John Sharkey

The SHINE Awards will be a groundbreaking achievement for Claritee as it marks us hosting our very first awards ceremony. Not just any awards ceremony but the UK’s first alcohol free awards celebration, making it a very significant occasion representing innovation within the event industry. Why is this so groundbreaking? As hosts of this prestigious event celebrating the incredible work of Steps Together, an organisation dedicated to rehabilitation and addiction recovery, it was essential for us to create an inclusive environment. By hosting an alcohol free ceremony, we are ensuring that all attendees, especially those who have battled addiction, can fully enjoy and participate in the celebration without any concerns. Claritee’s alcohol free events highlight how drinking isn’t a necessity in order to entertain or socialise. The SHINE Awards will feature: ✨ Inspiring speeches from industry leaders ✨ Interactive gameplay ✨ Networking opportunities with top professionals ✨ Recognition of outstanding contributions and achievements from the @Steps Together team ✨ Top tier entertainment and premium catering ✨ Help fundraise for Nacoa UK We believe that this innovative approach will set a new standard for future events, promoting inclusivity and support for all individuals. Join us in celebrating this milestone and the exceptional work of the Steps Together team 💙 To book tickets and tables and to learn more about the event, click here: https://lnkd.in/g9kPdQyu #shineawards #alcoholfreeevent #inclusivecelebration #recognition #liverpoolevent #recovery #addictionawareness

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Great news story! Business/Industrial events that unite stakeholders & value chains, attracting both UK and international audiences, in a dynamic interactive experience, represent a crucial pillar in driving forward the UK's future industrial, creative and scientific leadership ambitions, for sure. In 2024 'Live' in-person events are stronger than ever, reflecting the immense value attendees on all sides see in such 'under one giant roof' industry coalescing for vital new business & ongoing business networking/commercial exchange, partnership & collaborative dialogue, vital supply chain procurement, technology transfer, innovation nurture & scale-up, industry intelligence and so much more .... The UK's business events portfolio has never been more 'at the heart' of delivering future growth

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#SmartAquisition for #SmartEvents #EventProfs do you want to attract the right attendees more efficiently? Here’s the #SmartVideo way: 📹 Interactive Video Content Transform traditional event footage into engaging short-form videos using advanced AI and video editing techniques. 💡 Monetisation Opportunities Implement monetisation strategies like pay-per-view, subscriptions, and sponsored content to turn your video content into a revenue generator. 🎯 Expanded Reach High-quality, interactive video content attracts sponsorship opportunities and can be packaged as premium offerings. How are you currently monetising your event videos? Share your insights! For more details, check out our latest article. #EventTech #RevenueGrowth #SmartVideo #EventProfs #SmartEvents #SmartHive

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#SmartAquisition for #SmartEvents #EventProfs do you want to attract the right attendees more efficiently? Here’s the #SmartVideo way: 📹 Interactive Video Content Transform traditional event footage into engaging short-form videos using advanced AI and video editing techniques. 💡 Monetisation Opportunities Implement monetisation strategies like pay-per-view, subscriptions, and sponsored content to turn your video content into a revenue generator. 🎯 Expanded Reach High-quality, interactive video content attracts sponsorship opportunities and can be packaged as premium offerings. How are you currently monetising your event videos? Share your insights! For more details, check out our latest article. #EventTech #RevenueGrowth #SmartVideo #EventProfs #SmartEvents #SmartHive

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#SmartAquisition for #SmartEvents #EventProfs do you want to attract the right attendees more efficiently? Here’s the #SmartVideo way: 📹 Interactive Video Content Transform traditional event footage into engaging short-form videos using advanced AI and video editing techniques. 💡 Monetisation Opportunities Implement monetisation strategies like pay-per-view, subscriptions, and sponsored content to turn your video content into a revenue generator. 🎯 Expanded Reach High-quality, interactive video content attracts sponsorship opportunities and can be packaged as premium offerings. How are you currently monetising your event videos? Share your insights! For more details, check out our latest article. #EventTech #RevenueGrowth #SmartVideo #EventProfs #SmartEvents #SmartHive

#SmartAquisition for #SmartEvents #EventProfs do you want to attract the right attendees more efficiently? Here’s the #SmartVideo way: 📹 Interactive Video Content Transform traditional event footage into engaging short-form videos using advanced AI and video editing techniques. 💡 Monetisation Opportunities Implement monetisation strategies like pay-per-view, subscriptions, and sponsored content to turn your video content into a revenue generator. 🎯 Expanded Reach High-quality, interactive video content attracts sponsorship opportunities and can be packaged as premium offerings. How are you currently monetising your event videos? Share your insights! For more details, check out our latest article. #EventTech #RevenueGrowth #SmartVideo #EventProfs #SmartEvents #SmartHive

Having spent more than 18 years in the #event industry, I’ve seen the value of training and educating yourself throughout your career. You can #learn even after school and university. With a rapidly evolving world, being able to go with the flow of change is an extremely valuable #skill. But how do you get that skill? There are 3 things you can do in order to train and educate yourself even whilst you work. 1/ Workshops and courses. Online learning materials are extremely popular. You can learn about finance or events even if you work in a different industry. There is a lot of #knowledge out there. Use it. 2/ Networking. Meeting the right people allows you to learn and understand things in a much faster way. Learn from industry experts and people with decades of #experience. 3/ Practice active listening. Listening and following what is being shared with you as much as you can is very important. It allows you to really absorb information. In meetings, or at conferences, being present and actively making an effort to understand everything, will give you the ability to get and use knowledge. Be focused.

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When you run a festival yourself or with a tiny team you can feel like you need to know everything- and to be able to do everything too, everything you want to do, like talent booking, concept development, supplier and venue liaison, audience development and selling tickets, safety and risk management to things you may not be as excited to do like budgets and cashflows, booking accommodation and travel, there are so many different elements that you need to learn to do and some which can be totally out of your comfort zone. As you grow and scale, bringing in additional people to support the running of the festival and take on different roles to free you up to concentrate on things you prefer to do is exactly what you want to be able to do but it can be tough when you are operating on tight margins as can so often be the case. When I started working on my festival there were two of us and while my main focus was sponsorship, I did so many other things like sorting hotels and travel, artist liaison, volunteer management and I was really glad as we were able to scale up and I could give the logistical things that weren’t my strongest skills to people in the team who love to do them. In reality, scaling to employ a team member who can share the load and help you get a bit of breathing space to not only see the longer term vision but be able to enjoy time with family and friends and have more freedom, is in a lot of festivals reach, and it’s totally not their fault that they have not been able to do this when they’re focused on so many spinning plates. If you want to stop operating on tight margins and tough break evens with your festival or event discover how to add new income streams to your business, raise £20k+ through sponsorship and ensure the sustainability of your event DM me to find out more

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Immerse LDN is becoming a key player in London’s immersive entertainment scene. 🚇 Located at ExCeL London, it’s newly connected via the Elizabeth line and able to leverage long established hospitality and infrastructure. Damian Norman, Director of Immersive Entertainment Events at ExCeL, points out what many of us in the industry have known for quite a while - that the term "immersive" has become a buzzword more than a guarantee. We’ve all seen experiences that don’t hit the mark, leaving some skeptical about the whole industry - but I'm convinced that we're only just getting started on the fun. Sure, the Wonka Experience in Glasgow was an example of where things can go wrong, but there are plenty of experiences that go right. What stands out about Immerse LDN is their commitment to quality. With experiences like The Friends Experience and Formula 1 already on their roster, along with past hits like Jurassic World and Disney 100, they're demonstrating a smart strategy—choosing well-researched and high-quality productions. It’s also worth keeping an eye on how they might balance emerging talent with these big-name productions. Just like indy films need to be screened at festivals, so to must emergent experience producers have a place to experiment and create. I’m heading to Immerse LDN next April while in London for the World Experience Summit from April 29 to May 1, 2025. I hope to catch the Elvis Evolution experience too—might even bring my 78-year-old stepmother along for a nostalgia trip. As immersive entertainment continues to grow, how can venue partners ensure they're vetting experiences for quality while also giving space for emerging creators? What strategies have you seen work to balance big-name productions with up-and-coming talent? https://lnkd.in/gq2cYqx3 #ImmerseLDN #ImmersiveExperiences #EntertainmentInnovation #WorldExperienceSummit #ExCeLLondon #ElvisEvolution #F1 #Formula1 #Formula1Experience #JurassicWorld #FriendsExperience #LondonAttractions #ImmersiveEntertainment #ExperienceCreators #CollaborativeFuture #EntertainmentDistrict

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A lot is happening around global exhibition space...and we're seeing some tipping points. Here are my top 5 observations from UFI’s latest “World Map of Venues” which has just been released: 1️⃣ Globally, the amount of available venue space tracked is now 43.1 million square meters (sqm) – that is almost 1 million sqm (or 2.2%) more compared to last year’s data. 2️⃣ For the first time ever, Asia-Pacific overtakes Europe in total venue space available (16.6 million sqm vs. 15.8 million). 3️⃣ Three new “mega venues” (bigger than 100,000 sqm) are now open – all in China. As the same time, one European venue reduced space and left this category. Europe (39) is still ahead of Asia-Pacific (38) here - by a whisper. North America only has five such venues (all in the US), MEA has one (in Dubai). 4️⃣ The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reports more than 300,000 sqm of venue space for the first time in 2024, becoming the 22nd market globally to do so. 5️⃣ The average venue size in North America is barely more than half of the average in Asia-Pacific (21,770 sqm vs 38,385 sqm). UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry jwc GmbH

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What a whirlwind week navigating the incredible worlds of Event Tech Live in London and IBTM in Barcelona! 🌍✨ Switching roles between exhibitor and attendee provided a fascinating 360-degree view of our industry. At Event Tech Live, the Kampfire team was front and center, showcasing our latest innovations. Then in Barcelona, we flipped the script and dove deep into the event landscape as attendees. One key takeaway that resonated across both conferences? The critical importance of post-event engagement. In our fast-paced digital world, the real magic happens after the last keynote, the final handshake, and the closing remarks. It's about nurturing connections and transforming brief interactions into meaningful relationships. The energy, the insights, the connections - these conferences are more than just events. They're catalysts for innovation and collaboration. #EventTech #EventIndustry #KampfireInnovation #NetworkingMatters #EventProfs #EventMarketing #EventManagement #EventTechnology #IBTM #EventEngagement #EventSolutions #TechInnovation #PostEventEngagement #EventPlanning #EventROI #EventInnovation #ConferenceTech #DigitalEvents #EventNetworking 

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🚨 Attention Quizzers and Venue Managers 🚨 In light of the recent Sky News article (https://buff.ly/4fAhH4l) highlighting the significant challenges that pubs across the UK are facing, it's more important than ever to find innovative ways to keep our communities thriving. Pubs have always been at the heart of local life, but now, with rising costs and changing habits, many are struggling to stay afloat. At HQ.FM, we believe that a strong community is built on shared experiences, and our quizzes are designed to bring people together. By hosting a quiz night with HQ.FM, you’re not just offering a fun evening; you’re creating a regular, engaging event that gives people a reason to return to your venue week after week. Let's work together to ensure our pubs remain vibrant hubs of social life. By partnering with HQ.FM, you can offer your guests an unforgettable quiz experience that strengthens community ties and brings more footfall to your venue. Get in touch today to learn how we can help you make your venue the go-to spot for local quizzing. Together, we can support our pubs and keep them at the heart of our communities. #SupportLocalPubs #CommunityBuilding #HQFMQuizzes #StrongerTogether #FYP #HQFM

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I have been asked if the club will have a membership scheme, the answer is yes: #business #burlesque #cabaret #money #wealth #entrepreneur #investing #livemusic #fyp Membership Model Private Membership: Introduce an invitation-only membership that gives access to exclusive events, priority bookings. This could also extend to international venues, making the establishment a global “club” for the elite. Events for Members: Host members-only events such as wine tastings, private performances, and exclusive product launches, ensuring that the venue becomes synonymous with luxury and refinement. By focusing on providing unparalleled experiences that appeal to the upper-middle class and the elite, we differentiate the brand from other venues. The Products and Services we offer always emphasise quality, exclusivity, and sophistication. By adding an international component, we can scale the brand while still maintaining the individuality and uniqueness of each venue.

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The Christmas Decorators know how to create show-stopping installations! We are the elves behind the scenes 🎄 👉 when you walk through the streets, see those twinkling lights and start to feel 'Christmassy'. 👉 when you look through the window of a festively decorated shop. 👉 when you sit to eat a meal at a restaurant filled with merriment, baubles and stars. 👉 When you come home from a long day at work and approach your cosy decorated home, looking like it belongs in a hallmark Christmas film 👉 When you take a photo with family at your local Christmas markets and share it to social We are there, in the background!!

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The event’s over, but the work is far from done.... Guests have left, production has rolled out, and the site teams are clearing the last remnants of what was once a bustling, vibrant space. But for those of us in the live events industry, this is where the real grind continues. Final checks, post-event reports, site handovers, and making sure every last detail is wrapped up before heading into the next event—it’s a process that often goes unseen but is just as critical as the event itself. This image sums up the post-event blur—a mix of exhaustion, pride, and reflection. It’s the moment when the adrenaline fades, and you finally step back to process everything that happened. The long hours, the split-second decisions, the challenges, and the team effort that got you through it all. It’s not glamorous, and it’s rarely acknowledged, but it’s a reminder of the relentless commitment it takes to deliver something extraordinary. The work continues. The lessons are learned. The next event is waiting. #LiveEvents #PostEvent #EventLife #FinishStrong #Safety

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Download and get involved #eventprofs to help our industry!

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Statistic Alert! The latest UKCAMS report reveals a mixed 2023 for the UK meetings and conferences sector. While the industry shows resilience with 964,000 events and £14.4 billion in spending, the economic climate and post-Covid shifts continue to present challenges. Venue investments are at an all-time high, with three-quarters of venues making upgrades, and corporate events now leading the sector. 📊 The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2024’ (UKCAMS), now in its 31st consecutive year, has quantified the scale of the post-Covid recovery and documented other key characteristics and market trends. The 2024 UKCAMS research was sponsored by VisitBritain and carried out by Richard Smith of RJS Associates and by Tony Rogers. Catch my full recap on these insights and trends—head to my website to watch and register for January! https://buff.ly/3UUVK7n #CorporateEvents #EventPlanning #EventVenue #CorporateOffsite #TeamBuildingEvents #EventManagement #LondonVenues #UKEvents #LondonHotels #UKVenues #InternationalVenues #BoutiqueHotels #LuxuryHotels #UniqueVenues #EventIndustry #VenueFinder #EventProfs #NetworkingEvents #EventBuyers #ConferencePlanning #EventTrends #NewHotels #VenueSourcing #EventExpert #ContractNegotiation #SiteVisits #EventConsultant

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