Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1193979
56 PCB007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2019 the robot assembly. Once the next team has their robot assembled, then they start battling. The robot has a scorpion-like tail with a point at the end of it. Everyone has two balloons on the robot, and then you use the robot's tail to pop your opponent's balloon. Once your balloons are popped, then you're out, and the successor continues their challenge to the next robot. It's so fun for us to watch the whole thing unfold. It's like kids in a candy store; every- one has a blast. They get so into the instruc- tions, and the creativity that happens is amaz- ing. One time, an attendee put a beer bottle on a robot to weight it down. And as an event planner and a type-A person, I lose it a little bit because it's controlled chaos, but from the user experience, no one else is the wiser, and they have a blast. Johnson: There's jousting through the whole ballroom, and things happen very quickly as everybody assembles their robots in the first rounds, and then the tables are moved to make the arena and start the battles. It's pretty cool. Lange: It's hardcore. Johnson: And that creates a huge amount of camaraderie and connection in this communi- ty. Friendships are being made, which is huge. You don't get that when people disperse. Lange: It's critical to keep the focus on the property, especially for events like this. Johnson: What's the hidden se- cret to putting on an event like this? Lange: You can have fantastic content, but unless people leave feeling some sort of connection to the conference or magical experience, I don't know that it holds the same gravity. Johnson: How many people do you have in your company? Lange: I have three full-time employees. Johnson: And then you hire for events as well. Lange: We have a great network of friends, col- leagues, and folks in the industry that we'll pull into our organization. It's nice to have the ability to expand and contract, as the demand of business is seasonal. Johnson: When is your busy season? Lange: We're busiest in the spring and fall. We're not as busy around the holidays because people don't meet, nor are conferences held as much in the summertime. For example, in August, most people are on vacation, and in December, everyone's on holiday. Our busiest months are March and April, and then Septem- ber and October. Johnson: You're in a place to see some techni- cal conferences in both similar and diverse in- dustries. How does this model stack up? Lange: It's strong, and the nice thing about this event is that the team is adaptable; they invite feedback from surveys, listen, and adapt to the needs of the attendees by making changes. Johnson: Thank you, Amanda. This has been insightful. Lange: Thanks for asking me to join you in conversation. PCB007