The ACCORD Framework
So Many Events Feel Harder Than They Should. ACCORD Changes That.
How Healthy Is Your Event System? Find Out For FreeThe ACCORD Framework
At the core of everything we teach is ACCORD® — our six-part event readiness model. It’s how we help teams move from firefighting to foresight, across everything from planning to tech to stakeholder alignment.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone
If you've worked on an event team, you've probably experienced some of these:
The Problem
The real problem isn’t chaos. It’s invisible misalignment.
Most event teams are delivering high-stakes programs on top of incomplete, inherited, or duct-taped systems.
And the worst part?
None of this gets named as fixable. It’s seen as “just how events are.”
But what if it isn’t?
Goals are vague or recycled
Communication is constant, but confusing
Collaboration looks polite—but decisions still get stuck
Tech tools are chosen in isolation
Documentation lives in a slide deck… somewhere
Fire drills? Expected, not exceptional
You've got the platform.
And you’ve got the process.
AND you’ve got a smart, seasoned team that knows how to deliver.
So why does it still feel this hard?
Why do timelines stay tight—even when you plan ahead?
Why do “lessons learned” never seem to stick?
Why does the team look wiped out even when the feedback is glowing?
It’s not you. It’s not your people. And it’s not your tools.
It’s the system you’re all stuck managing around.
“When smart teams keep struggling, it’s not the people. It’s the system.”
— Jen Santos, Founder
Data tells the story:
70% of event teams struggle to prove ROI—even when the event ‘works.’
Because what your attendees see… isn’t the full story.
ACCORD focuses on what happens between the plan and the panic.
This isn’t a buzzword stack. It’s the connective tissue that makes delivery consistent, scalable, and survivable.
The ACCORD framework is the practical backbone of event execution—designed by someone who’s delivered events with everything from full teams to post-it notes and stubborn platforms.
Explore the ACCORD Dimensions
A Framework for Events that Actually Works
ACCORD is a six-part event readiness model that helps you spot where the friction is, finally put a name to it, and fix it, so your team can focus on what matters most: delivering great events.
Why Accord?
What makes ACCORD different?
Most frameworks focus on:
Marketing strategy
Lifecycle planning
Platform tactics
Why Accord Works
Because it’s built for how real events actually happen:
Under deadline
With shifting inputs
Across cross-functional teams
While trying to prove ROI
ACCORD doesn't just give you structure.
It gives you language, shared permission, and the tools to finally move forward on purpose.
Fix Your Event System in 30 Days
The Event System Diagnostic™ is a structured 30-day engagement where we study your organization and:
1. Reveal the structural dynamics shaping event performance
2. Identify the most significant sources of friction within your event system
3. Deliver a sequenced 30/60/90 day roadmap of high-leverage actions your organization should take
All specific to your team, all powered by ACCORD®
Testimonials
"Jen brings a level of calm, strategic clarity that changes the energy of an entire delivery team. When we faced real uncertainty this past year, she stepped in and led with the kind of quiet confidence that meant the team stayed focused — not because the situation was easy, but because Jen made it feel manageable. The event went perfectly. I trust her implicitly."
Melissa Harrison, Vice President, Consumer Technology Association
"Over four event seasons, Jen became an indispensable part of how we operated — evaluating, selecting, and implementing a growing suite of tools, shepherding vendor integrations, and making sure everything held together end-to-end. She knows the event tech space better than anyone I've worked with, and she has an innate sense of how to pair technology with the specific culture and needs of an event program. She was a force multiplier for our success."
Emily Kayser
"I've had the pleasure of working with Jen for over a decade — starting at Microsoft, where Eventbase partnered with her for eight years, and continuing through Oracle, CES, and Databricks. She's reliable, thoughtful, and genuinely forward-thinking."
Jeff Sinclair, CEO & Co-Founder, Eventbase