Emilie Barta – Trade Show Presentation Specialist / Professional Trade Show Presenter – creating a clear, concise and consistent message to attract, engage, and interact with your audience

Welcome to St. Louis…an accommodating, affordable, fun city right in the middle of everywhere for your convention or meeting!

St. Louis is a rich, vibrant community steeped in history. It was founded by Pierre Laclede and August Chouteau in 1763 as a small fur trading post due to the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, and was named for King Louis IX of France. Laclede and Chouteau traveled up the Mississippi River from New Orleans and most of the early settlers were French…you will see much French influence still present in architecture, street names, and decorative areas around the city. St. Louis became part of the United States due to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and was the starting point of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, which was the 1st expedition to the Pacific Coast…hence the nickname “The Gateway to the West.” St. Louis was incorporated into a city in 1823, burned in 1849, hosted the 1904 World’s Fair (aka “Louisiana Purchase Exposition”) and the Olympics in the same year…and the rest is history! (more…)

Panel discussions have gotten a bad wrap…but I think that they are very enlightening, PROVIDED that they are comprised of positive-minded individuals who have an engaging personality and are very open and honest in their story-telling. (more…)

The place that birthed my trade show career has taken a lot of abuse lately due to political, union, and cost concerns. I have a “glass half full” personality, so I believe that everyone can work together to get everything worked out to benefit all parties involved.  (more…)

I have been in the event industry for 12 years, yet never realized that having to plan a funeral would be the most important event in which I have participated. My grandpa passed away unexpectedly last week, and my grandma, parents, and I were blessed to work with a funeral director who really cared about ensuring that Papa (as I nicknamed him as a child) had a ceremony that reflected him and his life. I am usually in the planner role as opposed to the planee role, and I have to say it was a very interesting experience to be on the other side of the table. While there, several traits of Scott Humes at Bopp Chapel became the reason why I trusted him so much and put confidence in his ability. (more…)

Presenting at CES is the best way I can think of to start the new year. The International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the world’s largest annual trade show for consumer technology and America’s largest annual trade show of any kind. It is great to get away to the Las Vegas warmth and sun from the cold and snow, and I always enjoy seeing old friends and connecting with new ones.

But what I do not enjoy about CES are the lines to get into any restaurant no matter where it is, what type of cuisine it serves, the price of the food, or whose name is associated with it. Plus, the name of the restaurant or the price of the total bill does not tell you anything about the quality of the food. I feel inadequate about my knowledge of restaurants in Las Vegas, so I turned to my Twitter friends for some help. Below is a list of restaurants recommended primarily by Event Professionals, whose opinion I trust more than any when it comes to food and service.  (more…)

All of us in the trade show/meeting/event industry have suffered through…and survived…a different and difficult 2009. And most of us have commented recently that all of a sudden things are getting busy again! I just had the pleasure (I really mean that) of being on the road for 10 straight nights, and a few realizations struck me.  (more…)