Financial 101 For Exhibitions: Budgets, P&Ls, And Cash Flow Basics For Non-Finance Teams

Includes a Live Web Event on 05/05/2027 at 10:30 AM (CDT)

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- Non-member - $79
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- IAEE Member Organizer - Free!
- Freeman Member Supplier - Free!
- Non-member Supplier - $79
- Non-member Organizer - $79
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Running a great event isn't just about logistics and attendee experience, it's also a financial operation with its own rhythm. This 45-minute session is built for people new to the exhibitions and events industry who don't sit in a finance role but still need to build, manage, or contribute to an event budget. We'll break down how event finances actually work: why costs hit hard and early, why revenue trickles in from multiple directions (booth sales, sponsorships, registration), and why the gap between spending and earning creates a cash flow curve unlike most other businesses. You'll leave with a practical, jargon-free framework for reading a P&L, spotting the difference between fixed and variable venue costs, and understanding why tracking profitability event-by-event, not just annually, it is one of the most important habits in this industry.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Build and navigate a basic event budget and P&L
2. Distinguish fixed vs. variable venue and event expenses
3. Understand the unique cash flow pattern of events

Bob McLean, CPA, CAE, CEM

Consultant

Axiom Plus, LLC.

Robert (Bob) McLean has been a consultant with Axiom Plus, LLC since 2022 and was previously the Promotional Product Association International’s Executive Vice President. He was hired in June 2008 as chief financial officer and is responsible for finance and administration, information technology and the Promotional Products Education Foundation. In October 2011, Bob was promoted to EVP and oversaw PPAI’s tradeshow and membership departments until 2022.