What Planning 4,000 Events Taught Me About Designing Transformational Client Experiences

When people hear I’ve planned more than 4,000 events, they usually imagine glamorous stages, big-name speakers, perfectly timed lighting cues, and audiences cheering in unison.

And yes — I’ve been behind plenty of those moments.

But the real story of event planning isn’t in the glitter. It’s in what happens when human beings gather with intention… and leave changed.

That’s the part I fell in love with event planning. And that’s the part most coaches never realize they’re missing in their business.

Because at the end of the day:

Events aren’t about production —they’re about transformation.

And understanding that changed everything for me as a business strategist and coach.

Let me take you behind the scenes.

Life on the Edge: The Event That Showed Me What Transformation Really Looks Like

In the late 90s, I helped produce a series of arena events called Life on the Edge.

The mission was powerful: To help parents and teens navigate the teen years without losing each other in the process.

These were massive productions —

• thousands of families

• breakout sessions

• notable Christian Speakers like Dr. Joe White, Tim Kimmel, Dr. Gary Chapman, Frank Peretti, and more

• top Christian artists like Steven Curtis Chapman, Point of Grace, 4Him, and Steven W. Smith

• hundreds of volunteers

• logistics that felt like organizing an airport during a holiday weekend

But here’s what I’ll never forget:

It wasn’t the showmanship that made people change.It was the moments.

A teenager crying into their dad’s shoulder.A mother gripping her son’s hand like she finally understood him.A family walking in fractured and leaving connected.

Those moments taught me something profound:

Transformation doesn’t happen because of information.It happens because of experience.

And experiences can be designed — intentionally, thoughtfully, and strategically.

That realization shifted the way I saw everything — events, coaching, leadership, and business.

The Alien Ship Event: The Day My Leadership Changed Forever

One of the wildest events I ever produced was a pharmaceutical product launch held in a massive arena.

The theme?First Encounters of the Third Kind.

Everything — every structure, every prop, every visual — was custom fabricated. The sales team came dressed as alien species (yes, really). The B-52s headlined. Indoor pyrotechnics revealed the drug name in a dramatic finale.

And of course — hours before the reveal — a critical lighting sequence failed.

You haven’t lived until you’ve tried to fix an arena-sized lighting and pyro error while anticipating the arrival of 3,000 Type-A aliens.

My team panicked. Vendors panicked. Executives panicked.

And then something clicked in me:

Panic doesn’t solve problems. Presence does.

I gathered the team, grounded everyone, and we rebuilt the sequence manually. We ran a silent rehearsal while the B-52s tuned their guitars. We reprogrammed cues in real time.

And when the pyro finally hit… the arena ERUPTED.

That night taught me a leadership lesson I now teach every coach I work with:

In transformational spaces, your calm is the anchor. Your presence is the container. Your leadership is the experience.

The Women’s Conference: When I Fully Understood the Power of Immersion

Another event that shaped me was a multi-day faith-based women’s conference — a vibrant blend of praise, prayer, prosperity, speakers, vendors, and even a Shark Tank–style pitch competition.

Women didn’t come for entertainment. They came because they were hungry —for breakthrough, for clarity, for connection, for community.

I watched the transformation happen in real time.

One woman walked in exhausted, overwhelmed, and unsure if her dreams still mattered.

She left with a renewed sense of purpose — and eventually wrote a book inspired by what she unlocked during the event.

That book opened new doors, expanded her visibility, and positioned her as a leader in her field.

Her transformation didn’t happen on Instagram. It happened in a room.

What This Means for Coaches Today

Most coaches are missing a crucial truth:

You don’t need more content.You need more moments that build connection.

People don’t buy from you because they understand your process.They buy because they feel your presence.

Live events create:

Trust compression

What takes months online happens in days.

Emotional access

People open their hearts when they step outside their routine.

Experiential learning

Breakthroughs happen through immersion, not information.

Authority amplification

When you lead a room, your credibility skyrockets.

Higher conversion

People commit more deeply when they feel connected.

This is why I built the Bankable Events and InfluenceHer Digital Marketing brands and now Post Script Strategies for Coaches.

Because after 4,000+ events, I know this to be true:

The fastest way to build a business that lasts is to create experiences that transform people.

Your Book + Your Expertise = An Experience Waiting to Happen

If you’re an author or a coach who wants to publish a book, your next chapter isn't just about writing, teaching, or selling.

It’s about designing experiences that help your clients step into who they are becoming.

Whether it’s:

• a retreat

• a workshop

• a coaching intensive

• a live masterclass

• a pop-up event

• a book-based activation

• a hybrid in-person/virtual event

Your message deserves a room. Your clients deserve an experience. Your business deserves the amplification that only events can create.

I would love to help you build it. Schedule a clarity call today to see how we can help.