How to Build an Authentic Community and Awesome Event

In a candid one-on-one conversation, Propelify Founder Aaron Price discusses the nuts and bolts of planning the 2017 Propelify Innovation Festival. Read on for his top three tips to build an event that creates meaningfulness, value, and connection for attendees and speakers alike.

Diversity Creates a One-Of-A-Kind Community

While the Innovation Festival draws big-name speakers like Arianna Huffington and Marcus Weldon, it’s the 10,000 other entrepreneurs and innovators from around the globe that make the festival truly unique in the tech world. A balance of speakers and stories unfamiliar to most attendees, combined with big brand names like Huffington, created the perfect atmosphere for bold thinking at the 2017 Festival.  “Those unique stories are the content we get most excited about,” Price said.

Serve Multiple Audiences

To make the Innovation Festival a valuable experience for everyone involved, Price asked two key questions of each audience: 

1. What do you want to get out of this? 
2. What experiences do you need to improve as an innovator?

These answers helped create unique experiences to serve attendees, ambassadors, sponsors, and speakers alike. From bringing in a Ferris wheel for a sponsor to conduct interviews in, to offering an investor speed dating session, honing in on specific needs created a Festival that appealed to everyone.

Let Go, Move Forward

From problems with a revoked liquor license to wonky weather, Price has experienced everything and anything that can go wrong when it comes to event planning. His best advice? “There’s only one way forward. Learn to let go and focus on the things in your control.” Manage what you can, and when faced with a problem out of your control, try Price’s first response in times of stress:  “Guys, all we can talk about here is the solution.”