big place, but it's
one central place. I think that's a huge benefit. So, Mark,
what still excites you most about this work after all
(15:33):
these years?
Speaker 2 (15:34):
I mean you and me, we are in this business.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
For a long time now, and for myself, it feels
like you wake up every morning and the world looks
a bit different, and you can also use it as
an opportunity to think about your next steps.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
What about you? What still excites you most doing this?
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Listen.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I went to my first event when I was eight
years old. You know, I was dragged along by my father,
you know, to all his different shows.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
And I love it.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
So I love events, and I love learning every event
is slightly different. I love looking learning about new industry sectors.
I love seeing when something works well somewhere, how can
you see to replicate that into other events?
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Because it's rarely well, it nearly always.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Works Yeah, the thing that stops it is usually people.
So how do you convince people bring them on the
journey of replicating what works very well one place and
then rolling it out everywhere. I love that, I love it,
and I love it. It'll be fascinating to see how
the meetings work here. I'm sure they'll be very successful.
And then how does that evolve? This is very exciting, awesome,
(16:38):
what a nice closing statement.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Mark, Thank you so much for a time and I'm
really looking forward for the next couple of months.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
For sure and doing it together.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
And brav as you're on your team.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Well done, Thank you all right, take care, Thanks for
tuning in everyone. Once again, I'm your host, Christian Moham.
If you have a question or suggestion to me, reach
out send me them on LinkedIn. If you're curious to
learn more about Possible, sign up for our newsletter, or
(17:07):
if you want to join us at the Possible Show
in Miami, visit possibleevent dot com. Possible Now is a
co production of iHeartMedia and Possible. Our executive producers are
Ryan Marx and Yasmin Melendez. Our supervising producer is Meredith Barnes.
Special thanks to Colleen Lawrence mac from our programming team.
Our theme music is composed by Anthony Quttacoli. For more
(17:30):
podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeart app Purple podcast, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome back to Possible now, and this time we are
live and in person from the Possible Studio right here
at the Possible twenty twenty five show in Miami. Today,
I have the distinct privilege of sitting down with a
visionary leader who has had a profound impact on the
global events industry, Mark Joshua, CEO of Hive Group, which
(00:25):
is the owner and shareholder of Beyond Ordinary Events and Possible.
Mark's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. From co founding
It Group in nineteen ninety one to transforming it into
the global force that Hive Group today, Mark has consistently
been at the forefront of innovation in the life event space.
Under his leadership, Hive has not only expanded globally, but
(00:49):
strategically acquired groundbreaking platforms like Shop Talk, Grocery Shop, and
most recently, Beyond Ordinary Events and Possible Itself, further cementing
Hives's position at the forefront of the industry. With deep
entrepreneurial roots, an eye for transformation, and a passion for
creating meaningful human connections, Mark is leading the charge and
(01:11):
redefining what world class event experience look and feel like.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
This is more than just a business chat.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It's an unscripted look into the mind of a global
leader driving innovation, scale and culture in one of the
most exciting industries today. Please join me in welcoming Mark
Joshua to the Possible Now studio here in Miami.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Mark, welcome, Christian. A real pleasure to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
It's hard to believe for me as well that this
is just the third edition of Possible and it's our
first together after the acquisition. So tell me about, or
tell our audience about your first impressions after the first
one and a half days or so.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Well, listen the sheer excitement, the buzz when you walk in,
so that the lobby and then walking around, the genuine
excitement of people being here. You know, all I do
is go to events. I've been doing this, like you said,
like they're over thirty years. But here it's really quite special.
It's the engagement and the excitement of people being here.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
It's palpable.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I have to say it so well, congratulations to you
and the team because it's rare.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
So I also talked about this this morning a bit
that the idea was always not to do the usual stuff. Yeah,
and you know, of course tons of other events. What
is for you to make an event special? When do
you go to events and feel this is something different
than any other industry events independent from possible Let's say, well, look,
of course.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The format is what's made it quite special. You guys
have chosen to do it in something different. It's not
a traditional event whole or event convention space, which is
not easy. Right, So it may make it seem easy
that you can do it in a hotel and you
got inside outside, but actually it's actually very hard to
pull off. So one, the format is innovative, is different.
But two, what you guys have done, which is absolutely critical,
(02:55):
is maintain the ratio of who is it what I
call the gold dust, who are the most important people
here at an event, which is clearly the marketers and
the brands and the marketers, And stay true and honest
to the fact that that has to be the driving
force of everything around This event is for that group.
(03:16):
And that's that you will see in many events, either
people don't realize or they forget that that's what's important
and that possible hasn't done and it's very important to
maintain that.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Do you think this is also linked to the size
of such an event. Could it be very successful with
let's say just a few thousand people, or it doesn't
has to be necessarily a couple of ten thousand people either.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
It's all relative.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
I mean, I do think you need to get to
a certain scale in order to become the critical place
for the voices of a particular industry to come and
get together, like the critical voices, you know, for them
to come to a few hundred people is maybe more intimate,
but at the same time it's not that powerful. So
you do need a certain scale. But quid pro quote,
(04:01):
you don't need to be tens of thousands either, because
then it takes away from the exclusivity of the event
as well. So it's a fine balance, and I'm sure
one that you will be able to navigate in the
years to come and will help and support. But it's
never losing the fact that the core ratio and the
core of this event will always be for marketers and
for brands, and as long as that never ever changes,
(04:23):
this event can continue to grow and will be very successful.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I would say in terms of possible, you know, we
have I think an outstanding conference with several stages. We
have well, let's call it exposition. It's more an activation space,
right where a variety of different formats, and of course
we have this growing hosted meeting program. I would say
these are the three pillars in general. Do you see
(04:49):
something else in general for the future or maybe from
under other industries we should consider to be added.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I think overall, frankly, early in your third year, right,
still in its infancy. Yes, it's got to a certain
scale and a very quick time, but you're still in
the infancy. So I think you'll see and I'm sure
you will, is develop the content even more. You'll add
even more relevance to the content and more specificity, if
I can say it, to the content, which I think
(05:17):
is important. But at the same time, the meetings is
absolutely critical because that's what drives the ROI, not only
of the people trying to sell solutions, but very much
for the marketers who are in control of their budgets
in order to make software solution decisions like they are
being inundated with.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Choice because we connect marketers them with the other side.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Absolutely critical.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
So the meetings will grow, there's no question, as well
as the activations as well as the content.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
And we have big plans ahead of us. We're doing this,
we already announced yesterday. Yes, so let's talk about the
general environment. I mean, I don't want to spress it
out too much because I still hear a lot of positivity,
which is great. I was expecting a bit, you know,
different kind of feedback. So far, I'm really surprised in
(06:08):
a very positive way. But there is something going on
out there. Of course, the economy provides some kind of uncertainty.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
People start talking about this, So what.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Should we expect for the next couple of months and
how do you see possible? But also our portfolio at
High Group prepared for this.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Well, look, the portfolio has been engineered and it's been
a very specific strategy to focus on key and markets,
but also the main event of its kind in that market.
Why is that so important? Or it's an up and
coming event like yours that has a wonderful opportunity to
become the main event of its kind, which frankly is
already I'd say, so, why is that so important? Is
(06:48):
that that becomes the critical voice, that becomes the critical
platform in which people meet and engage, learn network trade. Yes,
but they also learn on how to navigate these certain situations.
That everybody's going through. So yes, there's the economic way. Look,
the reality is the world that we're living in today
is moving so fast is that there are going to
(07:09):
be constant. It's never going to end. So, yes, there's
something today, there'll be something else tomorrow. But what is
constant is where is the platform, Where is the meeting point,
Where is the future of that particular industry sector going?
That has to be at the type of events that
we run, and that's what we do. So we also
think about that in our content. We think about that
in the way that we put the show the event together.
(07:32):
So that is very relevant in all of our events.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
And I think it's also true that in times of uncertainty,
partners tend to go back to the trusted platforms. They
know what they can expect, right, And I think we
are well prepared for this.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
One hundred percent, because where else are you going to
get together, especially in such a disconnected world through hybrid working?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Right?
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Right?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
So how are people going to connect only with other
companies but within their own teams?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Right, so they do it.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
We're seeing this more learn more often that we're seeing
it at our events. Yeah, So one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Let's talk about your leadership.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
So let's talk a bit about more yourself halve expanded
it's global footprint across industries under your leadership, how do
you identify markets or opportunities out there? Is there a
playbook for you or I mean, we didn't know each
other before we met first time some time ago, and
then we started, you know, to think about possible in
(08:41):
our common future.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
What is your strategy here?
Speaker 4 (08:44):
What's a very specific strategy?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I mean to be clear, So we are and you
know this, but I'll say this to your your audiences.
We are not consolidators. Yeah, we have absolutely no interest
in buying portfolios of shows just to get a geographic
footprint or expect into a geography. I've absolutely no interest. Okay,
and good luck to those that do it. I'm sure
(09:06):
they'll do very well with it.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I think that what we're interested in is absolutely is
what is the end market? Is this an end market
that is being massively disrupted through technology? Now you would
say is everything's being disrupted through technology? So therefore, take
traditional industry sectors be involved in what is the disruptive elopment?
And that's why when you look at your event, is
(09:29):
the disruptivelopment when you look at shop Talkers retail, but
it's the disruptivelopment because it's that disrupt development that then
becomes the leading voice within the ecosystem or where it's
going in the future.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
So we look very much first at the end market.
That is all important.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Two is this the type of event that will benefit
from our best practice?
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Our ability to our skill set is not in what
you've done, which is create something from nothing. That's not
what we're good at. What we're good at is actually
knowing how to evolve it and how to grow it
sustainably and not so it's not a flash in the
pan up and down.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
That's one.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Two is how to then export it and get very
close to the customers to bring them to other geographies
where they want to go to, but do it without
losing the inherent magic that this event was created on.
And then apply our best practice to whether it comes
sales marketing, but very much in terms of the connections,
the meeting programs and the digitization. So we're very very,
(10:29):
very very careful and selective on what we do. You'll
never see us by big business big portfolios, but will
be very very precise events within n sectors that we're
interested in, so Possible, we bought Health to healthcare. One
in every five dollars goes towards healthcare in America. This
is a critical industry of the future. We bought health
(10:52):
because it is the one that is all about healthcare
innovation and technical disrupt to technology disruption, and that is
now the leading voice in healthcare. So that's why we
bought that one that makes sense, makes sense, I mean
when it comes to the integration itself, it could be
always you know, have a surprising outcome.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I think we did pretty well.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
I think for us it was beside a lot of
other stuff, it was very important to get you know
a lot of strategic support from your team as well,
but also allowing our teams, you know, to think beyond
a year to year plan, right, more long term, Yeah,
more following the vision, which of course expands over a
couple of years. How High has learned also from Possible
(11:35):
Is there something you would say after a couple of months, Yeah,
that was definitely something in your week that was also
maybe some inspirational new ideas or something we might think
about also for.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Other parts of our portfolio. Is there anything.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Oh no, no, there's no question. I mean, first of all,
just in the type of format of this event. Yeah,
what you have managed to do, which is exceptionally difficult,
is blend inside and outside. And I know and maybe
to your audience it doesn't sound that hard. It is
exceptionally difficult. The flow out of an event is actually
probably one of the more important things that happens to
an event. Well, first, the most important thing is get
(12:10):
the right people in the room, which you did automatically.
But then what's the right flow? Yeah, so no, we've
learned a lot about that because we've launched a show
called Shop Talk Blocks right, which is in Abu Dhabi,
which is exactly the same thing. It's going to be
inside and outside. So there's a lot of learnings that
we're getting from you and vice versa. Hopefully we'll do
from doing lucks that we can also share here.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
So now there's a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
So considering you know that, you also let you know
a lot of transformations in the past. What's one mindset
or principle you always return to when navigating change for
you personally? Do you have again kind of playbook you
know for things like this, because it seems that transformational
(12:55):
process comes back very regularly.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, what's the playbook. The playbook is be very clear
with what you want to do. Yeah, get everybody aligned
alongside with you, and then commit.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Like that.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
You you, you know and you, and then you have
to be all in right. There's no such thing as
transformation where you're only putting one foot forward and how
on foot back and trying to protect the back. Agree,
it doesn't work because by doing that you've automatically failed.
I've done and by the way, this philosophy and mentality
is through lots of trial and error, and I have learned.
The one thing I've learned in life is that if
(13:30):
you're doing something, you do it. And if you're not
wholeheartedly committed and your team is not wholeheartedly committed, then
don't do it, because there's nothing worse than doing something half.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
That's one good example where where you're on the same
page one percent.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Let's fast forward to possible twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I made announcement yesterday on stage about our expansion plans
for next year. That's quite obvious what we would like
to do in terms of growth for the growth, but
what do you hope we are talking about on this
podcast next year, sitting here twelve months time.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
What's yet to come?
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Oh, it's yet to come.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Well.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
First of all, which we and you and I are
very aligned about is nothing can ever change from the
core being the brands and the marketers, right, So that's
number one. So we'll be sitting here saying we're very
proud and very pleased that we have maintained minimum thirty
percent brands and marketer, which means the largest constituents at
(14:25):
this event will always be marketers and brands.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
So that's one. Two.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
It will be more that the is the flow you know,
we thought we I mentioned it earlier in this podcast.
Is the flow is very important and your plans and
your ideas of your team and hopefully what you know
others that have learned from other shows can help and
give advice on is the flow? How do you manage
that growth inside outside using nextdoor meetings on the beach,
(14:55):
getting that flow right to maximize people the ability to
find each other and connects. That is an art which
I'm sure we'll learn from and we'll get you.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Know, of course, there's always a but.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
That I'll be very excited about it and to keep
people on side.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I think this could be a huge benefit not being
in a huge location like you know, Vegas, for example,
or in can et cetera. I mean, there are several
events where you have we need to jump in a cab,
you know, to go from one meeting to another, and
this is one. Yes, it's a big place, but it's
one central place. I think that's a huge benefit. So, Mark,
what still excites you most about this work after all
(15:33):
these years?
Speaker 2 (15:34):
I mean you and me, we are in this business.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
For a long time now, and for myself, it feels
like you wake up every morning and the world looks
a bit different, and you can also use it as
an opportunity to think about your next steps.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
What about you? What still excites you most doing this?
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Listen.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I went to my first event when I was eight
years old. You know, I was dragged along by my father,
you know, to all his different shows.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
And I love it.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
So I love events, and I love learning every event
is slightly different. I love looking learning about new industry sectors.
I love seeing when something works well somewhere, how can
you see to replicate that into other events?
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Because it's rarely well, it nearly always.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Works Yeah, the thing that stops it is usually people.
So how do you convince people bring them on the
journey of replicating what works very well one place and
then rolling it out everywhere. I love that, I love it,
and I love it. It'll be fascinating to see how
the meetings work here. I'm sure they'll be very successful.
And then how does that evolve? This is very exciting, awesome,
(16:38):
what a nice closing statement.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Mark, Thank you so much for a time and I'm
really looking forward for the next couple of months.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
For sure and doing it together.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
And brav as you're on your team.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Well done, Thank you all right, take care, Thanks for
tuning in everyone. Once again, I'm your host, Christian Moham.
If you have a question or suggestion to me, reach
out send me them on LinkedIn. If you're curious to
learn more about Possible, sign up for our newsletter, or
(17:07):
if you want to join us at the Possible Show
in Miami, visit possibleevent dot com. Possible Now is a
co production of iHeartMedia and Possible. Our executive producers are
Ryan Marx and Yasmin Melendez. Our supervising producer is Meredith Barnes.
Special thanks to Colleen Lawrence mac from our programming team.
Our theme music is composed by Anthony Quttacoli. For more
(17:30):
podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeart app Purple podcast, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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