Recession, what recession?

I was wondering whether the looming reccession with its up and down stock prices and higher gas prices would greatly affect my business as the year end approached. My goal was to write at least one post on this a week, but it's been a long time, my apologies.

The reason I've been away? It's been really busy! Of the fifteen or so companies I have spoken with in the last few weeks, only one of them has been talking of business being down in the past quarter.

The rest? One events company in NYC talked about growing by 25% this year, another is adding sections to events which have served markets for years, so there seems to be alot of business all around.

On the same New York trip, I had dinner with John Failla, an ex-VNU(Nielsen) top guy who has started his own business similar to mine: http://www.tesoroevents.com/ . A pleasure to be in the same marketplace as John, his expertise is more on the publishing side than I, but perhaps a doubled barrelled solution for a lucky company in the future.

Today I had the fortune also to speak with John Mooney, the founder of MC Communications. In his mind, world class content across the 24/7 spectrum is the key to keeping and gaining customers. I am looking forward to writing the SISO column for it...

Keep prospering...

Happy New Year

First of all Happy New Year.

I wonder if the sub-prime collapse and continued increases in oil prices will have a direct impact on events this year. The oil prices increases in particular are incremental and on their own, don't seem to me to be a huge factor(although I dread the visit of the heating oil truck)....

I read a recent article in Tradeshow Executive recently which said budgets to attend and exhibit are increasing slightly in 2008. Let's hope it's true.

I am also happy to hear my old friend at IDG World Expo, Doug Gold, has been able to monetize his new venture Mass Event Labs to CMP:

http://cmp.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1862

The concept of the 'unconference' is one I have been following for some time, glad it's taken off.

Here's to a good 2008!