In January 2026, David Adler wrote a long profile of me for GatheringPoint News called "David Allison and the New Values of Events." He starts with something a lot of event organizers can feel. The ballroom is full, the speakers are good, and the room still doesn't come together the way it used to. Adler's explanation, using our research, is that people decide whether a gathering is worth their time based on their values, and when an event is out of step with those values it feels hollow no matter how polished it looks.
The article also tells the Sign Expo story. Lori Anderson, CEO of the International Sign Association, heard me speak at an ASAE event and asked whether this could work for a show that already drew about 20,000 people. We looked at attendees and also at people in the industry who should have been coming and weren't, then checked every part of the event against their values, including registration and how visible the leadership was. The changes were small. When attendees were asked afterward what they'd change, the answer was nothing. Adler took the values assessment himself for the piece, and he writes about what it told him.
You can read the original at GatheringPoint News.
My new book walks you through all kinds of ways to identify (and use) your values, and it's available for pre-order now. It's called The Values Map, and I would be very grateful if you pre-ordered a copy. My publisher would love it too. ❤️
Everything gets easier when you know What Matters Most.
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