Lindsey Ivie: The Secret to Building Events People Actually Want to Attend

What separates an event people attend from an experience they never stop talking about? In this episode of Go-To-Market, Amy Osmond Cook welcomes Lindsey Ivie, Vice President of Partnerships at Silicon Slopes, to explore how community, partnerships, and innovative event design have become some of the most powerful growth strategies in business today. From retail and channel partnerships to consulting with startups and building partner ecosystems from the ground up, every step taught Lindsey the same lesson: People don't remember events. They remember experiences. Now leading partnerships at Silicon Slopes, Lindsey oversees many of the organization's largest initiatives, bringing together founders, executives, investors, and technology leaders through experiences that educate, inspire, and create lasting relationships. In this episode, Amy and Lindsey discuss: –Why community has become one of the strongest go-to-market advantages –How partnerships accelerate growth more effectively than traditional sales tactics –What today's event attendees actually expect—and why panels alone aren't enough –Why hands-on AI workshops are replacing passive conference sessions –How immersive experiences create stronger business relationships –Using AI to design, visualize, and execute world-class events –Why every great event starts by putting yourself in the attendee's shoes One of Lindsey's biggest insights is that successful events are built around the attendee experience, not just agendas. Instead of asking, "What do we want to present?" She asks: "What will create the most value for the people who invested their time to be here?" That philosophy has helped Silicon Slopes develop some of the technology community's most engaging events—from AI learning retreats and executive offsites to Startup Festival workshops designed around participation rather than presentations. Amy and Lindsey also discuss how AI is changing event planning itself. As visual thinkers, they share how AI tools now allow ideas that once lived only in their imagination to become fully designed experiences. Whether you're leading partnerships, building pipeline, planning customer events, or creating community around your brand, this conversation offers practical insights into designing experiences people genuinely want to attend.