Hello, and welcome to community case studies.
This show is a look at how belonging is really built in the real world.
I'm your host.
My name is Seth Resler.
I am the founder of Community Marketing Revolution.
And I'm really excited today because my guest has over fifteen years in the events industry.
She also has a background in the community industry.
And I think events are such an important part of building a community that it's not all online.
That really a lot of the magic happens in person.
So we're going to talk about that.
She is the founder of Beyond the event where she designs and executes experiences that go beyond the ordinary.
She is also the founder of the PIE Network.
PIE stands for people in events.
It's a global community where event professionals connect and share ideas and learn over a slice of pie.
Literally, we're gonna find out how that happens.
I wanna please welcome Valentina Ruffoni.
Hi, Valentina.
How are you? Hi, sir.
Thank you so much for having me on the show.
Oh, you are you are my first international guest.
Where are you based? Oh, very nice.
Yeah.
So you you are in Madrid.
Is that right? Is that I'm currently in Madrid in Spain.
Yeah.
Um, it's been a it's been a hard summer.
It gets very hot here in the summer, but it's cooling down now.
So, um, yeah, loving loving the cooler air that we're getting.
Talk to me a little bit about the events that you produce.
Uh, first of all, are they, you know, just there in Spain? Are they all over the world? And what type of events are you producing? Yeah.
So I I do most of my work in English, um, which means a lot of the time, the work that I do does take me internationally, I do a lot of work in The UK, which is where I'm from, But sometimes I can go, like, in in June, I was in in Nice in France.
I was organizing an event last month that was taking place in Berlin.
Next month, I'm off to Toronto, um, to organize an event there.
So really, it depends where the events are.
Um, and who wants me to be part of them, but the events I I tend to work on, I mean, I love working on events that celebrate something.
And that's why when you organize an event that really has community in mind, In general, community, bringing people together, like, like a community, you are celebrating.
You're coming together and just seeing people having a great time as you're standing at the back of a room is just something that I love doing.
Uh, so yeah, anything that can that has a celebratory type goal, but I I work on all types of events, from large scale conferences, to intimate, team retreats, to dinners, to events where we just go and eat pie and we co work for the day.
Um, it's all different types.
Um, but yeah, I just love bringing that community element in to events because I feel like a lot of events that are happening are very much like this is the event, it happens when you go, and it just kind of stops and starts like that.
And we all know, if you build community or a part of community, you like to belong to something, not just for the day.
You want to be there before, during after, and how can we keep that going? And that's what I try and bring to my events.
You know, you bring up something that's really important because I work with a lot of content creators.
And a lot of content creators tend to think that community is just a natural byproduct of events.
If I do want an event, there will be community there.
And that isn't always the case.
There are a lot of events that are designed really as content.
You know, and I'm thinking, for example, uh, I I come from the radio industry and and so concerts, you know, where you're consuming the content that's on the stage.
Or if you go to a movie, you're consuming the content that's on the screen, and you're not really building relationships with the other people that are there, can you talk a little bit about what you do at your events to design it in a way that connections happen between people and people do have that sense of belonging, and they do form those relationships and feel like they're part of something bigger.
Yeah.
I mean, you're completely right about the concerts.
Like, I mean, one, you how can you even talk to anyone at a concert to build community? And then you just kinda leave after, and you just it's it's really much of a following those types of types of events.
People follow the person they're going to see, whereas what I tend to do when I when I work on my events is really think about, okay, why are these people coming together? Because, yes, they're coming together to learn from various bits of content that you may be putting out.
But whenever I speak to people and say that, what was the reason for you coming to this event? They're like, to network, to meet others like me.
And often, that is one of the main reasons, if not the main reasons, people go to events.
And so what I try and do at any event I'm brought on to work on is think about how can we connect these people together, how can we facilitate networking that's not just here some drinks, um, in a room, talk to one another, because one, there are so many different types of net working style.
Some people are more listeners.
Some people are more connectors, which is me.
Uh, I actually put out the other day a quiz for you to find out your networking style because I feel like a lot of events are being created with the mindset that everybody networks the same, and that's just not the way people are.
Some people are more introverted, and some people are more extroverted.
So what I try and do when I'm organizing events is creating those intentional connecting networking moments with activities.
And it doesn't have to be something really complicated.
Like, a lot of the time, people just need that kind of little push on the back to move forward and speak to somebody in a way that they they're connected on something that is that they have in common because they're at an event because they have something common.
Right? So you just need to peel back the layers, really, to then get them to talk a little bit more, feel more comfortable, because when that happens, people tend to stay at events much later, they end up making real connections and not just, let's add you on LinkedIn.
And then there's this potential for opportunities to collaborate, which can turn into all sorts of business opportunities, events, co hosting communities together.
I mean, you know, this is endless.
So that's what I really try and do.
And think about How how putting myself in the shoes of the attendees, which I feel like a lot of, I guess, event planners maybe don't have the time to do, but going through that whole journey of how people arrive and experience everything you've got going on.
So that they then really connect with the experience, and this could be done through the senses.
Right? Different ways people can touch smell, see here.
Because what you want is people to leave that event with what I call, like, the after glow, which is like this I can imagine it's this glow that's just around you.
A bit like a, uh, I wanna say like a sims character with, you know, that, that little I think it's a triangle thing on top.
I don't know what it is because I'm not playing it in a while, but that kind of girl that everybody is like, oh, what's she done? Or what's he done? Like, your glowing is what people generally say.
And then they'll be like, I went to this amazing event.
That's what I try and do.
In various different ways, and I genuinely believe it's the intentional ways you try and bring people together outside of the main content that you're bringing to a particular event.
It's that connection and belonging.
So I love that you pointed this out.
My sense is, and you could speak to this better than I can, because you've been doing this a long time, is that there's been a shift that, you know, maybe 50 team twenty years ago when people were going to a conference that it might have been for the content.
And if you were an event planner, you would spend the majority of your energy making sure that you had the right keynote speakers and that you had all the right sessions and tracks.
And things like that.
And that today in the age of AI, in the age where anybody can create a podcast or a YouTube channel or, you know, an email newsletter, uh, I don't need to take days off of work and fly halfway across the country to go hear Gary V speak or Seth Gordon speak because those guys have produced so much content.
I can't possibly consume it all anymore that increasingly people are going because of the connection that you're talking about.
Is that is that your sense too? Has there been a shift there? And I think the shift I think it's been happening for a while, but I think COVID really, like, propelled that shift because we couldn't get together in and for a long time.
Right? And we was consuming so much online, and that's when the content really started to come out online, and it's obviously gone much further now, but there are people people can learn and watch people do presentations and go to workshops.
Like, that's easy.
But, like, the connecting in person and being I I say to a lot of people, like, when people say, oh, yeah, but we can network online, but online, only one person can speak one time, because you're not in the same room, whereas when you're in the same room, there could be a group of four of you, two of you could be talking, and two of you could be talking, and no one's interrupting the conversation.
And that's where people really start to connect.
And if you times that by, you know, fifty hundred people, you you you hear this in the room of people just connecting and sometimes people then want to join a group and then they still continue talking and it it's just something about this this in person connection that you just can't replicate.
And I think that's what people really miss during COVID, and I I know it's been five years now, but I still think people haven't quite got back to it, and maybe they haven't got as much money as they had before jobs have changed.
People are working remotely.
So they're really having to think about how they spend their life outside of work.
So when they do go to these events, they really wanna get something out of it.
And it's our response ability as event partners to make sure that it's the best experience, because that could be the only event they go to that year.
And that that should speak volumes for what we need to make sure that we're thinking about in the planning process.
So give some advice to an event planner who, you know, maybe where they at is, they they are spending all their time on the content.
And they, you know, are kinda just like, I I guess we'll have a lunch or we'll just have this thing, we'll call it networking, and there'll be loud music and drinks, one of the evenings, or we'll let go people go find their own coffees.
Um, what advice would you give to somebody who is at the beginning of, okay, I've gotta make this shift to ensuring that my attendees actually make valuable connections at my event.
I would first say, think about if you was go if you was attending this as an attendee, and you was gonna go to the networking, what what would you wanna get out of this? Because if we can if we can, again, put ourselves in the shoes of our of our attendees, we can connect to them better.
So if if it was me and I was I was going to a networking event, I'm looking for a a new connection that's potentially a work opportunity.
Now, not everyone's gonna be looking for that, but you need to think about the different types of scenarios, people want to connect with, and think about, okay, how can I then connect people together? Is it I mean, I went to an event once the, what, is is practice your Spanish event, uh, where you can only speak Spanish for two hours, which is really difficult thought for me.
But what they did was they gave out these cards that had sayings on, and you had to go around the room to find the the the continued part of the saying to make basically the Spanish flag.
And that how you then then met people.
So you were going around the room, asking people questions is issue, is issue, and it was a great way for people to move around the room, get to to know each other, practice this Spanish with strangers, and then find their little group of three, which they then spoke to, got to know each other, and hopefully make some friends out.
So it doesn't have to be something complicated.
You don't have to spend a lot of money.
You could literally print off pieces of card and write on them in handwriting, for example.
But really think about, you know, why why what do people wanna get out of this networking and how can we facilitate that in a short, easy, don't have to think activity that brings people together because you can't expect people to just be put into a room and they talk to one another.
Some people will because they are extroverted like that, but a lot of people won't, and they'll stand in the corner, have a drink, and then they'll leave early.
So I have been that person at times.
They're, you know, sometimes I'm in the mood to mingle, and sometimes I appreciate when an event, you know, organizer gives me a little help.
Yeah.
Um, so I wanna underscore what said there, because I think that's really important.
It doesn't have to be expensive.
It doesn't have to be complicated, but it does have to be intentional.
You do have to put Yes.
Thought it.
Intentional.
Yeah.
And the only way you're gonna you make it intentional is if you are intentional in the way you're trying to plan it, if you don't if you're not in if you're just like, oh, yeah.
We'll just, uh, you know, put music on, do this.
Like, it's like you don't care, and they'll be able to tell in that experience that you don't care.
And if you're not sure what people want, then you go out and ask them.
This is why it's so important to to be building a community around your events because we always say in community building, we're not building the community for the members.
We're building them building it with the members.
So why can't we do that with events? Yeah.
Um, I love that.
Uh, alright.
Let's turn to pie, people in events.
This is the community that you run Talk to me about the shared mission of your members.
Why do your members come together in this community? Yeah.
I mean, I I actually created this community selfishly because I decided I was gonna move into Solian events, and I was like, okay, I have this big community network, but I don't I wear my event people.
So in the beginning, it was really about Valentina growing her network.
And then as I started creating it, I realized there's so many other people that are like me that also wanna create their network.
And at that time, I was working on events where I needed catering.
I needed all their visual.
I needed entertainment.
I didn't know these people.
And the research that you need to do to find a reputable AV company that's not gonna charge you 2,000,000 for a speaker, it's hard, it's hard to find.
And when you've only got limited amount of time, that's why I thought it was so important to bring them together.
So, really, our mission is is simple, and you've already mentioned it.
We are event professionals that, uh, that aren't just planners.
It's all people that are involved in events, the one that connect with others, that wanna share their experiences, and they wanna learn how to be better at what they do.
And if we can, we do that whilst eating pie because pie is amazing, and who doesn't love pie.
In fact, our our tagline is there's no problem too big that pie can't fix.
And that is pie, the literal pie, and people in events, because people in events, we are the ones that that fix things.
Like, when something happens in event goes wrong, everyone looks at the event person, whether it's an audio visual person, a planner, the catering, and what do we do? We, in a in a very quick time.
We figure it out and, hopefully, none of the attendees know anything when wrong.
So so, yeah, that that's us in a nutshell, really.
Yeah.
I I love that.
And I wanna, you know, just underscore something.
This and this is something I talk to a a a lot of the folks that I help them build their community is that there's really two purposes for a community.
There's the shared mission that the members have, and and you talked about that.
These are all, you know, event professionals who want to expand their network and and have more resources.
But then there's the reason that the host of the community, the organizer of the community is putting it together.
And in your case, it was because you wanted to expand your own network.
So, um, and those two overlap in your case a little bit more than sometimes another, sometimes that there isn't as much overlap between the two.
Um, you know, when I talk to content creators, um, one of the things that I spend a lot of time explaining is that Building a community is different than building an audience that with an audience, you are creating content.
Uh, and with a community, you are really creating a space.
Um, talk a little bit about the space where your members gather.
Is it digital? Is it in person? What platform are you using? What happens in there? What does that look like? Yeah.
So we we gather online.
We have a WhatsApp community.
It's very simple.
There's nothing fancy around the Find Network, um, because in the beginning, didn't have anything, and I just wanted to get it up and going, and figured most people use WhatsApp and just started it, and that's where we've been ever since.
And it does its job.
We have about hundreds 65 members in the community in over 20 countries.
So it's important for us to be able to connect online, obviously.
And we do quite a lot of virtual events to bring everybody together.
So we got virtual co working.
We do our networking sessions every month.
We also have been doing what I've been calling hashtag challenge accepted, which is every month, and we need to pick this back up actually.
Every month, we would explore a topic that the members have said they they find challenging.
So this year, we've had, you know, finding clients or knowing what to charge or how to apply for jobs or, um, how to work with small budgets, and I bring somebody in to talk about that, and we basically debunked that challenge on the call.
Um, but having said that, I love meeting in person.
So whenever I can, I try and meet in person? Now, most of our members are based in in The UK, which is where I started it in July.
So we do quite a lot there, but if there's an opportunity for me to be somewhere else like Toronto next month, I'm thinking of organizing a meetup because we have some people based there.
So the idea would be to be able to do little meetups everywhere, and that's definitely something that's on the cards is getting our members involved if they wanna organize meetups because there's so many event professionals around the world that wanna meet others doing the same thing so we can vent to each other so we can make new connections.
And, you know, you never know there might be a job opportunity.
So, yeah, we're we're very much of a hybrid model, um, our day to day is very digital, um, but we love getting in getting together in person.
So we can actually eat pie together.
Uh, ready? Yes.
Hard to eat pie on WhatsApp.
It's hard.
And, you know, you buy a pie and it says this is for four people and you're like, mhmm, is it for four people? Um, and then you end up eating the whole pie, and then you feel don't feel great after that.
It's better when you share the pie, you know.
I I have I have done that.
I'm guilty of that for sure.
Um, you know, it's funny.
I I'm in a couple of WhatsApp communities, and it's always because the European started it.
Over here in The US, we don't use WhatsApp a lot.
And, uh Oh, really? Yeah.
I don't know.
So it's always all the all the communities I'm in that are WhatsApp communities were started by Europeans.
You know what? I I I looked at a lot of different platforms and the whole platform decision strategy is mind boggling, but like, I wanted to I wanted to be in a space that wasn't gonna cost me anything to begin with.
And also, I have this thing around, um, platforms like not letting you see things that were 90 days old.
I think Slack does this.
And I just, like, because I wasn't able to put the money into it at the time, I was like, I don't want to restrict the conversation.
If people wanna be able to search for something that was spoken about a year ago, they should be able to.
And in WhatsApp, sorry, you can do that.
It's not the best platform, but it does the job.
So so You know, one of the things that I think is important.
I I know so many people who are thinking about launching a community, and the first question they always ask is what platform do I need to be on? And I I'm not sure that that's the most important question.
I mean, to a certain extent, it's it's about the connection, and it's about Yeah.
The value of the people.
And, you know, yeah, you want a platform that does the right thing, but it's not the most important decision that there is in all of that.
No.
Definitely not.
And I think people spend way too much time trying to figure that out, and then they don't they don't necessarily start the community they want, or they put money into a platform that ultimately they don't end up using to its full capability these.
I mean, I know migration to a different platform is difficult, but it's not impossible, but I've definitely learned over the years that I'm I'm a perfectionist So if I think something's not right, I won't release it, and I'm having to really kind of say to myself, just release it, like, just let it go and you'll figure out if it's not perfect, and you can build on that.
Because ultimately, is anything ever think I I don't know at this point.
No.
And I'm I'm like you, and and again, I think this comes from being a content creator where I have control of for everything until I hit publish and it goes out.
And community is not like that.
Community is very much it's a co creation with your members.
And so you kinda gotta go, let's try this.
And if it works, great.
We'll do more of it.
And if not, we'll tweak it.
We'll make it better.
So Yeah.
It's it's really test you're constantly testing trial and error all the time.
Um, and there's some things you really think are gonna take off, and you're so excited about it, and it just doesn't go the way that you want, and it's really heartbreak in, but if you don't try it, how are you gonna know? So, yeah, I guess us community builders are very, very resilient in that way, and that, you know, we put things out there and have to take the brunt of it when it doesn't quite go to plan, but then there's things you didn't think would go well, and they do, and you're like, oh, okay.
Um, so yeah, I'm very much, like, very well versed in the trial and error.
That is a fine line.
In that vein, how do you set up feedback loops? Do you have a mechanism for getting input, uh, or feedback from your members? And what do you do with that? Yeah.
So I feel like I am well, first of all, let's, let's step back a bit.
So even though I am the person that founded the plan network, I don't see myself as the founder or the person in charge.
I'm just the sinu, I guess, has the admin controls.
And what I really wanted to do when I created this community was be part of the community.
And I guess that's where my kind of overlap in wanting to create my network and now having people also wanna do the same, that that really gels together.
But whenever people join the community, they all get a unique number of pie.
Um, and that wasn't my idea.
That was my husband's idea, so I can't take the credit.
And the idea with that is people people get a unique decimal that is never given to anyone else, but you may have the number three as somebody else.
Now, with pi, it's 3.
143 is not is not is not my number because three is the network the point, and then all of the numbers after that are for our members.
So I have number one, and I am going somewhere with this, I promise.
Um, I have number one, then it follows like that.
So I've really tried to make my involvement in the network as member like as everybody else so that if anyone does have any feedback, they can message me and be like, Hey, why don't we try this, or rather than them seeing me as the person who owns the network work and the higher up person because I'm not I'm I'm very much on the same level.
Having said that though, I'm always asking, I'm always coming in with ideas.
What about this? Should we try this? And I get some good good thumbs up and some not, I also reach out to people that maybe have the experience and the particular idea that I'm doing.
So I'm thinking about this, what do you think? And we have a conversation kind of offline around it.
But most recently, I put out a a a survey form to ask about, um, feedback, giving people the option to get on a call with me if they wanted to, because not everyone likes filling out forms.
Some people just like to chat, um, and I'm working through all of that feedback to see what I can implement over time, uh, that's gonna enhance the network as much as possible with limited resources, because that's always something that that you have to consider, you would I have all these amazing ideas for the community, but it you I've realized you can do anything, but you can't do everything.
So you take anything from this this this show today, it's that.
Yeah.
That was the, uh, I think one of the hardest lessons I had to learn in life is that you can do anything, but you cannot do everything.
I love that.
Um, talk to me about success.
How are you measuring the success of this community? What makes you go, yeah, this is working, this is successful, or this isn't.
So, yes, uh, success and metrics, and ROI has always been challenging for me because I'm not I'm not a numbers person, um, even though I did quite well at school, but obviously, since then, um, I've not even done any math.
I use my phone to do very simple math, so you can imagine that, uh, me and Metrics don't go together.
Obviously, we'd love to have as many people join our events as possible.
Um, but I feel like when you get stuck in the weeds of numbers, you you kind of lose the the human element.
So for me, six assess in our community is people shouting out when they've when they've won at something.
So we have a wins channel.
And this is, for anyone to share a massive win or a small win, for example, somebody shared a win the other day that We basically, we we started a CV clinic inside of the community, where we do peer reviewing of our CVs to help each other try and get, uh, more jobs.
We all gave, uh, feedback to everybody and one person and then rework their CV to then send it out.
And she said, I've just rework my CV.
I sent it out, and I've just landed a job.
So for me, that is success that people are getting something out of this community from the things that we are doing that aren't costing a lot of money.
Um, so yeah, just seeing people make those connections, get involved.
I mean, I could sit there and and count how many people are coming online and how many people are coming to our events.
But at this stage, it it doesn't really mean much to me.
Like, I just really wanna connect people together.
And if this community takes off, and it really does become this kind of business opportunity where I'm able to work full time on this, and I need to, you know, become this community person and then great.
But right now, the success is around just bringing people together and then getting value.
And I see that in the conversations and the posts that people are sharing, and or when somebody says, oh, your you're Valentina from the Pine Network.
That is success when people know who you are, um, that's important to me.
Yeah.
This is something I hear a lot that, you know, you can't just measure the success of community by numbers or metrics or data points, and and that there is sort of these anecdotal stories of things that come out of it that, you know, I call it serendipity, just when something comes together and happens and the connection is made, and it makes a difference in people people's lives, uh, and helps them out.
And and it sounds like serendipity is not just happening with your members, but it's also happening with you as the organizer where people are recognizing Yeah.
Has it opened doors for you? It has opened doors for me.
I have got a number of speaking opportunities, um, and some, like, connections for job opportunities that I I don't think I would have got if I, if I hadn't built this network.
It's also helping me build my personal brand.
I'm I'm very active on LinkedIn or trying to be.
I'm not a content creator, but I've started getting into it because I really want to get better at it, um, and something that we we have what I'm really passionate about is salary transparency.
Uh, in general, doesn't it's not just applied to event jobs, but because that's what I focus on, um, so what I tend to do is if there's a job that doesn't have a salary attached to it, the we encourage people to send it to the pine network, and the pine network will reply and call out these companies to ask, can you, uh, include this salary range or the pay towels and the benefits because people are going into jobs, applying for jobs blindly, and we all know how much time it takes to apply for a job, whether you get an interview or not.
The last thing you want is to have that awkward conversation around pay to only find out that the pay is way lower than than what you feel like you're worth, and that could have all been avoided if we just put it in the job description.
So so yeah.
I'm very I'm very passionate.
I feel like that's why this community is making waves and getting seen and heard and people are enjoying being part of it because I'm I'm very much involved and it's very human.
I'm I'm very, like, no filter type person um, and I am I am a member.
I'm, like, I see myself as more of a member than as the person that that created it.
Like, the network can't be a network with just one person.
I have seen you, uh, talk about salaries, uh, on LinkedIn.
And I'm let me tell you, I appreciate the work that you're doing there because I do think that's I I do think that's an important thing, uh, that people don't talk enough about.
What has been the biggest challenge with this community? Really, the challenge is, you know, doing this by myself.
Uh, if you, if you listen to this and you are a one person community team, then you know the challenges around it.
And obviously I I work in events.
I'm a freelance event manager, so my day to day is events.
So I have to fit the the the PIE Network, you know, around that, and it gets difficult when you're so passionate and you really wanna do all these cool things, but you you know that's not bringing in the money.
So it's the whole time constraint that's the most challenging with not having many resources and really trying to streamline things and automate things where I can, but without removing that, that human element because I've been in communities that have gone from being really engaged in personal and human to, you know, the the the community team or the person in charge is never there anymore, and I just don't want that to happen.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um, are you finding that members are stepping up to contribute? Yeah.
Definitely.
Uh, there's I'm I'm noticing it a lot recently, and I'm noticing, like, I'm noticing a lot more freelance people who don't have more time, but they're not being, um, what's the word? That they haven't got a nine to five where they're not where they can't be on their phones or come into the community or join us join us at events whenever they want to.
So I'm seeing a lot more freelance event professionals or entrepreneurs that own companies the ones getting more involved, which is not something I anticipated in the beginning.
Um, so we're getting a lot more, uh, freelance event people join the community compared to people in full time or or part time work.
And those are the ones that are stepping because they with we're often in that hustle culture of trying to find more work and connecting with people.
So I'm seeing those kind of people step up up more, uh, to the plate, and that's really nice to see because if we wanna move forward and do more member led initiatives and events, then I need the people to to help me.
So so yeah.
Yeah.
Uh, so that's interesting that you've started to notice that there are different almost personas, different types of people that are in there, that there are some people in there who are full time event producers that are working on nine to five, uh, and then there are some people who are freelancers working on different projects.
Do you find that they have different needs and you have to do different things to accommodate them or to provide the most value to them? Yes.
And no, I guess.
Like, with with Those that are working in kind of full time roles, like, the lot of the questions we get is around, you know, team alignment and getting people on the same page and dealing with stakeholders, whereas in the in the freelancer world, like, and a lot of things I'm working on, like, we're not part of a team for that long.
So when you you're not really you you you are part of it and you feel part of the team, but it's not something isn't You you're not worrying about the dynamics of it, and you the project you're working on is only for a short amount of time.
You go in and come out, which is good and bad sometimes.
So, yeah, I'm seeing a lot more in, like, the freelancers are looking, are constantly looking for jobs, um, of like how to how to be more visible, um, and just be available and and adaptable, whereas the full time, and even part time people that are only working in in one place, it's it's far more, um, the what they need is is is things that are gonna help them succeed within the organization they're a part of.
So it's balancing those kind of things.
And then you've got people that have got their own companies, right, which is another layer to this because they may have employees.
They may also bring on freelancers, be a freelancer themselves.
So it's trying to figure out how do we accommodate to everybody, or is this moving, is the community moving in a way that it's specifically for freelance event professionals.
Um, in this moment, I'm trying to figure out where where we're going based on the people that are joining and getting involved and what they're looking for to be able to to move forward because I thought that we could that this would be a general community for people in events, you know.
Um, but maybe niching out is better.
It's is is tough.
To decide what to do if you do anything, you know? Yeah.
You know, we talk about getting that feedback from your members and how it shapes where you go, and it's a it's a process of cocreation that's kind of ongoing.
And Yeah.
And it's because it sounds like the community you think you're starting is not necessarily the one you wind up with because people show up and they have different needs and and you find out what those are and you adapt.
And you go.
Um, so last question here, uh, give some advice to somebody who is looking to launch their first community.
What would you tell them to to do or to think about? Just do it.
Um, I mean, yeah, just do it, but, really consider how much work it's gonna take to build this community because just because you build a space and you you choose an area where you're gonna come together doesn't mean people are.
Like, you you have to really put the work in to to get people talking, and it goes back to what we were talking about earlier with the networking in person.
Like, you can't go in to build a community with the mindset of, you know, drinks, music, and a venue, and just two hours of networking.
It doesn't work like that.
Things will we will fail pretty quickly.
Um, you have to be willing to put in the work, and that includes if you're doing it by yourself, that includes getting people to join your community.
So there's a whole marketing aspect.
You've got the whole community, um, onboarding aspect of welcoming people in the community and and showing them how to get involved.
You've got the engagement piece, like and then there's all the other pieces around that.
So Only only create a community if you are willing to go in on this.
Um, and if you're if you're just like, oh, yeah.
Well, I think it's a good idea.
It's probably not a good idea if you're just if you're on the fence, but if you're really passionate about it and you've got a real reason to create this community, and you think people are gonna love it as much as you do, then then go for it, but it it is a lot of work.
It's a marathon, not a sprint.
As they say.
And it's a marathon that that never finishes, like, these ultra marathons that just keep getting more ultra.
Um Well, you know, just for marathon runners is, uh, it is pie.
So by by the way, do you have a favorite type of pie? So I generally will if if you put pie in front of me, different ones, I would go to the Apple one first because I'm I have very much a sweet tooth.
Um, but I do love a good save free pie, like, in The UK, like, but pie and mash is really popular.
Good chicken and mushroom pie with gravy all over it, and then probably an apple pie after, um, just to, you know, do me right in for the for the night.
So, yeah, I I I love I love pie.
Uh, now we're talking about it.
I really want some pie.
So Yes.
How do I? I'm I'm hungry.
So, uh, alright.
Well, it is the PIE Network.
People in events, and if people wanna know more, they can go to peopleinevents.
com.
Valentina, thank you very much coming on and telling us about your community and and sharing what you're doing with events.
This is, uh, very exciting, and I really appreciate it.
No.
Thank you so much for having me.
It's been been great to chat