PALOS VERDES, Calif. — At the 2026 Trade Show Executive (TSE) Gold 100 Education Summit, two TSE Trailblazers sat down to discuss their careers and achievements: Jordan Tuchband, Senior Vice President at RX, and Vanessa Dang, Audience Development Manager, CommerceNext.
Dang walked through how she built a scalable demand generation engine and transformed organic sales efforts into predictable pipelines through integrated marketing channels and automation.
Tuchband described how he transitioned from a smaller company to RX, navigated COVID-19 as an organizer and helps his portfolio succeed today.
Here are five takeaways from this memorable conversation, courtesy of Rozie Synopsis.
1. How We Define Success is Changing
“The industry has shifted from focusing on absolute numbers to emphasizing ROI and meaningful value for attendees and exhibitors,” Tuchband said. “It’s not about how big the event is, but whether you meet the right people who matter to your business.”
2. To Build Scalable Demand Generation, Integrate Marketing and Sales Efforts to Create Predictable Pipelines
Dang leveraged paid ads, LinkedIn, cold emails and automation tools to increase demand and reduce costs.
Are you feeling inspired to scale up or introduce a new program? Dang asserted that autonomy and data-driven decision-making empower teams to experiment and optimize strategies.
Related. Meet the 2026 TSE Trailblazers: Vanessa Dang
3. Change is a Constant — Innovation Should Be Too
Tuchband is no stranger to change: RX’s acquisition of his previous organization and the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of adaptability, as well as delegation, open-mindedness and customer-centric approaches.
4. As a Senior Leader, Supporting Your Employees — and Trusting Them — Can Have an Outsized Impact
“If senior leaders provide the context, explain the why and give trust to figure out the how, they might be surprised by what talent it brings back,” Dang said, sharing that this approach encourages innovation and can produce surprising and valuable results.
Related. Where Are They Now: 2019 TSE Trailblazer Jordan Tuchband Talks Career Progression
5. Data is King, But it Requires Interpretation and Advocacy
Tuchband noted that data is only as good as the questions you ask it. Also, he shared that it is important to interpret data without confirmation bias and ensure that events offer unique and strong value propositions beyond just date and location.
Dang added that for young or new employees, having metrics to back up your ideas helps translate them into a business case.
“Senior leaders often are very receptive to new ideas, but it has to make sense,” Dang said. “The best way to convey that is purely about the numbers and the data.”
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