More Than Sessions: What I Heard from Young Event Professionals at Inside LIVE at The Restaurant Show
When we began designing the Young Event Professionals (YEP) experience at Inside LIVE at The Restaurant Show, our goal wasn’t simply to create another conference track. It was to create the kind of experience that reflects the vision behind the Young Event Professionals (YEP) community we’re building at Freeman: a year-round community that empowers emerging event professionals through connection, education, mentorship, and meaningful industry experiences.
Freeman’s Gen Z research shows that while 95% of Gen Z recognize the importance of building professional relationships, they’re looking for authentic ways to make those connections. We wanted attendees to leave feeling more connected, not only to the content, but to one another and to the future of our industry.
As both a Young Event Professional myself and someone who helped shape this experience, I spent the week listening just as much as I was facilitating. Between sessions, roundtables, meals, and hallway conversations, I kept hearing the same themes surface over and over again.
Those conversations reinforced something I’ve been thinking about for a while. Gen Z professionals aren’t just looking for education. They’re looking for community.
The most valuable conversations didn’t always happen on stage
One of the biggest takeaways for me was how much attendees valued learning from each other.
While Gen Z overwhelmingly recognizes the importance of building professional relationships, only 39% say they feel confident networking with people in their industry, according to Freeman’s Gen Z Report.
That statistic became very real throughout the event.
Instead of rushing from one presentation to the next, attendees appreciated having dedicated time to compare experiences, ask questions, and hear how peers were navigating similar challenges.
“I enjoyed the round tables and the peer-to-peer learning a lot … especially because it was based on the topics that we chose in registration.” — Kimberly Berduo-Velasquez, University Student, Tourism & Hospitality
Those conversations created a lower-pressure environment to practice networking while building relationships that felt genuine.
One comment, in particular, stuck with me:
“I appreciate how much intention was behind everything you guys did … that’s inspirational, maybe as much as the sessions.” — Jaden Shemesh, National Association of Convenience Stores
For me, that comment reinforced that the design of an experience can be just as impactful as the educational content itself.
Helping emerging professionals see the bigger picture
Another goal of the YEP experience was helping attendees better understand just how broad the events industry really is.
It’s easy for someone early in their career to think events are limited to the role they’re currently in. But behind every event are countless specialties, career paths, and opportunities they may never have considered.
Several attendees shared that the experience expanded their understanding of what a career in events could look like.
One participant told me the program “opened her eyes to just how many career paths and specialties exist within the events world.”
That reminded me how valuable it is to intentionally expose younger professionals to different parts of our industry, not just through presentations, but through conversations with people doing the work every day.
Thoughtful programming creates better conversations
Another piece of feedback that stood out was how attendees appreciated that the sessions felt connected rather than isolated.
Instead of attending presentations that existed independently of one another, they experienced programming that built throughout the event and created natural discussion points afterward.
As one attendee shared:
“You never want to go to something that’s session after session. It was nice to have time to actually talk to people and compare experiences.” — Romi Zachar, Meeting Planner, National Defense Industrial Association
That balance between learning and conversation made the experience feel more meaningful and more memorable.
Community Is the Outcome
The biggest lesson I walked away with wasn’t about educational programming.
It was about relationships.
Many attendees talked about wanting to continue the conversations long after the event ended, whether through LinkedIn, future industry events, or simply checking in to see how everyone was applying what they learned.
What surprised me most was that those connections weren’t limited to peers.
While peer learning was incredibly valuable, attendees also spoke about how much they appreciated connecting with more experienced professionals who were willing to share advice, encouragement, and perspective.
One attendee summed it up perfectly:
“Find your people, stay connected, and continue investing in those relationships long after the event ends.”
That, to me, captures exactly what we hoped to accomplish.
What This Means for Event Organizers
Looking back, the experience reinforced a few ideas I’ll continue carrying into future event design.
- Create opportunities for attendees to learn from one another, not just from speakers.
- Build networking directly into educational programming through roundtables, facilitated discussions, and attendee-driven conversations.
- Help emerging professionals explore the many career paths within your industry.
- Create intentional moments for mentorship between experienced professionals and the next generation.
- Think beyond the event itself by creating ways for attendees to stay connected throughout the year.
The future of our industry depends on the next generation of professionals, and I believe we have an opportunity and a responsibility to design experiences that do more than educate.
If we want stronger leaders tomorrow, we have to intentionally invest in them today. Helping emerging professionals build confidence, find community, and see where they belong, we’re not just creating better events.
We’re helping shape the future of our industry.
Caroline Moffitt
Brand Experience & Events, Manager
