Do you dream of hosting LIVE events?

Well, in case you missed it…

I just hosted Heart Behind Hustle LIVE event this past weekend…

… and it was absolutely freaking MAGICAL.

So magical that I’ve totally been on my butt the last two days battling an upper limit* cold (let’s just call it that). 😂

But let me ask you a question:

Have you ever thought about hosting an event but worried if you’d be able to find people to sign up?

Or, even going back to childhood…

Back when hosting a birthday party or something, and having an RSVP list filled, but still having that deep sense of a fear that no one would show up?

Yep, me too.

That feeling? It doesn’t fully go away.

But you DO get to manage it.

So, this wasn’t my first live event.

I run two client retreats every year for my Private Client Mastermind (and have been for three years), I’ve run four public live workshops, and countless virtual events, summits, and workshops.

But if I’m being honest…

That worry still remained in the back of my head with this new event.

I mean, how could it not?

Live events are SO different from hosting virtual events, like free challenges, webinars, or livestreams.

In a virtual event, you get to do your thing even if no one shows up.

You can get used to the small number on the screen. It’s ok. It grows eventually.

Or you can just stop it and remove it if you decide, Nah… Another time.

Or if you’re doing a launch and don’t get enough sales…

YOU know how many sales you got, but NO ONE else does.

So it’s not QUITE the same worry…

Live events are totally different.

People notice. You notice.

And there’s no backing out.

You get to look at the room. Into people’s faces. See their reactions.

Are they excited? Engaged?

Or are they confused? And bored?

So despite the fact that this thought was still in the back of my head…

That Friday morning of the event…

I have to admit something shocking.

Even though hosting the event was kind of last minute…

And the planning, the promoting, the marketing was not fully 100% executed as planned (more like 60% executed… oops!)…

HBH Live was actually the most stress-free, seamless, and in-flow event I’ve ever done.

And it was also my BIGGEST.

(we had about 48 people there!)

My most “legit.”

But yet, I didn’t get ANY anxiety or stress about it until THE MORNING OF DAY ONE.

This is coming from a girl who used to struggle with anxiety so much she’d go to the doctor every other week!

I was on a first name basis with panic attacks.

But yet… I was totally chill.

Even the morning of, it wasn’t a total freakout at all.

It was more of a “What if…?” worry that came up for a few hours beforehand and then quickly disappeared when we kicked the day off and I was proved wrong.

So if you haven’t done events before, but want to…

It does NOT have to be stressful or complicated. Trust me.

I might do a free training on that at some point so if you’re interested in hosting your own events too…

… but are worried about the anxieties and stress and the complexity that might come up…

Click me to let me know automatically.

If we get enough people, I’ll do it for ya.

Anyway, I wanted to share 3 big takeaways from the event.

I figured if you weren’t able to attend, I still want you to get something out of the magic that happened.

Hopefully, this sparks something for ya.

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Takeaway #1: Your brand is about more than just YOU

There are a countless number of branding experts out there, and even more personal brands popping up every day.

It seems like everyone is an “influencer” nowadays.

As we move into 2019, however, the whole “I’m so great, look at my life” aspirational marketing thing has been getting a bit washed out.

Your audience wants to believe in something MORE.

I know you have a message and mission to share with the world.

(You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t)

Good news!

Being impact-driven in business is absolutely THE way to be in 2019.

People are craving following a mission…

A movement.

So it’s time to start thinking about the bigger impact your brand has on your audience and the world.

It’s about the ripple effect.

I’ve been teaching my clients about creating a Movement Message this past year and it has been blazing their hearts on FIRE to share their passion.

People care about YOU… less than you think.

They care about creating something that MATTERS.

Something that will help them create what they WANT.

How can you make your audience become a part of your bigger movement?

Rather than just being an everyday-influencer that does what everyone else?

Think bigger.

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Takeaway #2: Clients are looking for personalization and intimacy

In the last few years, it seems like people have gone a bit cuckoo with automation, systems, all the things.**

• Messenger bots.
• Sales funnels.
• No-reply emails.
• Automated Webinars.

All the things to “simplify” that were actually dehumanizing the business…

Creating a big gap between who you are, why you’re doing it…

And the PEOPLE who you are meant to help.

It’s so frustrating.

I belong to this amazing woman’s email list who’s doing truly brilliant work in the health industry.

I purchased a course from her but had an issue logging in.

So, naturally – I replied to the email with access to let them know.

Within 10 minutes, I get an email back saying no one is monitoring that email address.

Awesome. I wonder how many people they are pissing off because they now have to HUNT to find the customer service desk?

I’m a fairly techy person so I could do it…

But what if I wasn’t?

You see, people are creating barriers to speaking with real humans all over.

• We want to create money totally passively.
• “Help” people without really helping them.
• Say we are here to serve but really we’re only here to serve ourselves.

I’m so tired of it!

… And so are your potential clients!

If you’re looking for ALLLLLL the ways to systemize to the point of removing yourself completely from the process…

… ESPECIALLY if you’re a coach, expert, or personal brand…

You are doing a HUGE disservice to your audience.

This deals with marketing…

But it also has to do with OFFERS and how you deliver them.

It’s like, you get invited to your friend Sarah’s birthday party.

But Sarah’s not there. She’s in bed, watching Netflix.

Instead, she has a robot greeting you at the door and taking your present.

And then you walk around like WTF is happening? Where’s Sarah!?

There are PICTURES of Sarah everywhere!

BUT SHE’S NOT ACTUALLY THERE!!

You try to engage with the robot. But the robot just moved on to another person who walked through the door.

Guess that’s that for birthday parties in the future #blackmirrorstyle 😆

This is also why I wanted to keep my Impact Incubator group small, so I can have the ability to truly impact each person individually in a small container…

Get to know each person, give them catered personalized advice…

So they can TRULY create a breakthrough by taking ACTION…

Rather than just learning stuff… and then not doing anything with it.

(BTW, our next round of the Incubator starts February 1st! We have a few spots available for this private / group coaching program. Check it out here)

**automation, systems, all the things – to be clear I am not against using these, they can be extremely helpful in creating leverage in your business in life when used strategically. The problem is when people ONLY do this and do not bring in their human approach at all into the business.

I think systems and automation can be a total lifesaver when used right 🙂

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Takeaway #3: Getting vulnerable through storytelling

If you’re just spewing content online and shoving “advice” down people’s throats…

You’ll be disappointed…

If people aren’t asking for your opinion, they don’t care about your 3 tips to XYZ.

You first need to make them CARE about hearing them.

And not just that, but you also need to make them care about hearing them from YOU.

You have to build that know, like, and trust…

And the way we can do that is through storytelling.

You can tell stories in many areas:

• Personal stories
• Business stories
• Client stories
• Embarrassing stories
• Vulnerable stories

But this always works best when you get to share a piece of yourself in there.

Share some emotion. Make your audience FEEL something.

Make them relate to you.

Not necessarily to sell something – although it can help that, too.

But to serve.

To live your message. To empower. Inspire. Guide.

Isn’t that so much more powerful than just to sell?

Sales always happen when you connect. It’s natural.

It turns into enrollment.

And that is the stuff that breakthroughs are made of.

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Which of these resonated the most for you?

Post about in our free Facebook group.

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully seeing you at next year’s event…

(Yes! Next year! 2020! And can you believe we already have a few people on the attendee list for it?! LIKE WHAT?!?! 😍

So surreal!)

Sending love,

*upper limit is referring to a phenomenon that often happens to entrepreneurs (and other high achievers) who do something BIG and break through or get close to breaking through what their reality looked like in the past, where all of the sudden some physical “stuff” comes up that might rattle them or keep them stuck, such as getting a cold, or getting a flat tire, or something else.

It’s like you’re crushing it like WOAH and then all of the sudden things go against you. I wrote about this indirectly in an older post on my older personal brand site about “when shit hits the fan” if you wanna check it out.

This is probably not the best explanation but it’s explained beautifully in the book, The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks, which I totally recommend.

If you haven’t read it yet, definitely grab yourself a copy.