Liz King Caruso is the CEO of techsytalk, a global community and online platform that aims to bridge the gap between event technology and event planners. She's also CEO of Liz King Events and is based in New York.
How she got her start: Caruso has always been drawn to technology. "I was the geek that signed on to AOL in the early '90s as a pre-teen and had no friends because literally no one I knew was using it at the time," she jokes. "Ever since then, I push myself to try new things even if I don't like them (like Snapchat!) so I can understand what trends technology is driving in culture and what that could mean for our events and attendees."
In fact, Caruso's event production company, Liz King Events, started back in 2009 with a simple Twitter account. "The relationships I made on Twitter back then translated into client inquiries that drove me to start my business," she says. "So—in a nutshell—pushing myself to try new things with technology has always put me in great places to learn, connect, and grow."
What innovation means to her: "I always say innovate or die. And while it may not be quite that dramatic, I do believe that innovation is the key to staying relevant and keeping your clients," Caruso says. "We're moving in a very fast-paced industry, and our clients and bosses expect more from us now than ever. It's critical that we try new things constantly—even if they fail. We learn from our successes and from the things that didn't go according to plan, but the key is to constantly be trying new ways to meet our goals."
Career highlights: Caruso cites the techsytalk GLOBAL conference, which she launched in 2010, as her biggest career accomplishment. "This 'for planner, by planner' global community has been a huge learning opportunity for me, but also a contribution to the industry that I love so much," she says. "Bringing together thousands of event professionals has been thrilling, challenging, and so special, and it's been an honor to be a part of this movement of forward-thinking planners."
She adds, "Many people have asked me why I educate my competitors, but I don't see it that way at all! A rising tide lifts all ships, and I'm so blessed to work alongside so many talented event planners in all sectors and stages."
Vision for the future: Caruso firmly believes that technology can help event professionals humanize their work, and better connect event attendees to each other, to brands, and to content. "I believe that attendees are the core of everything, and making them happy is the key to our success," she adds. "Over the years, technology has brought us together, but it's also separated us—and I hope to see it bring about more collaboration and connection as we move forward."
Back to the full list: 12 Event Tech Experts Pushing the Industry Forward
