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Notes on event technology

Commentary, production notes, and lightly opinionated takes on the tools our industry actually uses.

August 30, 2026

Why Event Tech Still Makes Simple Things Too Hard

The event industry has more software than ever. So why are planners still running important parts of conferences from spreadsheets, PDFs, email chains and text messages? The problem is not that event technology lacks features. In many cases, the problem is that software handles the system beautifully while making the last mile of actual event work harder than it needs to be.

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August 30, 2026

What Encore’s IPO Filing Reveals About the Business of In-House AV

Encore is preparing to go public, and its SEC filing gives meeting professionals something they rarely get: a detailed look at how the in-house AV business actually works. The filing explains exclusive on-site venue agreements, revenue-sharing commissions, an 80% capture rate, and Encore’s plans to capture more business inside the properties where it operates. For planners who have ever wondered why bringing an outside AV company can become surprisingly complicated, it explains quite a bit.

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August 30, 2026

Plannerwire Is Back. But Not Like That.

Four months ago, I wrote that Plannerwire was going quiet and might someday find a new role. Apparently “someday” meant August. Plannerwire is back, but we’re not rebuilding the old blog. We’re keeping the curiosity, opinions, and practical event experience...and getting much more deliberate about what deserves to be written.

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Occasional notes on event technology, software, production, and the tools planners actually need.