Elevating an Events Business with a Personal Touch: Lessons and Leadership from Tina Madden

Meetings & Incentives Worldwide is a women-owned event agency specializing in planning meetings, conferences, and incentives of all scales worldwide. Tina Madden drives the business’s core values of quality, agility, flexibility, and innovation as Chief Executive Officer.

Tina and the Meetings & Incentives Worldwide team trust Acrisure’s expertise and support with its solutions from commercial insurance to employee benefits. In this interview, Tina shares insight into managing small business challenges and modernizing strategy, and advice for women in business.

What inspired you to join Meetings & Incentives Worldwide?

After earning my accounting degree and gaining experience at a CPA firm, I realized that my true passion wasn’t just in numbers—it was in entrepreneurship and leading with vision.

Fortunately, our family business offered the perfect opportunity: a dynamic, people-focused company rooted in travel and events. I jumped in, eager to learn, and quickly fell in love with the industry.

What started as a career shift became a calling—combing strategy, creativity, and human connection in a space that’s always evolving.

How has Meeting & Incentives Worldwide’s vision evolved?

I stepped into our already established family business and there was also an established culture and vision that had been working well for a long time.

But, when my sister and I took the reins from our dad we really wanted to focus on modernizing the vision to future proof our organization by investing in event technology and innovation to drive growth and stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry. We also brought in new leadership over time with deeper expertise in each service line.

As a result, the culture and vision have both evolved into a collaborative, empowering, innovative and forward-thinking environment.

What are some of your biggest challenges as a small business?

One of the biggest challenges in the small business space was shifting towards a scalable structure and mindset.

Growth often requires rethinking long-standing processes and embracing change—but for us, it’s equally important to preserve what makes our business special. Balancing innovation with personal touch has been key to evolving without losing our identity or quality of service.

What advice would you give to women starting a business or entering the business world?

Stay curious—ask questions, explore new ideas, and never stop learning. Find a mentor you trust, someone with whom you feel safe being open and vulnerable. That kind of support can be transformative. And most importantly, resist the urge to over-apologize. Own your space, your voice, and your value.

How has Acrisure helped Meetings & Incentives Worldwide?

Acrisure has quickly become an invaluable partner in helping us strengthen our business. They brought a strategic approach and fresh, creative ideas that will improve both the quality and cost-efficiency of our benefits.

Their support also extended to our property and casualty insurance, where their expertise and relationships made a real difference.

The team has been incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and truly collaborative. They’ve become a trusted partner quickly.

Discover How Acrisure Can Help Your Business

Meetings & Incentives Worldwide trusts Acrisure with solutions for:

• Commercial General Liability Insurance
• Workers' Compensation
• Cyber Insurance
• Professional Liability Insurance
• Employee Benefits

With solutions for businesses of all sizes and stages, from insurance to managed IT, cybersecurity, payroll, and risk management, Acrisure is here to help your business. Learn more about Acrisure’s business solutions.

Contact us today to get started or request a small business insurance quote online now.

Acrisure thanks Tina Madden and Meetings & Incentives Worldwide for their generosity in sharing these insights for small businesses and women in business.

Read more insights from women leaders who mean business now!

About Tina Madden
Tina Madden joined Meetings & Incentives Worldwide in 1996 and serves as their Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, Tina was an accountant for five years.

About Meetings & Incentives Worldwide
Meetings & Incentives Worldwide (M&IW) is a third-generation, women-owned global event management and consulting firm headquartered in Wisconsin. For more than 55 years, our organization has been creating extraordinary experiences rooted in human connection, elevated by personal touch, and powered by smart technology. From virtual and hybrid to in-person formats, we inspire and connect attendees by delivering meetings, conferences, incentives, and tradeshows of all sizes with precision and purpose. Visit www.meetings-incentives.com. Follow on Facebook at Meetings360, Instagram at Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, TikTok @meetings360, X @meetings360, and on LinkedIn.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Testimonials are based on unique experiences from current clients and are not necessarily representative of all client experiences. Neither Acrisure, LLC nor any of its affiliates compensates, directly or indirectly, for any testimonials provided.