Experience Expert on: Intentional Networking & What Makes In-Person Events Outstanding! | Haley Westfall

Creating deeper connections through networking doesn’t just happen; it requires strategy, intention, and the right environment. This episode explores how setting clear expectations and focusing on relationship-building transforms events from mundane experiences into opportunities for growth and meaningful connection.

• Importance of aligning expectations with event experiences
• Strategies for intentional networking
• Food and beverage offerings as key factors in attendee satisfaction
• Cultural differences in personal introductions and networking style
• Pay-to-play events: balancing exclusivity and inclusivity
• Creating intimacy in large gatherings through structured engagement
• Logistics of event planning: ensuring hosts can enjoy the experience

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Chapters

• 0:00 Building Relationships Through Exceptional Events
• 8:51 Networking and Communication Strategies
• 20:06 Creating Meaningful Event Experiences
• 34:28 Event Organizer Learning to Delegate
• 47:23 Creating Unique and Intimate Event Experiences
• 52:12 Event Size and Intimate Experiences
• 59:01 Event Organizer
• 1:07:13 Event Planning and Execution Strategies
• 1:13:05 Online Networking Community Building Event

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

I think the biggest thing for me is when expectations and experience align, is it whatever? Should I bring stuff? I'm not saying you have to feed me a five-course meal, but I just want to be like appropriately prepared Doing this. But I want to be present and then I would leave and I'm like should I have like three pictures from this like three-hour event?

Speaker 2: 0:24

The future of marketing is going on the channel. Before we go into the interview, there's something I want to talk to you about. If you are in business, you may have realized in order for you to sell anything, you need to build relationships first. The past five years, what I have found the easiest way to build relationships is through online events, and I actually have written a book about it High Converting Online Events how to create, promote and monetize your online event. And I really put every single step from coming out with an event that is actually enticing for your audience to come and actually wanting to come and feeling excited about coming, how to set up the ads for your event, like what to select, like I put literally everything from a simple event to a more complex one. So if you have a bigger audience and you want a more complex event, you want, want more reminders, you want automated text messages. I also put the exact framework behind how to make that happen. If you want to build your business using the power of online events, you can grab a copy.

Speaker 2: 1:37

I'm going to put a link in the description of this episode. You can go ahead and grab it. And let's go to the episode. You are a serial connector and you're extremely extroverted, right, extroverted, yeah. So can you explain to me a little bit about your yourself and your experience with events as someone who goes to events? And, of course, let's hit our main topic, which is exceptional events.

Speaker 1: 2:03

The extrovert. I think that's just in my DNA. I think that's just who I am From a very young age, you know, I was the child in elementary school that always got in trouble for talking in class because I just had so much to say. And I am really, really passionate about meeting new people. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories and being able to actually cultivate relationships with them. So when I use the phrase serial connector, I mean that in a way of I'm always like connecting the dots. I'm always bringing people together. You know every single conversation I'm looking for opportunities to serve and find kind of that connective tissue where you know, maybe somebody is I don't know really into hiking and they're looking for a hiking buddy who wants to take advantage of the nice weather with them. Or maybe somebody needs a new bookkeeper Like it could be personal or professional, but it's like my favorite hobby. Other people are like Netflix bingers and I'm just like connecting people together left and right.

Speaker 2: 3:07

That's so awesome. And talking in class Wow.

Speaker 1: 3:13

Which is funny because I'm a first born, so I'm definitely more of like the high achieving, like type A, but I would get my work done fast and then I would, you know, need something to do to entertain myself.

Speaker 2: 3:25

Is there any ADHD or something involved with you?

Speaker 1: 3:30

Yeah, I don't know If there is, it's undiagnosed or it could just be really high energy. We don't know, I'm not sure.

Speaker 2: 3:38

Love that, and so instead of Netflix binging, you're like connecting the dots. I guess it comes very natural to you then.

Speaker 1: 3:49

Yeah, yeah for sure, and it doesn't. I mean, I work with clients all the time in my coaching practice that it doesn't come as natural for, and so I think it is a skill that can be learned, but I think that it's something that you have to get the reps in and you have to be doing consistently day in and day out, because it's not something that you're going to do a couple times and you're going to get that payoff. Really, the fruits of the labor come from being consistently doing it and then being known for that right being the go-to gal or guy for that thing, and so it kind of is able to be formed by creating this framework that then you put on, rinse and repeat, and then, once you cultivate that habit, it becomes a lot more second nature?

Speaker 2: 4:33

Are you going into events intentionally or you are just like an open book I'm just here to connect and then you just see what's going to happen and just use your magic powers.

Speaker 1: 4:43

I mean both. So I actually have a freebie. I'll send you the link and it's three steps for networking with purpose and it's my framework. I literally use it still to this day, even someone who goes to more events than anyone that I know. I use this framework to really get intentional around, making sure that I'm putting myself in the right rooms, that I understand who's in the room, that it's the right room for me, and then I actually am giving myself an objective while I'm there. And so, yes, there is intentionality that is kind of around even getting into the room in the first place and what happens there. But also it's easy to slip into old habits and our comfort you know, our comfy blanket of our bestie right, our wingman or whatever that looks like the person that we went with it's very, very easy to slip into just kind of sitting in the corner and chit-chatting with them. So there is a little bit of that like subconscious reprogramming to make sure that we're being intentional about holding ourselves accountable while we're in this space.

Speaker 2: 5:46

I'm definitely going to put your freebie in the description of this episode. I love that. But I love that you mentioned that it's easy to get into our comfy, like cocoon, you know, used to stage, and it's so true and that's why I never go with a friend to an event. I intentionally go where I don't know anyone and I'm not bringing like safety blanket people next to me. I'm just like I'm literally like a blank canvas. I'm like I'm just here to connect with people and then if I was to bring anyone, I would just find myself talking to that person and not being that open to connect with people. And that got me into interesting conversations just to be open and be like hey, I don't know anyone, tell me about you, and I think that definitely helps.

Speaker 1: 6:35

It's so cool and I mean I have a friend. I was actually just at a event on Monday. It was a conference I've never been to before on a topic that I traditionally probably wouldn't lean towards because it was definitely more analytical, focused a lot on finance, investments, real estate, tax savings, things like that. But the person that was hosting it is a super fun individual. So I'm like, okay, if anyone can make this topic fun, it's going to be her.

Speaker 1: 7:04

But I had a really really good friend of mine who was also at the event and we made a conscious effort to sit at different tables. So although we went to the event you know the same event and we're very close we did have a lunch together, but we actually sat at different tables on other ends of the room. And the cool thing about that is you can kind of plant those seeds of what it is that you're looking for, who you're looking to connect with, and then you're like doubling your bandwidth because that person is like almost working one side of the room if you will, and then you're kind of on the other side of the room. So if strategic, it can be done well, but you have to be really, really intentional.

Speaker 2: 7:45

Wow.

Speaker 2: 7:45

I've never heard that before. That sounds like a such a good plan. Just like you work that part, I would do that and that's yeah, that's awesome and also, like you know, giving yourself a chance to open up to people and openly connect. I've been at the NM, I went to a networking event yesterday and, um, I want to kind of ask you, what do you think makes a good impression on people like what, what are your go-to moves? Maybe your freebie tells a little bit more, but, um, what are your go-to ways to form connections quickly with new people?

Speaker 1: 8:19

so you're talking about from the stance of a participant, like an attendee.

Speaker 2: 8:24

Yes, and now we can hit on the host part as well.

Speaker 1: 8:29

Okay, so as an attendee, it's actually a lot more simple than you think. Um, I have found that even just asking. Well, let me ask you this first If you go to an event and you are meeting somebody for the first time, what is the number one question that people lead with when you introduce yourself? What is the first question that they ask?

Speaker 2: 8:54

Um, my name.

Speaker 1: 8:56

Okay, After that they know your name.

Speaker 2: 8:59

Okay, after that. After that, either either I say my name or they ask my name. Um couple of leading questions. The first thing that he asked me is what do I do for a living? I mean, it depends on the type of event that I'm going to. But they also sometimes ask how do I know the host of the event, which is something that we can then both connect on, like how do we know who is creating the event?

Speaker 1: 9:19

and I love that. I love the second one. The first one you hit it on the head, like hit the nail on the head nine times out of 10. The first question people go to is so what do you do? Right, it's comfortable, it's easy, it's like nobody's ever going to think you're a weirdo for asking that question. However, on the flip side, it's also not memorable, because that's what everybody else is asking.

Speaker 1: 9:42

So one of the things that I really encourage people to do is to figure out a couple of questions that just not that they have to be super invasive, but they almost flip the script and kind of catch people off guard a little bit. And this is going to come back to when you look at the framework of kind of setting yourself up to understand the room that you're in. This may kind of ebb and flow right, depending on who's in the room, what your goal is, et cetera, but I'm very, very big on like humanizing the experience and getting to know someone as a human being. So I may ask them um, what's? Yeah, like what's something you're super excited about right now? Maybe it's a trip they're going on, maybe it's a project they're working on, like there's 101 things and in the freebie. It does give a list of like a handful of different questions, but that's the number one thing is to ask something other than so, what do you do? That would be thing number one. Uh, thing number two is just being a really attentive listener. So, again, this seems super basic, but most people don't do it well. A because, to go back to your question from earlier about the ADHD, we're all just super distracted and have the attention span of a squirrel. So, um, being able to just actually be present in the conversation is super helpful, and that could be less talking, more listening, right, kind of general rule of thumb, maybe like a 70, 30, 70% listening, um, 30% talking.

Speaker 1: 11:11

There's a phrase that I've heard, actually several times, but ironically enough, I've heard it again twice in the last week, and it's focused more on being interested than interesting, because I think we try to edify ourselves and, like over, explain who we are and what we can do for them and all of the things, instead of just listening, because they're going to serve up whatever it is that they need or they're interested in on a silver platter. So that would be the second thing and then, going along with the attentiveness, stay off your phone. Please stay off your phone. Please stay off your phone. Again, I think it's like a nervous habit, because so many of us walk around like here's my, like my phone's, here we're walking around with it in our hand or the Apple watch or whatever right, like smartwatches. It's almost like an unconscious like tick to look at it, or to flip your phone up and look at it, like tick to look at it, or to flip your phone up and look at it, and that's just like an instant signal to people that you're not fully engaged, you're not present in the conversation. So, again, we do go into like more detail.

Speaker 1: 12:17

Um, I actually also have which I can send you super low ticket. I think it's like 20 bucks and it's for, um, oh my gosh, I can't even speak table talk for ways to maximize in-person events, and it's an audio training and I specifically made it for audio so you could listen to it like a podcast. You could do it on your way to an event while you're getting ready. Um, in whatever capacity feels good, and we go through before, during and after things that you need to make sure that you're doing. But again, simple, be attentive, be interesting and stay off your phone.

Speaker 2: 12:55

Love those and I guess for me it's the mistakes that I'm making is I'm so interested in people that I actually don't like talk about myself. I'm like okay, I'm like yeah, yeah, that's what I do, and what about this? And I'm just so curious to like dig into and get to know what they're doing and how that looks like, and just understand their businesses. And they're like, wait, we're not done with you, like they would like be like hey, I'm not done with you yet. Like so, what do I do again? Like so. And then and I'm like I have to be like, okay, shit, okay, I have to explain myself. And then, and then can we just treat you now like I'm so interested in what you're doing, so it's not even a fake thing, it's just like I, I don't want to talk about myself too much let me ask you this do you generally network in?

Speaker 1: 13:42

well, two questions actually. Is it more female only or more co-ed? It's co-ed, it's both males and females, yeah, okay, and then is it usually online, in person or like a mix uh, it's mostly in person okay okay.

Speaker 1: 14:00

so yeah, I think you hit a really important point because there is that opposite extreme where you walk away from the conversation and if they don't know what you do, that's not helpful either, but it's really fascinating. I've actually been doing a lot of market research around this because through my brand, the Table, we've pivoted more into the co-ed space in the last, I would say, six months or so, and men and women, well, do a lot of things differently, but they introduce themselves so differently and I'm not a hundred percent sure that there's a one size fits all reason as to why we do this. But if you ask a female, how, um, like what they do, like if you were to say that, that signature question, if you will. So what do you do? Generally speaking, we're going to use one to three sentences to describe what it is that we do. If you ask a male, they will use one to three words, and it's really really fascinating.

Speaker 1: 15:00

Partially, I think maybe we're trying to over qualify or over explain ourselves, or we're just more talkative and have more to say. So I would really encourage people to your point be able to convey what it is that you do in a way that is easy to understand. I am known for wanting things that are like cute sounding or fun sounding or alliteration, but if they're not the words that your ideal client would actually use, right or referral partner or whatever that is, if they're not words they can identify with, then they're just like a deer in the headlights. They're just staring at you like I don't actually know what that means.

Speaker 2: 15:44

I don't actually know what that means. Wow, that's so helpful, and I guess it should be like an entire conversation to talk about how women and men talk about themselves, because I did feel when I was in a women-only group there was a slight competitive thing. I don't know if you ever noticed that, but I just like feeling like it's a bit like competitive energy, like one up in each other, and I didn't feel like that was, I don't know, that authentic way of expressing that men tend to. They don't want to, um, show that they are more than they are. I don't know, maybe they come off more rounded. It depends on their age as well, I guess. But, um, you may, and they were, they're talk more, but they are like also, like you know, name dropping here and there, and then, I don't know, I just felt like I didn't feel that I want to open up to that type of audience. I don't. But yeah.

Speaker 1: 16:43

So I've been there and I would say it's not always that way. I've definitely been in rooms that have felt that way. It's a very kind of gatekeepy cards very close to our chest right. We're not gonna divulge the things, all the things, all the secrets, and it's really fascinating. So I have a second business called collab culture, which is a membership community for female founders.

Speaker 1: 17:11

And, um, one of my best friends and I founded it this January will be three years ago, so January of 2022, and we literally founded it for this reason that you're talking about, because the experiences that we had in other places were not in alignment with the experience that we were really seeking individually and we were bound and determined to create an experience that was distinctly different. And we founded this community and it's really cool because we really prioritize going back to what I was saying earlier about that humanizing the experience. We really prioritize creating space for people to connect on like a personal level, and we don't limit. It's not like oh, how many digital marketing people are already in this? Oh, you already have your one.

Speaker 1: 17:58

That is not the vibe and we're constantly kind of pumping that positive kind of culture, positive phrasing around. If we can all just put our egos aside. There's actually so much that we could gain from one another and we could get wherever we want to go so much faster if we just let our pride get out of the way. So I'm so fortunate that we have been able to cultivate a space that doesn't feel that way. But I hear you because I've definitely been in the ones that have felt that way before and I think for men it's just like less emotional. I don't know if it's just again, if it's more of like how they're designed, how they do business, if that's more of a general statement, but I feel like it's not as much at least front facing. They may say things on the back end, but as far as like that feeling like in the moment, I feel like you don't feel that as much in a co-ed space.

Speaker 2: 18:59

Yeah Well, thank you so much for sharing all that. That sounds like a very interesting and fun community, so we'll make sure to share that link as well with the listeners. Let's go into exceptional events and I guess I want to know your background on events and I know you love to go to the events and obviously, gathering the experiences of what it takes to have a good event experience versus a bad event experience versus a mediocre event experience, like what has been that journey for you.

Speaker 1: 19:31

As far as planning.

Speaker 2: 19:33

As far as attending to events and then taking that and planning your own exceptional one.

Speaker 1: 19:41

Okay.

Speaker 1: 19:42

So as far as an attendee, I think the biggest thing for me is when expectations and experience align. So I want to know there are going to be rooms that are very tactical, maybe you know, not as frilly, not as fun, not as whatever, but they're nitty gritty and I want to know that going in. So my expectations are very clearly aligned. On the flip side, there are rooms that I go into that are very, I don't know, raw, raw, very inspirational, motivational, not as much tactical, and then there's kind of everything in between. And so I think just having a really clear understanding in your communication as to what to expect versus what the experience will actually be is huge, because I think we lose a lot of trust with people when that doesn't happen. Right, when we're saying one thing or we're not saying anything and then they come in and the experience is not aligned. That's really unfortunate. So that's one thing that I look for when I'm choosing and, kind of using that framework we talked about earlier, I have an entire like tracking mechanism that I do after the fact right, kind of like debrief on the event, and so if I had an experience that was not maybe optimal, I can go back and reflect when that opportunity comes back again to say how did this feel? Was this aligned? Was you know? Is this the right room for me, yes or no? Um, I'm also really big about creating opportunity for people to intentionally connect. So I again, as being a connector, it's what I like literally get energy from, and so if rooms do not provide a conducive space for that, that's really challenging for me.

Speaker 1: 21:28

So I'll give you an example. If, if the format is, we're, hundreds of us, are going to sit in rows, right Like you're at a movie theater, and we're all going to be listening to lecture style speaking for 10 hours, this is where my possible undiagnosed ADHD may come in. I literally cannot, I cannot, I'm like. I will sit for a while as long as I can. I may have to get up and move to the back of the room or something to like get up. I used I was actually teaching at a mastermind earlier this week and I use this analogy when we think about community, right, in whatever capacity that feels like, whether it's personally or professionally community is about creating connection amongst the people, right, connection amongst each other. So if we think about if you go to a movie theater, we all go to see a movie. You could literally be sitting next to people for three hours that you don't exchange a single word with. We're all sitting in rows on literally sharing an armrest right next to each other and we could exchange not a single word. We're all focused forward on the stage, if you will, and consuming the content, and then we go about our merry way and we leave versus.

Speaker 1: 22:41

If you think about a wedding, most weddings see guests at rounds or some sort of communal style table. So you go up, you look at the seating chart, you find your name. You're like, oh yes, table 10, we're going to have the best table ever. And you go and you create this kind of micro culture amongst your table, create conversations. It's not up to the bride and groom to entertain you, right? It's up to you to create that connection with each other.

Speaker 1: 23:11

So I mean, that's another thing that I really like to look for is is there designated pockets of time throughout this experience for me to meet even one person? I'm not saying it has to be hundreds, but even to have like a meaningful conversation? And like to your point earlier, you're like I want to know all about someone, like I want to have a chance to really get to talk to them. That is something that I am looking for as well. Um, so that it feels like a purposeful experience when I'm coming out on the backend.

Speaker 1: 23:44

And then the other thing this is going to seem like so I don't want to say trivial, but silly is like really understanding the food and beverage situation, because nobody likes to be hangry and that you're not going to be in the right head space so clearly articulating if you say food is going to be provided at an event.

Speaker 1: 24:06

Is it lunch, is it snacks, is it whatever? Should I bring stuff? I'm not saying you have to feed me a five course meal, but I just want to be, like, appropriately prepared, because that can be frustrating too when you go to these things and you're like well, I didn't eat dinner because I thought there was going to be dinner, and there's like one bag of chips and we're all like buying for it. So those are some simple things that are like easy to kind of pick out ahead of time. There's so many more things that you know once you kind of get into it that I really look for and kind of journal on to come back to after the fact. But if you're looking at things at a surface level, those are things that I really like to look at is are they clearly articulating what I should expect? What's the food and beverage situation? Is it appropriately outlined? And then is there going to be an opportunity for me to make at least one meaningful connection?

Speaker 2: 25:03

I love those and it's so funny to mention that you mentioned food situation, because the event that I went yesterday they said there will be food and it was snacks and I was so hungry.

Speaker 2: 25:15

And it was held at like a restaurant slash bar, but then the restaurant part was actually the vip section and they had like a line that is like if you haven't gotten your ticket, you can't even go to those tables to actually like eat. And I'm like bro. So I was out of there very quickly because I was so hungry. My first route was leading me to the chinese restaurant. As I was going home, I'm like, I'm out of here, I'm hungry, like this is like. And then they were actually saying there will be food. So I distinctly like they put it in the agenda there will be food. And there was just like, yeah, light snacks and some drinks, but yeah, that. And again I think that's.

Speaker 1: 25:57

If it's light, that's fine, but like say that you know what I mean, because you would have eaten dinner before or whatever, whatever time of day it was, and so I will specifically, even as a facilitator, I will put lunch provided and I'll even put as far as like gluten-free options or things like that, because there's a lot of people now that have dietary restrictions, so it's like you may even have food, but what if you have food that that that they can't eat? So, figuring out what that is the event that I was talking about, I went to Monday. Again, these are just like trivial things that I don't expect. It has to be like bougie, but also it's just funny to see some of the things that stand out to people, and the snacks is something that continually comes up over and over.

Speaker 1: 26:43

But at the event, on Monday, we, um, there was breakfast and lunch included and we went out for lunch and this spread was insane, like it was over the top, just like delicious. It probably cost a small fortune, I'm sure, cause it was through a resort, um, and we were all talking at lunch about how good the food is and it's like what a great problem to have that. People are like raving about that, but again, it was so filling, like it was just really well done, that you didn't need a bunch of other snacks and things like that, because it was like a hearty breakfast and a hearty lunch, not some like dry crusty sandwich in a box that people are going to pick apart and not eat the entire thing.

Speaker 1: 27:32

Yeah, so listeners, food matters for everyone, or at least communicating appropriately about the food.

Speaker 2: 27:40

Yeah, I love that. And I also love your examples the vetting table example because it's so funny how those micro communities they can form. And then the people that you sat with at that table that you just kind of like it's your mini gang. Yeah, it bonds you. So I love that, and it's such a different experience than when you are just listening and sitting in one row and not talking to each other. So I definitely value that much more as well. One more thing that I wanted to kind of add here and maybe ask her opinion on was the amount of people at the event. Like, how do you think, what do you think the better? Is a bigger event with hundreds of people at the event? Like, how do you think, um, what do you think is the the better? Is a bigger event with hundreds of people? Or, um, you prefer creating more intimate experiences, or both is fine, as long as the three elements that you just mentioned are happening.

Speaker 1: 28:37

Um, such a good question and it varies so vastly, so I'll touch on a couple of things. Um, such a good question and it varies so vastly, so I'll touch on a couple things. So, the table, my personal brand, the events well, the basis of the brand is cultivating experiences that feel intimate, regardless of the size. So, regardless, if there's you know, our February event is 250 people I'll host an event that's under 20 people, right? No matter if it's 20 or 250, I still want it to feel intentionally designed. So when building an event of a much larger scale, those are the things that are very, very front of mind is what are the things that are going to be ingrained into this programming to create those micro communities like we talked about at a wedding? So that's kind of that mindset is like what do we provide people? We actually have an online community that's included as part of the ticket for the conference, and so you can start creating more intimate connections with people on the front end and then be able to have those cascade into a live experience versus on the smaller side. Obviously, proximity and just being in a smaller environment offers more opportunity collectively to connect as a full group. Um, I would say, as far as retreats, um, that's something that we've been talking a lot about lately when I've been doing teaching, and I personally feel we host a retreat every year for collab culture and then, starting in 25, we're going to host two a year. I have another mastermind that I'm running that I'll host a retreat for, and I have found in my experience, anything over probably like the 15 person mark, in my opinion, is a little too large for a retreat. You can do some creative things to kind of create some more intimacy, but those experiences are really intended to be kind of this escape, kind of this detachment from reality, to go and be somewhere for a couple of days, so I would say somewhere around. That is really good, but even, but even, like on Sunday, I hosted this wellness event. So I host these pop ups, the table, um, every single month, and they're all different formats. So we'll do a live podcast or we'll do a content day or we'll do a wellness event, like all these different formats.

Speaker 1: 30:55

And the one on Sunday was outdoor and it was all wellness inspired. So there were workouts, there was a marketplace, there was a marketplace, there was stuff like cupping, vitamin injections, chair massages, cold plunge, right, all of these things and it was more, I would say, like open house style. So you had, you know, maybe 40 people plus another 40 people that were working the event and it's like spread out right, it's outdoors. But it was really funny because some of the feedback I was getting was like in that unstructured environment they actually found such intimate connection where they were able to kind of sit and have these conversations with. We had like a therapist who specializes in like EMDR treatment for trauma, we had a chiropractor, we had a gut supplement company, like all these different people, and they could kind of break off and talk about where they were feeling like their health and wellness needed to be reprioritized.

Speaker 1: 31:51

So again, I think it. I know people are like tell me the magic number. I don't think there is one, but what I would say is, in whatever the format is just asking yourself, kind of to go back to the brand how do I create an intimate experience for someone, regardless of how big it is? And that could be as simple as even putting them like assigning them in little pods or giving them a random partner to do an activity with or whatever that looks like, but it feels like they're a human, like they're seen, and they're a human and they're not just like a button, a seat in a crowd.

Speaker 2: 32:29

I love that answer and I'm so happy that you can have both. Like, you can have a big event and still be creating that human effect and feeling everyone is seen. So I'm so happy that for that answer, I'm like, yes, you can have both, as long as you're using the same kind of framework to help them to connect with each other and have those experiences. So I'm so glad that. What the hell you are doing these wellness retreat experiences? That? That's just so random to me. I know. How many events are you organizing in a year?

Speaker 1: 33:05

Man. So I would say, through the table and collab culture, probably like 30 to 40 a year, depending on what it is that we have going on, and again, some of them require a lot more bandwidth, like the wellness event had a lot because it was all of the vendors, there were a lot of moving pieces, we had swag bags, we had raffles, so there were a lot of layers. Or like the table experience, which is the two day live event in February. That one is obviously a much more labor intensive one, but then there's other ones that are a lot more simple, whether it's like, hey, we're going to plan a hike or we're going to go and do like a happy hour or things like that, where it's not necessarily requiring as much work, so to speak. So yeah, it just kind of depends on what all we have going on.

Speaker 2: 34:03

And do you have? I guess it depends on the type of event, but do you have anyone who helps you out, or is there things that you like to do specifically, and or do you have someone who helps you out with other things, like sponsorships or like roles, and do you divide it between you and so yeah, I love.

Speaker 1: 34:22

I love this question because it's actually in the process of pivoting for me, so it's great timing. Historically for our collab culture community, it was myself and my business partner, stephanie, for the longest time, and then in 2024, we started to bring on a team to help support us on the back end with more of like the administrative things. We also have now a second chapter up in Northern Arizona, in Flagstaff, so we have a new chapter leader who has been one of our like OG members in Phoenix for since the very beginning. So she actually moved and so we have her kind of on our admin team now as well.

Speaker 1: 34:59

For me specifically, it's kind of a mix. It's a mix of myself VA slash OBM. I'm actually in the process of kind of working through like a event specialist position, mainly for the conference that is focusing more on helping with some of the marketing assets, helping with launch, helping with sponsorships. My I was like my toxic trait is I will do it all, I will absolutely. I have quite literally no business trying to do it all, but I will, and so I'm really trying to understand do I need, let's say, another VA, or do I need someone who's this is their like zone of genius, their expertise and being in the event space and traveling to so many events and doing a lot of speaking, I've met so many incredible people that this is literally their like jam, and so I'm kind of in a season of like that's kind of the direction I want to lean when it comes to some of the support for the bigger events. Is having somebody that that is literally their specialty?

Speaker 2: 36:10

Wow. So it was around some of the events that I went to and you can maybe let me know about your experience. But there are a lot of like play, uh, pay-to-play type of events where there are certain benefits and certain segregations between the attendees that you know. If you pay more, you get access to um more people, specifically the events I went to. Like you, can you get to have a round table with these people and that people, uh, what? What is your take on the pay to play model and is it something that you also do in your events?

Speaker 1: 36:49

Yeah, it kind of depends. So all different. I'm going to give you all the different examples because they're all over the place. So, within collab culture, it's a membership like a monthly subscription. So when you pay for the membership, you get access to all of our programming, which offers an opportunity for you to connect every week. So we have either a virtual or an in-person opportunity every week. And in 2024, we also have an online community so you can connect there.

Speaker 1: 37:19

In 2024, we added in a CEO roundtable tier and this came off of the heels of some of our maybe higher earners or people who had more tenure, more experience. They have large teams, they're dealing with a lot more, you know, higher revenue numbers, et cetera, really craving an additional conversation, but not wanting to take away from the group, right, because those topics aren't going to be relevant for the masses, if you will, for context, the group is about 140 women that are on the membership for Phoenix. So we created this tier where those women that are in the CEO roundtable are also in the signature membership. So everybody is co-mingled, if you will. And then this small group of I think there's 16 of them get one additional call a month, which is virtual, and then we do a quarterly in-person together. So they're still part of the core. But then they get an additional you know separate kind of mastermind-esque conversation, um and they pay at a different tier. Uh, as far as my events on a monthly basis, those ones are all in right there. Everybody is commingled together.

Speaker 1: 38:37

There's not a separation. I may do things like this wellness one. It was like we only have a finite number of swag bags. So if you buy in this timeframe then that's like a bonus. Right, you get a swag bag. If you don't buy in this timeframe, you were still more than welcome to come. You get access to all the same things, but you don't get this, you know perk. That creates a little urgency for people to make a buying decision.

Speaker 1: 39:01

And then kind of on the other end, with the conference in February, we have two ticket tiers for the conference and the separation is pretty distinguishable. They're getting things at the higher ticket tier like proximity seating, so they're getting kind of front of the house seating, they're getting a swag bag, they're getting a headshot on site and then they are getting a VIP night. But it's very intentionally separate from the traditional programming because I don't want in the day to day feel there, to feel any of that separation. So we do have a VIP night that is um, hosted by one of our sponsor partners off site and there is a fireside chat with a couple of the speakers. That's there, but it's detached because I think it's really awkward when you're like in an in-person setting. It's like when you go to a bar and somebody has like table service right and there's like these velvet ropes and it's like no, ma'am, not you.

Speaker 2: 40:04

Do not pass.

Speaker 1: 40:06

You can't come over here. So we did want to have a, if you will, elevated experience accessible at a different price tier. But we didn't want it to feel like any kind of separation in the course of the day to day. So the two days of programming aside from, you have designated tables. They're not roped off, it's literally just with, like little placards on the tables and then the VIP night is off site separate.

Speaker 2: 40:34

Wow, okay, so as long as you pay attention to the experience, it's not looking like.

Speaker 1: 40:40

They are like different humans and no no, no, no, I don't think, and I mean again, it's the cool thing is this is one of the benefits of there being us living in a time where there's so much of this. I mean, depending on where you live, where do you live at?

Speaker 2: 40:57

again, I don't know I'm in Europe. I'm in Europe, you live at again, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 41:00

I'm in Europe, I'm in Europe, in Europe. Okay, so in Phoenix and I'm in Arizona, the entrepreneurial culture is so prevalent, like it's literally there's stuff popping off all the time. And so that's the cool thing about having this buffet season, if you will, where you can kind of try a bunch of stuff, see what you like, see what you don't like, and then choose accordingly, and everybody doesn't have to do it the same. And I will tell you one thing, and I think a lot of people need to hear this it's a little bit of a hard truth, maybe a little tough love, but no one, including the event host, is more responsible for your experience as an attendee than you are.

Speaker 1: 41:43

And I say that with so much love because I think a lot of times we go to these things and we're like pissed off and we're this isn't what I expected, but we never use the tools that I referred to before to really make an educated decision. If we should be in that room in the first place, right, we go out of FOMO, we go because our sister's going or because whatever, fill in the blank. And so I think when we take the onus and responsibility as a participant to say you know, it's not Haley's problem, it's not this person's problem, that person's problem. Yeah, I may not love it, but did I do my due diligence on the front end to ensure that I should even be here in the first place?

Speaker 2: 42:25

I love that. And there's one more thing I wanted to ask you, because you are like wearing old hats in the event organizing are you able to be actually enjoying your own events? Or you're constantly like running around, like Putting out fires or like can you be present in the experience, or just like you let it go Like whatever I'm just organizing, I can't have fun.

Speaker 1: 42:49

Yeah, I have prioritized that so much more in the past couple of months, in kind of the beginning of understanding. I wanted to do everything because I wanted to understand how everything worked and really get a good handle on what that looked like so that I could ensure, when we're looking for help, that we know, like, how to articulate what it is that we need. Um, as far as like the on the conference side, there will, there's absolutely like a full team of volunteers. So a full team of volunteers, a kind of like production manager. That is like you know, you see the people with the earpiece and they're in charge.

Speaker 1: 43:28

That is like the point person for attendees, for sponsors, for vendors, for whatever having somebody else so that you can be fully present, Because a lot of times people buy tickets to things to be in proximity to a host as well.

Speaker 1: 43:43

And listen, I'm not famous, I'm not any more special than anyone else, but I cultivate a really incredible room that people want to be in and so they want to be able to see me, to say hello, to talk, like whatever, and I don't want to be so overwhelmed that I can't even have like a three minute conversation. So, to answer your question, yes, like the wellness event that I hosted, obviously we had all the vendors and stuff kind of responsible for themselves, but I had two people from my team there that ran check-in. They gave people all the raffle tickets, did the swag bags, they handled making sure that we got all the prizes disseminated accordingly, and we're just like on site If we're like hey, can you empty the trash, Can you? I don't know whatever, um, random things. So I think it just kind of depends. The other thing that I started doing this year, which has been a game changer, is having onsite content creation. Somebody else doing that, Because what I was finding is I was hosting these incredible events and I am so passionate about being present.

Speaker 1: 44:50

But but I wouldn't like I was on the opposite, where I'm like I want to be present but I'm like I need to be doing this but I want to be present and then I would leave and I'm like shit, I have like three pictures from this like three hour event Um.

Speaker 1: 45:07

So I have a photographer that I partner with for the table events and a lot of them. We offer a kind of lifestyle type headshot opportunity for people and so she will facilitate that and shoot with them, which is really great, and she shoots some like still shot photos for me as well, sometimes some B roll um with her like DSLR camera. And then over the summer I started bringing in a like content create, like a mobile content creator. So she just comes in with her phone and her gimbal and she is just kind of like in the background taking B roll taking um. At the wellness event we had her do little sound bites with the vendors and like the little tiny microphone and just having that conversation around what we want to capture and then just trusting that somebody else will do it. That has been a game changer and then I'm able to then utilize those resources to then showcase those events for the next ones.

Speaker 2: 46:07

I love that. That's such a good tip. Well, thank you so much for sharing all your experiences around events, and I think this conversation was so helpful in so many aspects not just how to be a good guest, but also how to be a good host. So, yeah, I'm definitely thinking that listeners would love this episode from you. How can they connect with you? How can they find you?

Speaker 1: 46:32

Yeah, I hang out mostly on Instagram, so the best place to connect with me is going to be over there. So my handle is TheHaleyWestfall, so T-H-E-H-A-L-E-Y-W-E-S-T-F-A-L-L. All kinds of fun and a little bit of chaos happening over there, but that's where I hang out the most. Oh, I also have a podcast, which we were talking about earlier, that is also called the Table, so that is streaming on both Apple and Spotify as well.

Speaker 2: 47:00

I love that and also your event that's coming up in 2025. Is this and also your event that's coming up in 2025,? Is this still like the tickets are open for sale? Like what's the situation there?

Speaker 1: 47:10

Yeah, so it's February 21st and 22nd 2025. Tickets are open and for sale. It is called the Table Experience Live and it is a co-ed two-day live event. So we're really focused on again going back to kind of the cornerstone of the brand creating an experience that feels intimate, regardless of the size. So it's going to be really non-traditional programming, probably different than what you've seen previously.

Speaker 1: 47:38

Over the course of the two days we have four keynote speakers, we have a couple panels, we have these really intentionally designed intimate round tables where you get to actually choose your seat ahead of time to secure your spot at a table with an expert to ask your questions. So they're not teaching on a topic, it's literally, let's like, say, it's podcasting, and so you're like I have a specific set of questions. You're able to snag a seat at that table and get your questions answered, because I want you to get the things that you need to make movement in your business right now, rather than listening to generic lessons. That is like fitting a square peg in a round hole and you're trying to make it applicable to your business, but it's not. So we have that.

Speaker 1: 48:22

We have some really cool curated connection activities throughout both days where we're not just going to be like, okay, here's an hour of free time, go make a new friend. We're actually going to make you do some work to make meaningful connection. Um, and like I said, we also have the VIP night, which is accessible for our ultimate sign or our ultimate experience ticket holders. That's after day one, and an entire online community that is actually already open now and we host monthly networking calls for attendees and speakers in there. We have the online community and that will extend past the event through March 31st.

Speaker 2: 48:59

I love that, and is there any online option available for this event? I mean, you do talk about the community, but I don't think I can personally fly in for the event, but the, the, the online networking community and those things like they seem so much fun yeah.

Speaker 1: 49:14

So I do. We are not planning to stream this one, so this is the first of its kind for me, so I'm still kind of learning what is most accessible and what people have an appetite for. But I will share with you as well. I started hosting the table community calls, which is just a free series, two networking calls a month and they one of them is always the second Thursday of the month and then the other one kind of hops around. So the hope is that, regardless of your schedule, at least one of them can be accessible to you and their coed as well, and just a really great opportunity to create with people that are in alignment with being passionate about cultivating meaningful connections. So I will send you that link as well.

Speaker 2: 49:55

Thank you so much. I would love to share that with my listeners. I think myself you might find me in the community after this call. Anyway, thank you so much, haley, for being here and sharing all your wisdoms, and thank you so much, guys, for listening to this one.

Speaker 1: 50:08

Even as a facilitator, I will put lunch provided and I'll even put as far as like gluten-free options or things like that, because there's a lot of people now that have dietary restrictions. So it's like you may even have food, but what if you have food that that that they can't eat? So, figuring out what that is the event that I was talking about, I went to Monday. Again, these are just like trivial things that I don't expect it has to be like bougie, but also it's just funny to see some of the things that stand out to people. And the snacks is something that continually comes up over and over.

Speaker 1: 50:45

But at the event on Monday, we, um, there was breakfast and lunch included and we went out for lunch and this spread was insane, like it was over the top, just like delicious. It probably cost a small fortune, I'm sure, cause it was through a resort, um, and we were all talking at lunch about how good the food is and it's like what a great problem to have that. People are like raving about that. But again, it was so filling, like it was just really well done, that you didn't need a bunch of other snacks and things like that, because it was like a hearty breakfast and a hearty lunch, not some like dry crusty sandwich in a box that people are going to pick apart and not eat the entire thing yeah, so listeners, food matters for everyone, or at least communicating appropriately about the food yeah, I love that and I also love your examples the vetting table example, because it's so funny how those micro communities they can form, and then the people that you sat with at that table that you just kind of like it's your mini gang.

Speaker 2: 52:00

Yeah, it bonds you, so I love that, and it's such a different experience than when you are just listening and sitting in one row and not talking to each other, so I definitely value that much more as well. One more thing that I wanted to kind of add here and maybe ask her opinion on was the amount of people at the event. Like, what do you think the better is? A bigger event with hundreds of people, or you prefer creating more intimate experiences, or both is fine, as long as the three elements that you just mentioned are happening.

Speaker 1: 52:40

Such a good question and it varies so vastly, so I'll touch on a couple of things. Um so, the table, my personal brand, um, the events. Well, the basis of the brand is cultivating experiences that feel intimate, regardless of the size. So, regardless, if there's you know, our February event is 250 people I'll host an event that's under 20 people, right? No matter if it's 20 or 250, I still want it to feel intentionally designed. So when building an event of a much larger scale, those are the things that are very, very front of mind is what are the things that are going to be ingrained into this programming to create those micro communities like we talked about at a wedding? So that's kind of that mindset is like what do we provide people? We actually have an online community that's included as part of the ticket for the conference, and so you can start creating more intimate connections with people on the front end and then be able to have those cascade into a live experience versus on the smaller side. Obviously, proximity and just being in a smaller environment offers more opportunity collectively to connect as a full group, I would say. As far as retreats, that's something that we've been talking a lot about lately when I've been doing teaching and I personally feel we host a retreat every year for Collab Culture and then, starting in 25, we're going to host two a year. I have another mastermind that I'm running that I'll host a retreat every year for collab culture and then, starting in 25, we're going to host two a year. I have another mastermind that I'm running that I'll host a retreat for and I have found in my experience, anything over probably like the 15 person mark in my opinion, is a little too large for a retreat. You can do some creative things to kind of create some more intimacy, but those experiences are really intended to be kind of this escape, kind of this detachment from reality, to go and be somewhere for a couple of days, so I would say somewhere around. That is really good.

Speaker 1: 54:40

But even like on Sunday, I hosted this wellness event, so I host these pop-ups. Even like on Sunday, I hosted this wellness event, so I host these pop-ups the table every single month and they're all different formats. So we'll do a live podcast or we'll do a content day, or we'll do a wellness event, like all these different formats. And the one on Sunday was outdoor and it was all wellness inspired. So there were workouts. There was a marketplace, there was stuff like cupping, vitamin injections, chair massages, cold plunge, right, all of these things, and it was more, I would say, like open house style. So you had, you know, maybe 40 people plus another 40 people that were working the event and it's like spread out right, it's outdoors.

Speaker 1: 55:22

But it was really funny because some of the feedback I was getting was like, in that unstructured environment they actually found such intimate connection where they were able to kind of sit and have these conversations with.

Speaker 1: 55:36

We had, like, a therapist who specializes in, like EMDR treatment for trauma, we had a chiropractor, we had a gut supplement company, like all these different people, and they could kind of break off and talk about where they were feeling, like their health and wellness needed to be reprioritized. So again, I think it. I know people are like tell me the magic number. I don't think there is one. But what I would say is, in whatever the format is just asking yourself kind of to go back to the brand, how do I create an intimate experience for someone, regardless of how big it is? And that could be as simple as even putting them like assigning them in little pods or giving them a random partner to do an activity with, or whatever that looks like, but it feels like they're a human, like they're seen and they're a human like they're seen and they're a human and they're not just like a button to seat in a crowd.

Speaker 2: 56:31

I love that answer and I'm so happy that you can have both. Like you can have a big event and still be creating that human effect and feeling everyone is seen. So I'm so happy that for that answer, I'm like, yes, yes, you can have both, as long as you're using the same kind of framework to help them to connect with each other and have those experiences. So I'm so glad. And what the hell you are doing these wellness retreat experiences? That that's just so random to me. I know. How many events are you organizing in a year?

Speaker 1: 57:07

Man. Um, so I would say through my, through the table and collab culture, probably like 30 to 40 a year, depending on what it is that we have going on, and again, some of them require a lot more bandwidth. Like the wellness event had a lot because it was all of the vendors, there were a lot of moving pieces, we had swag bags, we had raffles, so there were a lot of layers. Or like the table experience, which is the two day live event in February. That one is obviously a much more labor intensive one, but then there's other ones that are a lot more simple, whether it's like, hey, we're gonna plan a hike or we're gonna go and do like a happy hour or things like that, where it's not necessarily requiring as much work, so to speak. Um, so yeah, it just kind of depends on what all we have going on.

Speaker 2: 58:04

And do you have? I guess it depends on the type of event, but do you have anyone who helps you out, or is there things that you like to do specifically, and or do you have someone who helps you out with other things, like sponsorships or like roles, and do you divide it between you and someone else?

Speaker 1: 58:23

I love this question because it's actually in the process of pivoting for me, so it's great timing Historically for our collab culture community. It was myself and my business partner, stephanie, for the longest time, and then in 2024, we started to bring on a team to help support us on the back end with more of like the administrative things. We also have now a second chapter up in Northern Arizona and Flagstaff, so we have a new chapter leader who has been one of our like OG members in Phoenix for since the very beginning. So she actually moved and so we have her kind of on our admin team now as well.

Speaker 1: 59:01

For me, specifically, it's kind of a mix. Um, for me, specifically, it's kind of a mix. It's a mix of my self, va slash OBM. Um, I'm actually in the process of kind of working through like a event specialist position, mainly for the conference that is focusing more on helping with some of the marketing assets, helping with launch, helping with sponsorships. My, my, I was like my toxic trade is I will do it all. I will, absolutely. I have quite literally no business trying to do it all, but I will, and so I'm really trying to understand do I need, let's say, another VA or do I need someone who's this is their like zone of genius, their expertise and being in the event space and traveling to so many events and doing a lot of speaking, I've met so many incredible people that this is literally their like jam and so I'm kind of in a season of like that's kind of the direction I want to lean when it comes to some of the support for the bigger events. Is having somebody that that is literally their specialty?

Speaker 2: 1:00:12

Wow. So it was around some of the events that I went to and you can maybe let me know about your experience, but there are a lot of like play, pay to play type of events where there are a lot of like play, uh, pay-to-play type of events where there are certain benefits and certain segregations between the attendees that you know if you pay more, you get access to more people. Specifically the events I went to. Like you, can you get to have a round table with these people and that people, uh, what? What is your take on the pay to play model and is it something that you also do in your events?

Speaker 1: 1:00:51

Yeah, it kind of depends. So all different. I'm going to give you all the different examples because they're all over the place. So, within collab culture, it's a membership like a monthly subscription. So when you pay for the membership you get access to all of our, all of our programming, which offers an opportunity for you to connect every week. So we have either a virtual or an in-person opportunity every week. And in 2024 and we also have an online community so you can connect there.

Speaker 1: 1:01:20

In 2024, we added in a ceo round tier and this came off of the heels of some of our maybe higher earners or people who had more tenure, more experience. They have large teams, they're dealing with a lot more higher revenue numbers, et cetera, really craving an additional conversation, but not wanting to take away from the group, right, because those topics aren't going to be relevant for the masses, if you will, for context, the group is about 140 women that are on the membership for Phoenix. So we created this tier where those women that are in the CEO round table are also in the signature membership. So everybody is co-mingled, if you will. And then this small group of I think there's 16 of them get one additional call a month, which is virtual, and then we do a quarterly in-person together. So they're still part of the core. But then they get an additional you know separate kind of mastermind-esque conversation, um, and they pay at a different tier. Uh, as far as my events on a monthly basis, those ones are all in right there, everybody is commingled together.

Speaker 1: 1:02:39

There's not a separation. I may do things like this wellness one. It was like we only have a finite number of swag bags. So if you buy in this timeframe then that's like a bonus, right, you get a swag bag. If you don't buy in this timeframe, you were still more than welcome to come. You get access to all the same things, but you don't get this.

Speaker 1: 1:02:58

You know perk, that creates a little urgency for people to make a buying decision, um, and then kind of on the other end, with the conference in February, we have two ticket tiers for the conference and the separation is pretty distinguishable. They're getting things at the higher ticket tier like proximity seating, so they're getting kind of front of the house seating, they're getting a swag bag, they're getting a headshot on site, and then they're getting a swag bag. They're getting a headshot on site and then they are getting a VIP night, but it's very intentionally separate from the traditional programming because I don't want in the day-to-day feel there to feel any of that separation. So we do have a VIP night that is hosted by one of our sponsor partners off site and there is a fireside chat with a couple of the speakers.

Speaker 1: 1:03:51

That's there, but it's detached because I think it's really awkward when you're like in an in-person setting. It's like when you go to a bar and somebody has like table service right and there's like these velvet ropes and it's like no, ma'am, not, you Do not pass, you can't come over here. So we did want to have a, if you will, elevated experience accessible at a different price tier, but we didn't want it to feel like any kind of separation in the course of the day to day. So the two days of programming, aside from, you have designated tables. They're not roped off, it's literally just with like little placards on the tables and then the VIP night is off-site, separate.

Speaker 1: 1:04:36

Wow, okay, so as long as you pay attention to the experience, it's not looking like there are like different humans and no, no no, no, no, I don't think, and I mean again, it's, the cool thing is this is one of the benefits of there being us living in a time where there's so much of this. I mean, depending on where you live, where do you live at?

Speaker 2: 1:04:58

again, I don't know, I'm in Europe. I'm in Europe.

Speaker 1: 1:05:01

In Europe.

Speaker 1: 1:05:02

Okay, so in Phoenix and I'm in Arizona, the um, the entrepreneurial culture is so prevalent, like it's literally there's stuff popping off all the time, and so that's the cool thing about having this buffet season, if you will, where you can kind of try a bunch of stuff, see what you like, see what you don't like, and then choose accordingly, and everybody doesn't have to do it the same.

Speaker 1: 1:05:27

And I will tell you one thing, and I think a lot of people need to hear this, it's a little bit of a hard truth, maybe a little tough love, but no one, including the event host, is more responsible for your experience as an attendee than you are. And I say that with so much love because I think a lot of times we go to these things and we're like pissed off and we're this isn't what I expected, but we never use the tools that I referred to before to really make an educated decision. If we should be in that room in the first place, right, we go out of FOMO, we go because our sister's going or because whatever, fill in the blank. And so I think, when we take the onus and responsibility as a participant to say you know, it's not Haley's problem, it's not this person's problem, that person's problem. Yeah, I may not love it, but did I do my due diligence on the front end to ensure that I should even be here in the first place? I love that.

Speaker 2: 1:06:28

And there's one more thing I wanted to ask you, because you are like wearing old hats in the event organizing Are you able to be actually enjoying your own events? Or you're constantly like running around, like putting out fires or like can you be present in the experience, or just like you let it go Like whatever I'm just organizing, I can't have fun.

Speaker 1: 1:06:51

Yeah, I have prioritized that so much more in the past couple of months, in kind of the beginning of understanding. I wanted to do everything because I wanted to understand how everything worked and really get a good handle on what that looked like so that I could ensure, when we're looking for help, that we know, like, how to articulate what it is that we need. Um, as far as like the on the conference side, there will, there's absolutely like a full team of volunteers. So a full team of volunteers, a kind of like production manager. That is like you know, you see the people with the earpiece and they're in charge.

Speaker 1: 1:07:30

That is like the point person for attendees, for sponsors, for vendors, for whatever having somebody else so that you can be fully present, Because a lot of times people buy tickets to things to be in proximity to a host as well. And listen, I'm not famous, I'm not any more special than anyone else, but I cultivate a really incredible room that people want to be in and so they want to be able to see me, to say hello, to talk, like whatever, and I don't want to be so overwhelmed that I can't even have like a three minute conversation, want to be so overwhelmed that I can't even have like a three minute conversation. So, to answer your question, yes, like the wellness event that I hosted, obviously we had all the vendors and stuff kind of responsible for themselves, but I had two people from my team there that ran check-in. They gave people all the raffle tickets, did the swag bags, they handled making sure that we got all the prizes disseminated accordingly and we're just like on site.

Speaker 1: 1:08:28

If we're like hey, can you empty the trash, Can you? I don't know whatever, um, random things. So I think it just kind of depends. The other thing that I started doing this year, which has been a game changer is having onsite content creation. Somebody else doing that? Because what I was finding is I was hosting these incredible events and I am so passionate about being present, but but I wouldn't like I was on the opposite, where I'm like I want to be, present but I'm like I need to be doing this, but I want to be present and then I would leave and I'm like shit, I have like three pictures from this like three hour event.

Speaker 1: 1:09:08

Um. So I have a photographer that I partner with for the table events and a lot of them. We offer a kind of lifestyle type headshot opportunity for people and so she will facilitate that and shoot with them, which is really great, and she shoots some like still shot photos for me as well, sometimes some B roll um with her like DSLR camera. And then over the summer I started bringing in a like content create, like a mobile content creator. So she just comes in with her phone and her gimbal and she is just kind of like in the background taking b-roll taking. At the wellness event we had her do little sound bites with the vendors and like the little tiny microphone and just having that conversation around what we want to capture and then just trusting that somebody else will do it. That has been a game changer and then I'm able to then utilize those resources to then showcase those events for the next ones.

Speaker 2: 1:10:09

I love that. That's such a good tip. Well, thank you so much for sharing all your experiences around events, and I think this conversation was so helpful in so many aspects not just how to be a good guest, but also how to be a good host. So, um, yeah, I I'm definitely thinking that listeners would love this episode from you. Uh, how can they can, how can they connect with you? How can they find you?

Speaker 1: 1:10:34

yeah, I hang out mostly on instagram, so the best place to connect with me is going to be over there, so my handle is the hayley westfall, so t-h-e-h-a-l-e-y, w-e-s-h-a-l-e-y-w-e-s-t-f-a-l-l. All kinds of fun and a little bit of chaos happening over there, but that's where I hang out the most. Oh, I also have a podcast, which we were talking about earlier. That is also called the Table, so that is streaming on both Apple and Spotify as well.

Speaker 2: 1:11:02

I love that and also your event that's coming up in 2025. Is this still like the tickets are open for sale? Like what's the situation there?

Speaker 1: 1:11:12

Yeah, so it's February 21st and 22nd 2025. Tickets are open and for sale. It is called the Table Experience Live and it is a co-ed two-day live event. So we're really focused on again going back to kind of the cornerstone of the brand creating an experience that feels intimate, regardless of the size. So it's going to be really non-traditional programming, probably different than what you've seen previously.

Speaker 1: 1:11:40

Over the course of the two days we have four keynote speakers, we have a couple panels. We have these really intentionally designed intimate round tables where you get to actually choose your seat ahead of time to secure your spot at a table with an expert to ask your questions. So they're not teaching on a topic, it's literally, let's like, say it's podcasting, and so you're like I have a specific set of questions. You're able to snag a seat at that table and get your questions answered, because I want you to get the things that you need to make movement in your business right now, rather than listening to we have that.

Speaker 1: 1:12:17

We have some really cool curated connection activities throughout both days where we're not just going to be like, okay, here's an hour of free time, go make a new friend. We're actually going to make you do some work to make meaningful connection and, like I said, we also have the VIP night, which is accessible for our ultimate experience ticket holders. That's after day one and an entire online community that is actually already open now and we host monthly networking calls for attendees and speakers in there. We have the online community and that will extend past the event through March 31st.

Speaker 2: 1:13:01

I love that, and is there any online option available for this event? I mean, you talked about the community, but I don't think I can personally fly in for the event, but the online networking community and those things like this seems so much fun for me, so I'm still kind of learning what is most accessible and what people have an appetite for, but I will share with you as well.

Speaker 1: 1:13:28

I started hosting the table community calls, which is just a free series two networking calls a month and they one of them is always the second Thursday of the month and then the other one kind of hops around. So the hope is that, regardless of your schedule, at least one of them can be accessible to you and they're co-ed as well and just a really great opportunity to create with people that are in alignment with being passionate about cultivating meaningful connections. So I will send you that link as well.

Speaker 2: 1:13:57

Thank you so much. I would love to share that with my listeners. I think myself you might find me in the community after this call. Anyway, thank you so much, haley, for being here and sharing all your wisdoms, and thank you so much, guys, for listening to this one.