At SFEA, our mission is to advance the events industry — and those leading, crafting, and supporting it — through education and open idea sharing. We encourage creativity and curiosity, and we know that both help us to be the best versions of ourselves and to create the best experiences for the attendees entrusted to our care. To that end, we present here a collected compendium of knowledge and information designed to help teams and individuals, employees and employers, old hands and new entrants, planners and vendors run better departments and businesses, and create better events.
Because ideas propel us forward.
This content is for SFEA members only. Please log in below or join today to access.
This content is for SFEA members only. If you aren’t a member, join today!
Hot Takes!!
🔥 new suggestions from your SFEA Board and staff members!
Suggested by Kristin Edwards
SFEA Community Outreach Manager
How Higher Tariffs Are Impacting the Event Industry
Event profs weigh in on this hot economic topic and share how the increased costs are affecting their businesses.
Suggested by Jamie McCormick
SFEA Operations Manager
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters
– Priya Parker
In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive–which they don’t have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play.
Audio & Video
Podcasts
Modern Mentor is your guide to leadership and communication, helping you craft a workplace experience you can feel good about.
Welcome to the Event Safety Podcast, your source for ideas, discussions, and news from the world of live event safety, brought to you by the Event Safety Alliance.
Anne and Frances move fast and fix stuff by talking to guest callers about their workplace issues and solving their problems – in 30 minutes or less. Both listeners and guests will receive actionable insights to create meaningful change in the workplace.
Masters of Scale with LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner Reid Hoffman has grown into a vital listen for business leaders, demonstrating how companies grow from zero to a gazillion, testing his theories with legendary guests.
Hear about the latest industry insights from experts covering a wide array of topics in our Candid Conversations podcast series, designed to help event planners like you be more successful in your business.
Join two event planners and producers who believe we can all create, host, and attend better events.
What would you do if you could sit down for an hour each week with the biggest names in events and have a cup of coffee and just talk about events?
Each week we invite industry guests on to the show to discuss a range of topics with event management.
Join lecturer Matt Abrahams as he talks with communication experts about ways to get your message across confidently and concisely.
Todd Carruth and Dana Freker Doody deliver timely information and interviews about the events and exhibits industry.
This podcast is about everything-events. Meetings, conferences, audio visual, logistics, and audience experience are at the heart of every weekly broadcast. Join world renown event expert Charles Eide as he chats with industry leaders and innovators about making incredible audience experiences across the globe.
A series of captivating conversations with Professor Ranjay Gulati and top global CEOs, describing how the pursuit of purpose guides them to achieve performance gains, social benefits, and personal bests. Each episode explores how a revolutionary “Deep Purpose” approach to business can deliver game-changing results for companies and society alike.
Ask the Experts Recordings
Documents
Speaker Slides
SFEA Annual Conference, Feb. 2023, Myrtle Beach, SC
SFEA Seminar in Jackson, TN, May 2023
2023 SFEA Summer Seminar Series in Nocross, Tupelo, and Knoxville
AMLTA Seminar in Athens, AL, June 2024
Seminar in Oak Grove, KY, August 2024
Seminar in Tishomingo County (Iuka), MS, on 7/30/2025
Seminar in Lexington, SC, on 8/5/2025
SFEA Annual Conference, Feb. 2025, Chattanooga, TN
Other Documents
Vendor Guidelines for Waste Reduction and Recycling at the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival
Sustainability guidelines and product recommendations, developed by the Jekyll Island Director of Conservation, for best practices in maintaining the ecology of the State Park and surrounding area during and after events. Principles are widely applicable!
Volunteer Pocket Guide
The City of Suwanee, GA, creates this short quick reference pocket guide for all volunteers and emergency support personnel with information about the event and FAQ answers. This docx template will allow you to modify and create your own quick reference guide.
Sample Brand Guide
Downtown Vision Inc, from Jacksonville, FL, offers this brand guide as a sample to create your own unified and comprehensize brand guide to assist teams in staying on brand and using your name and logo correctly across all of your communications.
Document and Template Bank
Access sample vendor contracts, client contracts, and many other event documents for events of all sorts from cities of all sizes that you can use as a template or to create your own contracts, notices, and documents.
Educational Links
Books & Publications
The 80/20 Principle
– Richard Koch
Millions of highly effective people have become more successful by understanding the simple fact that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. All you have to do is identify the 20 percent that leads to 80 percent.
The Coaching Habit
– Michael Bungay Stanier
In The Coaching Habit, coaching becomes a regular, informal part of your day so managers and their teams can work less hard and have more impact.
The Advice Trap
– Michael Bungay Stanier
It sounds like it should be easy, but it’s not. You have to tame your Advice Monster, that part of you that jumps in to offer up ideas, opinions, suggestions and advice. And it’s taming your Advice Monster that’s at the heart of this book.
How to Work with (Almost) Anyone
– Michael Bungay Stanier
Stanier shares a tested process that sets up working relationships for the best possible success. It shows you how to communicate about who you are and what brings out the best and the worst in you.
The Art of Gathering
– Priya Parker
In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive–which they don’t have to be.
At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play.
Move Fast and Fix Things
– Frances Frei and Anne Morriss
Bestselling authors and cohosts of the TED podcast Fixable, Frances Frei and Anne Morriss reinvent the playbook for how to lead change—with a radical approach that moves fast, builds trust, and accelerates excellence.
How to Be an Inclusive Leader
– Jennifer Brown
This compelling and inspiring call to action for leaders at every level helps them find their role and voice in affecting societal and workplace change.
The Energy Bus
– Jon Gordon
The Energy Bus, an international best seller by Jon Gordon, takes readers on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals 10 secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment at work and at home. Jon infuses this engaging story with keen insights as he provides a powerful roadmap to overcome adversity and bring out the best in yourself and your team. When you get on The Energy Bus you’ll enjoy the ride of your life.
13 Ways to Kill Your Community
– Doug Griffiths
13 Ways to Kill Your Community is lively, full of personality, conversational, breezy, succinct, and fun. The information provided is sometimes startling and often positively revelatory. The anecdotes and examples are delivered with wit and a little bit of a dishy factor. But underneath all the fun is a clear breadth of experience, and a no-nonsense, practical approach to community building, which can be easily grasped. 13 Ways to Kill Your Community offers practical, implementable steps that can be taken to bring a moribund community back to life. This book delivers what it promises, and it does so with wit and warmth.
Links and Articles
Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College
Since its inception in 1992, Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College has hosted tourism professionals, for one week, each year, to provide a unique continuing education program for the travel and tourism industry.
IFEA’s CFEE Certification Program
Intensive core classes that cover Sponsorship, Non-Sponsorship Revenue, Project Management, Operations/Risk Management, Marketing & Media Relations, and Administration & Management; with an additional emphasis on industry experience, written communication, public speaking, practical application, and continued industry education.
Each is Every
Each is Every is the product of the culmination of triumphs, challenges, and lessons learned over the past six years of building a unique community of more than 300K+ hardworking humans globally.
SC Dept. of Revenue
Bookmark this page for quick reference of the following topics:
- Promoters and Hosts
- Special Events vs. Retail Events
- Licenses
- Filing and Paying Taxes
- Food & Beverage
- Nonprofits & Churches
Strategic Pathways Group
We’re a minority and woman-led DEI firm helping corporations, nonprofits, & government entities!
Live Nation Anti-trust article
Check out this article about the struggles in the live music industry and the ongoing antitrust case against Live Nation.
WorldPride DC: How Event Organizers Created a Safe Space for the LGBTQ+ Community in the Nation’s Capital
The massive celebration was a challenge for many reasons, but the global Pride event was still authentically D.C. Hear from organizers at Destination DC and Capital Pride Alliance.
Cool Stuff
Beat the Heat Essentials
FROGG TOGGS Chilly Sport Cooling Neck Wrap & Head Band
Jasonwell Foldable Dog Pet Bath Pool Collapsible
CIVPOWER Neck Fan: Portable Personal Neck Cooling
