hi there and happy last day of 2025!

I’m taking a much needed family vacay after an epic year. Rather than break my intention of pausing on work this week to reflect and recharge, I’m re-sharing one of my most popular Gianna’s Gems from 2025…and this one’s all about manifesting the 2026 you want and deserve! So dream big…10X!

But you know I love stories, so first a few NEW stories as a preamble to the re-published blog:

As I draft this, a gal with hot pink hair sitting next to me on my flight asks me what the best car I can imagine is…I ask her why and she tells me her boss said he’ll get her one as a bonus gift…(she works for Formula 1).

So I pause and tell her about the new car I manifested for myself this year and how my son helped me pick it out and custom design the details (message me if you want to know what he picked out!)…then I share his pro tips and his dream car with her. It seems serendipitous to be having this convo the same month my first new car in 12 years was delivered…and she tells me “I asked you because you have good energy”.

A funny story about the car…I had been meaning to buy a new car for a few years, but I’m not a big car person, much to my son’s dismay, so I kept putting it off, even though I had it on my vision board. In July, I was driving home, singing to myself in a great mood, when some girl reversed full speed backwards into me! I hadn’t ever had this happen to me before…and even though she admitted fault, and gave me insurance, she later wouldn’t return insurance’s calls, and so I had to use my own insurance to cover the damage. I was shocked that someone would do this and held the anger in my for a day or two until I realized - why did this happen FOR me (not TO me)? With that, I decided to use the opportunity to have my car get a fresh coat of glossy paint so it was in pristine condition to be sold. And then…I designed my dream car! So it became a great motivating factor to move on that vision.

One more story from traveling today:

I awoke at 4:30 am to make it to the airport on time. I had planned out my morning meticulously, including time to shower, Uber scheduled in advance, journaling en route to the airport, checking flight status all morning. And despite making it through crowded TSA lines flawlessly using the TSA pre + Clear me in separate terminal trick, 20 min before my flight, I learned it was delayed 2 hours. ARGH! I could have slept in! I started heading to AMEX lounge thinking I’d work for a couple hours, and when it was full, I started feeling stressed and annoyed. However, I used that to clue into a need to reset and rather than get annoyed, I went back to the yoga lounge I had passed and did a 20 min meditation then a 30 min stretching/yoga session using a youtube app. I left feeling refreshed, restored, well stretched before my 6 hour flight and as I was standing in line for the plane, another lady told me she saw me in there and we started a great conversation about the benefits of meditation!

It’s crazy how wild manifesting and mindset is…so here you go Gems - a few pro tips to set you up for success in life and in your events in 2026!

***

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to effortlessly create their dream lives while others constantly struggle against obstacles and blame others for their misfortune? The difference often lies in the power of manifestation combined with strategic planning. These two powerful tools can work together, especially when planning events that leave lasting impressions and full disclosure: I use them daily!

I didn’t think anyone noticed that I do this intentional manifesting, but last week, I received a rare gift: my best friend sent me a lengthy, but incredible email outlining all the reasons she loves me and what makes me unique. She specifically acknowledged my intentional approach to creating a life I want and not expecting others to do it for me (below verbatim):

“you have a relentless focus on creating the life you want. From the day I met you you’ve known what you wanted and gone after it and more importantly you’ve achieved it… from Google, to Garrett, to your son, publishing your book, placing in your first marathon, to running your own company now…”

The Science Behind Manifestation

What Manifestation is not: just wishful thinking – it's a powerful combination of psychology and focused action. When we clearly envision our desired outcomes, our reticular activating system (RAS) – the part of our brain that filters information – becomes primed to notice opportunities aligned with our goals. This explains why when you're thinking about buying a certain car, you suddenly see that model everywhere.

Gianna’s Gem: Below are two real life ways I did this which became my reality and how you can create yours.

When I was impacted early in my career during the infamous recession of 2008, I used it as an opportunity to take a pause from the grind to visualize my life in landscape mode and imagine what my dream job looked like. I made a list of 50 companies I wanted to work for (in order) which was hard and took a lot of research, but guess what? Google was the #1 company on my list and within a year, I went on to run events for Google and stayed there in my dream job for nearly a decade!

In my twenties, I read an article by Oprah that said you should create a list of 100 qualities you want in a romantic partner. I took the time to do this, which gets challenging towards the end of the list and even got as detailed as “he plays scrabble”. Within a few months, I met the love of my life (and now husband of 14 years) and… He actually made me play scrabble on Facebook with him three times before asking me on a date. Crazy right?!

But here's the real magic: manifestation works because it creates a feedback loop between our thoughts, emotions, and actions. When we visualize success with emotional intensity, we:

Develop stronger motivation to pursue our goals
Build confidence in our ability to achieve them
Make decisions aligned with our desired outcomes
Recognize and seize relevant opportunities
Stay resilient in the face of challenges

Your Simple Guide to Manifestation:

Crystal Clear Vision Start by getting incredibly specific about what you want to create. For event planning, this means visualizing every detail – from the reactions on guests' faces to the way the room feels. Write it all down, or do a “pre-event attendee journey audit session” creating a vivid picture that engages all your senses.
Emotional Connection Spend time feeling the emotions you'll experience when your vision becomes reality. How will you feel when your event unfolds perfectly? Let yourself experience that joy, pride, and satisfaction now. This emotional investment is key to maintaining motivation and making aligned choices.
Strategic Action Planning Here's where manifestation meets practical planning. Break down your vision into actionable steps. Create timelines, delegate tasks, and establish clear metrics for success. Remember – manifestation without action is just daydreaming.

The Pre-Mortem: Your Secret Weapon For Nailing Events

Now, let's talk about one of the most powerful tools in your planning arsenal: the pre-mortem. While manifestation focuses on the perfect outcome, a pre-mortem helps ensure that outcome by identifying and addressing potential issues before they arise.

How to Conduct an Effective Pre-Mortem

Headline: Start with what headline you want written about your event. That will help you envision the end result in one sentence which really drives home the most critical goals you’re aiming to achieve and prioritize them above all else.
Preventative Scenario: Begin by imagining it's the day after your event. Everything went wrong. What happened? Have your team imagine this scenario in detail. This might feel counterintuitive to manifestation, but it's actually complementary – you're identifying obstacles to clear the path for your vision.
Comprehensive Analysis: List every possible failure point: i.e. vendor mishaps, weather issues, technical difficulties, timing problems, guest experience challenges, etc.
Preventive Solutions: I conduct a deep dive attendee journey audit with my clients about a week before my event where my goal is to poke holes in every part of the guest experience. Is it fun? Not always. Does it work? Always! We always end up solving problems we hadn’t thought of in advance which is why doing the work up front is better than having to troubleshoot onsite.
Integration with Success Planning Now, fold these preventive measures into your main event plan. This creates a robust strategy that combines positive visualization with practical problem-solving.
Conduct a Staff Briefing + Share at an All Hands: I always find that when I run my event strategy by the entire company and present it at an All Hands, and also conduct a staff briefing, questions arise that perhaps might have slipped my team’s radar (maybe from someone in a different country or different team). Sharing plans in advance can help alleviate any questions that arise onsite when there’s less time to respond elegantly.

Bringing It All Together

The beauty of combining manifestation with pre-mortem planning lies in its comprehensive approach. You're simultaneously holding space for your perfect vision while pragmatically addressing potential obstacles. This dual focus creates a powerful framework for success.

Remember, true manifestation isn't about passive hoping – it's about active creation. When you pair your clear vision with strategic planning and proactive problem-solving, you create an unstoppable formula for success. By embracing both the magic of manifestation and the pragmatism of pre-mortem planning, you're setting yourself up for events that don't just meet expectations – they exceed them in ways you might not have even imagined.

Remember, the most successful events (and lives) aren't just well-planned – they're well-envisioned, thoroughly protected, and mindfully manifested into reality.

Happy New Year - make it a blissful, and well-intentioned 2025!

XX,

Gianna

What I'm Loving This Week: And for all my favorite vendors, partners and products, visit: https://www.giannagaudini.com/gianna-recommends

”Partytrick” you’ll want to use ASAP this season (and beyond):

If you're hosting personal celebrations or smaller-scale events and want to streamline your planning without sacrificing creativity, Partytrick is a game-changer. This free all-in-one platform transforms event planning from overwhelming to effortless with expertly designed templates, built-in guest management, and smart mood boards where every gorgeous image is tagged with actual product links—no more endless scrolling trying to find where to buy that perfect centerpiece!

Whether you're planning a birthday dinner, holiday gathering, or intimate celebration, Partytrick takes you from inspiration to execution with cohosting tools for collaboration, RSVP tracking, task assignments, and expert hosting tips all in one beautifully designed portal. It's like having an event planner's toolkit at your fingertips, designed by professionals but built for anyone who wants to spend less time stressing and more time actually enjoying the celebrations they create. Best part? It's completely free—no fees, no credit card required, no catch.

And…I couldn't be more excited to join Partytrick as an official advisor that will quickly become part of your toolkit so you can spend more time with your guests and less time on the tactics. If you have questions, or want to learn more, feel free to reach out!

You can check also out the fun templates and product recommendations by signing up here: https://lnkd.in/gvzv458H

Because the best moments don't always just happen...they're intentionally planned.

Gianna Gaudini is an event strategist, advisor, and author of the Amazon bestselling book "The Art of Event Planning." She's held leadership roles at Google, AWS, SoftBank Vision Fund, and Airtable, creating unforgettable experiences that drive business results. For more insights on creating exceptional events, visit GiannaGaudini.com or take the Master Class: https://www.giannagaudini.com/learn-from-me

Because once you commit to excellence in one small area, it bleeds into everything else.

Remember - your attendees are no different: They're asking: "Is this a brand that sweats the details? That thinks before acting? That cares about how I feel, not just whether I showed up and agreed to scan my badge?"

How you plan your events is how you run your business.

How you write your emails is how you'll treat your customers.

How you do anything is how you do everything.

So: What are your small moments signaling?

Start Here: If you're feeling overwhelmed, start with one thing. Not ten. One.

Personal:

Make your bed tomorrow morning
Write one thoughtful email this week instead of firing off a quick response
Floss your teeth tonight (even though you're tired)

Professional:

Rewrite one attendee outreach email to feel warm and personal
Ask "why" before adding the next thing to your event agenda or 2026 plans
Spend five extra minutes writing compelling marketing copy instead of the standard boring text.

Excellence isn't built in grand gestures. It's built in the accumulation of small, intentional choices.

Start with one. And watch how it changes everything.

XX,

Gianna

p.s.

What I’m loving this week: And for all my top vendors and partners, check out my Gianna Recommend’s Page.

I have to give a shout out to one of my favorite companies. I not only am a proud advisor to them, but I use them frequently for my own events (everything from holiday parties to multi-million dollar celeb evens!) Women-ownedEva is my favorite one-stop platform to book whatever it is I need to make an event more entertaining: From comedians to musicians, unique team-building activities to A-List speakers, even dress-up party costumes and makeup artists…I can find and book it here. I use Eva for both inspiration and new ideas as well as to handle logistics like payment, insurance and riders for me. And since I’m a fangirl, they’ve provided me with my own discount code to give you 10% off any booking with the code: EVAGVIP. Or, DM me for a personal connect.

What I'm Loving This Week: Monet

Speaking of revolutionizing the events industry, I'm thrilled to announce that I've joined an early stage but very hot event tech startup, monet.io as an advisor.

Here's what really blows my mind: Monet can generate entire showfloor layouts for conferences and expos—something that traditionally takes weeks of back-and-forth with venue teams, agencies, sponsors, and operations. The platform doesn't just create a generic floor plan; it uses intelligent algorithms to recommend optimal sponsor booth placements based on traffic flow, sponsor tier, and strategic visibility.

Think about what this means for event planners managing large-scale conferences: instead of manually juggling sponsor requirements, attendee flow, and venue constraints in CAD software or PowerPoint, Monet does the heavy lifting while you focus on the strategic decisions. It's like having an expert event designer and operations manager working 24/7 on your team.

For sponsors, this means better ROI—their booth placement isn't arbitrary, it's data-driven. For attendees, it means better navigation and experience. For planners, it means hours (sometimes days) of work condensed into minutes.

If you're managing complex events—especially in the enterprise space where showfloors, sponsor management, and multi-stakeholder coordination are involved—I encourage you to check out what the Monet team is building. They're not just creating software; they're creating space for event professionals to do what we do best: design experiences that matter. Drop me a line if you want an intro and a Gianna’s Gems VIP discount on their product.

Learn more at monet.io

Gianna Gaudini is an event strategist, advisor, and author of the Amazon bestselling book "The Art of Event Planning." She's held leadership roles at Google, AWS, SoftBank Vision Fund, and Airtable, creating unforgettable experiences that drive business results. For more insights on creating exceptional events, visit GiannaGaudini.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Interested in having your event or venue featured in Gianna's Gems? Reach out at gianna@gaudini.com