How the New PCMA Axis Platform Helps Event Planners Deepen Their Industry Connections

PCMA’s Axis digital platform lets the global events community interact through chat, polls, and updates from their professional networks. The platform also hosts live events for Axis members, with some past events available on demand.

If you’ve ever wished for an app that was LinkedIn, but only for the business-events community, you’re in luck. PCMA has launched Axis, a mobile-first network that helps members connect in real time and deepen relationships formed at live events. “This community was created for business events and experience professionals who want to grow their leadership, exchange ideas, and connect with peers across the industry. It’s a place to ask questions, share insights, discuss challenges, and learn from others who are navigating similar work. Our goal is to create a professional environment that is thoughtful, supportive, and valuable for everyone who participates,” posted Stacey Shafer, vice president of community engagement at PCMA, in the Axis community guidelines.

Convene caught up with Shafer and her colleague Lianna Bolton, PCMA’s director of community development, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the platform. “Axis launched in April to our membership,” Shafer said. “It’s a space to exchange ideas, ask questions, and learn from peers across the global PCMA network.”

The launch of Axis was based on feedback from the global PCMA community. “We had been hearing from members for years that they wanted an app to stay connected. This allows our members who are on the road to keep their fingers on the pulse at all times, not just at events,” Bolton said.

Axis uses AI to suggest new connections based on users’ profile data. When you click on another member’s profile, you’ll see an AI-powered section that lays out your similarities, making it easy to craft an introductory message after connecting on the platform.

“The direct messaging feature is very easy to use for members to more simply connect with one another. Utilizing the ‘Members Near Me’ feature also allows members to find people in their area. Members are also pre-set into their chapter’s private group, so they can connect based on location,” Bolton said.

It’s easy to set up your Axis feed to see the content that is most relevant to you every time you visit the website or open the app. The default feed shows you the latest activity from your connections as well as new posts from members near you, questions and polls, unanswered threads, and articles from Convene. “It has been great seeing the members connect within the platform! Love seeing members post pictures after attending a chapter event with their takeaways from the experience. It feels like a social media platform just for business event professionals,” Bolton told Convene.

Users of the new platform will automatically see their home PCMA chapter when they log in, but the platform also lets you follow activity from chapters around the world. “Even if you’re on the road or in an area that you’re not always in, you can take a look here to see what’s going on,” Shafer said. You can also customize your Axis notifications to your liking on the website or within the app. “You can choose what notifications you want to receive, how frequently you want to receive these, and whether notifications come via email, push notification, or both,” she said.

The Axis feature “Connect and Discuss” allows members to ask the community questions, share resources, or solicit feedback from others — and the ability to view questions and answers on mobile is a huge advantage for road warriors. Another novel feature is the Axis Recognition Board, a place for the community to celebrate and acknowledge members for contributions, participation, or achievements inside the network.

There’s also a growing library of live and archived digital events that’s available to Axis members. “We are planning to host Axis-exclusive webinars for our members, coffee chats with members, and even our new member orientations,” Bolton said. On May 20 PCMA hosted “The Future of Your PCMA Experience: Meet Axis,” a virtual walkthrough of Axis and all of its features hosted entirely within the platform. (PCMA members can view the archived event at tinyurl.com/meet-axis.)

“You can see we have our next new member orientation coming up in Q2. So the more we get into this platform, the more we’re going to be hosting things in here like member meetups and more sessions like this,” Shafer said.

The new platform is gaining ground with the members of the PCMA community. “The new PCMA Axis platform is a refreshing addition to the member experience. It’s modern, user-friendly, and provides easy access to conversations, events, and resources that support ongoing professional development. I’ve already found value in the connections I’ve made and the insights shared by other members,” Carine Desroches, meetings & events director at the National Kidney Foundation, told Convene.

“Axis has quickly become one of my favorite PCMA communities because it brings together professionals who are genuinely committed to learning, sharing ideas, and supporting one another,” said Christine Cleaver, who is an assistant professor of event management at New York University. “As both an educator and industry volunteer, I’ve found it to be an incredible space to build meaningful relationships, exchange innovative ideas, and connect emerging professionals with experienced leaders. It’s more than a networking platform — it’s a community that inspires collaboration and helps shape the future of our industry.”

Jodi Morrison, a Petaluma, California-based independent planner who works on both third-party and corporate events, sees the platform as a value-add. “One of the greatest benefits of PCMA Axis is that it extends the value of my PCMA membership well beyond our annual events,” she said. “It gives me a place to exchange ideas, seek advice from industry peers, and build meaningful relationships every day. The ongoing conversations, shared expertise, and direct connections make Axis an essential resource for staying informed, engaged, and connected to the meetings and events community year-round.”

In addition to discussing hot topics like event-registration platforms and the ins and outs of venue selection, Axis members are also forming new social bonds. Carter Dunham, vice president of sales & business development, association & exhibits at Production Resource Group, has organized the first-ever virtual book club for PCMA Axis members. In early June he posted the idea to Axis and members were quick to chime in with their favorite reads.

When some of the commenters got together in person at PCMA Business Events Summit in June, they selected Brain Rules by developmental molecular biologist John Medina as the first group read. “We will plan to do a virtual meeting soon but wanted to get this out there for anyone looking for some reading over the holiday. Keep an eye out here on Axis under the hashtag #PCMAReads for updates and our first virtual meetup,” Dunham posted on Axis on June 24.

Kate Mulcrone is Convene’s digital managing editor.