309: Leaning In when You Don’t Have the Map: Lucy Giovando Watts on Entrepreneurship & Serendipity
Release Date: 02/10/2026
320: Inside the Mind of Elite Resilience: Lessons from the Mossad to the Boardroom - Part 2 with Glenn Cohen
The Business of Meetings
Welcome to Part 2 of our conversation with Glenn Cohen, former head of psychology for the Mossad. In Part 1, we explored how resilience is built and how to prepare yourself before the pressure hits. Today, we take it further. Building resilience is one thing. But most leaders struggle to make clear, effective decisions when everything is on the line, and they’re facing uncertainty, risk, and real consequences. In this episode, Glen explains how elite performers think and act under pressure, how they navigate uncertainty when there are no clear answers, and what you, as a business owner...
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319: Inside the Mind of Elite Resilience: Lessons from the Mossad to the Boardroom - Part 1 with Glenn Cohen
The Business of Meetings
Real resilience is forged when the stakes are high- under pressure, in uncertainty, and when there’s no margin for error. Today, we’re excited to have Glenn Cohen, former head of psychology for the Mossad, joining us for the first part of a two-part series. With years spent in some of the most extreme environments imaginable, Glenn brings a rare understanding of how people think, react, and perform when it matters most. In this episode, he breaks down his elite program for executives, clarifying what it truly takes to build mental strength and how those lessons translate to business...
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318: Smarter Events: Where AI Meets Human Judgment with Ashleigh Cook
The Business of Meetings
We are delighted to welcome Ashleigh Cook, the Chief Marketing Officer of RainFocus, as today’s guest. In this episode, Ashleigh focuses on strategy, data, AI, and the aspects of events that must change. Stay tuned to learn how, with the right strategy and data foundation, events can truly become impactful drivers of business growth. Ashleigh’s Journey Ashleigh began her career in the research and advisory space at companies such as Gartner and Forrester, where she managed marketing programs and consistently tracked events that drove the strongest growth. She joined RainFocus in...
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317: From Consultant to CEO: How Real Leaders Scale Companies with Natalie De Fazio
The Business of Meetings
We are delighted to welcome Natalie De Fazio, Founder and CEO of Pinnacle Live, as today’s guest. Natalie is a seasoned entrepreneur with a strong background in leadership and consulting, including roles at consulting firms such as KPMG. Over the years, she has collaborated with many leading names in AV production within the meetings and events industry and is now focused on building and growing her new brand. Stay tuned to hear Natalie’s story and the insights she shares today. Natalie’s Journey Natalie began her career in consulting after studying business and economics,...
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316: The Goal Is Not Better Events, It’s a Business That Works Without You, with Eric Rozenberg
The Business of Meetings
Today, we’re taking a closer look at what it truly means to build a business that works. We’re moving beyond the notion of being busy, booked, and indispensable, and instead focusing on how to create a business that delivers real value. Stay tuned as we explore why so many business owners still operate like highly paid freelancers, and what needs to shift to build something scalable, transferable, and sustainable. Busy and Booked If your business stops when you stop, you own a job, not a business. Being busy and booked does not mean you’re successful. Revenue is not the same as...
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315: Something Big Is Happening, with Eric Rozenberg
The Business of Meetings
AI is no longer just a tool. It is changing how we work, how we deliver value, and how we run our businesses. In this episode, Eric discusses a major shift happening in our industry. He breaks down what is really happening and how you, as a business owner, can remain relevant and competitive. Major Change We are in a period of significant change. This shift is not only about technology. It’s about the value we bring and who will capture that value moving forward. It brings both opportunities and challenges. Beyond Assistance In the past, AI mainly assisted with small tasks....
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314: The 3 Wake-Up Calls Every Event Business Owner Eventually Faces with Eric Rozenberg
The Business of Meetings
Building a successful business can be an exciting, energizing, and deeply rewarding experience. But it often comes with unexpected lessons. In this episode, Eric shares three pivotal moments that profoundly shaped his entrepreneurial journey. If you’re an entrepreneur building, growing, or scaling a business, these insights will help you understand why you must stop trying to do everything yourself and, instead, start leading and building structured systems that will allow your business to grow. A Trap In the early years of building a business, success can feel exciting and...
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313: Leading Through Uncertainty: How Event Business Owners Take Back Control with Eric Rozenberg
The Business of Meetings
Today, Eric addresses the uncertainty we’re experiencing in the world. Uncertainty has become the new normal, and our industry has shifted fundamentally with buyers being more cautious, procurement tighter than ever, and AI reshaping how we work. However, that uncertainty also provides opportunities. Our Industry Has Changed Permanently You must be cautious about every buying decision. Procurement teams are asking tougher questions. AI is transforming how work gets done. At the same time, as technology increases, so does the desire for real human connection. With many owners retiring...
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312: From Vegas Nights to VC Dinners: Building Rooms that Move Capital with Megan Gross
The Business of Meetings
Today, we are excited to welcome entrepreneur Megan Gross, founder of The Bonsoir, a boutique events firm that curates high-touch small events to bring startups and investors together. Megan is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area and is expanding into South Florida. In this episode, she shares her journey, highlighting small, personalized events as the future of business relationships. Megan’s Journey After college, Megan moved to Las Vegas to work for nightclubs, restaurants, and a major pool party. Drawn by a lifelong dream to live in Paris, she worked at the exclusive...
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311: Overwhelmed is Not a Time Problem, It Is a Leadership Problem!
The Business of Meetings
As a business owner, are you feeling overwhelmed? Eric believes that overwhelm is seldom about having too much to do. It happens when business owners fail to structure their time as a CEO should and instead react emotionally rather than lead strategically. Overwhelm Overwhelm often comes from reacting instead of leading. Jumping in to fix problems, answer clients, and put out fires feels productive, but it keeps you stuck working in the business instead of on it. Responsiveness is often mistaken for leadership, but constant firefighting is not a strategic approach to leading a team. ...
info_outlineWe are absolutely thrilled to welcome the remarkable Lucy Giovando Watts, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Streamlinevents, as today’s guest.
Stay tuned as Lucy shares her journey, offers insights from her work at Streamlinevents, and tells us why serendipity often matters more than we realize.
Streamlinevents
Streamlinevents is a full-service corporate event agency in Emeryville, California, with over 24 years of industry experience. The team partners with corporate clients on sales kickoffs, incentive programs, user conferences, and complex meetings. The company is powered by the best-of-the-best event managers, technologists, creatives, and sourcing experts who thrive in an industry defined by constant motion.
Lucy’s Journey
Lucy began her career in politics, working for a member of Congress and supporting political events, where she discovered her passion for live experiences. She then joined the tech sector in Silicon Valley, rising from event manager to Global Events Director, where she produced worldwide events. After that, she founded her own boutique event management company, which she ran for over 13 years, and later co-founded an event technology startup. Lucy briefly worked in association management before joining Streamline Events as Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
Entrepreneurship and Getting Comfortable With Discomfort
Building businesses taught Lucy that growth occurs outside of our comfort zones. For her, launching a startup meant daily exposure to sales, pitching, demos, and investors, along with the risk of failure. Over time, discomfort became normal, and fear was no longer a signal to stop. Instead, it became proof of forward motion.
The Power of Saying Yes
Lucy’s decision to attend a reception she considered missing set off a chain reaction that led to pitch competitions, partnerships, press coverage, integrations, and ultimately an acquisition offer for her startup. That experience reinforced the value of openness and action, even when confidence lags behind opportunity, proving that even small yeses can unlock outcomes no amount of planning could ever predict.
Serendipity
Openness to chance encounters, conversations, and unplanned moments can play a role in one’s career and in a company's growth. Serendipity does not replace preparation, but it rewards those who show up, engage, and are willing to act before they feel fully ready.
Imposter Syndrome
Lucy highlights how the perfectionistic mindset and people-pleasing culture in the hospitality industry can amplify imposter syndrome, particularly for women. Experience taught her that waiting to feel “ready enough” can become a barrier. Momentum comes from acting before you’re certain and recognizing that doubt does not disqualify your capability.
Creativity
Lucy reframed her identity by finding areas of creativity in problem-solving, strategy, leadership, and idea synthesis. Creativity blossoms when people allow time for mental space, pull inspiration from unexpected sources, and disconnect from constant digital noise.
Human Connection in an AI-Driven World
Technology and AI can enhance efficiency, but they cannot replace in-person connection. Conferences, incentives, and live events fulfill a fundamental human need for belonging, trust, and spontaneous interaction. As digital tools expand, the value of face-to-face experiences continues to strengthen rather than diminish.
Leadership, Safety Nets, and Being Bold
Strong leadership creates safety nets that empower teams to take risks. When people know their leaders have their backs, they are more willing to experiment, speak up, and innovate. At Streamline Events, leaders encourage bold thinking, creative exploration, and professional visibility through speaking, writing, and idea-sharing, while modeling that same courage themselves.
Bio: Lucy Giovando Watts
Lucy Giovando Watts is Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Streamlinevents, a woman-and minority-owned events agency delivering innovative, sustainable, and inclusive events worldwide. With over 20 years of experience leading global teams, managing event companies, and founding her own event tech startup, Lucy brings deep expertise in strategy, operations, and financial management.
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Email Lucy: Lucy.gw@streamlinevents.com