Carolien Mertens helps entrepreneurs and coaches create and sell out their dream live event, in-person mastermind or retreat. She is a contributor to major publications such as the Huffington Post and Thrive Global. She has organised over 100 events and welcomed more than 10000 participants. Among those participants were Heads of State, Royalty and celebrities. Her #1 priority is to give her clients the opportunity to focus and thrive on their in-person event through her signature flexible planning strategy and promotion, that ensures sold out events, smooth event flow & intense participant experience.
What got you into this? What do you really love about it?
- Enrolled into event planning step by step (wasn’t planned). History major in university. Internship for an art auction house. Learned how to plan auctions, how to welcome guests, making sure everything went smooth.
- After 2 years, started to work for a full time conference agency in Brussels. 1 year ago (2016), she decided to go freelance.
- Now: Serving entrepreneurs and coaches all over the word. Living in Brussels.
- Passionate about productivity (started reading productivity blogs. Book “I will teach you to be rich” by Ramit Sethi.)
- Learned about online education world. Felt drawn to new way of doing business, learning, planning your life. Saw trend of online business and connecting with audience offline.
- Saw the market. Dove in. Combined her personal passion with her skills.
What entrepreneurs have you worked with? What was the experience like to put the events together?
- Smaller events: Cycle of group coachings. Everything has to go smooth and fit in with their day to day business planning.
- Large corporations have different departments. Maybe in-house event planner. But entrepreneurs are smaller. The entrepreneur is the face of the event. Their clients are coming. Has to be authentic.
- People have to have a great time, have to have the possibility to connect in person.
- Large corporation’s employees are not as emotionally invested as an entrepreneur would be
What are the different steps / aspects to host a live event for approx 20-50 people?
- Get clear on your vision (atmosphere, speakers, feeling of the event). Why do you want to host an event? What’s your reason? Have the attendees been following you? Have they worked with you?
- Is it an event for clients? Do you want to promote a premium service? Do you want to step up as an expert in your field? Do you want to bring your community together face to face (connector)?
- Logistics (where, when, for who)
- How are you going to promote the event
- Agenda of the event (content, line up of speakers)
Let’s say we are planning an event for 20 people to establish authority in market (visibility) and I have a vision board / feeling of what I want the event to be. What would be my next step?
- Establish date(s)
- Event season is early Sept to mid Nov (all conference rooms are booked)
- Be creative on the venue
- When are people able to travel (you
