Trendsetter Tuesday: Getting to Know Event Designer Alicia Jenelle
To celebrate our 2024 Meetings Trendsetters, Meetings Today is introducing "Trendsetter Tuesday," a podcast series of interviews with the 20 Trendsetters recognized in our July/August issue.
For our first episode, Meetings Today's Taylor Smith sat down for a conversation with Alicia Jenelle, director of experience design at The Jenelle Group, to learn more about her story in meetings and events as well as what it means to her to be a 2024 Meetings Trendsetter.
[Related: The 2024 Meetings Trendsetters Paving New Paths in the Events Industry]
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Transcript:
Editors note: The following transcription was facilitated by AI program Otter.ai and proofed by our editors. Although it is very accurate, there inevitably will be some mistakes, so please consider that when reading. Thank you.
Taylor Smith
Hello, and welcome to this Meetings Today Podcast. I'm Taylor Smith, destinations and features content developer for Meetings Today. And this is an exciting podcast for me to be recording today. But let me give you some background info first.
So, every year Meetings Today selects 20 Trendsetters, whose unique contributions to the meetings and events industry make them stand out, and we receive dozens of nominations from across the industry. The editorial team also compiled our own list of standout professionals that we've connected with over the course of the year. And the process of narrowing down over 100 names down to 20 is when we don't take lightly and is a very difficult process when there are so many amazing trendsetters in this industry.
But those 20 names were recently revealed in our July/August issue and online at MeetingsToday.com on August 1, and I am absolutely thrilled to see the wonderful Alicia Jenelle on the list, who also happens to be today's podcast guest. She is the director of experience design at The Jenelle Group. And while I have yet to meet her in person, which honestly feels like a crime—it'll happen one day soon—I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with her for a little over a year now.
We first connected last April to record a podcast for my column, “The Z,” that was all about pushing the diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging conversation one step forward, and how Gen Z may be able to help us do so. But since that initial conversation with Alicia, I have learned so much from her about how we can come together to make this industry a better place, what it looks like to be a passionate entrepreneur, the importance of strategic event production and so much more. Her dedication to excellence and our commitment to breaking barriers have inspired so many people in this industry and beyond. And that just makes her the perfect fit for our 2024 Meetings Today Trendsetters. And she's here with us today to tell us all about how she got there. So, thank you so much for joining me today, Alicia.
[Related: The Z: DEIB and Generation Z, a Conversation with Alicia Jenelle]
Alicia Jenelle
Thank you for having me, Taylor, what an introduction. I love that. Thank you so much.
Taylor Smith
You make it easy! But I want to start by giving you an opportunity to introduce yourself a little bit more to us and tell us about your story in the meetings and events industry and how you got to where you are today.
Alicia Jenelle
Absolutely! So, hi everyone. I'm Alicia Jenelle, as Taylor mentioned, I am the owner and lead experience designer at The Jenelle Group. I have been in the meetings and events industry for over a decade, time has flown so quickly. And you know, when I started in my career, I was an audiovisual technician producing small corporate events. And then I dabbled in the wedding world a bit and then gradually worked my way up to large scale conferences and galas. So my journey, it's been filled with learning growth and really incredible experiences and people so I'm truly blessed and grateful.
Taylor Smith
So, when did you decide to start The Jenelle Group? What inspired you to kind of take that leap and become an entrepreneur?
Alicia Jenelle
So, I started my company about 12 years ago. And then, two years ago, we rebranded to The Jenelle Group. And I was inspired by a desire to create a company that truly understands and prioritizes unique needs for each client.
When I first got into the industry, I was trying to find a job. And I just, I couldn't, it was really, really tough to find a position in our industry. I think a lot of clients to at the time really looked at our job like, "Oh, you're just a party planner," and it wasn't taken as seriously. And now, you know, you Google online that event production is one of the top most stressful jobs in the world. Right? And so now there's this really great appreciation for it. But so because there there was really no seat at the table for me, I decided to create my own table. And so that is what inspired me to create The Jenelle Group.
Taylor Smith
And that's one of the reasons why you're a 2024 Meetings Trendsetter because, you know, creating your own seat at the table, pulling up a chair for yourself, that's intimidating, not an easy process to do. Some people wonder whether or not they'll make room for you at that table. Right? You kind of have to force your way in, but you never know if it's going to be a success. And so finding that passion as well as that confidence, right? And just determination to succeed is something that every entrepreneur needs, and you need that little push to get there.]
So, where did you find the confidence to know that you've got to keep going with it and whether or not you—obviously you succeeded very well—but when you're in that position, and you're just getting started, how do you continue to motivate yourself and move forward?
Alicia Jenelle
Well, you know, I really, when I was first starting to look for a job in our industry, I didn't see anyone that really looked like me, or at least someone that was incredibly successful. You could probably count them on one hand, if that. And so that really inspired me to push forward and to, you know, find myself in rooms that I wasn't represented in. And, you know, while it may not necessarily be fair, I saw myself as an individual who, everywhere I go, I'm representing an entire community. And so it pushed me to really to be excellent, to push myself, to work hard and to surround myself with people who are better than I am at what I do. And that are people who are also really excellent, so that I can really represent my community in the best way I knew how.
Taylor Smith
Love that. Beautiful. And that's why I surround myself with people like you!
So, tell us a little bit more about The Jenelle Group and some accomplishments you're proud of, stats you're responsible for, maybe the events that you're really particularly proud to have made possible, things like that.
Alicia Jenelle
Yeah, oh, my gosh, just a lot. I mean, so the success of...Our team likes to call call The Jenelle Group TJG. It rolls off the tongue. So, TJG, I think the success of it can be attributed to our dedicated team. I mean, in our commitment to excellence, our our team has, at some point or another, been in the seat of the client. So we really understand what it is to be in their shoes. We know the layers of, you know, politics and complexities that clients have to deal with. And so, you know, having that experience, we have a very different approach to how we support clients.
And you know, that as a result, some of the accomplishments have been being able to work a really high-profile event with high-profile clients like The Wall Street Journal, The Globe and Mail, Häagen-Dazs, Ziploc...It's really given us an edge to be able to collaborate with some of the most amazing brands that are doing great work.
Stats, I would say, I mean, we've planned and executed over 100 events, which is crazy to say now, right? I don't know if I would have thought of that when I first got into the industry. But we have done so much work. And I'm proud to say that we have maintained an event satisfaction rate of over 95% which, you know, we're in the world of people pleasing. It's not easy.
Taylor Smith
No, especially, I mean, most people, when they leave a Yelp review, right, they go on there, because they're angry about something. It's hard to get people to say positive things when they have a good time. They just, you know, they move on. So to get 95% positive feedback, you know, that's a huge accomplishment.
Alicia Jenelle
Yes, absolutely. You're right, that's most of the time, they want to invest their time into a survey when they are not happy. So we feel so proud and, you know, have been able to meet and exceed our clients goals over the years. And so that, I think that for us, is really exciting.
And I think, you know, events that make us particularly happy, there's so many, but lately, we've been spending a lot more time in the nonprofit sector. And that brings us to this really cool organization called Stupid Cancer. This year, for the first time, we are producing their event called CancerCon. They've had it for years. And, you know, what they do is they bring together cancer patients and healthcare professionals for a weekend of learning and support and to be able to participate in an event that is truly impactful and really helps a community that is underserved and, you know, doesn't really get as much recognition or just, you know, bringing people together. It just really it's so rewarding for our team.
Taylor Smith
Those are the events that make you feel good on the inside.
Alicia Jenelle
Absolutely.
Taylor Smith
So, I kind of want to switch gears and get into the Trendsetters discussion, right, because you are one of many this year. And again, I am just beyond excited to see you on that list. I knew right away that you were one person that I wanted to, you know, introduce to the rest of the editorial team and share your accomplishments with them. And you stood out very brightly on that list. But trendsetter it's a common term that we see in our industry used often, including by us at Meetings Today, of course, but in your own words, how would you define a meetings industry trendsetter? What makes a trendsetter?
Alicia Jenelle
I would say it's somebody who is not afraid to innovate and challenge the status quo, right? It's about the forward thinking, the embracing new technologies, as uncomfortable as it is like AI, you know, and constantly looking for ways to enhance the attendee experience.
Taylor Smith
And you mentioned some, I think, in your little definition, but those must-have trendsetting qualities. One, I think, is being willing to try new things like AI. But what what are some that you feel help identify a trendsetter and maybe some that you embody yourself? Don't be afraid! Just a usual, humble brag. We want this, right? We want you to brag about yourself. That's why we're here!
Alicia Jenelle
You know what? Confidence. I'm gonna throw that in there. I would say creativity, adaptability, we've all been thrust into that, especially as a result of the pandemic, but even pre-pandemic. It's so crucial to adapt our industry. The hospitality industry is so driven by the economy, psychology of people and their state of mind. So someone who can really stay ahead of that and adapt and be connected to the market is so crucial to be able to be a trendsetter. I would also say having a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of client and attendee means...That is always changing, like I said, about the psychology and the state of mind that people are in, so those qualities are so crucial.
Taylor Smith
One quality too, about you, that I think makes you a trendsetter, is you remain so humble. And through the connections you've made, you're always looking to help other people, like the amount of connections you've helped me make, the emails just between, you know, those brief email introductions have led to so many stories that I've written and other connections that I've made. And you're just always willing to help and lift others up. And I think that's another quality of a trendsetter. They don't just do it for themselves, right? They're not doing it to put themselves on a pedestal, they're doing it to raise everyone else around them as well. And you definitely embody that.
Alicia Jenelle
Oh, you're gonna make me cry and blush today. I appreciate you saying that. And, you know, for me, I want to fill your cup as much as you fill mine, if not overpour it. Right? I think we're all humans, we all work our butts off. And, you know, I really value the sense of community that I especially get in our industry. So being able to to contribute where I can is is very important too.
Taylor Smith
What was your initial reaction to finding out you were a 2024 Meetings Trendsetter? Was it a shock to you? Tell us about that moment.
Alicia Jenelle
You know what? I'm a self-sabotager...
Taylor Smith
I can relate!
Alicia Jenelle
It's hard! I mean, I try to, like you can't see it here, but I have a board that I try to look at every morning where I just put some positive affirmations because I, you know, especially as women, we're always looking at ourselves and seeing how we can constantly improve. But honestly, I was thrilled, like I'm deeply honored to be named as part of the 2024 Meetings Trendsetters. It's a wonderful recognition of all the hard work and the dedication of myself and my entire team. And I'm so grateful for this opportunity. I mean, I love the work that Meetings Today has been doing, so to even have this conversation with such a wonderful organization that is doing a lot in our industry. I'm so happy to be a part of that.
Taylor Smith
Thank you. We're happy to be a part of it with you as well. And speaking of the board on your wall, I mean, now you could add more to it. Once you get your physical copy of the magazine in the mail just cut you out a little trendsetters layout, I mean, you're also our cover star for the issues. So talking about having a you know, something to add to your board of accomplishments to look up to and keep you motivated.
Alicia Jenelle
Oh, my gosh! I don't even know what to say. I don't know what to think. It's just...It's amazing. Thank you.
Taylor Smith
How do you hope to continue motivating and inspiring the industry through your work? What is down the line for the future of TJG and Alicia Jenelle?
Alicia Jenelle
One thing that I want to do better is sharing our successes and our lessons more frequently. I am a...I don't even know what the term is, LinkedIn-er? I like LinkedIn and like to post on LinkedIn. II don't know I just made that word up. But I would love to invest more time in sharing resources and information for our community, you know, to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration. So I believe I can continue to elevate the standards of event planning by sharing a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that we're doing, right?
Oftentimes, you go on Instagram, and you just see the end results, right? You don't get to see all the work that we do. And it's hard to visualize that. A lot of it's computer-based work, it doesn't look as sexy. But I would like to contribute by sharing our successes and our lessons more, for sure.
Taylor Smith
And LinkedIn is the perfect place for that, too. That's one thing that, personally, I just want to get better and more active on LinkedIn, because I think that that's where you could build connections before you even meet people in person, you could reach the right people who you maybe didn't even know existed out there in the industry, but they're the perfect fit for whatever you're working on.
But time gets away from you. It's true. When you are busy, especially planning events in this industry, it's like you don't even realize how much time has passed. For me, for example, getting our podcast ready to go and sending you questions. I was like, "Oh my gosh, I need to get these over ASAP." Like, time just gets away from you so easily. But often, you know, updating LinkedIn is the first thing that falls to the bottom of my to-do list. So I'm with you, I can help we can hold each other accountable for posting those. I'll start tagging you in all of my posts!
What fires you to stay motivated when you're maybe, you know, going through a little rough patch maybe or...I get, you know, writer's block is a real thing for me. And there are weeks where I'm just like, "I'm such a bad writer," but it's not you know, me. It's just that we all come across those moments where work just gets tough. So how do you keep moving forward? And, you know, be a trendsetter for yourself that you could look up to?
Alicia Jenelle
Yeah, I mean, that's such a great question. It's so many different things that I try to do to stay motivated. And sometimes you don't realize you need it when you're not as motivated. But I really do try to seek the joy and satisfaction from our clients and attendees through the work that we're doing. Like knowing that our work has a positive impact on people's lives keeps me inspired. Working with nonprofits or, you know, really collaborating with with a brand and being a part of their journey, that keeps me motivated.
And then of course, I mean, my family, friends. I really try to tap out of work when I can and live in the moment when I'm with my tribe and my people in travel and just do different things to like, get your brain to think differently. I've been reading this book, and it's terrible because I don't even remember the book's title. But I'm gonna tell it to you right now, because it's so good. And I'm pulling it up on my phone here. Okay, it's called Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza. And in short, he really just talks about putting yourself in different spaces to be able to force yourself to think differently. Our physical body is so used to doing the same things over and over again, you know, like back in the day when we used to call people we would be able to, like, someone may ask me, "What's Taylor's phone number?", and I don't know it, but I pull my phone out and I start typing that the number and my body knows how to do it.
Taylor Smith
Or how many times you need to press a button to get to the letter you need when you're texting someone.
Alicia Jenelle
Yes! It's muscle memory, right? And so it's like the idea is to really put yourself in different spaces. So you're always pushing yourself to think differently, to stay motivated, to find joy in, you know, the things that you really value. So it's a few different things. But I think that's what I'm trying to do to stay motivated.
Taylor Smith
I love that. I'm gonna have to find that book and order a copy. Sounds like something I could benefit from reading, too.
Alicia Jenelle
It's, you know what, the first couple chapters really you need to like sit and focus because it talks about the science of it. But once you kind of get past that it starts becoming practical, and I know you'll appreciate it for sure.
Taylor Smith
He starts calling you out and you're like, "Oh dang, maybe I do fit in that description."
So, what is one piece of advice you'd give to others in the industry who are looking to become trendsetters like you? What is one thing that you recommend they work toward or or keep in mind?
Alicia Jenelle
I would just say honestly, like, stay curious, never stop learning, embrace change, be willing to take risks, build strong relationships with great people like yourself and clients, people in the industry. They don't need to be doing the same job that you're in. Like, I have some really great friends that are in graphic design and their perspective of, you know, life or something we're doing work-related is so different. And so you could learn so much and support each other. And just think, remember innovation often comes from collaboration and sharing ideas and not being, you know, siloed. And it really is important to stay connected with people. So all of that.
Taylor Smith
That and then some, right?
Well, Alicia, those were all my questions for you. How can our audience stay connected with you? Where can they find you?
Alicia Jenelle
Ah, so where can you find me? We got our website. That is thejenellegroup.com. We are also on Instagram and Facebook, same naming convention. And then TikTok, you're gonna catch me there, too, and LinkedIn. I'm not as consistent on TikTok, but it's fun to put some videos together. And you just look up Alicia Jenelle and you'll find me on both of those.
Taylor Smith
Perfect! I'm just gonna keep reminding you, "Alicia, post on LinkedIn! We've got this!"
Alicia Jenelle
Yes! Updating our network. We're halfway through the year so we've got more time left.
Taylor Smith
I set a goal for myself. I was like, "I'll reach 1,000 connections and followers by IMEX!" That was my goal, and I've got 1,000 followers...Connections, we're almost there. Halfway there. We've got time, like you said.
But is there anything else that you want to add or talk about before I sign us off this this afternoon?
Alicia Jenelle
I mean, you've just done such a lovely job of covering everything. I truly am just so grateful for this opportunity. You know, I am a huge, huge fan and cheerleader of you and all the great work that you're doing. So keep doing what you're doing. And thank you for bringing me along the journey. This has been such an incredible conversation.
Taylor Smith
Of course. Always, Alicia! You're a trendsetter, but you're a friend as well. And that's that's what makes us so special. Right?
Alicia Jenelle
Absolutely.
Taylor Smith
Well, that was Alicia Jenelle, director of experience design at The Jenelle Group and one of our 2024 Meetings Trendsetters. Once again, I'm Taylor Smith, destinations and features content developer for Meetings Today. And I want to thank you all for joining us for this special Meetings Today podcast introducing you to one of our trendsetters this year.
If you are interested in listening to more Meetings Today podcasts, some of which will feature other trendsetters, visit us at www.MeetingsToday.com, and thank you again for listening.
