The Revenue Room™, by H2K Labs – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode of The Revenue Room™, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Christine Shaw, CEO and President of Naylor Association Solutions, to explore how modern associations are transforming their business models in a data-driven, AI-accelerated world. Christine shares how her leadership was shaped in high-velocity environments at PennWell and Future PLC, why clean data is the ultimate stabilizer in disruption, and how she built the business analyst role that now powers insights and decision-making across every organization she leads.

Christine breaks down the complexity of Naylor’s multi-line business—from member communications and job boards to AMS technology platforms—and explains how associations can stay relevant as generational shifts reshape how people consume information, learn, and build community. She also offers a candid look at how AI is transforming internal workflows, client-facing products, and the future of year-round member engagement.

Why listen

This episode is essential for leaders who are:
 • Navigating the shift from legacy business models to intelligence-driven operations
 • Building scalable, privacy-aware data foundations
 • Managing complex multi-line revenue organizations
 • Reimagining sales, marketing, and community engagement in an AI-first world
 • Leading multi-generational teams through disruption
 • Seeking a practical roadmap for modernizing associations, media companies, or membership-driven businesses

If you’re a CEO, CMO, CRO, association leader, or revenue-critical executive building for 2025 and beyond, Christine’s insights offer clarity, direction, and a blueprint for sustainable growth.

CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE SHAW

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineashaw/

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

In this episode of The Revenue Room™, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Sean Griffey, co-founder and former CEO of Industry Dive, one of the biggest B2B media success stories of the past decade.

Sean shares the real playbook behind scaling Industry Dive from five scrappy newsletters into a multi-vertical powerhouse that reached millions of executives, generated $100M+ in revenue, and ultimately sold to Informa for over $500M.

Heather and Sean unpack what made the model work—from niche-audience obsession, to portfolio-wide sales strategy, to operational discipline most media companies still struggle to adopt. Sean also reflects on intent data, first-party strategies, sales org structure, account penetration, AI’s impact on search and audience behavior, and the evolving relationship between digital media and events.

This is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how one of the most respected operators in B2B media built a modern, high-margin, high-value company by focusing on what really matters: audience, product, and customer outcomes.

Why Listen

Listen to this episode if you’re a leader who is:

• Rethinking your B2B media or marketing model
• Trying to build repeatable, scalable revenue across multiple verticals
• Navigating audience quality, first-party data, or intent strategy
• Re-architecting your sales org for enterprise accounts
• Preparing for AI’s impact on audience acquisition and customer value
• Searching for sustainable, high-margin business model lessons

If you’re a CEO, founder, CMO, CRO, or revenue-critical operator, this conversation will reshape how you think about modern B2B growth.

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

In this episode of The Revenue Room, host Heather Holst-Knudsen speaks with Michelle Troop, Chief Revenue Officer of Ai4, the world’s largest artificial intelligence event. Michelle shares how she helped scale Ai4 from boutique gatherings into an 8,000+ attendee juggernaut—and how her entrepreneurial mindset has led to multiple successful event acquisitions.

She breaks down the playbook behind Ai4’s revenue transformation, including:

• How to enable your sales team to go beyond square footage
• Why modern sponsors expect customization and real-time ROI
• How to use AI tools like ChatGPT to boost outbound performance
• Rethinking hosted buyer models and 1:1 meetings
• What signals you're ready to scale or sell

Whether you lead events, sales, or strategy, Michelle’s insights will inspire you to rethink how you monetize audience, data, and content in today’s fast-moving B2B environment.

About Michelle Troop

Michelle Troop is currently the Chief Revenue Officer of Ai4, the largest and most significant international artificial intelligence event, which was recently acquired by CloserStill Media—a global events organization with over 200 award-winning brands spanning Business Technology, Learning, HR & Education, Healthcare, and Future Transport & Infrastructure.

With over 35 years of trade show experience across consumer events, trade shows, and conferences, Michelle has consistently transformed and scaled events into industry-leading platforms. Her career highlights include rebuilding key trade shows into Trade Show Top 35 events, traveling the globe for the launch of the original PlayStation, and—over the past 13 years—co-founding and building several premier events such as InsureTech Connect (ITC), Mobile Apps Unlocked (MAU), and LeadsCon. All of these grew from launch to critical mass and were ultimately acquired by Clarion and Access Intelligence.

Most recently, she helped reshape the strategy and scale of Ai4, growing it from a series of 300-person events in New York into the leading global AI event, drawing over 8,000 attendees to Las Vegas.

Michelle is passionate not only about building great events, but also building exceptional teams. Together, they’ve delivered exponential growth in attendance, revenue, and audience experience.

When she's not driving innovation in the events world, Michelle enjoys rescuing

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Brian Weaver, the innovative mind behind Chronicle, MEDQOR's proprietary data platform that is redefining how B2B media companies deliver performance and prove ROI.

Brian shares the story of acquiring MEDQOR in 2009—then a traditional print publisher—and turning it into a data-powered marketing engine that delivers buyer intelligence, real-time leads, and measurable outcomes. He pulls back the curtain on how Chronicle combines AI, CRM integration, and predictive analytics to create a completely new value proposition for healthcare marketers—and how it’s scalable across verticals.

This is a masterclass for any media, events, or B2B leader looking to move beyond impressions and into the era of performance-proofed media.

Key Takeaways:

• Why media companies need to evolve from content sellers to strategic growth partners
• How Chronicle turns passive media engagement into revenue-driving buyer signals
• What it takes to build proprietary platforms that deliver guaranteed performance
• The power of first-party data in transforming advertiser relationships and revenue models
• Why today’s marketers demand proof—and how media companies can rise to meet it

About Brian Weaver

Brian is the Chairman of MEDQOR, a healthcare intelligence media company and CEO of Torch.AI, an AI-powered data infrastructure platform. He’s an expert in behavioral data science and enterprise-grade machine learning and an endurance athlete who brings that same mindset to business transformation.

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

In this episode of The Revenue Room Podcast, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Anne Lafère, Co-CEO of Easyfairs, to explore how the company is transforming the events industry through deep digital integration, centralized technology, and a fiercely data-driven culture. Anne shares how Easyfairs uses AI to improve personalization, predict attendee no-shows, and enhance both customer and employee experience. They discuss the company’s transition from family-owned to private equity-backed, the power of a co-CEO leadership model, and why Easyfairs is eyeing global expansion—including the U.S. market.

Anne also dives into how her team operationalizes innovation—from acquisitions and onboarding to training and talent management—backed by a proprietary data lake and real-time dashboards. With a focus on mission alignment and sustainable growth, she offers tactical and strategic insights for leaders navigating rapid change in a tech-driven world.

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

In this episode of The Revenue Room, host Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Orson Francescone, Managing Director of FT Live—the global events division of the Financial Times. Under Orson’s leadership, FT Live has delivered record-breaking growth, producing over 240 events in 2024 alone.

Join us as we explore Orson’s 20-year journey in the B2B events industry, from his early days as a conference producer to running massive global trade shows, and now leading one of the most innovative event organizations in the world. We dig into:

• How FT Live blends editorial credibility with commercial performance
• Balancing scale with quality in a rapidly growing event portfolio
• The rise of hybrid events and how they’re driving first-party data and subscriber growth
• AI’s impact on the event industry—and why the barriers to entry are falling fast
• The future of event production, personalization, and content repurposing
• Why the venue matters (and the story behind a luxury event in Venice)

Whether you’re in media, marketing, or events, this episode is packed with insights on strategy, innovation, and staying competitive in the modern data-driven economy.

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

In this episode, Tina Hannagan, EVP & GM of Asset Intelligence at Fusable, shares how she led the transformation of Fusable from a traditional media business into a data powerhouse. Tina discusses the journey from siloed brands to a unified data strategy, the importance of strategic partnerships, and how data integration enhances customer value. She also dives into the role of AI, sales transformation, and leadership development in building a modern revenue organization.

🔹 Key Topics:

• Breaking down data silos to deliver integrated solutions
• Leveraging AI to accelerate data insights and transactions
• Strategic partnerships for expanding market reach
• Transforming sales teams to drive revenue growth
• Leadership lessons in change management

🎧 Tune in to discover how Fusable is redefining customer value through data-driven innovation.

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

Narisa Wild, Chief Digital Officer at Clarion Events North America, joins The Revenue Room to share her expertise in leading digital transformation and championing AI-driven initiatives in the events and media industries. From building customer-centric experiences to leveraging cutting-edge technologies, Narisa provides actionable insights on how businesses can future-proof themselves while creating value for customers and employees alike. This episode is a must-listen for leaders navigating the evolving landscape of data, digital, and customer engagement.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Rethinking Digital Transformation: Why digital transformation should be viewed as "customer transformation" and how focusing on customer needs drives real results.
• AI-Powered Innovation: Real-world examples of how Clarion Events uses AI to enhance attendee experiences, create personalized outreach, and generate deeper insights from events.
• Preparing for the Next Generation: Strategies for engaging Gen Z and Gen A to ensure long-term success in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
• Value-Based Leadership: How humility, accountability, and active listening can transform organizational culture and boost employee retention.
• Disrupting the Status Quo: Lessons from launching City Eats to compete with OpenTable and how they apply to event and media innovation today.

Key Quote from Narisa Wild:

"Customer transformation is at the heart of digital transformation. It’s about serving evolving customer needs and creating experiences that are truly impactful—internally and externally."

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

Constance Sayers, President and Chief Revenue Officer of GovExec, joins The Revenue Room to share her journey of transforming a traditional media company into a data-driven intelligence platform. From managing 16 acquisitions in one year to pioneering innovative AI-driven solutions, Constance offers invaluable insights on redefining revenue streams and scaling businesses in the information and media industry. This episode is a must-listen for leaders navigating the challenges of transitioning to data-centric business models.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Building a Data-Driven Business: How Constance led GovExec’s transformation into a platform delivering actionable insights for government leaders and contractors.
• Scaling Through Acquisitions: Lessons learned from integrating 16 acquisitions in one year and ensuring seamless alignment of data and tech stacks.
• AI as a Growth Driver: The role of GovTribe and AI-powered tools in creating new products, enhancing customer engagement, and accelerating revenue.
• Customer-Centric Innovation: Why listening to customer challenges is key to creating solutions that drive long-term value.
• Practical Advice for Revenue Leaders: Strategies for balancing traditional revenue streams with innovative, data-driven growth opportunities.

Key Quote from Constance Sayers:

“We started solving problems for our customers using the data we already had—and the results were transformational. It's about using insights to create value and stay indispensable in their daily workflows.”

Don’t miss Constance Sayers’ session, “Accelerating New Revenue Streams: How GovExec Turned Data into Dollars” on Wednesday, February 26th, 2025 at RevvedUP in Sarasota, FL.

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.

Welcome to another episode of The Revenue Room™ Podcast! This week, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Will Lee, CEO of Adweek, to discuss his journey from traditional media to leading one of the most influential brands in marketing and advertising. Will shares his vision for transforming Adweek from a trade publication into a cutting-edge business intelligence platform, and the role AI, data, and innovative thinking play in that journey.

Key Takeaways:

• Will Lee's impressive career trajectory, from NPR to Adweek, and how his experiences shaped his leadership approach.
• The major industry news of the week, including the OmniCom-IPG acquisition, and its implications for the advertising ecosystem.
• Adweek’s transformation under Will’s leadership which focuses on four core pillars: editorial excellence, curated events, community, and actionable intelligence.
• How AI and data are helping Adweek better serve its readers and advertisers.
• Will’s vision of making Adweek indispensable to C-suite leaders beyond marketing and advertising.

Memorable Quotes:

• "Adweek is like a 45-year-old startup—still the disruptor, still the insurgent."
• "I want Adweek to be the first seven minutes of your morning—every day."
• "Our mission is to provide investment-grade journalism, inspiration through community, and intelligence that drives better decision-making."

About RevvedUP 2026
RevvedUP 2026 is where CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders reset their growth playbook for the AI-first economy. Taking place March 23–24, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, FL, this two-day strategy lab helps leaders pressure-test how AI moves from cost center to growth driver and turn data and disruption into competitive advantage.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. A seasoned executive and operator across media, marketplaces, events, and technology, she specializes in digital transformation, data-driven growth, and customer-centric value creation. Heather shares her insights on multisided business models through The Revenue Room™.

About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders navigating growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions and strategy sprints, members tackle real-world challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation.

Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo.