In March 2020, as the coronavirus began to sweep across the globe, I was flying from San Francisco to Copenhagen to speak at a conference that was on the brink of cancellation. When I finally landed, the event was called off, and I was left to address 3,000 empty chairs and a camera.

This marked the beginning of a dramatic shift in how conferences and events would be conducted worldwide. As an in-person keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, I realized I was essentially unemployed. So, I had to adapt. I enlisted the help of two tech-savvy teenagers from London to take my presentations virtual. This pivot not only kept me in business, but also led to the most profitable years of my speaking career. By leveraging AI for real-time translation and virtual reality for immersive experiences, I could deliver up to three events a day in dozens of languages, without leaving home. No longer limited by travel constraints, I could engage with a global audience, providing tailored experiences to diverse groups across different time zones. That was four years ago, and the technology for virtual events has only gotten better.

Of course, some may argue that virtual conferences aren’t as effective as live ones. That may be the case today, but the future tells a different story.

Technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate and transforming the landscape. Several other compelling factors are driving the conference industry toward a predominantly virtual model. First is the rise of global pandemics. In the past 20 years, we’ve experienced six major pandemics. This pattern suggests they’re here to stay, making the shift to virtual conferences not just a preference but a necessity. Second is environmental and ethical considerations. Gen Z, now entering the workforce, is far more conscious of climate change and the ethical implications of their actions than previous generations. Flying thousands of people to a single location for a conference is becoming morally and ethically unacceptable. This demographic shift is driving the adoption of virtual models as the new standard for conferences.

With these shifts, the question becomes how to make virtual conferences successful. In my latest article at Fast Company, I break down the first 4 steps detailing where to start, whether you’re presenting one session or hosting the whole event. Read the full article on Fast Company.

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock / Kateryna / Fast Company