LAI Live

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for the National Education Association (NEA), the largest labor union in the US. We represent about 3.2 million education professionals, including K-12 teachers, paraprofessionals, education support professionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, higher education faculty, and students aspiring to be educators. 

I’m the manager for business affairs for our Center for Social Justice, which is the association’s hub for promoting racial and social justice advocacy. We equip educators with the support they need to educate a diverse group of students. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Live?

We worked with LAI to sharpen our skills in virtual meetings and conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I particularly worked with them for a virtual awards show, which we typically did in person as an awards dinner banquet. I also used their counseling services around strategic thinking and production value. In other words, we needed their expertise and experience in virtual event planning and production. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LAI’s main deliverable was a virtual event hosting platform for an awards show. At the start of the engagement, we had a kickoff meeting where I outlined my vision for the virtual event. To create the virtual environment we needed, they used a platform called Engage. While providing event planning services, their team also produced and edited videos for the event’s various speakers. 

On top of that, LAI created the website where the event was held and handled all of its graphic design elements. They also gave us strategic counsel on how to hold an effective virtual event that met our leadership’s vision of what it should look like. 

What is the team composition?

Altogether, we worked with a core team of 5–6 people, including those who were responsible for the contracting work. 

How did you come to work with LAI Live?

LAI had produced a similar event for an external entity of our organization that had an awards ceremony in February 2021. Having attended and experienced that ceremony, I reached out to my colleagues within the foundation to understand how they created the event. They directed me to LAI.

I sought their team out because I wanted to create an event that was driven by our internal core values as an organization. It must be clean and engaging; participants must feel that we were there at the event even though it was held virtually. I experienced those things in the virtual event they organized for our external entity, so I reached out to them. From there, our engagement started. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $90,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from April–July 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

On the night of the event, we gained around 1,000 views for the awards ceremony. Then, a little over 1,200 people visited the website and participated in the comments section and live chats. In the end, we received nothing but positive feedback. The overall experience was great; the look and feel of the site were complementary to the look and feel of the event. 

Anecdotal feedback also came from our staff, which was a team of 7–8 people who shared the sentiment with regards to working with LAI. They were truly happy with the organization of the event and the LAI team’s flexibility. We were in a time crunch since we needed to finish production by June 2021, but LAI pulled together all the aspects of the event quickly even though our teams weren’t familiar with each other. We also greatly appreciated their flexibility in terms of our political sensitivities and governance. 

How did LAI Live perform from a project management standpoint?

For project management, they used Basecamp to keep track of our deadlines, communicate with our members, and share resources and assets. We held weekly planning meetings. LAI’s organizational skills helped us put things in order, keeping all of the project’s moving parts on Basecamp. 

Their team also solicited us for information around top-of-mind agenda items that needed to be addressed every week. They facilitate these meetings based on our team’s feedback, helping our group stay focused on our priorities.

Our teams then had a final debrief meeting a week after the event. Throughout these stages, their project management skills truly helped establish clear and specific roles for every member of both teams. Overall, LAI organized our efforts in a logical way, and that was truly helpful for us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

There weren’t any plot holes in the overall planning of the event even though it was our first time to work with LAI on such a project. On top of that, their ability to grasp our culture in a short time frame was impeccable. They had political sensitivity to our internal workings and understood how that would impact the event.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. I had a great experience with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your timelines and goals in the event you’re producing. Being clear about your timeline helps you drive the whole project forward. That's because your timeline impacts everything, including the resources you can buy and how much of the event you can produce. In addition, remember that a clear timeline encompasses not only the actual event but also the planning stage.

Meanwhile, being clear about your objectives will make things run more smoothly and quickly.  The LAI team is great at fleshing out the objectives you present to them. As a result, going into the engagement with a prepared vision in mind will be greatly helpful. You can build upon the professional expertise of LAI instead of going to the table with nothing. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of communications for the US Dairy Export Council, which is a nonprofit trade association designed to promote and expand US exports of dairy products. We are primarily funded by our parent company, Dairy Management Inc., a company that is supported and financed by the US dairy farmers through the US dairy checkoff.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Live?

I’m sure a lot of us are aware that 2020 has been a challenging year, and our organization requires that we have meetings in person. Our bylaws mandate that we meet with our membership and board to achieve certain business goals. 

We had to find an alternative to an in-person meeting, so we reached out to LAI Live. We worked with their speaker arm for our previous board meetings to arrange a virtual solution.
 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Basically, LAI Live helped us set up a digital environment with all the specifications and requirements. They outlined exactly what we needed to provide them to get this digital platform up and running and met our needs. 

One of their tasks was to help us integrate a third-party voting system so that we could conduct and cast votes in an online environment. They walked us through the design which was tailored exactly to what we needed it to look like, how the interaction would be with the members, and provided us instructions on how to interact with the new experience. They helped us smooth it out as much as possible.

They also provided us with metrics and key deadlines and set up speaker practice sessions so that everybody was comfortable with it before the show.

What is the team composition?

We were in contact with about five people with different roles. We had a graphic designer, a program manager, and someone who was in charge of the platform so we knew exactly who to speak with about each particular aspect of the show.

How did you come to work with LAI Live?

We actually had a preexisting relationship with LAI Live through their speaker bureau. We’ve been working with them for a number of years to find keynote speakers for our in-person meetings, and I was aware they had a digital arm as well.

Because they had such great experience with event management, we reached out to them for a proposal along with a number of other organizations. Their proposal came back and, we thought it was the most concrete as it seemed to be better formed compared to the other ones we received. We decided to go with them partially through our existing relationship and the proposals that they put together.

How much have you invested with them?

Roughly, our investment came to about $70,000–$80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this particular project with LAI Live from August–October 2020.
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Honestly, it was excellent. At first, we had some teething issues but that was the nature of online events and events in general. When anything did arise, they rectified it immediately and professionally, as well as anyone can. 

On the first day of our event, our internet cable got cut off, but LAI Live managed to pivot and find a solution as quickly as possible. These things happen and are out of everybody’s hands. I was very impressed with how fast they rectified the situation.

After one of our sister organizations saw our online events, they chose LAI to handle their events, as did our parent company. They were very impressed with them as well.

How did LAI Live perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management went very smoothly. We used Basecamp as the main form of interaction with the teams. Some people were assigned different projects and when we had information, we would tag them and they would prod us if we were a little behind on the deadlines so that worked well. Generally going through Basecamp worked extremely well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were particularly impressed with their responsiveness and their willingness to help me reassure people within my organization about how the system worked. Because everybody was nervous about the new way of doing online meetings, they helped reassure my stakeholders about how all of it would work. They were always ready and available to answer any questions that we had. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing that could be slightly improved was going through Basecamp. We initially had some confusion about how to use it, but once we got to grips with it, it all came together pretty well. Maybe a short training session on how to use it would’ve been useful but that’s a very minor thing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to start early, especially if you know that you’re going to have to pivot to an online event like this. We gave ourselves three months and that was enough. But I know the nature of the planning of these events means that instead of everything being front-loaded with your organization, it all happens quickly towards the end.

The more time you give yourself to get all your ducks in a row, the better time you’re going to have and the easier it will be to work with that.
 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a trade association that represents the public policy interests of dairy farmers. We’re federally-focused, meaning that we don’t really have state chapters. We’re focused in Washington D.C. because of our interest in policies that come both from Capitol Hill and federal agencies like the USDA and FDA.

I’m the senior vice president of member services and strategic initiatives. I’m involved in a lot of external and internal communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Live?

We’d hoped earlier in 2020 to have our annual conference in-person in Orlando, but that didn’t work out. We had to pivot to having a virtual meeting, which is why I secured the services of LAI Live.

Our typical in-person meeting would go for three days, with meetings all day. The challenge was coming up with a replacement for that and providing the same content without the expectation that people would stream for eight hours a day, three days straight.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LAI Live came up with a new meeting schedule involving two three-hour sessions spread across two days. We aimed to replicate the quality of an in-person meeting, without replicating the quantity. 

LAI Live built a customized web portal that would allow us to not only stream live presentations but also show prerecorded content. We had areas for sponsors and for attendees to interact with each other. People could create profiles and interact with each other in a social lounge.

What is the team composition?

LAI Live had a number of people that helped with different aspects of the process, but the core team was 3–4 people. Helena (Senior Vice President) was the team leader.

How did you come to work with LAI Live?

We’d had an existing relationship with LAI Live for many years, having secured speakers for past events through them. We were aware that LAI Live was also in the virtual meeting space. They’d done a webinar earlier in the summer, which I and another member of our staff watched. When it came time to look at the realm of vendors in the online meeting space, we were confident that LAI Live was one of the leading players.

How much have you invested with them?

Developing the virtual platform cost us $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with LAI Live in August 2020, and the event took place on the 27th and 28th of October.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We were happy with the level of attention we got from their team. 

The meeting itself went off without a hitch. We were fortunate not to have technical issues on the speakers’ end. Most of the content was live. Just like with live TV, there’s always a level of uncertainty and excitement. Fortunately, everything went off without any technical snafus.

How did LAI Live perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp for task organization and communication.

The project management was good. We had a defined set of goals, and the process was fairly straightforward. As a client, we were sometimes challenging in that we conducted the meeting with our sister organization in Chicago. LAI Live had to deal with our organization in Arlington as well as with the one in Chicago. 

We were having daily calls in the last couple of weeks leading up to the event, and there were a few days where we had calls twice a day, just to make certain that we weren’t missing anything.

What did you find most impressive about them?

LAI Live put a lot of effort into the project, particularly in October, when we were getting down to brass tax and needed to make certain that everything got done. I was really pleased that we were able to tie up all the loose ends and make things happen when we needed them to.

They have a dynamic and committed team that was able to work well in a remote capacity. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be helpful to have a prescriptive list of dos and don’ts for clients having board meetings and annual meetings in a virtual format.

We’re still new to the process, so every meeting is a learning experience.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

You should listen to LAI’s advice on planning virtual meetings. They’ve done a number of these now, and it’s different from using Zoom or Microsoft Teams to video conference. 

Try to keep things simple and don’t think you need to replicate everything about having an in-person trade show. It’s a challenge, given that a lot of associations rely on trade shows for revenue generation, and we just can’t expect to recapture the revenue from selling booths. Make sure to manage expectations accordingly. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the senior manager of learning engagement and I oversee the training of the employee engagement function for UniFirst. We are a rental and industrial laundry business providing small and large businesses with uniform rental programs in addition to servicing them. Our uniforms are all across the spectrum including automotive, restaurant, health care, and nuclear clean facilities. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Live?

We had multiple challenges. Originally, I reached out to LAI Live to help us put on our first-ever leadership conference in 2018 where we hosted over 300 people in New York and 300 leaders from Arizona.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, face to face events aren’t going to happen. I contacted them again because they do both live and virtual events and we need those services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their first video production project was about our new manager leader rotational program called LEAP. It's an 18-month program for college graduates and they have the chance to enter into entry-level leadership positions in our organization after they graduate. Instead of the usual ceremony, we created a spectacular online graduation for seven individuals to show their significant achievements.

The project we're working on right now is slightly more complex. We have an achievers recognition for our sales team where they go to the Bahamas for a week with their spouses to enjoy themselves. Instead of that, we’re recreating it into a week-long virtual recognition.

In the end, the main winners will be highlighted and the vendor's work includes graphics, videos, transitions, and more. The project will be shown in December and LAI Live is helping us put this together.

What is the team composition?

Typically, there is a production manager, video manager, relationship manager, and other people who help with our video projects. If they partner with a third-party, there’s also a representative from that firm.

How did you come to work with LAI Live?

I came across them when I was just starting to think about our next leadership conference before everything got locked down. I saw their speaker library, which I found really robust. When I clicked in further, I found that they do live and virtual productions. From that point on, we decided to partner with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

So far, for the graduation ceremony, we spent $35,000. On the other hand, for the awards ceremony, we've already spent around $70,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement started in July 2020 and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

In our brainstorming sessions, it’s clear that LAI Live really listens carefully because once they give us a prototype, their outputs are really spot on. They frequently receive stellar feedback from our internal team. Additionally, they are open-minded and incredibly engaged. I can tell that they enjoy working with us. 

How did LAI Live perform from a project management standpoint?

They provide a good level of detail and they communicate their deadlines well. They are flexible and, overall, they are great to work with. They also follow through with all of their deliverables. 

They are extremely responsive and they always stay within the given budget. Our first project was really time-sensitive and we were crunched for time. However, they were able to get it done. I couldn’t expect anything more, they just did a good job.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

What really stands out is the video production quality that they are able to produce. One time, they received recorded testimonials from our employees which were shot using their individual phones. They provided step-by-step directions for that and when they incorporated those videos, the final product was outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

On their end, I don’t think they have any areas they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you get the key sponsors in your organization involved at the beginning and be willing to brainstorm with them. Further, be ready to provide context for the product you're creating in your company. They’ll come through since they are fast learners and they are capable of striking the right tone on what you're looking for.