MeetingPackage: Navigating Crisis & Reinventing the Business Model

The COVID-19 pandemic was a defining moment for MeetingPackage, a Helsinki-based technology company providing a marketplace for booking meeting spaces. As hotels and venues shut their doors, the company faced an existential crisis—with demand for in-person events vanishing overnight and revenue streams drying up.

The Challenge: A Business Model Under Threat

MeetingPackage’s post-departure commission model relied entirely on payments from hotels and venues after meetings took place. But with the industry at a standstill, the company had to confront a harsh reality:

🔹 No events meant no revenue – Hotel closures meant a complete halt in commission payments.
🔹 Uncertainty in market recovery – With no clear timeline for the return of meetings and events, the business faced an uncertain future.
🔹 Cash flow constraints – The company’s revenue runway was shrinking, putting its survival at risk.

A Critical Moment for Reinvention

With its core business model under threat, MeetingPackage had to adapt fast or risk collapse. This wasn’t just about waiting for the market to recover—it was about rethinking the business approach, diversifying revenue streams, and ensuring long-term sustainability.

This crisis underscored the need for agility, strategic pivots, and innovation in a rapidly changing landscape.

The Path Forward

The pandemic didn’t just disrupt MeetingPackage—it forced a fundamental reassessment of how event technology companies operate in a post-pandemic world. The challenge wasn’t just survival—it was creating a model that could thrive in the new normal.

MeetingPackage’s story is one of resilience, adaptation, and strategic reinvention—proving that even in the toughest circumstances, businesses can emerge stronger by evolving beyond their original vision.

MeetingPackage: Reinventing a Business & Securing Long-Term Success

In September 2020, Abbie Michaelson joined MeetingPackage as Chief Commercial Officer at a critical turning point—the company had just three months of runway left. Faced with a make-or-break moment, Abbie knew survival depended on swift action, strategic pivots, and leveraging technology to create long-term value.

The Turnaround: From Crisis to Opportunity

Rather than simply trying to ride out the pandemic, Abbie led a complete business transformation. He recognised that even before COVID, hotels and venues struggled with managing and selling groups, events, and meetings efficiently.

🚀 A New Strategic Focus:
✔️ Developed automation tools to help hotels and venues streamline operations despite reduced staffing.
✔️ Shifted the business model from post-departure commissions to a subscription-based SaaS platform, ensuring steady revenue.
✔️ Expanded into coworking spaces and smaller venues, reducing reliance on traditional hotels.

With a strong tech foundation already in place, Abbie saw the opportunity to reposition MeetingPackage as a hospitality-tech SaaS platform, providing automation solutions that the industry desperately needed.

Key Strategies That Drove Success

1️⃣ Future-Proofing the Business

💡 Transitioned MeetingPackage into a full SaaS platform, setting the foundation for sustainable growth.
💰 Secured €4 million in Series A funding, ensuring financial stability and fuelling further innovation.

2️⃣ Strategic Partnerships & Market Expansion

🔗 Integrated with Cvent, the world’s largest groups and events marketplace—significantly boosting MeetingPackage’s value.
🏨 Won major UK hotel chain contracts, including Jurys Inn (Leonardo), Claremont Hotels, the Doyle Collection, and Edwardian Hotels—establishing MeetingPackage as the UK market leader.
🌍 Expanded into the US by securing Sonesta Hotels, positioning MeetingPackage as a global player in groups and events automation.

3️⃣ Go-to-Market Strategy Overhaul

📈 Redefined the sales and marketing strategy to align with the new SaaS model.
🔍 Introduced Account-Based Marketing (ABM) to target high-value clients, accelerating customer acquisition.
🌐 Revamped the website, improving customer engagement and brand positioning.

4️⃣ Operational Efficiency & Scalable Growth

🤝 Fostered a culture of collaboration and innovation, ensuring teams worked seamlessly.
⚙️ Streamlined operations with the CEO, enabling efficient scaling and sustainable business growth.

The Result: A Stronger, More Resilient MeetingPackage

What started as a company on the brink of collapse became a leading hospitality-tech player—all within a few short years.

"Abbie’s ability to pivot the business model, secure strategic partnerships, and drive global expansion ensured MeetingPackage not only survived but thrived in a post-pandemic world."

By transforming MeetingPackage into a scalable SaaS platform, securing key partnerships, and expanding into new markets, Abbie didn’t just save the business—he set it up for long-term success.

MeetingPackage: From Survival to Market Leadership

Through resilience, innovation, and strategic adaptability, Abbie Michaelson successfully pivoted MeetingPackage’s business model in response to the pandemic. What could have been an existential crisis instead became a launchpad for growth, with the company emerging stronger, more diversified, and positioned as a leader in hospitality-tech SaaS.

The Results: A Business Transformed

📈 Revenue Growth
✔️ 97% increase in turnover (2022)
✔️ 152% growth (2023)
✔️ 505% year-over-year surge in Q1 2024, reaching €1.5 million

🎯 Marketing Effectiveness
✔️ 86% increase in conversion rates due to a revamped marketing strategy

💰 Funding Secured
✔️ €4 million in Series A funding, ensuring financial stability and future growth

🏆 Market Leadership
✔️ Established MeetingPackage as a dominant player in the hospitality-tech SaaS sector

🤝 Strategic Partnerships & Global Expansion
✔️ Integrated with Cvent, the world’s largest groups and events marketplace—enhancing visibility and driving growth
✔️ Secured the Sonesta account, expanding into the US market
✔️ Forged an integration partnership with Amadeus, the second-largest PMS provider in the hotel industry, boosting MeetingPackage’s reach and influence

Conclusion: A Case Study in Transformation

Under Abbie Michaelson’s leadership, MeetingPackage evolved from a struggling business into a market leader, proving the power of strategic vision, adaptability, and flawless execution.

The company is now well-positioned for continued growth, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of hospitality technology—not just surviving the pandemic but thriving in its aftermath.