Everyone talks about the agenda. Almost nobody talks about what happens before the venue is even booked, or what happens to that content a full year after the show wraps. In this Aftershow, we get into the parts of event content strategy that don't make it into most conversations: how sponsored sessions actually get negotiated, why celebrity keynotes mostly fail, and the one connection that made an Olympic-themed keynote at Tableau Conference actually work.
If you caught the main episode, you already know why Stephanie Wells is the person you call when your event has sessions but no strategy. In the Aftershow, we go past the headlines and into the operating system behind it.
What You'll Learn:
What a full event content lifecycle actually looks like when next year's planning starts while this year's event is still running
Why "back pocket allocations" exist and how they save a content strategy when a company acquisition drops two weeks before an event
How to balance sponsored content against owned sessions without turning the agenda into a string of sales pitches
The real reason most celebrity keynotes fall flat, and the one Tableau used that didn't
What to measure in a post-event report if you actually want your C-suite to fund next year's budget
Guest bio: Stephanie Wells has spent over 20 years building content strategy for Microsoft, Salesforce, Tableau, and Workday. She's a founding member of the Event Content Council and most recently spent two years inside hands-on training at Skillable. This fall she's launching Gold Heart Events, specializing in event content, strategy, and operations.
Connect with Stephanie:
LinkedIn: Stephanie Wells
Website: goldheartevents.net (launching fall 2026)
The best conversations start after the show ends, and the best ones keep going in your inbox. Subscribe to Event About It wherever you get your podcasts and sign up for the Step and Repeat newsletter at msquareddynamics.com/stepandrepeatsignup.
Until next time, stay curious.
About Your Host
Megan Martin is the founder of M Squared Dynamics, a consulting, facilitation, and content strategy firm helping event leaders, marketers, and sales teams turn live experiences into measurable business growth. She's the host and executive producer of Event About It, co-founder of Opportunity Hunters, and a two-time PCMA Visionary Award nominee (2022 winner). With nearly 20 years in the industry, Megan operates at the intersection of event strategy, marketing alignment, and behavioral intent signals, turning events from line items into pipeline drivers.
Connect with Megan and M Squared Dynamics:
Podcast: EventAboutItPodcast.com
Newsletter (Step and Repeat): msquareddynamics.com/stepandrepeatsignup
Consulting and strategy: msquareddynamics.com
Instagram: @m2dynamics and @eventaboutit
TikTok: @eventaboutit