Case Study: KC RV Show

DETAILS
When — June 2023 - Present
Where — Kansas City, MO
Service — Full Management

Repositioning a Legacy Event for Sustainable Growth and Profitability

Event Background

The Kansas City RV Show is a long-standing regional consumer and B2B event serving the Midwest RV market. With a history of attracting manufacturers, dealers, and thousands of attendees, the show had strong brand recognition and market relevance.

By 2023, however, the event was no longer operating at its full potential. While the foundation remained solid, growth had slowed, dealer participation was limited, and operational inefficiencies were preventing the show from scaling in line with market demand.

I assumed leadership of the Kansas City RV Show in 2023 with full responsibility for strategic ideation, planning, coordination, execution, and ongoing management.

The Challenge

Prior to 2024, the event faced several structural limitations:

• Revenue growth had plateaued

• Profit margins were modest relative to scale

• Dealer participation was limited, reducing floor diversity and revenue opportunity

• Large portions of the venue were underutilized

• No long-term growth strategy was in place

The opportunity was clear: optimize the business model without compromising the attendee or exhibitor experience.

The Strategy

I implemented a comprehensive, business-first event strategy focused on scalability and margin improvement:

• Strategic repositioning of the show to attract more and higher-value dealers

• Redesigned floor plans to increase usable square footage and improve traffic flow

• Tight expense management to support growth without unnecessary cost increases

• Revenue diversification and pricing optimization

• Hands-on operational leadership across vendors, exhibitors, and on-site execution

Every decision was evaluated through the lens of profitability, experience, and long-term sustainability.

The Results (2023–Present)

• Revenue

  • Rather than relying on one-time gains, revenue increased through improved exhibitor mix, better space monetization, and a stronger overall event value proposition

  • The result was steady year-over-year growth that aligned with long-term scalability rather than short-term spikes

• Expenses

  • Operating expenses increased only modestly, despite meaningful expansion

  • Margin growth was driven by efficiency, not cost cutting

• Profitability

  • Profitability improved materially as a result of disciplined operational management and intentional growth

  • By focusing on efficiency, pricing strategy, and execution quality, the event achieved strong, sustainable profit margins while continuing to invest in the exhibitor and attendee experience

• Space Utilization

  • The show expanded its effective footprint by over 40% across two years, increasing revenue

  • Improved layouts enabled more exhibitors, better attendee flow, and higher revenue per square foot

• Dealer Participation

  • Dealer count more than tripled from pre-2023 levels

  • Increased dealer diversity enhanced both exhibitor ROI and attendee engagement

The Outcome

Today, the Kansas City RV Show operates as a high-performing, scalable business event with:

• Strong profitability

• Consistent revenue growth

• Optimized use of venue space

• A significantly expanded dealer and partner base

The event is no longer simply a legacy show… it is a strategically managed revenue-generating asset.

Why This Matters for Your Event

This case study demonstrates my ability to:

• Take over underperforming or plateaued events

• Identify untapped revenue and efficiency opportunities

• Scale operations without inflating costs

• Manage complex, multi-stakeholder business events end-to-end

If you are looking for a partner to ideate, coordinate, execute, and manage your event with measurable results, this is the level of transformation I deliver.