Episode Summary:
In this energetic year-in-review, Alysse Bryson and Libby Sundgren revisit the standout conversations that shaped Beats Working in 2025. From Lisa Schulteis’ brain-first approach to event design, to Virginia Frischkorn’s reminder that gathering is a human necessity (not a luxury), to Stuart Butler’s superpower of connecting humans like a one-man LinkedIn, this episode celebrates the insights, laughs, and behind-the-scenes truths that make events unforgettable. They close with Mary & Logan of the Better Events Podcast, concrete proof that collaboration always beats competition. Buckle up for heart, humor, and serious event-pro gold.
Takeaways:
- Start with the brain, not the agenda: design for memory, motivation, and cognitive flow.
- Gathering is essential: great events fuel connection, not overwhelm.
- Relationships are the real currency: connection unlocks opportunity.
- Collaboration beats competition: it lifts everyone and grows the industry.
- Events thrive on community, curiosity, and intentional creativity.
Timestamps:
[02:29] — Why Lisa Schulteis starts with the brain, not the agenda
[06:01] — Virginia Frischkorn on gathering as a necessity, not a luxury
[08:24] — Stuart Butler’s superpower: connecting people intentionally
[12:54] — When collaboration beats competition with the Better Events Podcast
[17:29] — What’s coming in Part 2: DJs, freight drama, fashion show flair
Resources & Links:
-Listen: Neuroscience Hacks for Unforgettable Events with Lisa Schulteis
-Listen: Why Gathering Is a Necessity and How Partytrick Makes It Effortless
-Listen: Behind the Northwest Event Show with Stuart Butler
-Listen: Creating Community (Not Competition) with the Better Events Podcast
-Alysse & Libby: Bios & LinkedIn
Connect with Us:
-Website: www.beatsworkingpodcast.com
-LinkedIn: @Beats Working Podcast
-Instagram: @beatsworkingpodcast
-Facebook: @Beats Working
-YouTube: @beatsworkingpodcast
Follow & Subscribe:
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your feedback helps us improve and reach more listeners.
Send Feedback:
If you have a show idea, feedback, or just want to connect, email us at info@beatsworking.show.
Beats Working is a platform on a mission to redeem work—the word, the place, and the way. We believe that work is the most honorable act in the universe, and through inspiring stories and practical insights, we want to transform the way people think about work and help them discover greater fulfillment in their lives. We invite you to join us as we build community through sharing and actively demonstrating what we learn.
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Transcript
The following transcript is not certified. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. The information contained within this document is for general information purposes only.
[00:00:00] Libby: Welcome back to Beats Working, the show where event planners get the respect they deserve — and the caffeine they require. Today, we’re doing something bold… something brave… something only two women who have survived 2025 can attempt.”
[00:00:12] “We’re recapping the year. Yes — the whole year. The creativity, the chaos, the clipboard meltdowns, the cognitive-load conversations, and that one moment when we all realized: wow, we really ARE still getting paid to do this.”
[00:00:25] “So buckle up — because we’ve pulled the best, wildest, brainiest, most delightfully unhinged clips from our favorite conversations. From neuropsychology meets event design… to gathering as a human necessity… to Stewart connecting more humans than LinkedIn on a deadline.”
[00:00:41] “It’s the hits, the heart, and the hilarious moments we swear we didn’t stage — even though it definitely sounds like we did.”
[00:00:48] “Let’s get into Part One of our Best of 2025… and yes, we promise to keep the science relatable, the sass intentional, and the chaos at a manageable cognitive load.
[00:00:57] Welcome to Beats Working, winning [00:01:00] the Game of Events where we share stories and strategies to turn any event or life moment into something Unforgettable. Events are wild and the people who work in them are some of the most resilient humans on earth, if you know, you know. So come with us behind the curtain for a look at their most memorable experiences, as they say, the show must go on.
[00:01:23] So let’s get on with the show.
[00:01:31] Libby Sundgren: Welcome to a special two part series of BEATS WORKING, winning the Game of Events. I’m Libby.
[00:01:37] Alysse Bryson: And I’m Alysse, and today we’re throwing the spotlight back on you, our listeners, by sharing the best of the best clips from some of our most loved episodes of this past year. I can’t believe the year’s almost over, Libby.
[00:01:52] Libby Sundgren: I know 2025 you were an experience and now we’re headed onto the next one.
[00:01:58] Alysse Bryson: now. How [00:02:00] weird is that?
[00:02:00] Libby Sundgren: I know it’s real. We’re still getting paid to do this, so.
[00:02:04] Alysse Bryson: I know,
[00:02:05] and, and you guys are still listening, so thank you for that. Thank you for
[00:02:08] Libby Sundgren: Yeah, we love you. Today, we are celebrating the creativity, the chaos, and the real magic that makes this industry tick. All the reasons that we love it so, so much.
[00:02:19] Our first episode is all about the heart behind the hustle, the intention, connection, and creativity that take events from good to unforgettable.
[00:02:29] Alysse Bryson: Let’s kick things off with Lisa Sice. Who reminds us that good design doesn’t start with a checklist, it starts with the brain.
[00:02:38] We’re excited to have you. Very. Okay, so your background in neuropsychology is so unique in this industry. Share with us, how does that scientific lens change how you approach planning events from day one? So, from the very, very beginning. Yeah, so we actually kind of, you know, my focus is to start with the [00:03:00] brain and not the agenda, which is a little bit different, right?
[00:03:03] Mm-hmm. So, you know, my first question to my clients is always, what is the goal of the event, right? Like, why in the heck are we even having this? But once I know why we’re having the event, then we, we really start. Looking at what’s gonna happen with the, the, the brain. So I don’t only ask, you know, what do you want attendees to do?
[00:03:24] But I’ll ask them, how do you want them to feel? How do you want them to react? How do we design for memory or motivation or meaning? So. It’s taking kind of traditional event design, but adding on this additional element to it. So I’ll look at everything from cognitive load. That’s really important, how our attention is, how our rhythms are.
[00:03:49] So, you know, we. I know as a speaker, right, about 18 minutes in I’m gonna start seeing everybody glaze over, right? It’s just what happens. So how can we [00:04:00] space our keynotes out, or how can we move breaks around to really get, you know, those intentional peak focus windows? How can we move things to increase retention?
[00:04:12] All kinds of different, different questions that I’ll ask and different viewpoints that I look at. You know, as we know, you know, there is no one size fits all event design.
[00:04:24] Libby Sundgren: I love this clip from Lisa, and her episode was so interesting because like she said, she starts with the brain, not the agenda. Yes, we wanna know what your goals are and what you’re trying to convey to people, but she really hones in on the audience and how you’re going to make the experience memorable for them and really upgrade.
[00:04:50] You know, the way that they feel about it and, and the things that they think about afterwards.
[00:04:56] Alysse Bryson: Well, and her approach to me felt so fresh. It felt [00:05:00] very intentional. I mean, and she’s a seasoned pro, right? She’s been around the block. She’s seen a thing or two and, and so if you have not listened to that episode with Lisa, we really encourage you to take a jump back into that episode because there were so many good nuggets of gold that you’ll wanna put in your event planner’s toolbox.
[00:05:21] Libby Sundgren: I mean, we could have done a full episode of just clip after clip after clip with her. It’s science guys, you can’t argue with science. And she’s also relatable. She made the scientific data so relatable to somebody who, I mean, I do love science, but I think that anybody. Regardless of how you feel about it, it, she made it very relatable for somebody, , and super understandable.
[00:05:47] So go Lisa.
[00:05:49] Alysse Bryson: Go Lisa.
[00:05:50] Libby Sundgren: All right. Next, from Science to Soul, Virginia, FreshCo helped us reframe gathering as something we need, not just [00:06:00] something that’s nice to have.
[00:06:01] Virginia Frischokorn: Gathering is a necessity, not a luxury. We need to be together, right? Mm-hmm. And I think a lot of people get scared and scattered and it’s like people enjoy it sometimes, but then the whole planning process is totally chaotic. So party tricks streamlines it. It’s like a virtual party planner in your pocket tell you what to do, when to do, how to do these things.
[00:06:19] I’ve spent years in the events industry and realize it’s not effortless for people. It should be effortless. We should enjoy the process just as much as we enjoy getting together. So our platform really makes it easy, whether it’s a business or a consumer, with knowing exactly what to do, when to do, how to do it, versus just being a framework.
[00:06:35] It’s really like loaded and pre-baked for you. So you know you’re set up for success.
[00:06:39] Alysse Bryson: Okay. That line gathering is a necessity, not a luxury. Really hit hard because I feel like it captures the spirit of why we do what we do. It’s not about the parties, it’s about the people. And party Trick is just such a cool platform, and if you [00:07:00] guys have not gone online to check it out and downloaded it onto your phone, you’re really missing out. Right. Libby?
[00:07:06] Libby Sundgren: Yeah, it’s simple. It’s, you know, intuitive. It’s really, truly a visionary piece because it is now available for the person planning their kids’ birthday party or Thanksgiving dinner, um, to people who are planning large, extensive multi-day events. Um, and you know, the whole thing about Party Trick is that it’s about.
[00:07:33] , the people, yes, it’s about the party, but it really does help you shape an experience both for the attendees and for the user. It’s really meant to streamline, um, you know, your own to-do lists , and your own planning experience. So check it out.
[00:07:51] Alysse Bryson: It’s kind of like a clipboard in your pocket.
[00:07:54] Libby Sundgren: It is a total clipboard in your pocket, in your Polly Pocket, and if you listen to that [00:08:00] episode, you’d know what I’m talking about. you have questions about Pollocks, let me know.
[00:08:05] Alysse Bryson: and then there’s our favorite Stewart Butler. He’s a connector in every sense of the word. I actually think that guy might have more connections and know more people than you and I do. Like for sure he
[00:08:18] Libby Sundgren: He knows everybody.
[00:08:19] Alysse Bryson: and, and this moment, this moment right here was a total mic drop.
[00:08:24] Stuart Bulter: You are not just producing events and you know, managing logistics, you are building relationships, and we’ve talked about that in this episode. If anybody knows you, they have. Felt that, I would think just by speaking with you once or just by making eye contact on the waterfront, but can you share a behind the scenes moment from the show that shows the power of putting people and storytelling first, so there’s a gentleman, Zig Ziglar, and he, this [00:09:00] is old school, he’s long, but he had this saying, if you can have everything you, all you want in life, if you help enough people get what they want. And so I wa I, my favorite part of the show is meeting people and going, oh my gosh, you need to know. And.
[00:09:19] I get to walk them over to the other people, you know, their, and connect them and say, and start the conversation. And if there’s anything that I do, that’s what I do. That’s my superpower, is connecting people and seeing who needs to connect with who and introducing people that just haven’t met, but need to know each other because they are amazing people.
[00:09:47] And they have their, their services are just aligned or maybe the way they talk or you know, they just need to know each other because crazy [00:10:00] things happen when you show up and you connect people that just start having a conversation and you’re curious and you learn about the other person, and all of a sudden you find this alignment of where you would’ve never found it.
[00:10:13] That, to me, is the greatest part of the show. Is for me, you know, personally mm-hmm. Is, is creating these connections. And I don’t know that, I think there’s opportunities everywhere and, uh, when you do that, um, ultimately that’s the creative part, right. I think that’s the creative, the innovation, and you just, the more you do that opportunities just continue to pop up and we’re fostering that.
[00:10:39] Mm-hmm. We’re fostering that. And, um, I know that we had a planner that she emailed afterwards. She had. Just booked 13 vendors from the show. Oh wow. And, um, and stuff that she hadn’t known about.
[00:10:52] Libby Sundgren: Stewart is. Really, like Alysse said, I mean he just embodies the essence of [00:11:00] the events industry, I think here in Seattle obviously, and in the Pacific Northwest, but really of somebody, an professional you would meet anywhere in the world. He really. Values connection, and he is so skilled at making them himself and at coordinating those connections for other people.
[00:11:24] He’s such a sincere person, and if you want to see a tangible proof of community, then you need to go to the Northwest Event Show in 2026.
[00:11:36] Alysse Bryson: We go every year, or we have for a pretty long time. Right? With the,
[00:11:40] Libby Sundgren: We have. Mm-hmm.
[00:11:41] Alysse Bryson: of like, you know, COVID,
[00:11:43] Libby Sundgren: Yeah.
[00:11:44] Alysse Bryson: but
[00:11:44] we went to the very first one as soon as COVID was over, I remember.
[00:11:48] Libby Sundgren: we sure did. you know, if you weren’t there last year, the buzz and the energy was. I mean, something you could really feel in the room, and it [00:12:00] was just such, I mean, that’s the kind of experience that you wanna create for people coming to your events. , so definitely check it out. Tickets are on sale now.
[00:12:10] We’ll link ’em in the show notes, but also northwest event show.com.
[00:12:14] Alysse Bryson: We made so many cool connections at that event, which led us to doing an episode with Paint Telio, which if you haven’t checked out that episode, just as a side note, like. Paint by number. You guys know I love to craft. It was, um, it was just one of the very cool vendors that we
[00:12:32] Libby Sundgren: Oh, paint telio. So cool. I know. I wanna incorporate them everywhere. Refer them to everybody.
[00:12:38] Alysse Bryson: Really.
[00:12:38] Libby Sundgren: Proof that magic happens when you just bring people closer together, we’re in. All right. This next one really gives us the warm and fuzzies. When competition turns into collaboration, everyone wins.
[00:12:54] Mary and Logan: We’re gonna start. We’re gonna start, start copying off of the smartest kids in class, the most [00:13:00] effective, and they are here, and a welcoming dose of real talk. They’re very relatable, so we’re so, so thrilled to have them. Whether you’re just starting an events or you’re a season planner looking to up your game, they are championing collaboration over competition.
[00:13:18] They speak our language and they are. Ready to spill the secrets to making it all work. Welcome. Thank you so much for having us. Thank you. Yeah, we’re so excited. This is so fun because yeah, we don’t normally get to talk to other event planners that know each other as well as you two know each other, like we know each other.
[00:13:39] So I’d be really curious to hear how, like how did you guys meet? What was your meet cute situation. Logan, I wanna hear this from you. I want, I wanna hear Logan’s perspective. It’s the different meet Cutes. Ooh. Was it the same story? Yeah. Um, well, our, our listeners of the Better Events podcast, I feel like I’ve probably heard this story, Ignacio, but uh, [00:14:00] I actually credit my late mother-in-law with introducing us.
[00:14:02] She was on the board at. The zoo that Mary worked at running all of their events. And, uh, she knew I did events. And so when we went to one of the zoo events, she said, Logan, meet Mary. And Mary was quintessentially doing what event planners do on site and running around. So, I don’t know, Mary, if you truly remember or now just have a fake memory of meeting me.
[00:14:20] But I remember like, oh, Mary seems nice, and then she ran off. And then our True meet cute was during, uh, the start of COID. We both, I found out we were both pitching for the same virtual event to be the planner, and we essentially would’ve been competition and don’t fully know the process. But I was like, well, there’s not a lot of work going around, so I might call her and see if we just pitch for it together.
[00:14:40] Because I knew she had really strong Pacific Northwest ties in the event industry. I was. Pretty new before COVID, but I was pretty strong on the production side. And so we partnered up and I, she said, look, I was very grateful. She said yes, and then we weren’t competing against each other. We were working together.
[00:14:56] And uh, the rest is history From there, she gets credit for having the [00:15:00] podcast idea and I said, why not? That’s awesome.
[00:15:03] Alysse Bryson: Oh my goodness. I love this one so much because you know, I love a good meet, cute
[00:15:09] Libby Sundgren: Oh, so good.
[00:15:11] Alysse Bryson: and honestly I’m a little jelly because their meet cute is a lot better than ours. Libby, I mean, I scared you for the first several days or weeks that we hung out
[00:15:20] Libby Sundgren: I kind of think it was like two months in my mind. I think two months. It was probably shorter, but your first impression was a big one
[00:15:30] Alysse Bryson: Mm.
[00:15:31] Libby Sundgren: and took me a couple little while to realize you were just kind of giving me a hard time.
[00:15:37] Alysse Bryson: But Mary and Logan they hit it off right off the bat. I think that kind of shows that relationships just take work, whether you have an immediate connection or. Takes a little time to grow on you. And I love these two. They’re such a dynamic duo. I really enjoyed going to their conference in 2025, if that’s [00:16:00] something that you have not done, dear listener. Um, it was a virtual conference and it was so great. We gotta connect with so many new people that had not been introduced into our network yet. And those two are just true pros. They’re true pros, and they really put the capital C in collaboration.
[00:16:19] Libby Sundgren: They do. And you know, it’s something that I know we’ve talked about on previous episodes, but the events industry in particular is such a collaborative community and. You know, Stewart said it. Other guests have said it, but you know, a high tide, what is it? Raises all ships. Doesn’t sink the
[00:16:44] Alysse Bryson: tide raises all boats. Yeah.
[00:16:46] Libby Sundgren: A tide raises all boats, whatever that
[00:16:48] Alysse Bryson: water goes up, all the boats and the ships go up.
[00:16:51] Libby Sundgren: Exactly. And so I think that really feeds the community here and, um, hopefully is feeding the events [00:17:00] community where you’re living because it just feels really good to be on the same team with, of, with people, even if you’re not necessarily working next to them or. in the same company as them.
[00:17:13] So,
[00:17:13] Alysse Bryson: Plus they’re fellow podcasters,
[00:17:15] Libby Sundgren: Such a great podcast.
[00:17:17] So many tips. You will love it. We’ll link it in the show notes.
[00:17:21] Alysse Bryson: Woo. Well, Libby, that was a whole lot of heart in one episode, and we’re just getting started.
[00:17:29] Libby Sundgren: That’s right, baby. Coming up next week in part two, we’ll dive into the moments that made us laugh, made us think, and made us double check our shipping logistics. Something. I bet you never thought you’d hear.
[00:17:42] Alysse Bryson: Well, you do love to double check things.
[00:17:45] Libby Sundgren: Love a
[00:17:46] Alysse Bryson: Let’s be honest. Let’s be honest. Oh, dear listener, you’re gonna wanna come back next week because we’ve got DJs, we’ve got freight drama, we’ve got fashion show flare. Where do you hear all of that? In the same [00:18:00] sentence, nowhere else but here. In the meantime, if you have an idea or you wanna reach out, please email us at info@beatsworking.show.
[00:18:09] Libby Sundgren: And remember, every detail matters, every moment counts, and no matter what the show must go on.
[00:18:16] Thanks for listening to Beats Working, winning the Game of Events where we explore what it takes to make moments unforgettable. If you’re leaving with a little more inspiration, a little more perspective, and a big side ache from all of the laughing at our funny jokes, then we’ve done Our Job BEATS WORKING is a work P two P production.
[00:18:35] If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review us on your favorite podcast platforms. Your support helps us keep the magic going.
