Time Management, Imposter Syndrome, and How Event Businesses Can Succeed with Eric Rozenberg

mgraziano45
Dec 20, 2024
3 min read

Meet Eric Rozenberg

Eric Rozenberg has produced some of the most exciting events that business people have ever attended. Each event was designed to not just entertain attendees but to align them with corporate goals, generate profits and empower teams.

Eric is an entrepreneur, speaker and bestselling author. His book, Meeting at C-Level – An Executive’s Guide for Driving Strategy and Helping the Rest of Us Figure Out What the Boss Wants is the first book on the Why? of a meeting. It has been endorsed by 20 of the most influential leaders from the corporate and association worlds and is a bestseller.

Managing Time as an Entrepreneur

With clients, tight schedules, and round-the-clock operations, many event professionals find themselves saying, “I don’t have time.” But Eric believes that if it’s important to you, you’ll block time for it.

Define Your Ideal Week

Eric makes time for his priorities by creating an “ideal week” that includes dedicated time for both professional and personal tasks.

“If you say family is important, there should be a block on your calendar for family time,” he explains. He says you should block these thighs the same way that you block sales calls or client outreach. Without time blocks, urgent tasks will always take precedence over what truly matters.

Plan Ahead

Every Sunday, Eric reviews his calendar and sets priorities for the upcoming week. Each night, he identifies the top three tasks he’ll tackle the next day. He regularly plans ahead to stay aligned with his goals.

Finding Community in Entrepreneurs Organization (EO)

Eric is involved with the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) and strongly believes in finding a community of other business owners to regularly meet with. EO’s structure—with forums for peer support and monthly meetings—provides a space for entrepreneurs to share challenges, gain insights, and stay focused on their goals.

“Human beings aren’t made to stay alone,” Eric says. “Being part of a group where you can share experiences and learn from others is invaluable.”

For Events Business Providers: How to Shift to a Strategic Business Partner

If you’re in the events business industry, you know that too often, other people don’t understand what you do. It’s easy for event providers to fall into a category where they are just taking orders.

To shift from order takers to a strategic business partner, Eric recommends skipping questions about logistics (at least in the beginning), and instead, ask questions that look at the business objectives:

“What outcomes do you expect from this meeting?”
“How do you want attendees to feel and act after the event?”
“What metrics will you use to measure the event’s success?”

And then after this foundation is set, you can ask the logistical questions.

Position Yourself as an Expert

Clients will assume you’re good at logistics. To stand out as a strategic partner, Eric recommends focusing on your ability to drive results and solve business problems. Eric explains the importance of validating the client’s goals and then guiding them strategically. In this way, you can create your own seat at the table.

And that means there’s no need to feel intimidated by titles or corporate hierarchies. If you’re a business owner, you’re a CEO, too!

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Eric’s experience as the first European chairman of MPI’s International Board of Directors provided him with lessons about overcoming imposter syndrome and building confidence. He remembers being surrounded by industry giants and feeling out of place but ultimately focusing on his role and delivering value.

“By being authentically myself and asking for help for things that I didn’t know,” he explains, “I realized the value that I have – that I am enough.” He recommends focusing on why you’re doing what you’re doing, instead of falling into the comparison trap, to overcome imposter syndrome.

Addressing the Needs of Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses at Events

According to Eric, there is a big gap in the programming tailored to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Conferences often focus on topics like meeting design and risk management but overlook important business topics like:

Creating a 10-year vision for your business
Building and managing the right team
Developing processes and systems for long-term growth

Eric believes that small business owners and the gig economy are so important, and by 2027, gigs will become the majority of jobs. So these topics are incredibly important for the future of our economy.