Welcome to the SPIN December 2025 Newsletter with contributions by:
Angela Cava from InnoVia - One of our long-time SPIN Supporters!!
Carolynn Santos, SPIN Executive Director
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November Articles
💡 The Planner’s Guide to Holiday Rest 💡 By Carolynn Santos, Executive Director, SPIN: Senior Planners Industry Network 🍁 The Magic of Momentum: What If the Feeling You Create Matters More Than the Content You Deliver? 🍁 Angela Cava, InnoVia |
December Contents
SPIN Events and Programs SPINCon Update, Ask Me Anything Launch & More 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 SPIN Thanksgiving Fun |
💡The Planner’s Guide to Holiday Rest
(for Real This Time) 💡
Carolynn Santos, Executive Director
SPIN
SPIN
A big unicorn in the industry?? Planners rest! We take days off. We luxuriate in a spa with cucumbers on our eyes and sipping a cocktail while having our toes painted. The reality is that December is a mix of celebrations, year-end appreciations, reconciliation chaos, and over-committed days to get you through to year-end. I am suggesting a new reality for senior planners to consider – rest should not be a reward you give yourself when it is all done, it should be a strategic business move.
Rest isn’t a reward you earn at the end of the chaos — it’s a strategic business move to ensure you are at your optimal performance. When you treat rest as part of the work rather than a luxury, you’re giving yourself the clarity, energy, and presence required to lead at a senior-planner level. Rest not only allows your body to renew and reenergize, it sharpens leadership, strengthens collaboration, and boosts productivity across your team, your vendors, and your stakeholders. Rest ties directly into SPIN’s Business pillar — because rested minds run smarter businesses.
Monica Graves highlighted in last month’s newsletter why rest makes smart business sense. But beyond the strategy, there is also the human reality: how you feel when you do not get the rest you need. You are tired, on your fourth cup of coffee, sleep-deprived and overcaffeinated — and that is when the mistakes start creeping in. Action items slip, promises stretch beyond capacity, and clarity becomes cloudy faster than we would like to admit.
Rest isn’t a reward you earn at the end of the chaos — it’s a strategic business move to ensure you are at your optimal performance. When you treat rest as part of the work rather than a luxury, you’re giving yourself the clarity, energy, and presence required to lead at a senior-planner level. Rest not only allows your body to renew and reenergize, it sharpens leadership, strengthens collaboration, and boosts productivity across your team, your vendors, and your stakeholders. Rest ties directly into SPIN’s Business pillar — because rested minds run smarter businesses.
Monica Graves highlighted in last month’s newsletter why rest makes smart business sense. But beyond the strategy, there is also the human reality: how you feel when you do not get the rest you need. You are tired, on your fourth cup of coffee, sleep-deprived and overcaffeinated — and that is when the mistakes start creeping in. Action items slip, promises stretch beyond capacity, and clarity becomes cloudy faster than we would like to admit.
Senior-planners can carry an intense emotional and mental load, all year – deadlines, budgets, staff conflict, vendor relationships – it all adds up and causes an emotional, mental, and physical toll on the body and mind. When you allow yourself to rest it restores not only essential body needs but can help to increase creativity, patience, and innovation – all essential characteristics necessary for senior-level work and planning.
Let’s be real… you are tired. Tired brain, tired feet, tired every being of your fiber is crying out for rest. The physiological impact is harsh on the body and that is why rest and relaxation is so important. Resting and resetting will lead to better sleep, will lower your cortisol levels*, and improves your immune system. Something to think about – your body is your first event tool in the toolbox.
Reality check! A rested senior-planner = improved planning collaboration and productivity, for you and the team!
As you wrap up December’s whirlwind of reconciliations, close-outs, gifting, and celebrations, give yourself one intentional, guilt-free moment of rest. Choose it, schedule it, label it “Do Not Disturb: Magic Recharging,” and keep it sacred. When you step into January with restored energy, renewed clarity, and that unmistakable SPIN spark, you will feel the magic of momentum carrying you forward. Rest is not the end of the work—it is the power source behind everything extraordinary you will create next.
Let’s be real… you are tired. Tired brain, tired feet, tired every being of your fiber is crying out for rest. The physiological impact is harsh on the body and that is why rest and relaxation is so important. Resting and resetting will lead to better sleep, will lower your cortisol levels*, and improves your immune system. Something to think about – your body is your first event tool in the toolbox.
Reality check! A rested senior-planner = improved planning collaboration and productivity, for you and the team!
- Communications are clearer and more precise; this leads to less confusion and lost time for your team
- Presence and your leadership are noticeable and you have improved engagement in brainstorming and problem solving with your team – leading to better relationships and partnerships, creating better outcomes for everyone
- Efficiencies and time savings will be developed as you influence and manage your work, programs, teams, etc… with this rested, renewed, focused and strategic mind set
As you wrap up December’s whirlwind of reconciliations, close-outs, gifting, and celebrations, give yourself one intentional, guilt-free moment of rest. Choose it, schedule it, label it “Do Not Disturb: Magic Recharging,” and keep it sacred. When you step into January with restored energy, renewed clarity, and that unmistakable SPIN spark, you will feel the magic of momentum carrying you forward. Rest is not the end of the work—it is the power source behind everything extraordinary you will create next.
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✨ Cortisol 101 (Planner Edition)
What is Cortisol? Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone—the spark that helps you wake up, stay alert, and respond to challenges. When Cortisol Stays Too High
Rest is not optional—it is the reset button. Small, intentional breaks (hydration, movement, quiet moments, real downtime) help lower cortisol, restore clarity, and return your system to a healthy rhythm. A rested planner performs better—mind, body, and magic. |
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SPIN Events
ASK ME ANYTHING Launch!
Friday, December 12, 2025, 1:00 pm, Central. Live Ask Me Anything with Arel Moodie & Shawna Suckow
SPINners, you’re going to love this! There's a new tool out there that will significantly decrease the risk involved in selecting speakers. It's called Talkadot, and they're now an official SPIN partner!
Talkadot reduces risk because you get real, unbiased, unfiltered data from speakers' actual audience members and clients, ***not just the ones the speakers want you to see.
Grab a cup of coffee and join us for a quick chat with Talkadot Founder, Arel Moody, to see how this tool helps you discover speakers who don’t just sound good on paper—they crush it on stage. Click here to let us know you're coming.
Talkadot reduces risk because you get real, unbiased, unfiltered data from speakers' actual audience members and clients, ***not just the ones the speakers want you to see.
Grab a cup of coffee and join us for a quick chat with Talkadot Founder, Arel Moody, to see how this tool helps you discover speakers who don’t just sound good on paper—they crush it on stage. Click here to let us know you're coming.
SPIN Festivus Party! Join Us.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025, 7:00 pm
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What the heck is Festivus, you ask?
Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23rd. It is meant as an alternative to the pressures and commercialization of the Christmas season. However, it has also become a day to celebrate the ever-lasting comedy of the 1990s television show Seinfeld. Watch this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1njzgXSzA-A |
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SPIN's version of Festivus will include:
- A VERY special guest appearance!!
- Airing of the (Minimally Inconvenient) Grievances
- Feats of Virtual Strength sheer ridiculousness!)
- A toast to the ensuing madness of Christmas & New Year's Eve
- A hilarious group activity that will make you laugh til your cheeks hurt
- And MORE!
It's free, but please pre-register so Shawna has an idea how many GOODIES will be needed!
Register Here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/iT6-mqk5QtOBD0PnnQbr3w
- A VERY special guest appearance!!
- Airing of the (Minimally Inconvenient) Grievances
- Feats of Virtual Strength sheer ridiculousness!)
- A toast to the ensuing madness of Christmas & New Year's Eve
- A hilarious group activity that will make you laugh til your cheeks hurt
- And MORE!
It's free, but please pre-register so Shawna has an idea how many GOODIES will be needed!
Register Here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/iT6-mqk5QtOBD0PnnQbr3w
January ASK ME ANYTHING
Thursday, January 8, 2026, 11:00 am, Central. Live Ask Me Anything with Patrick James Lynch & Akena Better
Listen to podcasts?
Have a question about podcasts?
Want to start your own podcast?
The SPIN Room podcast is coming in 2026.
Event will happen in SPIN (Members Only) Facebook Group. View Invite Here.
Thursday, January 8, 2026, 11:00 am, Central. Live Ask Me Anything with Patrick James Lynch & Akena Better
Listen to podcasts?
Have a question about podcasts?
Want to start your own podcast?
The SPIN Room podcast is coming in 2026.
Event will happen in SPIN (Members Only) Facebook Group. View Invite Here.
Patrick James Lynch is the Co-founder/CEO of the agency and production company Believe Limited (2024 FiercePharma Agency of the Year Finalist) through which he’s produced several films Bombardier Blood (EP: Alex Borstein), My Beautiful Stutter (EP: Paul Rudd), sometimes, i think about dying (Academy Award short-list; Sundance Film Festival), On The Shoulders of Giants (Cinehealth Nominee), Poster Child (Ryan White documentary; 2026), and Deliver Us (black maternal health doc; 2026).
Patrick is a National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Rare Impact honoree whose work in entertainment and healthcare has been featured by outlets such as BBC, BuzzFeed, CBS, HuffPo, NBC, PBS, Reuters, and Variety. Currently the Host of The BloodStream Podcast. |
Akena joined the hospitality industry as an intern in hotels immediately after college. After 12 years with hotels, in sales and convention management, including being a part of the pre-opening team of Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, Akena moved over to the planning side.
Akena's current role is Director of Events and External Relations for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), a nonprofit in the healthcare sector. She is a graduate of Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Exercise Physiology and is currently a Master of Legal Studies Candidate at the Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at Arizona State University finishing in December 2026. Akena is an avid sports fan, a former girls basketball coach and a lover of travel. She currently resides with her husband Bryan and their 8-year-old mini-Schnauzer mix, Chance The Puppy, in the Washington, DC area. |
Going To PCMA's Convening Leaders in January?
There are two opportunities for SPINners to connect in Philadelphia!
Senior-level Education!
Carolynn Santos and Christine Gaudet are presenting a workshop session and we would love your support! The session is on Monday, January12, 2026 at 11:00 am. If you are available, we would love to have you help facilitate a round table - sign up here!
Senior-level Education!
Carolynn Santos and Christine Gaudet are presenting a workshop session and we would love your support! The session is on Monday, January12, 2026 at 11:00 am. If you are available, we would love to have you help facilitate a round table - sign up here!
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CSPI (Convention Services Professionals International) is hosting us at their event!
Kick off your attendance at this year's Convening Leaders with your fellow SPIN members and our gracious hosts - CSPI - for some socializing at this popular spot in the City of Brotherly Love Bar-Ly Philadelphia (across from the Convention Center). Sunday, January 11, 2026 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm Register here! |
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SPINCon 2026: Outreach Has Begun!
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The SPINCon Planning Committee has re-grouped and started our outreach to 14 destinations recommended by SPINners. 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, December 17, 2025 Wednesday, January 7, 2026 Email Carolynn if you'd like to join our planning committee. |
💡 The Magic of Momentum...
What If the Feeling You Create Matters
More Than the Content You Deliver? 💡
Angela Cava, InnoVia Productions
What if the true measure of your 2026 program isn’t the agenda, the speakers, or even the content itself — but the feeling your attendees carry with them long after they leave the room?
It’s a question worth sitting with, because research continues to confirm what the best meeting architects already sense intuitively: emotion drives memory, and memory drives action. In fact, Harvard neuroscientists report that emotionally charged events are stored “more vividly and accurately,” while Stanford studies show that audiences retain up to six times more information when it’s paired with meaningful visual and sensory cues.
So, the real challenge becomes:
How are you engineering the momentum that makes your message unforgettable? At innoVia, we’ve seen this truth play out across decades of programs. The most successful meetings are not simply well-produced, they are intentionally architected to guide human emotion. Lighting shifts don’t just illuminate a stage; they signal importance. Carefully timed audio cues don’t just support transitions; they elevate anticipation. Visual storytelling doesn’t simply decorate a room; it anchors memory.
Yet many teams begin planning with content first, production last assuming information alone will move people. But imagine, for a moment, removing the production layer entirely.
It’s a question worth sitting with, because research continues to confirm what the best meeting architects already sense intuitively: emotion drives memory, and memory drives action. In fact, Harvard neuroscientists report that emotionally charged events are stored “more vividly and accurately,” while Stanford studies show that audiences retain up to six times more information when it’s paired with meaningful visual and sensory cues.
So, the real challenge becomes:
How are you engineering the momentum that makes your message unforgettable? At innoVia, we’ve seen this truth play out across decades of programs. The most successful meetings are not simply well-produced, they are intentionally architected to guide human emotion. Lighting shifts don’t just illuminate a stage; they signal importance. Carefully timed audio cues don’t just support transitions; they elevate anticipation. Visual storytelling doesn’t simply decorate a room; it anchors memory.
Yet many teams begin planning with content first, production last assuming information alone will move people. But imagine, for a moment, removing the production layer entirely.
- Would your keynote still carry weight without the sound design that shapes its rhythm?
- Would your brand narrative still resonate without the visuals that give it dimension?
- Would your attendees still feel connected without the environmental cues that foster belonging?
- Most importantly, would the message still travel with them into the behaviors, decisions, and actions that happen after the meeting?
This is the heart of momentum, the unseen force that carries a message forward. And it doesn't happen by accident. It's engineered. That's where Innovia Productions operates as a true solutions partner, connecting deeply with meeting architects. Not as an AV suppler, but as a co-strategist in experience design. We help teams clarify the emotional arc of their program, identify where momentum builds and where it risks breaking, and ensure every technical choice supports the behavioral outcomes leaders care about. Because production isn't a line item. It's an accelerant. It's the difference between a message that lands… and a message that lives on.
As you build your 2026 programs, consider the questions that truly determine impact:
Ready to architect your 2026 experience? Let's talk about building momentum that matters.
Let’s connect!
About the Author: Angela Cava, HMCC, MMP, CMP, brings more than 30 years of experience across the hospitality industry, including destination management companies, ski resorts, hotels and currently in the meeting production space where all the magic happens. She believes deeply in the power of authentic relationships and the creativity that emerges through collaboration where we ideate, evolve, and solve our industry’s most meaningful initiatives. She would love to connect with you on your next program at [email protected]
As you build your 2026 programs, consider the questions that truly determine impact:
- What do you want people to feel in the first 30 seconds?
- What emotion should carry them into your most critical message?
- What will they remember six months later — and what sensory anchors will help them recall it?
- Where must your brand be felt, not just seen?
Ready to architect your 2026 experience? Let's talk about building momentum that matters.
Let’s connect!
About the Author: Angela Cava, HMCC, MMP, CMP, brings more than 30 years of experience across the hospitality industry, including destination management companies, ski resorts, hotels and currently in the meeting production space where all the magic happens. She believes deeply in the power of authentic relationships and the creativity that emerges through collaboration where we ideate, evolve, and solve our industry’s most meaningful initiatives. She would love to connect with you on your next program 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. |
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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].
SPINner Thanksgiving & Some of Us Got Snow!
SPIN SUPPORTERS
Strategic Alliance Partner
In-Kind Sponsors
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