BMP178 Joanna Hennon & Karina Ladet ~ How to Run Your First Conference

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About No Limits

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What You’ll Learn

• Joanna and Karina’s top tips on how to run your first conference or big event
• How to correctly visualize big goals, like running your first big event
• How Joanna and Karina learned what they needed to learn (they had no experience in events planning!)
• The fears and blocks that came up for them (so you can avoid them yourself)
• The biggest challenges they had to overcome
• How the actual event compared to the original vision
• The most effective marketing tactics that helped them to sell tickets

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Transcript

How to Run Your First Conference

The transcript for this episode can also be downloaded here (no opt-in required).

HW:     Hello and welcome to the Business Mindset Podcast, episode 178. This is your host Holly Worton and I am here with two special guests today Joanna Hennon & Karina Ladet; Karina has previously been a guest on this show, episode 152, if you want to check her out there; and Joanna has been a guest twice so far, on episodes and 158.

So, welcome back Karina and Joanna!

JH KL: Hi thank you so much for having us again! We are super excited

HW:     Great, I am so excited to talk to you both!

HW:     So, today we are going to talk about how to create and organise a conference, like a real-life conference in the real-world, off-line, with no previous experience and make it happen and make it work. So, Karina, do you want to tell us a little bit about No Limits and the conference that your organised last year and that you are doing again this year?

KL:      Yeah sure, it was kind of a crazy adventure and I guess it all started when Joanna and I received clear guidance that we were meant to create a live event in Europe, because we were talking about (actually, this is quite funny) because we were talking about, you know how we really wanted to go to a great business event for you know, heart-centred and conscious entrepreneurs but that, you know, all the events we wanted to go to were in Australia or in the US, so. And then we were like, “oh it would be great if something like that could happen in Europe”, and then we were like, I think it was Joanna who was like “well, why don’t we create one”, and then we kind of laughed, you know, the way you do when you have a crazy idea. But it kept coming back and coming back. And then we received really clear instructions to create this event and then we went through the, I’m sure these are normal cycles of freaking out, not think you can do it {laughing} and then finally surrendering to the “ok, we are as ready as we can be so let’s do it”; and then we have, kind of, taken it one step at a time because I think as with all really big things that we feel called to create, we kind of have to keep the vision strong and at the same time take one step and then the other one, and then the next one…because otherwise it feels impossible right. {HW: hmm} in that moment.

JH:       And I have something about the vision because this was really funny; it was a really, really, big part of our process and it is just so silly, so funny, who is considering creating something big like a live event, which {laughing} kind of feels impossible, and we couldn’t hold the vision of the conference itself, because we had no idea what that would be like! We had kind of an energy feel that we could feel into for the conference, but we couldn’t really visualise it very well, so what we visualised as our goal was {laughing} being at the hairdressers the day before {laughing} and getting our hair done with everything in place for us to just go to the event tomorrow. And then every time we freaked out, you know {laughing} one of us would mention that: “keep that vision that we are going to get our hair done.”

HW:     {laughing} That is really, really, interesting, so the vision of actually doing the conference was so big and scary you couldn’t visualise that, you had to focus on kind of like the lead up to the event?

KL:      Yeah. I guess it was that moment, you know right before you start doing that thing where you are kind of relaxing and there is nothing else you can do, {HW yeah} or you kind of just step into it. We didn’t actually go to the hairdresser together {laughing} but it was just like, it kind of really chilled us out every time. We were like: “remember the hairdresser” and the other one would go: “oh yeah, ok, I can do that, I can visualise being at the hairdresser, getting my hair done and everything is ready, right?” {laughing} Yeah that is actually a really funny story.

HW:     I love that, I think that is really, really, important, because it sounds like such a massive project and it can be really scary. So, how long did it take you from the first moment that you had this idea of creating a conference in Europe to the point where you actually started planning it? Joanna do you want to take this?

JH:       Yeah, sure, I am trying to remember. I think we had our first conversation about it in March, {HW: hmm}, that was in March 2015 {HW: hmm} and we wanted to, I think our first idea was to really run with it and run it in October of that year and then like, summer hit and you know it was summer and we were like: “I don’t think we can organise it for October” {laughing} and so we moved it to the following March and I think we started planning it that summer and I think our website was built that September and we really opened the door to ticket sales in October or so.

HW:     Hmm ok, that’s interesting. So, also, I think it is really interesting that from the first moment that you had the idea until the event actually occurred that was about a year later, so this does take quite a long time to kind of go through the whole process of idea to preparation to selling to organising?

JH:       Yeah, can I just add that we are making it sound really structured {laughing} and it really was not. We did not really have a plan. We knew we needed a website and we knew that we had to tell people about it {HW: laughing} and that was pretty much it. We didn’t have a structured plan for what needed to happen when and, you know, we didn’t have any of that, so we really went on intuition, we got our speakers sorted first, so that people knew what they were signing up for. And then we just spent a lot of time doing energy work around it, and then we just went on intuition, didn’t we Karina, whenever we felt a nudge to do something we would do it. {HW: mm}

KL:      Yeah it was totally led by our intuition because we didn’t really know, and it is kind of funny when we do that right, because it is when you look back that it actually looks like you had a plan but when you are in the moment, you just get the instructions, I guess, from the spirit to do that next thing, or to reach out to that person. And also, I think one of the most important parts may be apart from really being connected to the guidance we were both receiving, and doing a ton of inner work, both of us {HW: mm} and it was also all the support we received from other people, because we didn’t know a lot of things that we had to know and so all these amazing people kind of came out of the woodwork and started chairing and really helped us and the speakers were amazing as well. So, it was like really tapping into that big support team we had around us, so that was one of the ways in which we could bring in other practical and the technical and all the other things weren’t just pure energy.

HW:     Hmm I love that, so that brings me to that whole support network thing. That brings me to the idea that it is such a big project to create and run a conference like this, and I can imagine for someone who doesn’t have experience with running events, at the beginning you really don’t know what you need to know. Was that like that for you? And how did you find out what it was that you needed to know so that you learned as you were creating this thing?

KL:      Oh, wow, that is a funny question because that happened, like, all the time! I think it was when we bumped into the thing, you know you have got the website and then people ask you about something and we go: “oh, we don’t know that – Joanna what do you think?” {laughing}

And we kind of had to brainstorm on the spot and we had to find creative solutions and we had to bring other people in and we really kind of discovered, as we journeyed through the whole organisation of the event, and also that we had Joanna’s dear friend, Michelle, who was helping us with a lot of, like, the practical things, and finding an amazing venue. And a lot of the speakers had a lot of knowledge as well; for example Alison Mackenzie was so amazing and she was speaking at the last event and she is going to be back again in March and she had a lot of experience from live events and she told us lots of things that we needed to [know] “oh, have you thought of this?”, or, “maybe this could be a good idea” or “I have seen this being done before”. So, it was learning from others and then just bumping into stuff {laughing} and having to sort through it. Because, once you have said yes to it and the website is out and you know you are starting to sell tickets, you kind of have to roll with it, you can’t just be like “oh, we don’t know that, we will stop now’” {laughing}

HW:     {Laughing} Yeah, it is a major commitment, because once you have started you have to keep going and figure stuff out until you kind of reach the end point.

JH:       It is also like, we didn’t have experience running a big conference, sure, but it wasn’t accidental that we were called to do this, to create it, so each of us brought a lot of different experience to the table which then we have had to be willing to identify {HW: mm} {laughing} as experience that was valid, so from my side, you just mentioned Michelle, we used to run a theatre group so we used to be a director/producer team, so we did have experience organising shows {HW: mm}, running big shows, so there were certain elements that were already there and then Karina also having been in business for a really long time so, like, she had brought a whole lot of other experience to the table in terms of what’s needed and the energy work that goes behind success. And in terms of you know other things, you know, branding and all sorts of things that we just knew. I think what I am saying is that if you are considering something like this and if it feels right to you, don’t let the fact that you don’t have specific conference experience stop you, because you have been prepared for this moment if it is right for you for a long time and if you have other experience that will help you go through. Does that make sense?

HW:     Yeah, it does and I think that is really important because I think even if you have ever run your own workshop, or even just a webinar, that’s kind of an event, I mean, it’s an online event but you know how to market a webinar so you can adapt that knowledge to a conference.

KL:      Totally, and I guess it is all the, it is interesting how we as entrepreneurs, because we are constantly learning new things, we are constantly connecting with people, we are constantly doing inner work and all of that. I guess, what Joanna and I did was that really brought in everything we know and everything we have experienced and the things we really didn’t know how to do, like specific technical things, maybe, or really specific knowledge, there was always someone who knew right? And it was also being willing to reach out and ask for help and Joanna had reached out to so many people and we had to go way beyond our comfort zone, pretty much all the time, you know when you feel a bit embarrassed to laugh and you had to ask a thousand times to all sorts of people, which you know is really great as it grew our network as well. But honestly if I didn’t have to do it, I wouldn’t have.

HW:     {laughing} Okay, so that leads me to the next question: what kinds of fears and blocks and mindset stuff came up for you as you were running this and how did this preparation for the event take you out of your comfort zone?

JH:       Oh my goodness, how much time do we have {laughing}?

HW:     {laughing}

KL:      {HW: mm}

JH:       Oh, there were so [many] I mean, sometimes it just felt like everything was going against us, you know? We had a lot of world stuff happening as we were marketing this, so the Paris attacks and the Brussels lock-down happened smack in the middle of our early bird promotion. {HW: hmm} So, you know this kind of constant, the main overarching thing was this constant kind of “are we being guided to do this or not?” {HW: mm}

You know, you would think, we are guided, we have got this idea and things seem to be showing up and then stuff happened, we were like: “should we quit?” “should we just stop?”. So, kind of that trust, okay, that we were being guided towards something and we didn’t necessarily know what it would be like on the day, but it was what was needed both for us and our growth and for the people who said yes to it.

KL:      That’s a great point Joanna, because it was almost surreal where every time where we felt like we had stretched to our max something new would happen and it was great because it kind of really, we had to reconnect with the big vision of the event and that kind of fitted in perfectly with the world events as well…what are we here to do and how committed are we to creating positive change in the word? Which is when you are right in the middle of it, is kind of scary and really overwhelming and for Joanna being in Brussels at that time as well, and it kind of pushes you to really stand up and be that change that you want to be in the world. {HW: hmm}

And that kind of ties in with one of the big themes as well, for us to step into the leadership, what it takes to lead an event and create it because we were kind of hiding a bit at the beginning, behind the speakers right? We were just organising the event, they are the important ones and people come to see the speakers, but we actually have to really hold space for the whole event to happen, and, of course, the speakers had really important roles as well and we actually had to step up and make really difficult and uncomfortable decisions, we had to, yeah, really do the whole leadership in a conscious but loving, but firm way. So, that was big one for both of us I think, because we were trying to get away from stuff, you know, someone else can do that, but in the end, no.

JH:       That was really huge you are right, stepping into the leadership, leading the project as you say and accepting that it was our energy, our uniqueness of us two coming together that was getting people to be attracted to the event, because speakers started to fall away, our original speakers look nothing like our final speakers and you know, what was left was Karina and I…

HW:     Yeah, exactly you were kind of the backbone of the whole thing.

JH:       Yeah, so we had to accept that it was, that people were coming because they were attracted to our energy, we were creating this; yes, the speakers were contributing and they were obviously a super important part but at the end of the day it was our event and the energy of the event. We have several people who have been to loads of stuff around the world said that this event was really, really, unique and I think it was really because of that, because we were willing to be completely ourselves in it and we created something really different.

HW:     And, so, what are some of the practical or tactical challenges that you had to overcome as you were building this? I know that you have mentioned some already, but what were some other things that came up for you?

KL:      Oh wow, I think that the biggest ones were marketing and then I guess it was creating everything from scratch, because even as we had this vision, well, you know what it is like, you have the vision, it feels amazing and then you have to put it down on paper and you have to create copy and you have to create images {HW: mm} and the branding and all of that, so it was bringing all those pieces together. So, I think the big parts were the marketing and really sharing what our vision was like. Because we could feel that it was going to be amazing but how do you share that with someone who hasn’t experienced it knowing that you haven’t experienced it either so you are talking about something that doesn’t exist in the physical realm yet {laughing}. Yeah that was a big challenge.

JH:       Structure I think was also a really big challenge and the thing is that we learned so much, right, that this year that things are a lot more smooth and we feel that we know what we are doing and we know what needs to be done and we have more structure and we kind of know where things are going. It is a lot calmer than last year was. One big change is that we have a project manager, I think when we are going through a process like this it is really important to see the gaps {HW: hmm} and to see what else is needed and to see those things that are really challenging and that are holding back the success you know and you fix that next time and whatever way you are able.

HW:     Yeah, that makes sense. So how did the actual event compare to the original vision that you had for it?

JH:       Ha! You know when it started, this is one of the things that happened that was really interesting because when we had the idea we thought we were creating a business conference and we {laughing} were not creating a business conference, we were creating an experience of extreme transformation for business owners, sure, but it wasn’t just a business conference, so I forgot your question…

HW:     {laughing} It was the answer; the questions was how did the actual event compare to your original vision? {laughing} yeah.

KL:      I totally agree with Joanna, it is kind of interesting, because I feel that in one way it feels like it was the expansive energy that we could feel and every time that we tuned into the energy of the event we knew that it was much bigger than anything we had experienced before and that was exactly what would happen at the event and at the same time I have to say that my mind was completely blown. Once we were at the event, although there was a lot of work and a lot of things that had to come together, the moment that we stepped into the place where we held the event it was as if we were right in the flow and all we had to do was show up. You know when it feels completely magical you feel like, because we had things and the speakers had their different topics but none of them had really checked in with each other exactly what they are going to say or do {HW: mm} and we didn’t really know and we were completely trusting that everything was going to fall into place and it was amazing how well that happened. It was stuff that we cannot create, it was definitely some divine intervention or something, because one talk would lead into the next one that would lead into the next one and it was like a perfect blend of inner work, outer work, movement, laugher, really, really, deep and being really touched by what was said.   Like at once it was like exactly what we had received in our vision and at the same time just beyond anything we could ever imagine.

HW:     Hmm excellent.

JH:       I totally agree with that and beyond anything we could imagine, I think us creating beyond the transformation that we could have before then have accepted that we could facilitate because I was just so blown away by the transformation that the participants had, I mean the things that they moved onto after the conference were incredible and that was always our intention, wasn’t it Karina? To create something energetically so that it wasn’t one of those things where, you know, you went to an event and then you went home and then you forgot about it, it was nice but it didn’t really change anything. We wanted something that really created transformation in that you went away with something that you could really use energetically, that something really shifted and for me we knew that we were intending to create that and still being there and witnessing it and witnessing the ripples afterwards of what people were accomplishing and what people were moving onto and what people were creating who had been there with us, that was just incredible. It was an incredible feeling.

HW:     Hmm so what kind of results did people get in terms of transformation from this first event?

JH:       Oh wow, so much I guess, so much happened both for the speakers and for the people attending and for us I think, because one of the things about our events is that we altogether really create this beautiful community where it is not just the speakers in one corner and then the people attending. It is really like a circle of people connecting, because people would start sharing as soon as they left the event, so you had people like taking the train back home, or flying back home, and I remember one of the speakers and she had like, a huge amount of money coming into her business and she hadn’t even arrived home yet.

And there were amazing opportunities that happened afterwards like other speaking gigs, really beautiful global networking collaborations that happened for some of them afterwards. One of the beautiful women that came, and she was kind of just there assisting, but she ended up starting her own business when she got home, she was so inspired. {HW: wow!}

Yeah, it was really, really, beautiful. She was inspired by just meeting everyone that she just said “right I am going to start my own business”. So, she got home and then she got really cheered on by everyone and then she started her own business when she got home. And then you know, people taking their business to the next level, if it is more income or better projects, a lot of the speakers and people attending bought certain services from each other and they were signing deals during the event actually, you know like creating huge websites and communities and like big things, so it was really instant and as we watched them grow over time it was just more.

HW:     Ooh I love that! So, what were your top tips be for someone who is listening to this and things, hmm, I think I might want to give this a try? So, that could be their mindset stuff or practical stuff. What would be your top tips for someone who wants to create their first conference?

JH:       I think my top tip would be to start {laughing} because once you start you can’t really stop. We were talking about this in another context this morning. Holly, about how at the end of the day all this stuff always boils down to “just do it”. {HW: yeah!}

You can think about it for ages but if you really feel called to create something like this and create it with the knowledge and understanding that it might not look like what you think you want to create, so just staying open to what you want it to be, what’s needed at this point in your community, but I would just say go for it.

HW:     Ooh sounds good.

KL:      Yeah. Great advice Joanna, it is kind of like going on an adventure, like, what’s the worst thing that could happen, “ok, it doesn’t work out, I may lose some money” and then just kind of, I guess, try things out and for me it is really to, because I find with big projects, we can easily get overwhelmed. Or it’s like this heavy burden that we are trying to, you know, give birth to, so I would definitely encourage everyone to tap into the support you already have, because sometimes it feels like we are the only ones doing this and “how can I learn” or “I don’t know this or that”.

But, really, tap into the support team you already have, maybe you know someone who is great at creating websites, or someone who has a big network or who can help you with certain things so that you are not doing certain things on your own, because you can but it is sometimes harder and longer. So, really tap into all your support and be really creative when it comes to reaching out to people. I mean we reached out to people we didn’t know that had no idea who we were, really don’t be afraid to reach out to people who inspire you and to really honour that big vision because when you share it with other people, then people are going to be touched by that and it is going to resonate for them and they are going to want to be part of that, even if it does not make sense to you when you start. So, inviting people into that vision I think.

HW:     What was…? Go ahead

JH:       And one more tip, that was really, really, important, team up, find somebody to do it with, find somebody, and not like somebody who would logically be something or other, find someone you just have fun with and you really just… you will be spending a lot of time talking to that other person right Karina?

KL:      Yes. {laughing} Yes.

JH:       I couldn’t imagine running this on my own, it is either, you know, we seem to go in cycles, we find with Karina that like when one of us is really down, the other one picks up the slack and it really works to have a team, not a huge team, I think to keep the vision clear, you know, a team of two people works really, really, well and it just means that you are never alone, it means you can say, this feels really hard, and someone is there to help you address that, so team up.

HW:     Hmm very good advice, very good advice. So, that leads me to the next question which is, how much time do you think the two of you invested in getting the whole of this thing together, because it sounds like a massive undertaking?

KL:      Oh wow {laughing}, I don’t even know how much time. We spent SO much time, I mean if we count just creating the practical things, but then it was the brainstorming and the sending ideas back and forth and the freaking out {laughing} and the moving through the freak out and then celebrating, a lot, a lot of time.

HW:     So, did you kind of meet up on Skype every week? Or how did that work?

KL:      Yeah or even like daily. {laughing} So let’s say that our husbands they feel like they know us and they know each other although they have never actually met. So, it would be like Sunday morning “I am just going to talk to Joanna”, and you would see your kids walk past, so, a lot, a lot, a lot. So, that’s why Joanna said it is important to team up, and to team up with someone you really love, and someone that you can have a good work relationship with as well, because it is kind of like an old couple after a while, right?

JH:       Yeah, yeah it totally is and it is a lot of time, I mean, it is like running a separate business with someone else so it is a whole separate project, so yeah, you just have to do it, you know, you are launching stuff for your own business and you are running your own business and you are also running this kind of side project which just happens {laughing} to be a major European conference you know!

Yeah, and somehow you have to make space for that, but if it is important, like with anything right? If it is the right thing, you make space for it and you just keep going. And a lot of the stuff that we did for No Limits, certainly in terms of things that work and inner work and energy, um, spilled over into our businesses as well. You know there is a line between them, they are separate, but there is spill-over as well, obviously.

KL:      Yeah definitely it was really a big growth experience for both of us and that was great for our businesses, and just learning, and I think also because this was the first time we did it and everything was new and we had to learn everything and we discovered a lot of things, like kind of at the last minute? And this time we are a lot more efficient with our time and we know what we need to do so there is less of the kind of searching and wondering and going back…. like, that part is a lot easier this time. I guess like with anything you do the first time you don’t really know and you are just discovering and the second time there are things that we know that we want to do and just taking decisions, I guess we are much firmer now about certain things whereas before we would wobble maybe a bit more, so.

HW:     Excellent, I love that. So, out of all the different things you did to market this event, what do you think was the most, or one of the most effective ways to get people to actually sign up for the event?

KL:      Connection. Definitely connection, it is really, people now, getting people to want to travel for something, for me I don’t feel that it is as easy. I thought it would be really easy and then I was really surprised that people didn’t actually want to leave their houses {laughing} or their pyjamas you know {laughing}. And we had to actually really work on being super clear about what they would get from the event and how it would benefit them. So really talking to people about their needs and their concerns, but for me that connection was the best strategy.

HW:     Excellent so actually reaching out and either calling people or sending them emails individually?

KL:      Yeah, so, I mean we did a lot of promoting and then we would talk to people who were interested. So, yeah, it was not our style to convince anyone [HW: yeah] so it was really just addressing any questions and concerns, and, really, if someone was curious about it to help them expand that as well so it didn’t just stay at that point of curiosity but somehow connecting with them so somehow they were able to go from curiosity to decision, right?

HW:     Hmm I love that; great so why don’t you tell us a little bit about next year’s event?

JH:       Oh, wow, it is going to be so exciting!

HW:     Yay! {laughing}

JH:       So, the next year is really about expanding and having a bigger impact and leveraging your time, money and resources, so I guess it is like taking your business to the next level. Um, so, moving into programmes or high-end maybe programmes and writing books and using your.. I guess being more efficient in the work as well? Because our vision has always been to inspire people to have amazingly successful businesses, but also have great lives, but none of the like working more and harder to have more, but really being efficient with your time and your energy so you can reach a larger audience and just expand. So, it is all the inner work that comes with that, and also the outer things that we need to put into place like systems and ways of thinking right.

So that’s our big vision for the next event and I guess expanding on what is already here now, because we can definitely feel that No Limits energy and the tribe of the people who were there last time, and the ones coming, and the people who are curious. And having conversations again to see where people are, and helping them move through the resistance, like the money/no money/no time, that thing, to really allow that expansion and again that beautiful blend of inner work/outer work, lots of fun and that really warm loving beautiful connection between all of this, because we are in this together, even if we all have separate businesses. And it is interesting also with the world events this time, because of you know everything that has happened in the world right now {HW; yeah} It feels like we are being called again to really step up and to, I guess not waste our time walking around in circles and getting stuck in our stuff, but to really rise up and create these beautiful networks and honour the work that we are here to do.

HW:     Ooh excellent. So where can people go online and find out more about the event and hopefully sign up?

KL:      You can get your ticket at http://nolimitsevent.biz

And we also, if you are curious and you want to hang out with us or the speakers or the other people who are interested or even going, then we also run a Facebook group called: No Limits Tribe. We do lots of sneak-peak type of things on there and lots of kind of mini-trainings and so that would be a good one to go to as well.

HW:     Excellent and I will put those links in the show notes and the dates for next year: March, 24th to 26th 2017, right?

KL:      Yes. March 24th to 26^th, we have some super powerful speakers including our very own Holly! {Holly: yay} And we really set out to book really powerful, inspiring women, and, funnily, like it turned out that all of them, everyone in there, has this really strong belief that the energy and mindset work is about 80% of the game, so it is going to be a real mixture of the stuff that has actually worked for the super successful entrepreneurs and the mindset that underlies that.

HW:     Excellent. So, thank you so much for joining us today, for the amazing information both from the mindset side and the practical side and I hope that anyone who is listening today who has ever thought that maybe they would like to do something like this, will just do it, just start because {laughing} as you have heard today, once you start you can’t stop {laughing} so it is time to get started. So, thank you again.

KL/JH: So, thank you for having us, it has been a blast.

Thank you so much Holly, can’t wait to meet you in Brussels.

HW:     Yeah, looking forward to it, so see you in March. And thank you for listening and remember to visit hollyworton.com/178 for the show notes on this episode. Thank you.