Welcome to the SPIN January 2026 Newsletter with contributions by:
Sharon DeFelices, CMP
Christine Gaudet
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January Articles
💡 A Case Study in Crunch, Comfort... and Cabbage 💡 Sharon DeFelices, CMP Owner, EIR Meetings 🍁 New Year, Same You... Strategic and Ready 🍁 Christine Gaudet, Gaudet Event Strategy + Advisory |
January Contents
SPIN Events and Programs SPINCon Update, Ask Me Anything Session, SPIN Town Hall & Senior Planner Education Workshop on AI Strategic Alliance Partners and Sponsors Talkadot, Innovia, Wildly Different & Soulbare Newsletter Guest Writers Wanted! Share your Experience and Insight on anything (doesn’t have to be planning- related!) Photo Fun Winter Fun, Happy New Year |
💡A Case Study in Crunch, Comfort... and Cabbage 💡
Sharon DeFelices, CMP
Owner, EIR Meetings
Founder Blueprint for a Healthy Meeting®
Owner, EIR Meetings
Founder Blueprint for a Healthy Meeting®
In 2026, meeting menus are shifting away from performance and toward purpose. Attendees are no longer looking for culinary theater; they want food that helps them feel steady, focused, and cared for throughout the day. Two macro trends are shaping this evolution across all menus: more crunch and nonna-stalgia — a word and concept that I am obsessed with, having grown up with Nonna’s in my family and neighborhood.
The Bigger Picture: More Crunch
“More crunch” reflects a move toward textural satisfaction rather than visual excess. Crunch keeps food engaging without overwhelming the senses, making it particularly well-suited to professional settings. Across meeting menus in 2026, this shows up as:
The Bigger Picture: Nonna-stalgia
Nonna-stalgia is not nostalgia for a specific cuisine—it is nostalgia for care. Attendees are gravitating toward foods that feel inherited, practical, and familiar. These are dishes rooted in home kitchens, shaped by resourcefulness and repetition rather than trend cycles.
On meeting menus, nonna-stalgia looks like:
The Bigger Picture: More Crunch
“More crunch” reflects a move toward textural satisfaction rather than visual excess. Crunch keeps food engaging without overwhelming the senses, making it particularly well-suited to professional settings. Across meeting menus in 2026, this shows up as:
- Raw, or barely cooked, and lightly dressed vegetables
- Seeds, grains, and toasted elements
- Crisp finishes that wake up the palate without heaviness
The Bigger Picture: Nonna-stalgia
Nonna-stalgia is not nostalgia for a specific cuisine—it is nostalgia for care. Attendees are gravitating toward foods that feel inherited, practical, and familiar. These are dishes rooted in home kitchens, shaped by resourcefulness and repetition rather than trend cycles.
On meeting menus, nonna-stalgia looks like:
- Simple preparations with honest ingredients
- Techniques like braising, fermenting, and slow cooking
- Flavor profiles that feel known rather than surprising
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Where and How Cabbage Fits In
Please note that when I started writing about this, I wasn’t thinking about cabbage. But after considering Crunch and Comfort, it made sense. The trends of Crunch and Comfort are broader signals of how food is functioning at meetings. Cabbage succeeds in this context because it understands the assignment. Cabbage is not the trend; it is a highly effective expression of these trends. It delivers crunch when raw, softness when cooked, and depth when fermented. It carries cultural familiarity across regions and cuisines, and it performs well operationally in meeting environments. As a result, cabbage is emerging as a quiet hero ingredient—not because it is novel, but because it supports the broader goals of 2026 menus: nourishment, texture, and emotional grounding. What It Looks Like Onsite When used thoughtfully, cabbage-based dishes align seamlessly with trend-driven menu strategies:
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Why It Matters
Meeting attendees arrive cognitively saturated. Food must help regulate the experience, not compete with it. Trends like more crunch and nonna-stalgia are responses to this reality, shaping menus that feel human, intentional, and supportive. In the words of the humble cabbage, “Live, laugh, leaf”. Sharon DeFelices, CMP is the founder of EIR Meetings and Blueprint for a Healthy Meeting ®. Sharon is a chef, wellness expert, and corporate event planner who believes the most effective gatherings are those that nourish people as thoughtfully as they inform them. She partners with clients, planners and venues and designs experiences that engage, include, and refresh—bringing together event strategy, hospitality, and wellness-driven food and beverage. |
SPIN Events
SPIN Town Hall!
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Friday, January 30, 2026
10:00 am - 11:00 am, Central Come and learn what we have been doing and what is in store for the SPIN community. I am looking forward to sharing what I have learned from SPINners and how we are going to move our Community forward. Can't wait to connect. Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/z6_8_V_BQvu0_oEzVvi8CQ |
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Build Your Own Virtual Board of Expert Advisors
(Powered by AI — but zero tech wizardry required.)
INSTRUCTOR: Shawna Suckow, SPIN Founder
DATE: February 2, 2026
TIME:
12-12:30pm cst: AI Basics for Beginners
12:30-1:15 cst: Hands-on Learning
COST: A Contribution to SPIN of ANY Amount
DATE: February 2, 2026
TIME:
12-12:30pm cst: AI Basics for Beginners
12:30-1:15 cst: Hands-on Learning
COST: A Contribution to SPIN of ANY Amount
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Imagine walking into a boardroom whenever you want — not with random consultants, but with the exact mix of world-class thinkers you wish you had on speed dial: sharp marketers, savvy financial minds, legal thinkers, culture builders, leadership experts, and event pros who actually understand your world. Real thought leaders like Warren Buffett, Mel Robbins, Simon Sinek…even experts from our own industry!
That’s what the first session in SPIN’s new AI Learning Series is all about. In the first session of this three-part series, I will show you how to create your own Virtual Board of Directors using AI — a personal strategy tool you can use for literally anything you care about. My Virtual Board of Directors has been the #1 tool to advance my business in 25 years. You seriously need to have this. |
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This isn’t about outsourcing your thinking. It’s about upgrading it.
You’ll learn how to use AI to pressure-test ideas, surface blind spots, spark creativity, and make better decisions faster — without feeling like you’re throwing spaghetti against a wall to see what sticks (ask me how I know).
And here’s the best part: this isn’t just for work. Your board can help you think through career moves, business challenges, relationships, leadership dilemmas, big life decisions, even that “should I fire this client?” moment at 2 a.m.
In this session, I will walk you step-by-step through building your board that can:
It’s designed specifically for senior-level planners — but you do not need any AI experience to make this work.
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I had a smart group of people to sanity-check this before I decide,” this session is exactly for you.
Come learn how to build your own AI-powered advisory board with me, and help give SPIN (the ONLY organization specifically focused on senior-level planners and your unique needs) a financial boost, so we can bring you awesome opportunities in 2026.
Register here!
You’ll learn how to use AI to pressure-test ideas, surface blind spots, spark creativity, and make better decisions faster — without feeling like you’re throwing spaghetti against a wall to see what sticks (ask me how I know).
And here’s the best part: this isn’t just for work. Your board can help you think through career moves, business challenges, relationships, leadership dilemmas, big life decisions, even that “should I fire this client?” moment at 2 a.m.
In this session, I will walk you step-by-step through building your board that can:
- Brainstorm with you on any topic — personal or professional
- Help you see problems from multiple perspectives before you commit
- Act like a trusted thought partner when you’re stuck, rushed, or out of ideas
It’s designed specifically for senior-level planners — but you do not need any AI experience to make this work.
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I had a smart group of people to sanity-check this before I decide,” this session is exactly for you.
Come learn how to build your own AI-powered advisory board with me, and help give SPIN (the ONLY organization specifically focused on senior-level planners and your unique needs) a financial boost, so we can bring you awesome opportunities in 2026.
Register here!
ASK ME ANYTHING Series
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 9:00 AM Central
Barbara Scofidio, Skift Meetings
Live on Facebook, SPIN (Members Only)
Join us here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1638795177356133/
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The Editor at Skift Meetings, Barbara takes her place as the only industry journalist who has also worked as a professional meeting planner. In her previous roles at Prevue and MeetingsNet, she spearheaded (and ran) dozens of F2F and virtual events for meeting planners. She was also the first journalist ever to be named to a GBTA committee, the former Groups & Meetings Committee.
Barbara is known for her coverage of the causes she believes in: women's empowerment, sustainability, CSR, and human trafficking awareness. She is a founding member of SITE's Women in Leadership Committee, and recently became a member of the Advisory Board of The Above and Beyond Foundation. |
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SPINCon 2026: Conversations are Happening
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The SPINCon Planning Committee has re-grouped and started our outreach to 14 destinations recommended by SPINners - we are in conversation with four potential locations and hope to share more news soon as we narrow down the options.
We are excited about the prospects and hope to have dates and details soon. Stand by! Want to join the Planning Committee? Calls are held on Wednesday, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Central. Next calls: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Wednesday, January 28, 2026 Email Carolynn if you'd like to join our planning committee. |
💡 New Year, Same You... Strategic and Ready 💡
Christine Gaudet, Gaudet Event Strategy + Advisory
January has a funny way of whispering (or shouting): Reinvent yourself.
New systems. New goals. New identity. New everything.
But if you’re a senior planner, January isn’t about becoming someone new. You’ve already earned your stripes. You’ve navigated uncertainty, led through disruption, and built relationships that actually matter. Reinvention isn’t the assignment.
Refinement is.
This is the moment to enter the year grounded, strategic, and intentional—using experience as your competitive advantage, not something to outgrow.
Experience Is the Edge—Use It
Early-career professionals often need to try everything. Senior planners know better. You’ve already figured out what works, what drains you, and what delivers real results.
January is a chance to tighten the strategy, not start from scratch:
Strategic Boundaries Are a Leadership Skill
One of the most powerful planning tools you have in 2026 isn’t software—it’s discernment.
What you say no to this year matters just as much as what you say yes to.
Senior planners protect:
Boundaries aren’t a sign of disengagement. They’re a signal of confidence and professionalism. Clear expectations create better collaboration, stronger trust, and healthier outcomes—for you and your partners.
New systems. New goals. New identity. New everything.
But if you’re a senior planner, January isn’t about becoming someone new. You’ve already earned your stripes. You’ve navigated uncertainty, led through disruption, and built relationships that actually matter. Reinvention isn’t the assignment.
Refinement is.
This is the moment to enter the year grounded, strategic, and intentional—using experience as your competitive advantage, not something to outgrow.
Experience Is the Edge—Use It
Early-career professionals often need to try everything. Senior planners know better. You’ve already figured out what works, what drains you, and what delivers real results.
January is a chance to tighten the strategy, not start from scratch:
- What processes are solid but need a tune-up?
- Which partnerships consistently elevate your work?
- Where does your judgment save time, money, or friction—often without fanfare?
Strategic Boundaries Are a Leadership Skill
One of the most powerful planning tools you have in 2026 isn’t software—it’s discernment.
What you say no to this year matters just as much as what you say yes to.
Senior planners protect:
- Time, by setting realistic scopes and timelines
- Energy, by avoiding unnecessary complexity
- Credibility, by aligning commitments with capacity
Boundaries aren’t a sign of disengagement. They’re a signal of confidence and professionalism. Clear expectations create better collaboration, stronger trust, and healthier outcomes—for you and your partners.
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Micro-Shifts, Macro Impact
Not every improvement needs a task force or a new platform. Some of the biggest returns come from small, intentional changes:
That’s smart planning. Connection Is Still the Superpower In a world of automation, AI tools, and rapid change, one truth remains: relationships are the backbone of great events. Senior planners understand that strategy doesn’t live in isolation. It lives in:
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This is where SPIN shines. Our collective wisdom, candor, and generosity create something no trend report ever could—a real sense of community that supports better decisions and stronger leadership.
January is a great time to reconnect:
Enter 2026 Strategic, Not Scattered
Busyness isn’t the goal. Impact is.
Confidence comes from clarity—knowing where to focus, what to prioritize, and when to pause. Senior planners don’t chase every opportunity. They choose the right ones.
As the year begins, consider this your permission slip:
Just more strategic—and ready for what’s next.
About the Author: Christine Gaudet is an event executive with more than 20 years of experience advising organizations on strategy, education, and engagement across meetings and events. She brings a disciplined, outcomes-driven approach to aligning stakeholder objectives, strengthening professional networks, and maximizing the impact of live experiences. Connect with Christine on LinkedIn or reach out at [email protected].
January is a great time to reconnect:
- Check in with peers who “get it”
- Share lessons learned (the wins and the scars)
- Invest in conversations that sharpen thinking, not just calendars
Enter 2026 Strategic, Not Scattered
Busyness isn’t the goal. Impact is.
Confidence comes from clarity—knowing where to focus, what to prioritize, and when to pause. Senior planners don’t chase every opportunity. They choose the right ones.
As the year begins, consider this your permission slip:
- To refine, not reinvent
- To protect your energy as fiercely as your outcomes
- To lead with intention, experience, and connection
Just more strategic—and ready for what’s next.
About the Author: Christine Gaudet is an event executive with more than 20 years of experience advising organizations on strategy, education, and engagement across meetings and events. She brings a disciplined, outcomes-driven approach to aligning stakeholder objectives, strengthening professional networks, and maximizing the impact of live experiences. Connect with Christine on LinkedIn or reach out at [email protected].
SPINners - Newsletter Guest Writers Needed!
Did you enjoy this month's articles? What if the byline was yours?
Join us! The Editorial Team is looking for SPINners who would like to share their voice and expertise with the industry and over 2,000 of their peers.
Please consider being a SPIN Newsletter guest writer for an upcoming edition (or two or three or twelve!). Each month we'll have a theme and can provide topic ideas if needed. As a writer your voice will be heard in the Community and beyond, providing you with professional development hours for that CMP renewal, while showcasing your thoughts on a subject.
Please let us know you're interested here or by emailing Carolynn.
Join us! The Editorial Team is looking for SPINners who would like to share their voice and expertise with the industry and over 2,000 of their peers.
Please consider being a SPIN Newsletter guest writer for an upcoming edition (or two or three or twelve!). Each month we'll have a theme and can provide topic ideas if needed. As a writer your voice will be heard in the Community and beyond, providing you with professional development hours for that CMP renewal, while showcasing your thoughts on a subject.
Please let us know you're interested here or by emailing Carolynn.
Strategic Alliances Program
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We are excited to announce our first alliance is with Talkadot!
Find the Right Speaker Every Time Talkadot makes it easy to discover your perfect speaker match by using feedback from over 11,000 speakers and over a million data points. Our tool leverages our unique database and AI to match you to the perfect speaker for any topic, budget, or audience size, Talkadot helps you book with confidence. Best of all, there’s no cost or obligation, just smarter, data-driven matches. EARN A COMMISSION! SPIN receives a small commission for each speaker a SPIN member books through our link with Talkadot. YOU receive $100 commission that can be sent directly to you, your organization, or you can donate your referral fee back to SPIN. NOTE: TO GET YOUR REBATE, YOU MUST BOOK THROUGH SPIN's referral link!! Please reach out to Carolynn with any questions. Note: Please let us know when you book a speaker with Talkadot. We are recruiting senior-planners who have used the service for an upcoming white paper. Please let us know if you are interested. |
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Recommend Sponsors & Receive a Referral Fee!!!
Dear SPINners – we are actively doing outreach for our Annual SPIN Sponsors for 2026.
We have several sponsorships including in-kind, event, and annual options to choose from.
If you know a supplier company that would be a great partner for SPIN, please send contact information to Carolynn [email below].
If the Sponsor signs on the dotted line, the SPINner will receive a $100 referral bonus that goes right into your pocket
(or your company's, or you can gift it back to SPIN).
Winner-winner chicken dinner! Send contact details to [email protected].
We have several sponsorships including in-kind, event, and annual options to choose from.
If you know a supplier company that would be a great partner for SPIN, please send contact information to Carolynn [email below].
If the Sponsor signs on the dotted line, the SPINner will receive a $100 referral bonus that goes right into your pocket
(or your company's, or you can gift it back to SPIN).
Winner-winner chicken dinner! Send contact details to [email protected].
New England Snowfall
SPIN SUPPORTERS
Strategic Alliance Partner
In-Kind Sponsors
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