GUEST BLOG by Michael Cerbelli

Michael is probably one of the most generous people I know in the special events industry. He gives back in many ways -- by constantly speaking across the country about events; by serving on industry boards; by continuing to be part of SEARCH, an industry foundation that assists event professionals in crisis and of which he is past president; and by creating his wildly popular seminar, Michael Cerbelli's Hot Event and Entertainment Ideas which he's done for the past eight years. In that time I don't think there is a hot idea, resource or vendor he's missed.

He's also extremely engaging. When you are talking with Michael he gives you his full attention, and that is a quality that magnetically draws everyone around to him. It doesn’t hurt that he's a gorgeous straight man either! The quality of the events he produces in New York and around the world (see his impressive bio below for more) are arguably the best of the best.

David Merrell

Designdawg

GIVING MORE TO GET MORE:
Creating Education that Entertains AND Inspires

By Michael Cerbelli

If you sit back and think about why people join affiliations and attend conferences, I would bet you that most are doing so for networking reasons, which is very important. But, in my 20+ years of being involved in various affiliations, I received more out of the education end than the network end. Networking and making friends is wonderful and I would never take anything away from that; I absolutely love working with my friends and creating life long relationships. But, if I think about what I have learned throughout the years, I believe wholeheartedly that the learning experience goes 10 times further, often looking back on what I have learned and applying it to the current situation.

Back at the “turn of the century," in good ol’ 2001, I was attending classes and what I saw and heard were people trying to promote themselves. These classes were packed with attendees and we all heard great stories but what did we walk out of there with? What did we actually learn? We can all share our war stories and great events but how do we teach? What is the audience learning?

After the dust settled what did we actually walk out of the class with? In my experience in the field I learned from doing, from trying and from being innovative with new and hot ideas. This is what I wanted to share with everyone and this is what everyone needs to learn: REAL, TANGIBLE AND USEFUL IDEAS.

An example of hot design ideas from an event produced by Team Cerbelli

Frustrated on how much it cost to attend conferences and walking out without tangible information, I decided that I needed to give back and educate. In 2001, my first "Michael Cerbelli's Hot Event and Entertainment Ideas" was established.

Now walking into our 10th version of "Michael Cerbelli's Hot Event and Entertainment Ideas 2010TM" we still hear to this day that this is what attendees come to conferences for. To learn what is hot, what is new, to be motivated to put products in their events and get back to their desks to tell their own clients and their own teams what is hot and new.

If you get a chance to see what we have created as a class today, you realize that I am not saying, "I have the best ideas” or “this is what I thought of that.” Instead, I show you what I have found and who is doing amazing work. I want to share the ideas that are out there and then after my class, I love hearing someone thanking me for the information that I have passed on.

And that is exactly what my team and I are working on right now. We are preparing the hottest, newest and most exciting version yet of "Michael Cerbelli's Hot Event & Entertainment Ideas 2010TM." With more than 25 of the hottest and newest ideas in the event and entertainment industry, from live acts to centerpieces, you will leave feeling inspired, motivated and moved.

We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans at The Special Event. Keep up with our countdown by becoming a fan on our Facebook page Team Cerbelli. Then follow me to David Merrell’s seminar, Design Dawgs II, where we’ll be discussing the technical aspects of how we produced my presentation…whew!!!

NOTE FROM DAVE: Our seminar, DesignDawgs II will take place at The Special Event in New Orleans. Michael and I will be joined on stage by King Dahl from the MGM Mirage and will discuss a variety of trends and issues important to event professionals in 2010. Don't miss it! We'll be speaking on January 14, 2010 in New Orleans, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. For more information and to register for the show, go to www.thespecialeventshow.com


About Michael Cerbelli:

For more than 30 years Michael Cerbelli has been entertaining and producing events all over the world. He built his career from a block party DJ in Brooklyn, New York to one of the most polished and professional entertainers in the special events industry.

Currently, Michael is President of Special Events for the New York / New Jersey based company, Total Entertainment, producing one-of-a-kind events around the globe. Total Entertainment’s impressive portfolio includes producing such events as the wedding of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, Billy Joel’s nuptials, The Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C., The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, The King of Morocco’s Birthday Bash & New Year's Eve Party, and an event at President Putin’s Summer Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Luckily enough, Michael gets to party with the best of them. Besides performing for this very high-end social market, Michael has worked with some of the most prestigious corporations in the world, again producing events that astound and amaze.