Finding a spider in your pocket. Having an itchy palm or ear. A bird pooping on you. Not placing your handbag on the floor. Hanging the number 8 in your home.

These are but a few of the myriad signs that an influx of wealth is on its way, according to superstitions that have taken root around the world.

Of course, no serious person would believe any of these. According to my wife, the most sensible path to fast cash is playing the lottery when the Powerball hits $1 billion.

But I work in the MPI Media department, and you’re a professional in the meeting and event industry. As much as we love our jobs, we probably wouldn’t have them right now if any of us had hit the jackpot just yet. So, in this issue of The Meeting Professional, our theme is a word/concept that plays an outsized role in our lives and our work: money.

Events don’t exist without money, so we’re tackling this subject from multiple angles: establishing event stability and flexibility by truly understanding your program’s costs, combatting higher costs through creativity, why you should stop undervaluing yourself (and your skills), investing in your future and much more.

Corrine Statia Thomas, our member spotlight in this issue, says she successfully approaches client budget conversations by listening first and continuing to build strong partnerships.

"Those partnerships are everything—they help me stretch a budget without sacrificing quality," she says. "That’s ultimately what allows me to bring my clients’ ideas to life while keeping everyone’s stress levels down."

We hope some the practical tips and insights in this issue will help you down the line. But just to be on the safe side, maybe don’t kill that spider.