In the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of events, the people you learn from matter.
You can scroll through a million tips on TikTok. You can read every blog on design trends. But nothing compares to hearing directly from the minds shaping the industry—live, unfiltered, and in the room with you.
That’s what the Speaker Series at The Event Planner Expo 2025 is all about.
This isn’t just a lineup—it’s a masterclass series led by world-renowned business icons, creative visionaries, marketing trailblazers, and planning pros who’ve been where you are—and know how to get you where you want to go.
If you’re ready to elevate your strategy, fuel your creativity, and grow your business like never before, here’s everything you need to know about the Speaker Series—and why this alone is worth the trip to NYC.
What Is the Speaker Series?
The Speaker Series is a multi-day educational experience within The Event Planner Expo that delivers:
- High-impact keynote sessions from global icons
- Tactical panels from top event entrepreneurs and brand leaders
- Deep-dive workshops on strategy, marketing, sales, and scaling
- VIP access to network with speakers and industry elites
These sessions cover the real stuff—the challenges, wins, pivots, and breakthroughs behind the most successful event companies, agencies, and brand teams in the world.
And in 2025, the Speaker Series is bigger, bolder, and more business-boosting than ever before.
This Year’s Theme: Learn From the Legends. Build Your Legacy.
Every single speaker in this year’s lineup was handpicked to deliver transformational value for event professionals across every niche—from social to corporate, weddings to galas, activations to festivals.
Whether you’re trying to:
- Attract high-paying clients
- Grow a powerhouse team
- Create experiences people never forget
- Or just get off the hamster wheel and grow smarter…
…the Speaker Series will meet you where you are—and push you further.
Let’s talk about who’s taking the stage.
Keynote Highlight: Daymond John – Branding, Grit, and Billion-Dollar Strategy
When it comes to building something from nothing and scaling it into an empire, no one does it like Daymond John.
The FUBU founder and Shark Tank investor will headline the Speaker Series this year with a keynote that every entrepreneur and creative professional needs to hear.
Expect to walk away with:
- Tactical branding insights from a streetwear mogul turned media icon
- Mindset shifts for scaling up in a saturated market
- Sales and pitch strategies that work—whether you’re selling a product, an event, or yourself
- Personal lessons on loss, reinvention, and resilience
This is more than motivation. It’s a business playbook disguised as a keynote.
10 Reasons the Speaker Series Is the Smartest Investment You’ll Make All Year
1. You’ll Get the Blueprint for Success—From People Who’ve Lived It
No fluff, no theory. These speakers have done the work—and they’re showing you how.
2. You’ll Save Years of Trial and Error
Instead of making every mistake yourself, you’ll learn what worked, what didn’t, and what to do right now to get ahead.
3. You’ll Hear the Trends Before They Hit the Mainstream
AI, immersive tech, hybrid formats, experiential gifting—our speakers are early adopters. Learn it first. Apply it fast.
4. You’ll Reignite Your Creative Fire
These sessions are designed to not just educate, but inspire. You’ll leave with your head spinning with ideas for your next event, pitch, or rebrand.
5. You’ll Network with Elite Peers
The Speaker Series attracts ambitious professionals. These are the conversations that turn into partnerships, referrals, and new business.
6. You’ll See What’s Possible
From humble beginnings to national brands, many speakers started exactly where you are. The Speaker Series helps you connect your now to your next.
7. You’ll Expand Your Client Perspective
Learn what corporate buyers, CMOs, and brand managers are actually looking for when they hire event teams.
8. You’ll Strengthen Your Pitch & Close Skills
Clients don’t just want pretty events. They want ROI. Our speakers will help you sell your services with clarity, confidence, and impact.
9. You’ll Learn How to Raise Your Rates Without Losing Clients
Learn from planners and producers who command premium prices. Additionally, see how they built their value and messaging to match.
10. You’ll Walk Away with Action Plans, Not Just Inspiration
Every session is designed with next steps in mind. Bring your notebook—you’re going to need it.
Who Are the Speakers?
While Daymond John headlines the series, he’s joined by 25+ other world-class experts. You’ll learn from:
- Marketing executives at major brands who reveal what gets their attention
- Six-figure and seven-figure event business owners who share how they scaled
- Top hospitality and venue leaders teaching how to wow guests from the moment they arrive
- Social media strategists helping you grow an audience that converts
- Design legends sharing their approach to color, layout, lighting, and mood
- Agency leaders on how to grow a team, culture, and service model that wins
And best of all? You don’t just listen—you get the chance to connect with them.
VIP Education Access: Unlock Even More
Want to take it up a notch?
The VIP Education Pass gives you front-row access to premium content and elite networking events throughout the Expo, including:
- Reserved seating at the Speaker Series Main Stage
- Early access to meet-and-greets with speakers and panelists
- Entry into private breakout sessions with deep-dive Q&As
- Access to VIP-only networking lounges and cocktail hours
The VIP experience isn’t just next-level—it’s business-changing.
Real Topics, Real Solutions, and Real Impact.
Here’s a sneak peek at the kinds of topics you’ll experience at the Speaker Series:
✦ Brand-Building for Experience Businesses
How to turn your events into a visual signature clients seek out.
✦ Creating Events with ROI
What it takes to make every event you plan a revenue-driving investment for your clients.
✦ Storytelling That Sells
How to make your website, pitch deck, and social content do the heavy lifting.
✦ Future-Proofing Your Business
What AI, hybrid events, and next-gen expectations mean for your service offerings in 2026 and beyond.
✦ Leadership & Team Growth
Hiring, retaining, and empowering the kind of team that helps you grow without burnout.
Don’t Just Attend The Expo. Experience the Education That Changes Everything.
The tradeshow floor is amazing. The networking is elite. But the Speaker Series? That’s where the magic happens.
- Where a keynote can shift your whole mindset.
- Where a workshop unlocks your next product or pitch.
- Where a sentence from a legend like Daymond John sticks in your head for years—and fuels your future success.
This isn’t passive learning. This is business strategy in motion.
Ready to Join the Ranks of the Best?
Then, you need to be here.
The Event Planner Expo 2025 – NYC
Speaker Series: October [insert date] – [insert date]
Featuring Daymond John + 25+ industry icons
VIP Passes available now—limited quantities!
Reserve Your Spot. Show Up. Soak It In.
And Watch What Happens. You already have the talent. The creativity. The drive. Now get the guidance. The network. The next-level knowledge. Reserve your booth and be an exhibitor in the room that can double your lead count for 2025!
