Like many people in the events industry, Cielle & Co CEO and founder Carly Silberstein fell into the profession and quickly discovered a passion for it.
“I didn’t grow up knowing event management was a career path, which is one of the challenges we face as an industry. What drew me in was the combination of creativity, strategy, problem-solving, and people. I quickly realized events sit at the intersection of business, marketing, communications, hospitality, technology, and human connection,” says Silberstein, who discovered event management while completing a post-graduate program in business marketing.
For more than 15 years, Silberstein has worked across corporate, association, and nonprofit sectors. She co-founded Redstone Agency in 2015 and served as CEO where she successfully scaled the company into an industry leader before stepping down in 2025. Today, she leads new ventures through Cielle Group—a modern holding company focused on investing in and scaling businesses across the event ecosystem—and delivers consulting, event management, and strategic services through Cielle & Co, its operating arm.
“Building Redstone Agency from a startup into a multi-seven-figure business remains one of my proudest accomplishments. What started as a small business grew into an organization with more than 70 employees and clients around the world, and earned a spot on The Globe and Mail’s 2023 list of Canada’s Top Growing Companies,” she says. “After exiting Redstone, I made a very intentional decision to pursue the parts of the events industry that continue to energize me: building, investing, advising, creating, and contributing to the future of the profession in new ways.”
A passionate and driven entrepreneur, Silberstein also actively devotes her time through mentorship, advisory work, speaking, writing, volunteering, and initiatives focused on strengthening the future of the industry.
“What keeps me here is that no two days are ever the same. There is always a new problem to solve and a new opportunity to bring people together,” she says. “I love helping clients transform an idea into something tangible that creates value for attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, employees, or customers. There is something incredibly rewarding about seeing months, and sometimes years, of planning come to life and watching people connect, learn, celebrate, or leave inspired.”
Her achievements have been recognized with multiple distinctions including the MPI Toronto President’s Award and the CMEE Big Idea Award.
What do you enjoy most about your event planning?
The people, hands down. In the events world, relationships matter. They are the currency. Behind every conference, meeting, trade show, or experience is a network of people working together toward a shared goal.
I also love that events are constantly evolving. The industry challenges you to stay curious, keep learning, and think differently. That’s what has kept me energized throughout my career.
What trends are you seeing for events and meetings?
The biggest shift I’m seeing is that organizations are no longer viewing events as standalone moments. They’re viewing them as platforms for community, content, brand building, and business growth. Attendees are also more intentional about how they spend their time. They expect meaningful content, purposeful networking, and experiences that feel worth leaving their homes, families, and inboxes for.
AI and technology are creating incredible opportunities for efficiency and personalization, but I don’t believe technology will replace the human element. If anything, it should allow planners to spend less time on administration and more time designing experiences that foster connection. We’re also seeing a greater emphasis on wellness and on creating environments where the human behind the title feels genuinely cared for, not just entertained.
What are some challenges for the industry?
One of the biggest challenges facing our profession is career awareness. As an industry, we need to do a better job of telling our story. We can’t expect the next generation to choose a career path they don’t know exists. If we want a strong, innovative, and diverse talent pipeline tomorrow, we need to start creating awareness today.
What advice/tips would you offer others entering the industry?
Stay curious, focus on relationship building, and be resourceful.
This industry is constantly evolving, and the people who thrive are the ones who are willing to learn, adapt, and embrace change. Some of the most successful people I’ve met are the people who stay curious, consistently show up, build trust, and keep learning.
Don’t be afraid to raise your hand for opportunities before you feel ready. Some of the most important moments in my career happened because I said yes first and figured things out second.
I’d also encourage people to look beyond traditional event planning roles. Our industry offers career paths in strategy, marketing, sponsorship, sales, technology, content creation, production, operations, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
Most importantly, remember that this is a relationship business. Your reputation matters. Be someone people can trust, collaborate with, and rely on. Those relationships will open more doors than any resume ever will.
