For years now, I've been working with creative service providers, helping them streamline their businesses and increase profit without burnout. The online business model has been perfect for our military family's many moves, and I've been able to partner with clients and colleagues across the states.

But for the past couple of years, I've had this nagging longing to stretch myself—to face my shy, introverted fears and say "yes" to more in-person things. Speaking gigs like the Haven Workshop, mingling with clients and designers at High Point Market, and finally, hosting my very own events here in our new city, Columbia, SC.

While I was determined to bring this goal to life, a small question remained: did I really know how to host a group of 15+ women, in person, in a new town where most people were still strangers or acquaintances?

Here's what surprised me: my work at Willow & Jax had been quietly, steadily preparing me all along.

What I learned about hosting in-person events, and how it can help your service-based business

Turns out, the basic framework for success—whether you're serving clients online or hosting an in-person event—is largely the same. And it's similar to what I've been walking my clients through for years.

First, get clear on your vision

First, you have to get clear on the big picture. Start by asking questions like: What are my goals? What do I really want to achieve? Why does this matter to me? What will it feel like when I get there? Be clear and specific here.

I knew I wanted to host in-person events and help creatives connect away from the screens. I knew I wanted to collaborate with other local business owners, to highlight their expertise and their crafts. Most of all, I wanted to create the kind of event I would be thrilled to attend—supportive, inclusive, and soul-filling.

In the end, I wanted a deeper, more meaningful connection to the creatives and entrepreneurs in my local area.

Don’t be afraid to look at the data

Next, we need to get clear on what the audience wants, needs, and is eager to invest in. Don't just guess… literally ask them. Market research is key if we want to create a service that sells and serves our clients well.

I had a vision for the At the Table series, but the question still remained: did anyone else actually want this? So before I locked in any details (or got too attached to any of my own ideas), I first met with local creatives and asked them what they wanted. What would be most helpful, most welcoming, most supportive in their own creative journeys and lives?

Turns out, many of them wanted similar things—a supportive, in-person community, and an excuse to gather with other creatives. They also had a range of preferences when it came to price, frequency, and vibe, so I took all of this into consideration when creating the agendas for each event.

Create a detailed, scalable plan

Now that we have a big-picture idea of what we want for ourselves and our clients, what do we need to do to get there? Step 3 is all about getting eyes on every single step of the process so nothing falls through the cracks or gets overlooked.

No surprise—hosting in-person events requires managing and juggling a lot of details. I needed to find locations, vendors, food and beverages, activities, decor, and a ton of other logistics for each of the three At the Table events. I made lists and spreadsheets to keep track of every single detail so I always knew what needed to be done and what the next steps were.

Set up workflows, templates, and automations

If you've been around W&J for any time at all, you know I'm all about working smarter, not harder. This is why efficient workflows and smart, time-saving templates and automations are so important. You can do the work once and save Future You hours in the long run.

For the At the Table series, collaboration with other small businesses was key—which meant a lot of outreach, introductions, and partnership pitches. Instead of starting from scratch with each and every email, I created a template. This meant I never had to start from scratch, but could still personalize each email for real connection. This one trick alone saved me hours.

I also set up automated email replies for attendees so they got a personalized note and reminders leading up to events. This detailed communication set a casual, caring tone before the event and kept me out of my inbox so I could focus on other important details.

The End Result?

The At the Table series is genuinely one of the most fulfilling projects I've tackled to date.

The connections made in those rooms were so meaningful. One pair of gals—a service provider and client who'd been partnering together for years—had never even met in person and bumped into each other at the event. They weren't even aware they lived in the same city. 😱

The feedback I received absolutely affirmed that I'm not the only one looking for more in-person connections right now.

"This is what we need more of," one attendee shared.

"Just good, genuine energy."

"I felt like it was a good mix of seeing friends I already knew, and meeting new people or people I only knew from Instagram. More stuff like this is much needed in Columbia."

The best part for me? Getting to serve other creatives and entrepreneurs in real life. Running a business is not for the faint of heart. We juggle so much, every single day.

To know that everyone got to show up without being in charge of a single detail? To know that they got to unwind and laugh and just be for a couple hours? That's the comfort and ease I want to bring to every single encounter, whether here in Columbia or through my next chapter… wherever that may be.

Ready to apply this framework to your biggest goals?

If this resonated with you, I'd love to support you as you tackle your own bold projects. Whether you're launching a new offer, streamlining your client experience, or building systems that actually work for how you work—let's make it happen together.

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