Building Community and Connection in Business with Brian Kellerman
Brian Kellerman, CEO of GoGather, joins The Bliss Business Podcast to share how intentional event design turns meetings into movements. He explains how to build connection on purpose, extend it beyond the closing session, and measure the return on belonging.
Intentional event design is what separates a gathering people forget from one they talk about for years. In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, hosts Stephen Sakach and Mike Liwski sit down with Brian Kellerman, CEO of GoGather, who brings more than 20 years of event strategy and experiential marketing to one question: how do you build connection on purpose instead of leaving it to chance?
In this episode we explore:
• Why connection comes from environments and moments, not a rigid strategy
• How to balance event logistics with emotional architecture
• How incentive programs and executive sessions extend connection past the event
• How to keep a personal touch as events and organizations scale
• How to measure the ROI of connection by defining intention first
• How purpose and love show up in the experiences a company designs
🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Mike Liwski
🎧 Produced by Tullio Siragusa
Brian traces his path back to a college job as a DJ, where he first saw strangers become friends. That lesson now shapes GoGather. He argues that events are too often treated as a commodity, when the real work is deciding what feeling people should leave with.
Connection has to outlast the closing session. Brian describes incentive programs where each executive host leads 20 top performers through a daily strategy session, then keeps that group as a quarterly advisory circle. He also describes replacing separate rooms with a single town square, so energy and choice replace a rigid schedule. As he puts it, people want to be inspired, not instructed.
On measurement, Brian says to name the intention first, whether lower turnover or higher engagement. On purpose, he shares a bioscience company incentive trip where guests assembled science kits and backpacks for local school children, which attendees later remembered more than the dinner or the band.
Moving from features and benefits to emotional connection is where lasting customer value is built, the same shift Zero Company helps brands make in their own audience relationships.
Key Takeaways
• (3:48) On designing connection: “it’s really more about creating environments and moments than having a specific strategy of how to make those connections.”
• (6:35) On how events are viewed: “events often are still treated as almost sort of a commodity, almost an inconvenient part of doing business.”
• (12:33) On life after the event: “We need to facilitate, continue to facilitate throughout both pre-event, during event and post-event, those connections, that communication.”
• (26:24) On measuring ROI: “let’s be specific going into it. What is it that we’re trying to accomplish?”
• (33:44) On purpose in action: after a science-kit and backpack project for local students, “There wasn’t a dry eye in the place.”
• (36:31) On love in business: “There’s no better way to be successful than to help others.”
FAQ
What is intentional event design?
Brian Kellerman, CEO of GoGather, describes intentional event design as creating environments and moments where people feel comfortable dropping their default personas, while still meeting the business objectives behind the gathering.
How can companies keep connection going after an event ends?
Brian Kellerman says to facilitate connection before, during, and after the event. One example is executive hosts who lead groups of 20 top performers, who then meet quarterly as an advisory group and mentor new hires.
How do you measure the ROI of a connection-focused event?
Brian Kellerman recommends defining the intention first, such as reducing turnover or increasing engagement, then measuring with net promoter score, live audience response tools, and qualitative questions.
Connection at an event is designed, not hoped for. Learn more about Brian Kellerman and GoGather at gogather.com. See his guest profile, watch the video, read the companion post Why In-Person Events Will Matter More In An AI-Driven World, or explore more Featured Guest Series conversations.
CEO of GoGather
Brian co-founded GoGather in 2008 to create an organization with big agency capabilities and a boutique agency feel. Working with top brands in multiple industries, Brian has translated corporate culture, goals and objectives into meaningful, personal experiences at events. From incentive programs in Bora Bora to conventions in Boston, Brian has covered the globe with over 20 years of experience.
As a leader within his agency and industry, Brian has served on the board of the San Diego chapter of the American Marketing Association and received one of the first Strategic Meetings Management Program certifications from the GBTA.
