Mike Veny

10/10/2026

You left IMEX with 80 cards and zero relationships.

The stack sat on your desk for weeks... and you remembered maybe three faces.

I think IMEX Las Vegas is one of the best places to build real professional relationships. It just stops working when every conversation turns into a pitch.

When you are planning your next sales line, you are barely listening to the person in front of you. They can feel it, too.

For me, the person comes first.

I ask about their work and stay curious about the answer. That is where the conversation gets real!

Even when there is no sales opportunity in sight.

I want relationships where we remember what we talked about and have a reason to stay in touch.

If you want that too, follow up about something they shared before you ask for a meeting.

Watch the full video... the link is waiting for you in the comments 👇

10/10/2026

You are home for dinner... but your head is still at work.

Your fork is moving, and your mind is stuck on that email you forgot to send at 4:47 p.m.

The color-coded calendar did not fix it. Neither did the 5 a.m. routine, which lasted about 9 days 😅

So I got skeptical of the usual work-life balance advice... and made a video to analyze why it keeps failing busy professionals and leaders. Here is what is inside:

1. Why a perfect calendar can still leave you pulled in two directions

2. The one boundary your mind actually respects. If you only have 2 minutes, start with this part.

3. How one present hour at home can count for more than three distracted ones 🙌

Your family can feel it when you are only half there. You can feel it too... usually around 9 p.m., when you cannot remember what anyone said at dinner.

If you are a leader who carries the whole team home on your shoulders every night, this one is for you.

The link is in the comments 👇 Watch it before your next dinner, or send it to the person at your table who needs it more than you do 😄

10/09/2026

My outfit looked great.

By hour nine it betrayed me.

I planned what to wear to IMEX America down to the detail... and picking it was more stressful than I expected.

You want to look professional. You also want to stay comfortable through long days of networking in Las Vegas, without fussing with your clothes while you talk to people.

The thing I got wrong was not visible to anyone but me 😅

In the video, I share what I learned after trying multiple outfit options.

I also explain what I would change for MPI Smart Monday and the rest of my IMEX experience.

If you are sorting out your own outfits, watch before you pack!

Find the link in the comments 👇

10/08/2026

You have not built a relationship by scanning a badge.

The people who still answer my emails a year later never got a pitch from me.

I think IMEX America in Las Vegas is one of the best places to meet meeting professionals... and a pitch in every hello wastes it.

Turn every conversation into a sales pitch, and the other person has no room to connect.

My goal is simple... keep talking after the conference ends.

1. Ask what they are working on... give them room to talk about something besides buying from you.

2. Listen without rehearsing your pitch.

3. Follow up about something they mentioned, like an event they are planning or someone they would like to meet.

You do not need to squeeze your whole business into a hello.

If you promise an introduction, make it when you get home... yes, even before the laundry.

I put the full video in the comments... go watch it when you have a few minutes 👇

10/07/2026

The best part of IMEX America happens before the floor opens.

If you are a meeting professional headed to Las Vegas, do not overlook Monday...

I am talking about MPI Smart Monday, when you can learn and connect before the main trade show.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) leads it.

You can talk through meeting challenges with other professionals... attendee engagement, for example.

And ask more than “What do you do?”

For me, the value of IMEX is talking with people who understand the work behind a meeting.

When you have talked through a shared problem, you have something specific to follow up on afterward...

If you are planning your trip, check the Monday program before you book your arrival!

In the video, I share what meeting professionals should know about IMEX Las Vegas and MPI Smart Monday, plus how to get more value from the whole experience...

The link is in the comments, so press play when you have a few minutes! 🎥

10/07/2026

The audience does not care if I nail it.

I finished brand-new slides this week for a room of meeting planners at IMEX Las Vegas. The whole time one line kept looping in my head... they will forget my delivery by lunch.

What they keep is how they felt walking out.

This material comes from notes I have taken at hundreds of events over the years. Small things. The room that went flat right after lunch. The session where strangers started talking because of how the chairs were arranged.

Somewhere in prep I caught myself worrying about how my presentation would come out.

Old habit. I noticed it late and let it go.

My top priority is the audience. Going the extra mile so they leave with something they feel, remember, and are changed by. That is the whole assignment.

A special thanks to Damon Brooks & Associates for making this happen... an incredible speakers bureau to be represented by.

I am excited to share this one! 🥁

If you are at IMEX on October 13th, find me at the People & Planet Theater at 11:35 am for Designing Calm. Come say hello.

10/04/2026

40 business cards from the world's largest mmeeyings industry trade show.

I walked miles of carpet, nodded through conversations I barely remember, and drove home so tired I could not tell you a single name.

Those cards sat in a drawer for a year. I found them when I was looking for something else.

Not one follow-up. Not from me, not from them.

This time I am walking into IMEX America with an actual plan... and I wrote it all down.

It is a full guide on the event. What it is, how to attend, who shows up, how to prepare, and how to leave with relationships that go somewhere instead of a stack of cards you find a year later.

This year I am also presenting twice. That part still feels a little unreal if I am being straight with you.

Honored does not fully cover it.

If you are heading to Las Vegas, read the guide before you pack your bags.

Link is in the first comment.

10/03/2026

I just learned that this existed, and what a wonderful surprise!

A huge thank you to Speaker Booking Agency for creating “The Ultimate Guide to Booking Mike Veny for Your Next Corporate Event.” I truly appreciate the time and thought that went into putting this together.

If you’re planning an upcoming conference, corporate event, or employee experience and considering bringing me in, check it out:

https://www.speakerbookingagency.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-booking-mike-veny-for-your-next-corporate-event

Thank you, Speaker Booking Agency! 🙏🥁

Book Mike Veny for your next event. Learn his speaking fee, corporate wellness impact, and how to hire him through Speaker Booking Agency.