Are you actually getting value from the events you're attending, or are you just spending a lot of money to be in the room?
In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Jasmine Kees, founder of JLK Advisory and Head of Strategic Events & Executive Visibility at Stillpoint Global Advisors, to discuss how startups, VCs and businesses can make smarter decisions about events, sponsorships and speaking opportunities.
After almost a decade organising conferences at Reuters, Jasmine has seen both sides of the events industry. Now, she helps companies move beyond simply securing speaking slots or buying sponsorship packages to create meaningful connections and measurable business outcomes.
We discuss why getting your CEO on stage at a major conference isn't always the win you think it is, how to measure return on objectives and investment, and why hosting an intimate dinner or side event can sometimes deliver far more value than a traditional conference sponsorship.
Plus, Jasmine shares the red flags to watch for when choosing conferences, how to negotiate sponsorship packages, and why human connection is becoming increasingly important in an AI-saturated world.
Key Moments
00:00 – Meet Jasmine Kees: From Reuters conference organiser to strategic events adviser
02:45 – Why companies need clear objectives before committing to events
04:00 – Earned versus paid speaking opportunities
05:45 – Jasmine's sponsorship playbook: Before, during and after an event
08:00 – Measuring return on objectives (ROO) versus return on investment (ROI)
09:45 – Why side events and private dinners can outperform conference sponsorships
12:30 – Using executive roundtables to build relationships and uncover insights
14:00 – How startups with limited budgets should choose which events to attend
15:30 – What to ask conference organisers before investing
17:00 – The red flags: Poor retention, changing audiences and constant rebranding
19:00 – Free tickets, audience quality and differences between markets
21:00 – Why the events industry is booming
23:00 – Consolidation, competition and the future of conferences
24:30 – Why face-to-face connections matter more in the age of AI
26:00 – How to improve your chances of securing an earned speaking opportunity
27:00 – Keeping conference audiences engaged
29:00 – Why PR teams and event organisers need to work more closely together
About A Brief Coffee With…
A Brief Coffee With… is the podcast from CEW Communications, where Cathy White speaks with journalists, creators and media insiders about communications, storytelling and getting your message heard.
Looking for support with PR, executive thought leadership, speaking opportunities or event communications? Visit cewcomms.com.
To connect with Jasmine or request her sponsorship playbook, find her on LinkedIn.
