Behind the Scenes + Lessons Learned from CBB LIVE
There’s nothing quite like gathering with a group of creative entrepreneurs for three days of learning, sharing, and growing.
In June, I hosted The Creative Business Blueprint LIVE. And while I’m still feeling energized by the experience, I also want to take a moment to reflect.
Today, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what worked well, what I’ll do differently next time, and how you can apply these lessons to your business. Because whether you attended the event or not, these insights can help you show up more confidently for your own creative journey.
For additional context, if you missed this whole thing, read my blog called: What is a Virtual Event? here.
What Went Well: Building Connection
✨ Incredible Engagement + Retention
We had a fantastic show-up rate. Twenty two people bought tickets to the event and 18 showed up. That’s an 82% show up rate, and best of all, everyone was really engaged. The event took place on Zoom and even the introverts participated in breakouts sessions. Everyone felt safe, got to know each other and shared openly.
Personally, I made sure that I connected with every participant on screen at least twice. By bringing each person side by side with me, I could answer their questions and learn more about their business idea.
This is a wonderful reminder that creative women are craving spaces to connect and grow.
“Anne has a wealth of knowledge and is a wonderful thought partner. She offered inspiration, enthusiasm, and professionalism throughout her 3-day program. She also created a nice sense of community and offered everyone the chance to engage with her. I gained some interesting thoughts and direction for my creative business journey.” - Laura M.
“Anne, you gave me so much clarity on what I need to do next.” - Beth J.
✨ The Power of Personalization
I kept 3x5 index cards (yes, good old flashcards!) to jot notes on each attendee: their shares, their “aha” moments, their dreams. This helped me engage with each participant thoughtfully and demonstrate that I was really listening to them. This made each participant feel seen.
“It was professional and polished and extremely well put together. It maintained the feeling of being real. Anne felt real. That realness is the key to helping me feel that I too can achieve success. I liked that it was small and we the participants could get to know one another and had a chance to be addressed personally by Anne. The index cards are a brilliant idea.” Christy A.
✨ Flexible Flow = Stronger Impact
When I moved through the first day’s content faster than expected, I adjusted on the fly. I split segments, added a breakout which kept the energy high. And we ended the day on time.
Having a detailed, printable Playbook was a great way for attendees to stay on track, take notes in one place, and reflect at the end of the event on what their biggest takeaways were.
“Anne shared her years of business experience openly and got everyone thinking about the “why’s” and “how’s “ for their creative business idea. She is also a creative thinker who can brainstorm on the fly and identify our strengths and where we should focus. ” — Evie M.
✨ Inspiration + Coaching
The Day 2 panel, with several of my current clients, Janet, Yvonne, Jodi, and Monique, was a highlight. We wrapped up Day 2 with individual laser coaching sessions. Attendees filled out a quick questionnaire and then came on screen with me so that we could brainstorm together about their business idea. These sparked real a-ha’s and clear action steps.
“I loved the ability to talk with you directly and get your insight.” — Debbie B.
“I adore who you are and your realness, even as you have incredible success. Anne is a special teacher and human. She holds space for you with a gentle yet encouraging nature.” — Christy A.
✨ A Meaningful Close
On Day 3, we wrapped with individual “key takeaway” shares. Hearing each person reflect on what they gained was an incredibly powerful way to end the event.
👉 More attendee feedback:
“I loved breaking into groups and getting to know the other people. I also loved how much time Anne took with addressing everyone’s questions.” - Adele S.
“The amazing amount of information, allowing us to speak directly to you and your attention and openness to our questions. As introverted as am I did enjoy the breakout groups and speaking to you in front of all of the attendees.” - Barbara H.
“Anne is the ultimate professional. This event was superlative. Anne is a gracious host, and cares very much that her students are successful.” - Jane N.
What I’ll Do Differently Next Time
💡 The “Overcoming Objections” Meta Moment
One section that felt challenging, and that a few attendees flagged in feedback, was the Day 3 segment on Overcoming Objections.
Here’s the truth:
👉 I intended this segment to serve them. To empower them to handle objections in their own businesses when they’re ready to sell. I think most creative entrepreneurs hate selling! And that’s why this topic is essential. So you can confidently navigate these moments when you’re offering something of value to your own customers in the future.
👉 But without context, and without a framework to follow in the Playbook, it felt salesy to some.
👉 The lesson? Even when teaching crucial sales skills, we need to frame it clearly so participants see how it applies to their future success. Next time, I’ll frame this more clearly as a vital skill for their success, and include it in the Playbook so they can see the framework and engage more fully with the content.
💛 Meta takeaway: The very discomfort you feel when selling is the exact reason you need these skills in your own business. The next time you offer a product, course, or service, remember what it felt like when you were objecting to an offer. You’ll be better prepared for how to handle it when your customer has an objection of their own.
What You Can Learn From These Lessons
Running your business, whether it’s an event, a workshop, or a course, will never be perfect.
👉 But every time you put yourself out there, you learn.
👉 Every time you listen to your customers, you grow.
👉 Every time you adjust and improve, you move closer to achieving mastery.
Here are a few takeaways you can apply today:
✅ Stay flexible. Plans are great, but responsiveness builds connection.
✅ Communicate context. Help your audience see why something matters to them, especially when teaching skills like sales or marketing that might feel uncomfortable at first.
✅ End with heart. Reflection shares at the close of your programs or offers deepen the experience, for your clients and for you.
Final Thoughts: Achieving Mastery Through Iteration
This event wasn’t perfect. And that’s okay. This was only the second time I’ve done it. I learn something new each time. I’ll continue to refine it because mastery comes with iteration.
And isn’t that what building a creative business is all about?
✨ We show up.
✨ We serve.
✨ We learn.
✨ We grow.
Remember, it’s never too late to create.
xo,
Anne
P.S. I will be live on Wednesday at noon PDT which is 3pm EDT.
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MEET ANNE
Hi…I’m Anne!
My creative inspiration comes from a lifetime of observation. I grew up in Paris on the Place St. Sulpice and walked to school through the Luxembourg gardens. And that was only the beginning… Learn more by watching the video on my About page.
