Epic Events Podcast with
Ben Costantini

Beyond Handshakes and Business Cards: How Smart Events Create Real Business Impact

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  • Ben Costantini

    Ben Costantini is the Founder and CEO of Sesamers and an ecosystem builder with more than 15 years of experience across technology, events, and innovation policy. He leads Sesamers in helping startups, investors, and event organizers make smarter decisions through data-driven tools. Ben also hosts the Selected podcast, where he interviews leaders shaping the future of innovation.

About the Episode

Are you choosing events based on guesswork instead of real insight?

In this episode, Muhammad Younas sits down with Ben Costantini to unpack how startups can make better decisions about exhibitions and get more value from every event they attend. 

Ben explains why event selection is often messy for founders and how a lack of transparency wastes time and budget. He also breaks down what early-stage teams should focus on before, during, and after a show to actually drive revenue.

If you’ve ever wondered how to stretch a small budget, avoid rookie mistakes, and walk away from events with real business impact, this conversation will help you rethink your event playbook.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Use clear goals to decide whether an event is worth attending.
  • Focus on pipeline generation instead of branding in early stages.
  • Look for all-in-one booth packages to control costs as a first-time exhibitor.
  • Use simple activities or swag to increase traffic at smaller booths.
  • Track every lead in your CRM and follow up quickly after the event.
  • Evaluate exhibition options based on booth location and visitor flow.
  • Compare startup villages and group delegations to find better value.
  • Review whether hosted buyer meetings match your stage and goals.
  • Use AI tools internally to scale operations but verify outputs for accuracy.