How to Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet (Planner's Version)
Season 6, Episode 1
Guest: Ksenija Polla, Director, International Development, Talley Management Group
Ksenija Polla, Director, International Development, Talley Management Group, shares her top tips on how to make 2025 your most successful, balanced and bold year yet.
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Meet Our Guest
Ksenija Polla, CMP, CICE, director, international development at Talley Management Group, has been working in the field of international association meetings for almost 30 years with experience ranging from membership recruitment and retention to product development, event management, sales, marketing and relationship development.
Ksenija has most recently spearheaded the launch of multiple certification programs at ICCA (The International Congress and Convention Association), from ICCASkills to the Association Impact Masterclass, Regenerative Event Management Masterclass and the AI-Empowered Event Professionals Masterclass.
Ksenija started her career in Croatia in the Congress department, one of the leading travel agencies at the time, moved to the Zagreb Convention Bureau, where she worked on bidding and site inspections, and joined ICCA in 1997, where she started in Membership Department and has been building the association community from September 2013 until December 2020.
In January of 2021, Ksenija took on the role of regional director for ICCA North America. During her time with ICCA, Ksenija played an important role in the education offering of ICCA across all of the events and in developing white papers, which culminated in her leading the new product development of ICCA’s certification program in 2021 and 2022.
In January 2023, Ksenija transitioned to the head of Education and Legacy programs of ICCA, looking after all education content of ICCA as well as ICCA’s Legacy Initiatives, including the Incredible Impacts Awards Program.
As of June 2024, she took on the role of director, international development at Talley Management Group. She has also been part of the ICCA 2020 and 2021 Global Hybrid Congress as well as the 2022, 2023 and 2024 in-person Congress Programme Committee. This role included a variety of activities surrounding the content development of these events, whether in the main location, online or in the hubs.
In her free time, you can find Ksenija on the golf course following her twins’ golf careers or with her nose in a book.
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More About Our Host
Courtney believes that transforming past experiences into impactful conversations through raw, authentic storytelling challenges the status quo, connects people from all walks of life and results in great change for the world.
Courtney is the youngest member to have ever been elected to Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) International Board of Directors.
She is the recipient of Smart Meetings’ Entrepreneur Award, MeetingsNet’s Changemaker Award, the Association for Women in Events (AWE) Disruptor Award, the MPI Chairman’s Award and MPI RISE Award.
Named Collaborate and Connect Magazine’s 40 under 40 and a Meetings Today Trendsetter.
Recognized as one of the event industry’s most impactful change-makers, Courtney serves on the Events Industry Sexual Harassment Task Force, AWE’s Board of Directors, MPI’s Women’s Advisory Board, is a Meetings Mean Business Ambassador and is the co-founder of the award-winning movement, #MeetingsToo.
Courtney was named as a 2020 Meetings Trendsetter by Meetings Today.
Connect with Courtney:
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LinkedIn
Instagram: @courtneyonstage
Twitter: @courtneyonstage
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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.
Courtney Stanley
Hello, everybody. This is Courtney Stanley, and welcome to another exciting episode of Dare to Interrupt, the only podcast made by women for women in the world of events, hospitality, tourism and beyond. We hope you feel empowered as you listen in on honest, unfiltered conversations with leaders who are considered to be the most influential, inspiring and innovative women in business today.
Throughout their careers, these leaders have dared to interrupt conversations, their own comfort zones and sometimes even societal norms, to hustle toward their greatest levels of success.
Welcome to season six, everybody. I have an extra special guest with me here today to kick off a new season and a new year. With me today is Ksenija Polla, Director of International Development at tally Management Group. Welcome my friend. How are you?
Ksenija Polla
Thank you so much for having me. Courtney, I'm doing very well. How about you?
Courtney Stanley
I'm doing great and happy new year. Technically, this is our first episode of 2025. Are you setting any new intentions for this new year?
Ksenija Polla
Of course, with January, we always have the best intentions. I think I started with my good intentions six months ago. They are not my New Year's resolutions, but just a continuum of resolutions I took back in June of 2024, which is to reevaluate my work and life balance and prioritize health and family and then work.
Courtney Stanley
I love that, and I think that's such a great message for anybody and everybody, but especially our industry. As we know, it's a very, very busy, busy space to work and breathe in. And I know that this is also a very new year, new you chapter for you right now, because you recently left a job after 27 years of being there. What was the inspiration behind that change?
Ksenija Polla
So you know, when you're in a position of new work--day in, day out--there is a new project coming along, and you say, oh, and let me just finish this one, and you're sort of stuck in that hamster wheel and you're not getting out of it. And then just thinking, oh, there's so much going on, I really can't leave now or move now. And then one day, I get this strange phone call and saying, Hey, do you know anybody with these and these qualifications? And I'm like thinking and looking, and I send a couple of names through by text, and then I just put as a side note, as a PS, what about me? And and I suddenly get another call. Oh, are you on the market? I said I wasn't. But for the good opportunity, for for the best opportunity, I may actually change my my position on where I am in life, and, and, yeah, the rest is history, as they say.
Courtney Stanley
Mm, hmm, I'm sure. I mean, I can understand the concept of being on that hamster wheel, you know, and time moving by so quickly, and having these different goals and different intentions and wanting different things for your life, but then life going by so so fast.
So, I love that when an opportunity arose, you just seized it and said, "Let's explore something new and something different. Why not now?" I think that that's incredible.
Ksenija Polla
Yeah, and unless you're open to it. And it took a lot of , I would say, courage at that moment to really say, "Okay, I'm gonna try something new and go outside of my comfort zone, where I know everything, where I usually always the mentor. But then I'm thinking, I also want to grow, and it's not too late yet. I'm not that old that I'm thinking, "Oh, it's my last five years in the workforce. I still think there's lots I can give, but also lots I can learn."
Courtney Stanley
How has that experience been for you? Serving in kind of that mentor position, you know, all the ins and outs of the role you've had for 27 years, and then stepping into something new. How has that experience been for you with that learning curve and just feeling new?
Ksenija Polla
So obviously, it wasn't an entry level job, so there is that level of maturity in the position as well. So I did bring a lot of my expertise with me. And the big advantage of the job was also that it was a new position, so I could really build it together with the senior leadership team. So that was one of the biggest drawing factors, really for me, that I could create something from scratch and make it work, understanding the culture of the organization and seeing where can I best contribute with my expertise, who can I connect with? Who can I mentor and who can I learn from?
Courtney Stanley
Well, good for you. I'm very excited to see how this unfolds and how you change the organization, but also the industry in this new role, because you really have had such a profound impact on the industry over the years in the role that you've played in just really pushing the boundaries of education, of knowledge sharing, of experience design. So I'm really excited to see what you bring to the table in this next role.
Ksenija Polla
Yeah, and I'm super excited because now I am back with the association community, primarily, which I think is my, one of my biggest passions. Obviously, education is ingrained in everything I did, but also what associations are bringing to human society. So I think they are really the staple, the backbone of human society, and that's what makes me really very passionate and happy in my new role.
Courtney Stanley
Let's talk about that. Let's talk about the idea that associations are the backbone of the industry, or not, maybe the industry, but just kind of making great change and bringing people together. What does that mean to you when you say that, that they're the backbone.
Ksenija Polla
So when you look at and some, some even statistics and data, which showcase that the the biggest source of adult learning after college, are associations. You have an association for every single sphere within human society, from trade associations, from industry associations, research associations, health foundations and societies, they are all in our in our daily lives. They are improving our daily lives. You need your doctors, but you also need your engineers and you need your carpenters. So the associations are the ones who are ensuring that all of those experts are learning and improving human life and standardizing and accrediting that people are adhering to it, and they are the ones who are innovating, if you come to think of who is really leading the charge, okay, big corporations are taking things forward. But where does the innovation really stem from? It comes from those associations which come to their meetings where they talk with each other and exchange that knowledge. So I think that's what really brings that statement of associations at the backbone of human society to life...
Courtney Stanley
So much of those human connections really happen when people have the opportunity to have a conversation and really learn about the other person and see, you know, beneath the emails, see beneath the the small talk, the networking events, but to really have the time to just connect as human beings. And I think that's such a beautiful thing, and with you specifically, I know a very little bit about your story. And so what I'm excited and just looking forward to getting into today is just learning more about your history and your past and and really what made you the person that you are today.
So I'd love to just start by asking you, what took you to Croatia? I knew that you lived in Croatia for a certain amount of time, but what was it that that took you there? What's your background? What's your story?
Ksenija Polla
So I actually was born in Croatia, but my my family left Croatia in the 70s. It was a time when a lot of the intellectuals left the country at that particular time, and although my dad was a teacher, he chose to be just a factory worker in in Austria rather than stay in an environment where he didn't want to stay and live.
So I actually grew up in Austria, speaking German as my first language, and then as time progressed and my sister moved back to Croatia, I really wanted to be with my sister, who was older, and we all moved back, and it was a great time in Croatia at that time. And I brushed up on my Croatian again, and made some really great friends in high school, and went to university there, studying German and philosophy, so nothing connected to either the meetings world or the association world.
But Yes, with my position in at University, studying German as the war broke out in Croatia, I needed to get a job, and my professor at the University asked if I was interested in teaching German. So I went for a job interview and got a job interview to teach German to adults, and it was a super fun way of teaching class. Every class was six days. It was Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and you were eight hours together with a group of people. And it was a special method, alpha visual, super memory. And it was really cool because people could, literally, after six days, speak the language. Amazing to see so and one of my first students was the Minister of Tourism of Croatia.
Courtney Stanley
Wow. What a full circle moment.
Ksenija Polla
Yes, so. And then he said, Is this where I want to stay? And I said, Oh, well, if you have a job offer, I'm more than happy to and that's how I started working in a meetings department of a travel agency. And from there I went to a convention bureau. And then from there, I moved to the Netherlands to work for an International Association for meetings.
Courtney Stanley
And where do you live now?
Ksenija Polla
I live in California, which is just so beautiful.
Courtney Stanley
You've been in many beautiful places, though
Ksenija Polla
I have, I have. A lot of them have sun in common?
Courtney Stanley
Yes, that is a very good common thread to have woven between the places that you've lived. I think it's really interesting. One of the things that caught my attention was you saying that you studied philosophy. How do you feel like philosophy has influenced the way that you think in the job that you do today.
Ksenija Polla
I think it just prepared me to ask questions and be open to discussion and listen, becauseI love the Greek philosophers, their whole idea of their teaching was to listen. If you look at Socrates, he was literally with his students at the Academy. He was birthing their ideas which were coming forth. And you could almost call him a midwife. But you could almost call those classes as the first meetings where the knowledge exchange, the idea exchange, has happened. So I think in a way, I was meant to work in the meetings industry, to birth all those ideas and evolve from there.
Courtney Stanley
How powerful? How powerful was that? And I love hearing the concept to to teach is to listen, or to, you know, really engage with somebody, is to listen. To learn is to listen. Do you feel like our world, and more specifically, our industry, is is doing that right now? Do you think that we are good listeners, or do you think that there's work to do?
Ksenija Polla
I do think everybody has a lot of ideas and there's a lot of noise. I wish people would listen more instead of just trying to be louder than the noise, because sometimes you will hear much better if you try not to overrule everybody else with what's the latest tech? What's the latest best thing have somebody else share? Because we, we are human beings. We really are much stronger together and talking to you, I could be inspired to do so many other things.
So I think it's very important to be more empathetic and listen. And I think our industry is not doing a very good job at it, and sometimes you can even use technology to listen. You can because a lot of people are willing to share but they are not comfortable sharing it loud, but it's important to hear everybody's idea.
Courtney Stanley
Let's dig into that a little bit, because there could be some great takeaways for other organizers, other planners that are tuning in, what are some of the the tech tools that they can be using to make sure that the environment is inclusive in terms of sharing and listening?
Ksenija Polla
So what we've done at ECA Congress in Abu Dhabi in October, we used an integration, AI integration, into the event app, where people could really tailor their experience so they could put together their profile and and the the system would actually showcase to them, what are some of the business opportunities within the event? What are some of the networking opportunities? What are some challenges and threats, but if they also were encouraged to share their thoughts, which was showcased on big screens throughout.
And people were inspired by seeing what are other people saying. And they could also be great conversation starters, because you could see what was said, and you could when you meet somebody new. It was a really great moment to actually say, hey, what do you think about that? Oh, this was actually something I wanted to share, but I wasn't daring to to speak up, and this was something I wrote in the app as a thought.
So those are some of those elements we need to get everybody involved, everybody included in an event, and very often in any kind of event, the organizer is not thinking of how affected is every single person. So how can we get everybody involved and included?
Courtney Stanley
Where did the innovation come from in your organization? So you're talking about implementing these different tech tools and these different ideas. Where do those really great ideas begin in an organization?
Ksenija Polla
So what this particular one was for us, almost by coincidence, and then we just took it further. You need to have somebody who is passionate about that, who understands, who can see the potential, but on a big picture level. But then you also need the buy in from your stakeholders. And obviously you need to buy in from from everybody in the audience. And I can say the audience in Abu Dhabi was very receptive, but that was just thanks to us also setting some expectations.
First of all, we told everybody, this is a big experiment. You have to be bold and brave, and we if, if we are not being successful, please let us know what is not working for you. So you have to be also vulnerable and let other people criticize you, because that's not always the most comfortable thing to do, to be criticized. But it was great because everybody was on that bandwagon of, oh, we are part of a big experiment. And it was very successful.
Courtney Stanley
I like the framing of looking at it as an experiment, because I think it gets everybody into the mindset. This could go any which way. So I know that, you know, a lot of a lot of organizers and planners have a difficult time convincing stakeholders of taking those risks, especially when they're financial and they're going to impact the bottom line.
Do you have any advice for other planners who are looking into this new year saying, Okay, I need more budget for this. I really want to innovate here, but I don't know that the buy in will be there. Is there anything you can share with them that would help them to prepare for that conversation?
Ksenija Polla
So first of all, I would try and look at low hanging fruits. What are some easy ways for people to interact and get them more connected. It can be something very low tech, which doesn't cost an arm and a leg. One year, we did a most fun thing, where we had mentors to first timers, all with their like, almost like a Facebook page. This is, these are my hobbies, and we put them all up on cork boards.
And people could just put their business card attached to the hobby, and they could connect during the event, during breaks, and see, oh, I know that person. Let me see it because they are also a wine lover, or they also love cooking. So look at the low hanging fruits when it comes to event design. And sometimes you just need to get outside of your outside of the rut where you're just doing the same old, same old.
And then look at which element it doesn't necessarily need to be that you want to rebrand your entire event, but look, is there one portion where which you can make different? Let's try and test that, and if you can have a business case for your stakeholders to approve a minimal investment into just one element. They may next year say, actually come to you and say, This worked really well. Can we expand this to something larger, or can we now look at something else?
Courtney Stanley
I think that's such good advice to have an overall direction of this pain point we're trying to solve. But here's an affordable way to test those waters before we actually take a deep dive into something that's more expensive. I am curious, as we're looking into this new year, what do you think are some of the biggest challenges and opportunities that our industry is facing?
Ksenija Polla
So challenges are costs and budgets. I think very much the whole question of AI, I think, is on everybody's mind and and I think also the whole landscape in terms of safety, security across the globe, those are some of the critical elements for, I think what people really need to look at is taking those challenges, identifying which are primary for them, and then turning them into opportunities.
And by that I mean something very practical, costs, FMB costs and audio visual costs are the highest costs ever. And in 2025 it's predicted to go even higher up, and our budgets are not going equally as fast up. So looking at, for instance, if there is an event prior to your own or after your own. Talk to your hotel, talk to your vendors, talk to your venue and see what which events are around you they have? What kind of menus do they have?
Because what you can do, you can adjust your menu to the same one, which makes it much easier for the venue or the hotel to procure more of the same less transport costs. And those are the things were which are cost effective for everybody, for the vendor, as well as as well as, for you, as well as for the other client. So try and look at those easy wins again, trying to looking at how can we utilize a stage setup, because all of those cost money with building up and and. Breaking down.
So all of that, I think, trying to identify and being much more careful with your pennies. I think that's probably one of the biggest opportunities for us in future, looking at those
Courtney Stanley
practical tips. Where do you get this advice from? So obviously, you have your experience. That's one thing that's a big part of this. But are there certain places or people that you connect with or to to get these different pieces of advice, these different hacks, these different opportunities to do things better? Where do you go for more information and more ideas?
Ksenija Polla
So a lot of the things I've learned I've learned from conversations or from sessions I've organized with venues or with meeting planners who have been in those situations, I think you really need to start building those relationships where you can go.
And if there is, I know you are always very helpful. If people reach out to you, and you have a strong network of of women, I think there's so many networks out there who are willing to share the event, profs are also very happy to share some of those tips. They are on LinkedIn.
So there, there's a lot of networks which are happy to to share them. And within our team at tally, we have a meetings team channel, and there, if you have a question, you just drop that in, and people really like to answer those questions and share their tips they have themselves. I do
Courtney Stanley
think that we learn so much faster, and we're so much better at what we do, and oftentimes a better version of ourselves when we're collaborating with other people. So I very much agree with that. If there's somebody who's tuning in, who feels a bit isolated in their role in their department, maybe they're newer to the industry. What is one place that you would point them to to get connected and to get that, those conversations going, that mentorship going, those relationships build.
Ksenija Polla
There's so many places I go. I'm always regular in LinkedIn, checking out stuff, reading myself and commenting in the Collaborate platform. I'm also looking out if people are asking questions, or if I have any question, I add it there as well. There is often also an opportunity to do Brain Dates. Oh yes, okay.
Courtney Stanley
Explain that.
Ksenija Polla
Just super fun. So I just did one two weeks back. It's a Canadian-based organization, and they do it either at events in person, or you can do those virtually as well, and you can sign up to participate in those. The Brain Dates are just really, literally, an extension of a meeting, where you can either have one-on-one conversations on a certain topic, or you can have a conversation in smaller groups, and people sign up with their specific expertise they are willing to share, and you can just see, oh, somebody has expertise, which I need. So those are really nice ways of connecting with people who you don't know, but you will have all a certain question or topic in
Courtney Stanley
common, I have participated in brain dates as well, and just for the audience, just so you all know, it is in person, but it's also virtual. So check out Brain Dates. It's an awesome company. We actually interviewed the CEO and founder, Christine on this podcast a couple years ago. Love her. She's so fascinating and pretty ingenious as well.
So it's, it's definitely worth checking out to have those more individualized conversations. So I love that you pointed us in that direction, because I wouldn't have thought to say that.
Ksenija Polla
Yeah, no, it's, it's just because I participated two weeks ago on it, and we were, I was doing two Brain Dates. One about, you know, unleashing creativity for our events, which is coming up. We for 2025 really, as one of the big, important topics and and the other one was setting boundaries for our work and life balance.
Courtney Stanley
Yes, how important is that for you personally?
Ksenija Polla
Oh, it's one of the biggest drivers which made me actually change my job after so many years, I really wanted to go back and be there for my family, but also be there for myself, trying to getting back to myself on doing things which I really like, and doing the work I really like. So now, although I'm working probably equal the amount of hours, I'm just so happy doing the work that it doesn't feel like it's work.
Courtney Stanley
That's a beautiful thing, and I think that's something that everybody deserves to have in their life, that balance between, yes, you have a job, but also you have a life and you have you do deserve to feel joyful in the work that you do. It doesn't necessarily have to feel like work. So I love that.
I do want to ask you one final question before we close our conversation today, and just knowing that people are really stepping into this new year, new you energy. Is there any piece of advice or just something for people to think about that you would like to leave the audience with today as we enter into this next chapter?
Ksenija Polla
So it will not come as any surprise, because it's among the theme of everything I've shared is, I would say, just be brave and bold to try new things, even if it's on a small scale, and and just dare to ask for help. Because there's so many of us who have been in in your position, nobody can tell me they knew everything at the age of 20.
So, every single person around you has been in a similar position has had the same question, just there to ask people, but also be smart on who you're asking for help. Wait. Can
Courtney Stanley
We'll dig into that a little bit before we close? Tell us more about that.
Ksenija Polla
I feel that sometimes not everybody is willing to be very open in sharing and helping. So there is those who are really passionate about helping and open. And you recognize those people very easily. You don't want to put yourself in a position, but you're asking for help, and then somebody just shuts you down or uses it against you. Instead of you going forward in your work, you're going backwards.
Courtney Stanley
And I'll add on to that, as well, as much as you are asking people for help, be somebody that helps somebody else, too, because that just keeps us moving forward in such a beautiful direction, it does absolutely well. Thank you so much for being part of the show, and thank you for being our first episode of this new season. This was awesome.
Ksenija Polla
Thank you so much for having me.
Courtney Stanley
And thank you, audience, for tuning in, whether this is your first episode ever, or whether you've been a ride or die listener since we first kicked things off in 2020, share what you learned from this episode with us on social media by following at meetings today and at Courtney on stage, and be sure to never miss an episode by subscribing to dare to interrupt on any major podcast platform.
Make this your year. Ask for help and keep daring to interrupt my friends. Until next time.
