Julius Solaris

My free weekly newsletter read by 20k event professionals -> insights.Boldpush.com

I am obsessed with media, content, and events. I sold two businesses, a tech company and a media business, worked in fast-paced environments, keynoted worldwide, planned iconic virtual events during the pandemic, and wrote reports downloaded 300k times. 

Longer story:

I founded EventMB (exited to Skift in 2019) and Showthemes, exited in 2018, and worked for technology companies and tech events. 

I have been in senior marketing positions in hypergrowth tech companies. Recently, I founded Boldpush, a management consulting agency for the event industry. 

In 2023, 8 million LinkedIn users read my content and I became a Top Voice, an invite only program for top content creators on LinkedIn.

The government of the United States granted me an EB1 visa as an alien of extraordinary ability for my contribution to the event industry and research on event technology.

Many publications have nominated me as the most influential individual in the event industry for several years.

300,000 event professionals downloaded my books.

Founder

Boldpush is a vertical agency helping eventtech, corporate teams and agencies grow.
Go-to-market, content, registration and sponsorship strategy.  


Last year a potential client came to me and said, we need to change the way we do things.

I asked why.

‘Well, the event is no longer growing.
We need to redesign the whole experience.’

I asked what aspect specifically?

‘We need to redesign the whole event.’

I did not sign up that client.

Why? 

I would have spent the next 3 months convincing them it was a bad idea.

Changing ‘the whole event’ is a strategy I rarely support.

Too much disruption is never good for an event.

Small tweaks
Targeted interventions where NPS went down
Direct addressing of the things that do not work. 

That’s what I like.

This little episode made me think about statements or predictions we accept as dogma. 

Listen, I am guilty as charged. Experience or research changed my mind. 

Before you ask. 
This is all Boldpush+ proprietary research we shared in November.

Here they are. 
State the numbers you support below.

 1. We thought events were about content. They are about connection, research says.
 2. We thought logos on a banner were useless. It’s in the top 5 sponsorship revenue generators.
 3. We thought late registrations were ending after 2022. 86% GenZ registers 4 weeks out.
 4. We thought alcohol worked for everyone. 64% GenZ don’t drink at events.
 5. We thought we could not monetize content. 32% of Dreamforce pipeline is from Salesforce+.
 6. We thought email was dead. It’s the top source of registrations.
 7. We thought sponsors would plan ahead. 44% sign up late.
 8. We thought the industry measured ROI. 13% don’t.
 9. We thought 365 day community was a myth. It’s the second top reg driver.
 10. We thought AI would kill eventtech spend. It’s up 4.5%.
 11. We thought events peaked in 2025. 4.5% more events in 2026.
 12. We thought budgets were going up in 2026. They are not.
 13. We thought GenZ did not want to be sold at. Only 5% avoids booths.




P.S. 37,000 event professionals also require better answers. I clarify things for them in my weekly newsletter.

Find it next to my name. It’s free.

Events Consultant and Creator | Follow me for insights on events, marketing and technology.

140,000 attendees, this is not your usual CES review. It comes with 76 FREE slides.

Last week I attended CES.

I have to be clear, though.

This is not a video of me taking selfies with robots.

It is a strategic deep dive into the ideas that won at the show.

Why does it matter?

Because CES sets the tone for the rest of the year on how companies will show up at events.

Whether you own or exhibit at events, this is a video review you don’t want to miss.

This video is not sponsored. 

It is the result of our work to bring you the most advanced content to make your job easier.

Please do consider sharing it with your colleagues and leaving a comment on LinkedIn.

The FREE SLIDES. 
Here is what you will find inside:

 - Pictures of the most clever booths
 - Breakdown of the key strategies
 - Field marketing trends

Including:
 - IRL to URL
 - Gating
 - Product First
 - Make Freebies Work For You
 - Creators and Influencers strategic use
 - Buy at the Show

How to get it:
If you want a copy, leave a comment.
I must be able to follow you and all the usual good stuff.

Timing:
I’ll keep the deck up for a week, then take it offline on January 21, 2026.

A new MAP of the event technology landscape with AI focus - FREE PDF!

There is a lot happening in eventtech. 

If you are sourcing for tech, this is the document you can’t do without.

A PDF with clickable links to check out what’s new in eventtech and AI today.

The updates from last quarter:

Cvent has carried two major acquisitions. On24 and Goldcast. 

I left them on the maps as is, as it is uncertain whether Cvent will operate them as standalone brands or absorb them under the Cvent umbrella.

Also notable acquisitions for the last quarter was Eventbrite being acquired by Bending Spoons. 

For the AI category, I made a specific call out on LinkedIn to collect as many as possible. I will soon retire AI and move them within vertical categories, as it will become the standard. 

For the time being, it signals AI native companies. The criteria are more relaxed. 

About the Map

This map is the result of my analysis and experience in eventtech. 

It is subjective and purely EDITORIAL.

Some of the criteria for inclusion:

* New product features
* Revenue milestones
* Organic media coverage (no paid placements)
* High-profile client sign-up
* Recent funding rounds
* Country-specific penetration
* Recurring presence in online planner conversations
* Positive online reviews
* Meaningful product launches


If I missed you, send me a message by March 15 2026, with an answer to the above criteria (it doesn’t have to be all of them) and what category fits you best.

Disclosure: 

Inclusion on this map is NOT pay-for-play. 

I have worked and do work with many of the companies listed. However, I have also never talked to many of the companies listed. 

The map is not up for sale or sponsorship for eventtech providers. 

This map does not endorse any of the listed companies, and it is not buyer advice.

If you want a PDF version with clickable links, leave a comment and I’ll share the link. 

If you’ve been listed, repost this post with a comment. 
The repost with the most likes gets a star on the next map.

I took my notes from all the research and client work I did over the past 3 months and added them here.

A quick reference for you.

More context for those who still read words:

 - Not having a data strategy will shut down many events. There is no way in a conversation with multiple stakeholders and teams that you will win with just opinions. 

 - The side events trend is exploding (more on this later this week). Booking entire neighborhoods is the new venue sourcing.

 - Bring podcasts live on stage. I posted about this in December.

 - Segmenting receptions leads to higher NPS

 - Sponsors are booking late. 86% of Gen Z registers 2 weeks out. See T-8 weeks.

 - Some sessions are better to be intimate and with no devices allowed.

 - Imperative to cater to multiple learning and connection styles. I covered all content formats in my newsletter.

 - Your CEO reading a script to open your event is a mood killer, learn from Benioff at Dreamforce, improv.

 - Planners are now building with AI, or building AI. Eventtech beware.

 - Side events are a higher pull than the main event for many attendees. Own them.

 - Send a post-event attendee report including connection, session recaps, and booths visited as Dreamforce does.

 - T-8 weeks is the most important time in your registration timeline.

 - Having an MC that makes sense of main stage moments and directs the experience is key.

 - Move sponsors to coordinate workshops and roundtables. Easier to scale.

 - Hands-on content across the board. Hire experts, not speakers.

 - Gen X, Millennials, and Z together at most business events. Your challenge is to cater to all of them.

 - Registration never closes. Pre-register people. Pre-sell. Do not give up revenue.

 - Connection official, research-backed, number one reason to attend. Change your event accordingly.

The reality is that I lost 75% of you after the first three lines.

For those who stayed.

If you want to go deeper, I invite you to join my newsletter, or Boldpush+, where we go even deeper.

You can find these next to my name at the top.

Congrats, you just landed the top 13 job on LinkedIn, you are in Field Marketing. Now what?

The news: Field marketing representative is the 13th ‘on the rise’ job on LinkedIn. An annual chart of the hottest jobs.

Whether you’re in the field repping or running the show, here’s what should be top of mind:

 - It’s not enough to share opinions like ‘face to face is the future’ to your boss. Build a plan and show data.

 - The ability to get your sales team to act on what you generate will define your success. Obsess over it.

 - Sync Salesforce or Hubspot to your event tech platform, figure out a way to make it happen. NOW.

 - A dinner is worth 3 booths. Hyve just launched a dinner product to help marketers connect with buyers. It’s that hot.

 - If you are giving something away for free, either show up and talk to every person, or you are wasting budget.

 - For your key show, try to show up at multiple touchpoints, across the funnel. If the budget does not allow it, use dinners in conjunction with partners.

 - This is going to be a ‘busy’ year. More than usual. Be ready, take care of yourself. Pre-schedule your holidays. Join Boldpush+ for content and community support.
 
There is more. Much more.

Congrats and keep us posted on how it goes.


P.S. 37K top event people get my newsletter every Wednesday. Join the party.

Find it at the top, next to my name.

I am sorry to say this, but I am done with immersive screen activations.

Let me be clear.

I think there is space to use 360-degree screens to help attendees forget about the sad convention center carpet. But I hate when it turns to a glorified sales presentation.

Here is when it gets messy:

Heavy corporate language
Massive amount of information
Lack of so what

It becomes a fancy PPT.

Here is why I don’t like it as an attendee:

I am here to talk to humans. 
If you use more tech, you have to be super clever.

Also

I feel content overload 9 out of 10.
I don’t want to digest the story behind AI. 
I don’t care.

And

We have seen the Sphere, it takes a lot to impress us just with a screen.

So here is the question.

What is the message?



P.S. On Wednesday, I am dropping my CES review. Unfiltered and unsponsored. 

On my newsletter, we are almost 40K. 

Find it next to my name on top.

Andrew Roby - Event Planner

Saving Your Event from being a Fyre Festival | Building Creative Events With Your Audience In Mind | Posts About The Process

I am an Event Producer and Strategist for organizations struggling to curate the best events for their audience.

🡲 I identify the disconnect between client KPIs, sponsor goals and attendee needs
🡲 I build the overall event that is never one sided
🡲 I help event professionals understand the event objectives for flawless execution
🡲 I create community between events hosts, attendees and the cities they are hosted in

This isn't a Event Planner skilled in logistical work.
This is me offering my gift to ensure your event is one-of-a-kind to your audience

What Do I Bring To The Table?

🡲 Saved a client $164,357.54 in overspending to apply that to other programs
🡲 Created strategic event plans for clients hosting multi-year events to aid decision makers
🡲 Advised CEOs on ways to build partnerships with cities to best scale their event
🡲 Develop ways to streamline the planning/production process using event tech
🡲 Helped charities raise more than $25,000,000 in donor support

Who Do I Work With?

🡲 Nonprofits seeking ways to increase donations beyond annual galas
🡲 Associations who desire creative ways to educate and hold annual meetings
🡲 Boards or Committees who seek long-term solutions
🡲 Brand events that need creativity, accountability and proven success

Why Should You Hire Me?

🡲 Because your team, while amazing at what they do, are not experienced Event Planners
🡲 Because you want more than event awareness, but increased sales and lasting results
🡲 Because your event needs a leader who builds community and diverse event vendors around it

My experience is in creating the events that build communities

What Others Had To Say?

"Andrew was personally attentive.  He not only answered any questions we had, Andrew made relevant and invaluable recommendations that we had not considered – he had a sense for what we needed even when we did not!"  
—The American College Conference for Financial Professionals

"There was a noticeable increase in the customer service level that our attendees received during this event. Having additional staff working with identifying speakers proved to be a tremendous help to the ITSMF team for this event. The team was very responsive to on-site changes and requests from them."
—ITSMF Planning Committee

Andrew & his team put together an incredible brand event for our second-annual Underdog Fantasy "Dawg Bowl". From the the initial reach out until event conclusion, there was clear and constant communication and all vendors he brought in were heavily vetted and surpassed expectations.
—Underdog Fantasy

Motivational Speaker

It's a privilege to be able to speak around the country on things that affects the event and wedding planning industry. 

Topics have consisted of:

Event Trends
Communication and Marketing of Events
Design
Risk Management
Team Building
Social Media


Speaking Engagements:
Premiere Planner's Experience - Sept 2020
The Cannoli Coach Podcast - April 2020
Association of Bridal Consultants State Conference - February 2020
The Planner's Suite - Jan 2020
WUSA 9 December 2019
Fox - November 2019
Good Day DC November 2019
Floral Business International  - May 2019
George Washington Black Alumni Association - April 2019
Fox - November 2018
Intrigue Teaches Marketing Masters - Aug 2018
The Knot Pro Workshop - Aug 2018
The Association of Wedding Professionals of Greater Washington, DC - Feb 2018

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Julius Solaris

Andrew Roby - Event Planner

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The Battle

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Andrew Roby - Event Planner

Followers

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Julius Solaris's LinkedIn Performance

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