Tips for Creating a Relaxed Event Environment

For 3-years I’ve hosted a no-BS, invite-only dinner for leaders to break bread and build relationships. Most networking events suck. For real. They’re awful. Forced small talk, sales pitches, and rooms full of people who just want to talk about themselves. Nobody actually connects. Nobody actually learns anything. That’s why I started hosting invite-only dinners for marketing, design, product, and tech leaders. No sponsors. No awkward icebreakers. Just real conversations over good food. If you want to do the same, here’s how. Step 1: Personally Invite People (No Automation, No AI) If you can’t take the time to text, DM, or email someone yourself, don’t do this. No mass invites, no event software. Keep it personal, keep it human. Step 2: Pay for It. No Sponsors. No Sales Pitch. If you try to monetize this, you’ve already lost. People can smell an agenda a mile away. The best way to make this work? Make it not about business. Just bring people together and let things happen organically. Step 3: Get a Private Room. No Cameras. No Recording. Public restaurants are too loud. Private spaces create real conversations. No one should be filtering what they say because they think it’ll end up on LinkedIn. Make it exclusive, keep it off the record. Step 4: Let People Order What They Want Catering sounds good in theory. In reality, you’ll get it wrong. Someone’s keto, someone’s gluten-free, someone just wants fries. Let people order for themselves and avoid the headache. Step 5: Keep It Small 10-15 people max. Anything bigger turns into a networking event, and that’s not what this is. Keep it intimate so people can actually connect. Step 6: Be the Connector Your job isn’t just hosting. It’s matchmaking. At the end of dinner, tell everyone: “Find someone here you want to grab coffee with. If you need an excuse, blame me.” Make it easy for people to stay in touch. Step 7: No Branding. No Name Tags. No Corporate Vibes. This isn’t a “leadership roundtable” or some LinkedIn influencer’s personal brand play. It’s just a dinner. Keep it low-key. Step 8: Focus on Stories, Not Titles No elevator pitches. No bragging. The best conversations come from real stories.. especially failures. The more honest, the better. Step 9: Do It Again (But Keep It Small) If it works, do it again. Rotate in new faces, keep the guest list fresh, and never let it turn into a sales funnel. No automation. No scaling. No BS. Just real people, having real conversations, over real food. Onward & upward! 🤘

Great reminder for those among us who lean toward extroversion...not everyone finds long periods of unstructured interaction to be "energizing" or "fun" (and, in fact, many experience the opposite in these situations). A few tips for facilitating events that are purposeful and fulfilling (and low-stress) for both extroverts *and* introverts: 1. Create meaningful opportunities for small group interaction, which can help folks feel less overwhelmed and more inclined to share their ideas and insights. 2. Provide agendas, discussion topics, or questions in advance of the meeting or event. Some folks need the extra processing time in advance (I say this as someone who leans toward extroversion, but also benefits from having time to think before I speak ;) 3. After a meeting or event, invite team members to provide additional feedback or ideas via email or an anonymous survey. Recognize and discuss these contributions in follow-up meetings, ensuring that introverted voices are heard and valued. #Leadership #Facilitation #Work #Meetings

ELEVATE came to life in Singapore. And it left me with 5 lessons I want to hold on to. ELEVATE was an urban retreat rooted in stillness, connection, and reflection. Before I move on to what’s next, I wanted to pause and share what made it work. Whether you’re leading a team offsite, hosting a retreat, or preparing for your biggest meeting of the year, these 5 things made the difference. They helped people feel clear, focused, and connected. They take preparation, but they’re worth it ✨ _ 1️⃣ Prepare your energy like it’s part of the plan. I didn’t just plan the flow, I planned myself. For a month before flying to Singapore, I focused on sleep, movement, and being at my healthiest. When people give up their weekend to attend your event, you owe them *your best*. Even with 12 hours of jet lag. 2️⃣ Start with structure, and softness. We opened with calm. A clear schedule. A moment to breathe. A short meditation to help everyone arrive. People don’t relax until they feel grounded, until they can let go of their to-do list and feel a little less tense. So before anything else: create that feeling of ease. Even in a big meeting, starting with a question like “What do we want to walk away with today?” can shift people from rushing in, to actually tuning in. 3️⃣ Don’t just schedule breaks, design them. At ELEVATE, our breaks were as long as our sessions. Not just for coffee or resetting the room. They were space to chat, laugh, and connect in real ways. Because the moments people remember most often happen between the ones you planned. And here’s the thing: people don’t just come to see you. They come to be with each other. That’s what makes it in-person. That’s what makes it matter. 4️⃣ Let people feel, not just learn. Music. Laughter. Stillness. Movement. People didn’t just take notes, they softened. They exhaled. They laughed. Some cried. Because when people feel something, they remember it. That’s what makes an experience stay. 5️⃣ End with calm, not clapping. We closed with yoga and sound, not speeches. A few participants said, “I wish it were three or four days.” I didn’t take that as a complaint. It meant they wanted more. And that’s the best kind of ending. We often hear that events should end on a high note. But sometimes, it’s the quiet, the ease… the “I get it now.” That’s what really stays with people. _ If you lead teams, host offsites, or bring people together, I hope this gives you something to carry into your next event. _ To everyone who showed up, thank you 🙏 We don’t need more noise. We don’t need to escape somewhere remote. We need more moments that bring us home to ourselves. To my incredible partners, especially Andaz Singapore, I'm deeply grateful. — More reflections from ELEVATE are coming soon, including a spotlight on the amazing guest speakers who made it even more special! And if you’re curious about bringing ELEVATE into your organization,  Let’s talk ❤️

Stress Management in Event Design Believe it or not, traveling to events can be a major stressor and if you can alleviate even half the stress for your attendees, you’re halfway to building an advocate for life. When planning surprise and delight, and exceptional experiences, we can add things that will reduce stress, but also eliminate pain points, both of which create exceptional experiences and put attendees into the mode of “stay and play” which is a strategic move because it primes them to internalize the messages you’re sharing with them and develop a positive brand affinity for you. The Psychology of Event Comfort Think about the last time you attended a stressful event. Maybe you couldn't find parking, got lost trying to locate your session, couldn’t connect to wifi or waited over ten minutes in registration. These small friction points add up, creating a cognitive load that prevents attendees from fully engaging with your carefully curated content, or simply leaver the event. Pre-Event Communication Your event experience starts long before the doors open. Clear, timely communication acts as a virtual hand-holding exercise: "Here's exactly where to park." "This is what registration looks like." "Here's your personalized agenda." Pro tip: Create a comms plan that addresses common anxieties before they surface. Think of it as immunization against event-day stress. Gianna’s Gem: Ask questions on surveys ONLY if you can deliver the delight you’re prompting. I was fortunate to be on the Ritz Carlton Tech Customer Advisory Board and learned that if you ask an attendee (or guest) for a preference before they arrive, but then you don’t deliver that specific thing to them, they're MORE DISAPPOINTED than if you hadn’t asked their preference! So if you ask an attendee if they have a preference for something, make sure you can deliver it! The Hidden Impact of Layout Ever notice how some venues feel naturally calming while others trigger instant anxiety? It's not just aesthetics - it's psychology in action. - Noise: When evaluating a venue, keep in mind how “live” a space is and whether the noise will render the space a networking disaster. If it’s a live space, consider adding carpeting, pillows, rugs, and other textiles to mute some of the sound - Create decompression zones where attendees can take a breath between intense sessions, meditate and reset before networking. - Aim for 30% quiet space to 70% active space in your floor plan to allow for attendees of all neurodivergent types to enjoy the event. - Outdoor space: I once planned a CEO Summit for SoftBank Vision Fund where we hosted 90% of all sessions outdoors! We even built our General Session stage outdoors using an LED screen. It had a huge impact on attention spans and also felt so bespoke and special. - Bring as much the outdoors in: plants, regional elements ground attendees and give sense of place. Read the rest of my blog at: https://lnkd.in/gswyPK2i