Epic Events Podcast with
Andrew Roby

How to Plan Events That Build Community and Drive Real ROI

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  • Andrew Roby

    Andrew Roby is an award-winning event producer whose path to the industry started in the US Army, where he served in the Old Guard and produced ceremonial and community events around the world. Recognized by Forbes, CNN, BizBash, and the New York Times for championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in events, Andrew has helped charities raise more than $25 million and saved clients six figures through smarter planning. Through Andrew Roby Events, he helps hotels and event teams rise to their fullest potential.

About the Episode

Anyone can run an event that goes according to plan. Very few can run one that people walk away from feeling connected, changed, and eager to come back.

In this episode, Muhammad Younas sits down with Andrew Roby, an event producer whose journey began in the US Army, including ceremonial duties with the Old Guard and the funeral of President Ronald Reagan. That background shaped how he sees events today: not as logistics to manage, but as experiences that transform people.

Andrew explains why he calls his work a gift rather than a service. Clients hire planners to handle timelines and vendors, but the real value is in designing a journey; understanding why attendees show up, what they need, and how every touchpoint can build trust and community. He shares how this thinking helped one client save over $164,000 on food and beverage alone, simply by reviewing a contract before it was signed.

The conversation also covers what planners get wrong when budgets tighten, why event professionals are usually the first thing cut (and why that backfires), how to handle clients who micromanage, and how to be strict about event tech: if there is no clear answer to “why are we using this,” don’t use it.

If you’re an event planner who is technically excellent but struggling to grow, Andrew’s advice is a mindset shift worth hearing.

Key Takeaways:

  • Design for community, not just execution. Attendees come to events looking for connection, and that should shape your strategy as much as the run of show.
  • Position yourself as a strategic partner, not a logistics vendor. Clients invest in transformation, not timelines.
  • Never sign venue, F&B, or AV contracts before getting a second opinion. Andrew saved one client $164,357.54 on food and beverage by auditing a contract line by line.
  • Build a strategic plan before allocating budget. Identify your priorities and a secondary list, and be ready to compromise even on large budgets.
  • Treat attendees as people on a journey, not one-off guests. Every interaction should feel more elevated than the last.
  • For fundraising events, lead with storytelling. A beneficiary telling their own story raises more than a celebrity keynote.
  • Be ruthless about event tech. If there’s no clear reason to use a tool, skip it. Start with registration and the event app, where community and first impressions live.
  • Reduce client micromanagement by over-explaining your value, your process, and how you work before contracts are signed. Trust lowers the urge to hover.
  • If you’re struggling to grow, stop selling logistics and start selling your value. Work on your business, not just in it.