Luke was one of my favorite clients—clear about what he wanted, demanding but fair. He had just asked me to organize an incentive trip to New York for over 100 of his top-performing sales people.

As always, I began with a simple but powerful question: "What challenges is your company currently facing?" He smiled and replied, "Eric, we’ve been doing this for 25 years. I know you and your team will create something great. Come back in two weeks with an exciting program."

At that moment, I could have nodded, thanked him and left. But instead, I said, "Luke, look at your watch. It’s five to 10. I’ll be out by 10 sharp—just give me five more minutes to ask a few questions."

Those five minutes changed everything. By digging a little deeper, we uncovered two critical insights:

1. Varying tenure: Some employees had been with the company for 20+ years. Others were new and thrilled by everything. Designing something meaningful for both groups would be tricky.
2. Generational divide: The sales team spanned three generations, but there was little interaction between them. They didn’t collaborate or connect on a personal level.

These insights transformed the entire approach. Yes, we delivered the expected "wow" moments: a police escort and limo transfer from JFK to Times Square, a private champagne breakfast at Saks Fifth Avenue before opening and a helicopter tour over Manhattan. Glamorous? Absolutely. But in our industry, with the right network, those are achievable. What truly made the trip unforgettable happened on day three.

We rented Sir Studios and partnered with SongDivision, a group of professional musicians who specialize in team building through music. As the group entered the main studio, a rock band was already playing. Then Luke took the mic and introduced the musicians: "This one played with Billy Joel, that one with Jon Bon Jovi, another with Bruce Springsteen…"

He turned to his team and said, "We’re splitting into four groups. Each group goes with one musician to a separate studio. You have two hours to choose a tune, write lyrics about your experience in New York and prepare to perform it live. Go!"

Eric Rozenberg leads MPI’s master class in Event Business Management. Learn more now.

Two hours later, they returned and performed their songs—recorded professionally—while their peers cheered them on. They were creative, hilarious and heartfelt.

But we weren’t done. That evening, we walked from the W Hotel to the Hard Rock Café. As we approached, the marquee lit up with Luke’s company logo. Cameras came out. The team couldn’t believe it. And we had special authorization to stand on the platform and take pictures. (The fact that Kevin Kirby, now executive director of the MPI Foundation, was then head of global marketing and sales - cafés for Hard Rock, certainly helped!)

We hosted a private dinner, and just as dessert was served, the band returned. One final surprise: We invited everyone on stage to sing the most entertaining of the four songs—together.

To this day, many still talk about the moment they sang on stage at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square. And every time they see the New Year’s Eve ball drop or a movie set in Manhattan, it takes them back.

And to think, none of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t asked for five extra minutes during the briefing. That moment taught me something I’ve carried throughout my career: strategy before execution.

Over the years, my business partner Georges Yana and I built one of the most successful corporate events agencies in Belgium and Europe—not just by producing great events, but by aligning them with our clients’ goals, culture and challenges.

Because here’s the truth: If you want to create events that truly stand out, you need to do more than impress. You need to connect. That means doing your homework on your client’s industry and competitors; understanding internal dynamics like team structure, generational gaps or culture; asking the kind of questions that uncover unspoken needs; and using your network to bring in the right elements—not just flashy ones.

When you do that, three things happen: you create experiences with impact, stand out in a crowded market and earn trust—and with it, more business.

If this story resonates with you, message me on LinkedIn and ask for the list of 35 strategic questions I’ve used throughout my career to uncover what really matters to clients.