IMEX America’s opening day: Micro-communities, trust and the desire to forge real bonds

Conversations with planners on the bustling show floor on the first day of IMEX America, October 7-9, demonstrated how people in the global events industry are craving authentic, candid connections and more meaningful bonds with each other.

Seeking a ‘support system’

Lisa Beauchamp from Global Security and Staffing Solutions summed up the desire for a deeper connection: “Networking produces finances, but what I really want from the show is bonding—I'm looking for people who are in the same industry as me, so we can learn and reflect, and grow together. I'm networking yes, but as a support system.”

This was echoed later in the AMEX GBT 2026 global meetings and events forecast where one of the opportunities identified was for events—and event planners—to foster micro-communities. Jennifer Nelson, VP Global Strategic Meetings at AMEX Global Business Travel, said: “It’s important to create and nourish micro communities within your events—so people feel like they’re in a safe space and are recognized.”

Matthew Emerzian, founder of Every Monday Matters, believes mattering is at the heart of human and business needs. In is education session, You Matter, he observed: “What we all have in common is that we want to matter—we want to live with meaning, purpose and legacy. As event planners you create experiences that help people to connect and find meaning—and that’s so incredibly powerful.”

Authenticity unlocks successful leadership

The importance of authenticity was championed earlier in the day by MPI keynote Dr Chika Stacy Oriuwa in Workplace Wellness that’s Smart for Business. She explained: "The best leaders, who lead with authenticity and who lead with compassion, have stronger connections to their prefrontal cortex, which means they're able to make smarter, faster, and better decisions under pressure than leaders who are inauthentic or who lack compassion."

The subject of corporate, brand and personal trust also came through in the morning’s extensive education program, taking place in three specialized theaters on the Inspiration Hub plus the CSR-focused IMEX People and Planet Theater.

The 2025 Freeman’s annual Trust report found that of all the brand channels available, live events are now the most trusted of all. According to Ken Holsinger, Freeman's SVP of Strategy, who presented the findings of The eXperience Factor Report, a collaboration with IMEX, delved into this further: "Trust is at an all-time high. Our data shows it's at 84% but among Gen Zs and Millennials, who are the Nowgen, not the Nextgen, it's 92%. And there's an important reason for this. As this generation spends more time on AI and online, they trust live events more. They're using digital and virtual for product research but before making an important purchasing decision they expect to qualify their research through a live experience. They both trust, and don't trust, digital. This represents a huge opportunity for brands, and for planners everywhere."

IMEX America is currently taking place October 7-9, at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

• Photo (L): Hands up who appreciates meaningful connection?—download image here.
• Photo (R): IMEX America's Inspiration Hub—download image here.