DETROIT — A new partnership between MAD Event Management and Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA) plans to launch and seed events in Detroit, with the support of Claude Molinari, president and CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. Their first event has just been announced: Side Hustles & Opportunities, a public conference dedicated to those looking for advice on starting their own business, finding a side income option or saving for a major purchase.
“We’ve been working with Visit Detroit and the TCF Center for several years to bring events to the city,” said Martha Donato, founder and president of MAD Event Management. “Our partner, Brian Sherwood, had developed the business plan for Side Hustles & Opportunities and was looking for a trade show organizer to market it.”
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It’s a well-matched duo: Molinari focuses on organizing business-to-business and business-to-consumer events in Detroit, and Donato has launched more than 25 new events throughout his career.
“The city is ideally positioned to host events, with a world-class LEED-certified convention center, hotels, an international airport and an active and motivated CVB,” Donato said.
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She sees the post-pandemic as fertile ground for new events. “If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that people want to meet in person. Our ability to find empty spaces in markets where a live event would be well-received and thrive is now at an all-time high. There’s obviously an added level of risk and anxiety now around public safety, but I think the excitement of meeting in person outweighs the fears.”
Contact Martha Donato at martha@madeventmanagement.com, (845) 545-0653