There’s a distinct need for more mentorship opportunities among the ranks of event planners.
According to data from MPI’s first Meetings Outlook survey of 2025, planners were less likely than suppliers to have had a mentor (37% to 52%) or to have been a mentor (38% to 49%). Of event professionals who have never had a mentor, planners were more than three times as likely as suppliers to say they want one (22% vs. 7%).
Additional insights shed light on the state of mentorships for event professionals overall—planners and suppliers.
Of event pros who have not had a formal mentor, 15% want one. Meanwhile, only 6% of those who haven’t acted as mentors would like to take that on. While not groundbreaking, this reinforces the fact that more event professionals want mentors than want to be mentors.
Notably, the No. 1 reason for not stepping into the role of mentor is the oft-cited “not enough time,” a challenge with which most professionals in the event industry regularly contend. While 38% of respondents reported issues with the required time investment, 29% cited uncertainty with how to find a suitable mentee.
Similarly, on the flip side, the No. 1 reason event pros gave for not having a mentor was uncertainty in how best to find one, as noted by more than half of respondents. “Not enough time” followed but was significantly lower with just over one-quarter citing that difficulty.
In search…
Of survey respondents who have had mentors, most (79%) report having at least two mentors in their career. Meanwhile, industry mentors almost universally have had multiple mentees, with 94% of respondents who have acted as mentors saying they’ve taken on the role of helping to guide multiple event professionals.
On a recent episode of MPI’s EVENTalks podcast, Deanna House—a planner who has had numerous mentors and mentored multiple planners—underscored the importance of reaching out directly to co-workers, if applicable, and colleagues from your professional association communities. After all, she explained, the best way to determine if someone is a good fit for you—as either a mentor or a mentee—is to engage with them and get to know not only their personality but also learn about their professional experience and gauge their availability.
Whether you’re interested in a formal, structured mentor relationship or just seeking career guidance, the conversation on episode 37 of EVENTalks with House and Kesha Moore—a planner who wants a mentor but is unsure of how to arrange that—offers a bevy of valuable advice. Download or stream MPI’s EVENTalks podcast now (mpi.org/eventalks) to hear about and learn from their experiences.
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