Nobody talks about the stress of packing for a work event. The week before, you'
By Melissa Burdick · April 23, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Nobody talks about the stress of packing for a work event.
The week before, you're thinking about it. The night before, you're thinking about it. And once you're there, you have to wear the outfit for 10+ hours while feeling comfortable and looking presentable.
When I sat down with Lauren Livak Gilbert, Executive Director of The Digital Shelf Institute, she shared what she actually thinks through before stepping onstage:
- Is it a stool or a chair? (This matters more than you think if you're in a skirt.)
- Is there a lavalier mic? (You need somewhere for that battery pack to go.)
- What's the backdrop color? (She's clashed with one before!)
And she's not alone - I had a similar conversation with Sherry Smith from Criteo about this. The through line is eliminating variables so your brain can focus on the actual talk.
Lauren made this great point: a lot of the branded swag and company gear that used to be a default has fallen out of fashion at industry events. What people are actually reaching for now is something that works across a long day... without creating one more thing to manage when you're trying to be present and authoritative.
You can watch my full conversation with Lauren now - she has a lot of great advice on how to show up prepared and even shares how you can get a 15% discount at Massachusetts EVEREVE. Link in the comments! 👇
What's one thing you always do before you go on stage?