"Our board absolutely loved working with Adrienne for our most recent WIPA Austin event, and from the beginning she stood out to us as the perfect fit! During our interview call she was not only well versed in her presentation and knowledge, but she was also completely open to all of our questions and feedback regarding our chapter. Her confidence on the call was what really put us at ease knowing she would be a great fit for our chapter. Adrienne has also been the most communicative and organized speaker we've had. She responded to emails within the day, met all of her deadlines early, and on our final presentation review call she worked with our board to tailor it to our market's needs. She even changed her slides to fit the summer theme we had! Not only did she deliver on exactly what we hoped, she surpassed our expectations on the day of the event with her magnetic energy and how she came early and stayed late to connect with our members. We would absolutely love to have Adrienne come back for a 2.0 presentation in the future!"
Amy Kuntz- WIPA Austin
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2026 Speaker Kit
Download the Kitâââââ
From Dawn Williams, Founder/CEO of VenuHub & Elevate Producer
"When I selected Adrienne as our opening keynote, I wanted someone who would challenge our industry to rethink today's buyer - not simply inspire people for an hour. And wow did she deliver! Adrienne gave our attendees practical strategies they could implement immediately while helping many of us shift our mindset around the last-minute buyer. Instead of reacting with frustration, we're learning to tailor the way we sell to how people are buying today, create stronger systems, and make smarter decisions about which opportunities are truly worth pursuing. It was one of the most actionable keynotes we've hosted."
What Camp Elevate attendees are saying:
"Adrienne helped us recognize that not every piece of business deserves a yes. We're evaluating opportunities more strategically and protecting our teams from unnecessary strain."
"We're standardizing our approach to last-minute groups so we can move faster without sacrificing quality."
"Her multi-point framework gave us a better way to evaluate new business and determine whether the opportunity is worth the investment."
"The biggest takeaway? Work smarter, not harder. We've already started refining our procedures and defining our true cutoff window so we can better serve clients while supporting our team."
Overall Speaker Rating: âââââ
Brandon Badillo -Â Event Sales and Venue Specialist
"I had the pleasure of sitting through a brief, yet impactful seminar led by Adrienne at an Event Industry conference by Venuhub. I have been in the industry for over 20 years, with 12 of those specializing in selling events. I do consulting for mom and pop venues with an emphasis on sales and marketing techniques to better help them close more business. Although I consider myself an expert, I took a lot away from Ms. Gardner's class. She has a very common sensical and down to earth approach, which I love. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her and my only complaint was that her time to speak was not nearly long enough."
Jen Robinson - Director Special Events AEG
"As a seasoned sales professional I am always looking for ways to improve. The session I attended with Adrienne at the Elevate Conference didn't disappoint. Adrienne did a deep dive into how salespeople view potential customers and make assumptions that aren't always on point. Her strategies allow for a more effective approach to selling and winning more business. I highly recommend her training sessions."
2026 Talks
*Custom sessions are available. Have a specific challenge or skill you want to strengthen? Letâs build something that fits.
Leadership
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Grinder to Grown-Up Leader
What no one tells you about stepping into leadershipâand how to stop defaulting to âjust doing it yourself.â
What Youâll Walk Away With:
- A clear understanding of the three leadership shifts required to move from doer to leader
- A practical framework for stepping into leadershipâeven when youâre still close to the work
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The Other Side of Leverage Is Resentment
How imbalanced client and vendor relationships quietly drain your energyâand how to reset them before frustration takes over.
What Youâll Walk Away With:
- Practical strategies for rebalancing client and vendor dynamics
- Tools to build partnerships rooted in clarity, respect, and sustainability
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Take My Job, Young One
The art (and responsibility) of developing your team to grow beyond you.
What Youâll Walk Away With:
- Why âno one can do it like meâ is a leadership red flag
- Steps to create upward mobility in small or growing organizations
- Tools to build a succession-minded teamâeven if youâre not stepping aside (yet)
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Sales
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People Gonna People
How buyer behaviorânot better pitchingâdrives confident yeses.
What Youâll Walk Away With:
- A clear understanding of how emotion and logic actually work together in buying decisions
- Practical ways to adapt your sales approach to different buyer behaviors
- Tools to create trust and momentum without pressure or chasing
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Pipeline Panic
How to build a sales pipeline that reflects real buyer behavior.
What Youâll Walk Away With:
- A simple framework for structuring your pipeline from inquiry to close
- How to separate active buyers from long-term leads without ignoring either
- Practical ways to keep deals moving without sounding salesy
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The Back 25%: Where Sales Go Quiet
How silence, stalling, and weak follow-up systems cost you real revenue.
What Youâll Walk Away With:
- A clear breakdown of what to do after the event is over with your clients
- A step-by-step approach to increasing feedback and online reviews
- How to turn one-time clients into consistent referral streams
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