What’s Neu Video: A Look Behind the Scenes at NeuGroup Meetings

# What’s Neu

A conversation with NeuGroup events manager Zandra Floirendo on what it takes to make meetings run smoothly.

Justin Jones

By Justin Jones By the time members walk into a NeuGroup meeting, a long list of details has already been handled behind the scenes. In the latest episode of the What’s Neu (pronounced “noy”) video series, I talk with Zandra Floirendo, NeuGroup’s events manager, about what goes into making in-person meetings run smoothly, what to look forward to as the first-half meeting season gets into full swing and, on a lighter note, how martial arts helped shape her calm-under-pressure mindset. Many members know that peer group leaders shape meeting agendas, guide discussions in the room and help move conversations toward practical outcomes. Zandra explains to me what’s less evident: How the events team creates a seamless on-site experience—coordinating with hosts and vendors and managing everything from catering and AV to room layouts, receptions and dinners. In other words, they handle the details that make it possible for participants to focus on the content once they arrive. You can watch the video now by clicking the play button below:

We also look ahead to some key events in the first-half meeting season, which kicked off a few weeks ago. Zandra highlights the Women in NeuGroup salon dinner in New York City on April 14 and the NeuGroup for Life Sciences Treasurers meeting in New Jersey. (The Garden State also happens to be home for Zandra and her events team colleagues Sydkne Rackley and Jennifer Uber.) And we discuss last week’s San Diego event week featuring the assistant treasurers and FX peer groups at Qualcomm, a format that lets members with broad roles get more out of a single trip. In our conversation, Zandra compares the job of NeuGroup’s events staff to a duck gliding across the water. “You never see their feet paddling,” she says. A lot of the paddling is making sure the small things feel easy for members, whether that’s getting into the building where the meeting takes place or taking the best route to the restaurant for dinner. One of the lessons she learned early—anticipating members' needs before they even ask—came from getting lost trying to find the entrance to a New York meeting. It made her more focused on providing precise instructions about where to go, not just the building address. And if something does go wrong, she says, the goal is to fix it fast enough that no one notices. “Being proactive and being able to think fast on your feet and being flexible is the only way you can handle problems that come at you fast,” she says. We end on a more personal note: Zandra traces some of her composure to years in martial arts, where she learned that calmness can be its own advantage. “The best thing you can do for yourself is to remain calm and confident,” she says, “even if you have to fake it till you make it.” And, of course, I had to ask about her favorite martial arts movie. The answer, coming from someone with years of experience and training in actual martial arts, surprised me. Watch the full video to hear her pick (and mine) by clicking here.