Nolan Nichols is happy see a lot of positive momentum for incorporating wellness into meetings and events, but he says it’s key to recognize that wellness isn’t just another box to check by adding a program into the schedule.
“It needs to be thoughtfully integrated to truly resonate with the event and its attendees,” says Nichols, a wellness-focused speaker who is also featured on the Caesars Entertainment wellness menu, which offers healthy F&B options, wellness activations and expert speakers who can help meeting planners enhance the wellbeing of their events.
Healthier food options, yoga sessions, meditation rooms and wellness lounges becoming more common at events, Nichols says.
“For example, some conferences offer 7 a.m. yoga sessions—an amazing idea—but they’re often under-attended because, on an already packed day, an early wake-up doesn’t always sound appealing to people,” he says. “An important question is: How can meeting planners integrate wellness into their events in a way that works best? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—it depends on the unique needs of each event. I think Caesars Entertainment leans into this in a great way by offering a wellness menu that provides meeting planners with a variety of options and strategies to consider.”
We caught up with Nichols to discuss how he got started in wellness and tips for busy event pros who want to stay healthy—and keep their attendees healthy.
Please tell us a little bit about what you do in the wellness space.
I have a passion for finding the small, strategic and tangible perspective shifts in life that can have a big impact on our overall wellness and wellbeing. My focus is on the workplace because that’s where our personal and professional lives intersect, and elevating wellness in organizations and events is the biggest need and opportunity for businesses today.
As founder of A Million Dreams, I serve as a keynote speaker at conferences, lead team-building workshops for the internal teams of organizations and consult with businesses on ways to inject wellness into their daily operations—enhancing the culture through elevating employee wellbeing.
What got you interested in wellness and promoting wellness best practices to others?
I’ve always been deeply curious and passionate about learning, especially when it comes to professional development and leadership that enhances our emotional, mental and spiritual lives, as well as the lives of those around us. Even today, I continue to read around 50 nonfiction books a year because I love to be inspired.
My journey into wellness began during my time in sports video production at Virginia Tech University, where I managed over 50 student interns. I noticed a significant shift in how the next generation prioritized wellbeing, which was remarkably different from the workforce at the time.
As the pandemic brought wellbeing to the forefront, I realized the need for organizations to value it more than ever. That’s when I decided to fully step into this space, leveraging my leadership experience and knowledge of wellness to help both people and organizations thrive. It’s been incredibly rewarding to partner with amazing individuals and organizations on this journey.
Can you share a wellness tip for meeting pros who tend to work long hours and travel a lot?
As many of you likely already know, meeting planning is one of the most high-stress jobs out there, and frequent travel can often add to the challenge. But with every challenge comes an opportunity.
What I often talk with meeting planners about is to PLAN moments of wellness into your day, POSTURE yourself to catch moments of wellness spontaneously and PACE yourself and know your race.
There’s a lot I could say about each of those points, but one tip I will share is that at the end of each day I do the GLADS exercise. I reflect on what I was GRATEFUL for, what I LEARNED, what I ACCOMPLISHED, what I DELIGHTED in and what SCARED me but I pushed through anyways. This reflection helps me gain perspective and see the bigger picture, allowing me to end the day feeling that traveling for meetings and events is enhancing my life rather than hindering it
Can you tell us about your wellness-related work with Caesars Entertainment?
As I began speaking more about personal and professional wellbeing in 2023, Caesars Entertainment was also in the process of developing their wellness menu. We crossed paths at the perfect time, and it’s been an amazing partnership to shine a spotlight on the power of wellness.
One of the most memorable moments for me was at their Global Wellness Summit this past June. As the closing speaker, I witnessed firsthand how Caesars wowed attendees with their impressive and immersive wellness offerings, completely reimagining what the Las Vegas experience can be like.
Wellness isn’t a trend of today, it’s here to stay. And the leadership from the top-down at Caesars Entertainment has gone all-in on wellness. When attendees can walk away from any meeting or event and say that they are a better person from having attended that event, that is the new gold standard for meetings and events.
