One of the highlights of Everything Conference 2024 for me was to sit down, in-person, with Joel Zaslofsky and record a podcast episode together.
We had met already, just over a year ago when he and his wife Melinda came to Montreal, and I popped into town for the better part of a day. We had lunch and explored the city a bit, but it wasn’t the best moment to do any recording.
So this time, we made sure to make it happen.
I have Joel to thank for getting me set up in podcasting in the first place, way back in 2017 when I asked him if we could start a podcast for the Puttyverse. Joel had already been podcasting for years at that point, and gave a few of us a crash course in audio editing, podcast hosting setup, planning and structure, all the systems you can imagine. We then launched The MultiPod in January 2018, and here we are, 6.5 years later, still going strong.
Our theme for today’s conversation had to be Everything Conference itself, and Joel’s perspective as a co-host and co-organizer. ETC 2024 came together thanks to the collective efforts of Joel, Cory Huff, and Vanessa Tharp, but as the local amongst the three, having highlighted and spearheaded choosing this venue in particular, I was curious to get Joel’s take on how it’s turned out.
We Cover:
- Balancing spontaneity and structure when facilitating events.
- Watching joyful experiences and conversations among participants.
- Recognizing when things are running smoothly, people are enjoying themselves, and it’s time to just step back and observe.
- Witnessing acts of bravery and vulnerability from participants.
- The scarcity of similar events, and the importance of meeting in-person.
Tips Include:
- How to facilitate events.
- Getting the right mindset on financial realities, coupled in this case with the lack of focus on making money.
- Understanding the time commitment and the extensive preparation required.
- How to build an event that allows people to step out of their comfort zones.
As an introvert, I appreciate yet marvel on how extroverts feed off the energy of people. Can even Joel ever get to overload status? Maybe!
Finally, we talk about finding further opportunities, and the collective effort I think we are all capable of making to organize get-togethers in the future.
For my part, I will state again here and for the record: come visit in Québec! I’m just over an hour outside of Montréal, an hour and a half north of Vermont. We have a spare room, central location and a pool. Come explore, practice your French, and say hello!
Encouragement Links:
- joelzaslofsky.com/
- Joel on LinkedIn
- Information on Offers & Needs Markets, including the Facilitator Guide
My thanks to Jeff Long for his help with audio repair and processing for this episode.
You can find him here at Zigzag Along with Deana & Jeff
Photo credit: Joel Zaslofsky
The MultiPod @ Everything Conference miniseries
© Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024
Production and original music by Ted Cragg
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