For more than ten years, Event Buyers Live has been connecting event professionals. As excitement builds ahead of #EBL25, respected #Eventprofs share their experiences of the hosted buyer event. This week, it is Steve Cunningham’s turn to reveal what she learned, discovered, and who he met.

What inspired you to get into events, and how long have you been working in the industry?

I went to uni to train to be a primary school teacher but got involved in organising the events for the Students Union, which was much more fun, and I spent more time doing that than studying. I got the bug and whilst I did other things in my 20’s, I came back to events and made my career there. Still love it and very glad I’m not teaching!

Please share any success stories or memories linked to your EBL experience. 

Whilst meeting suppliers is always useful, I personally find the roundtable workshops a valuable part of EBL. It can be a lonely place taking all the responsibility of running production for large-scale events and it’s a rare and valuable opportunity to discuss the challenges, see how others approach certain key areas, learn new ideas and make contacts who have similar roles, through these sessions.

One of my favourite memories of previous EBLs I’ve attended is listening to Dave Alred, who was the keynote speaker about his time as Jonny Wilkinson’s kicking coach and being part of the England Rugby World Cup winning team. He talked about how he took lessons from other sports and applied them to rugby union and went on to win the World Cup. The parallel was drawn between this and events, which is exactly why we’re all at EBL; to learn, adapt, and develop.

Can you pinpoint one relationship, meeting, or conversation that made a lasting impression, or opened new opportunities for you? What’s been your biggest takeaway?  

Difficult to pinpoint one, but I’ve started relationships with part of the RHS, and with Event Site Design, Stable Events, and Fews Marquees to name a few at EBL and have re-ignited a number of other relationships with suppliers.

What would be your dream event to own, launch or work on? 

Glastonbury! When I was a student putting on gigs in the Students Union, I lived for live music and I still get tingles when I hear the PA firing up and soundchecks happening. Going to Glastonbury was like going to the Mecca of event organising and whilst my career has taken me away from live music, I’d still love to be more involved in live music. Dave Rogers (of ESP Events) and I are looking to get the Bournemouth Air Festival off the ground again (excuse the pun!) which will be super exciting and will be a career highlight.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone attending EBL for the first time?

Get your meetings and roundtables booked in early, and throw yourself into it 100 per cent. Some of the best connections are made whilst having a coffee between sessions or on the NetWalks, so take part in as much as you can, and clear your diary beforehand so you can be present and engage with as many people as possible. And have fun!

What do you do to recover after a busy season or event? 

I like to spend time on the water; sailing, kayaking, rowing, etc so I try to escape to Wales when I can. And spend time with my daughter.

In one word, how would you describe EBL?

It’s speed dating for organisers and suppliers, which is a much more efficient way of making connections than standing in an exhibition stand for days on end. But more than that, it’s a great networking opportunity, and a bit of party for the events industry, which can be justified by all the good connections made. It’s the new era for event events.

Have you attended Event Buyers Live before? If you would like a moment in the spotlight and are happy to share what you took from #EBL, get in touch. Email marketing@standoutmagazine.co.uk