Collaborative Convenings
Conferences // Retreats // Strategy // Orientations // Workshops // Summits
Imagine a gathering that inspires and equips your participants to co-create the impact they want to see in the world.
We team up with organizers to design gatherings that unleash the collective wisdom and creativity of your network, while fostering meaningful connections and collaborative breakthroughs.
Ready to transform your next event? Let’s craft an unforgettable experience together!
An End to Passive Events
As an event organizer, your goal is clear: craft events that engage and empower. Yet, the default formula — powerpoints + panel discussions — falls short of fostering true collaboration and action.
The magic of a convening lies in your community, in the shared wisdom and experience of your network gathering under one roof.
To truly serve your participants, you want a gathering that ignites interaction and collaboration, not mere content consumption.
But getting started can feel daunting…
A Collaborative New Way
Our Collaborative Convening Package elevates your gathering to increase participation, belonging and creativity amongst attendees. We work alongside your team to facilitate the flow of the event and ensure the experience is collaborative, engaging and participatory.
Who is this for?
Conference Organizers
who are looking for ways to more actively engage their participants and create memorable experiences.
CEOs and Directors
who are looking for interactive leadership training opportunities for their team.
Regional and State-wide Networks
who want to empower emerging leaders in their cities, workplaces and communities to co-create the future.
University Leaders
who want to build belonging and cultivate connection for their students and employees.
How do we support you?
Experience Design Consultation:
Let’s co-create your event agenda together. Drawing on over 15 years of facilitation expertise and 100’s of events designed for clients, we’ll infuse innovative and collaborative techniques into every aspect. We’ll help you imagine an event that sparks genuine connections and opportunities for real impact.
Collaborative Facilitation:
Leave the facilitation to us, allowing you and your team to fully engage. We’ll seamlessly guide the event, and if your leadership team prefers to lead certain sections, we’ll provide on-site support.
Event Debrief:
What does our facilitation look like?
Interactive Kick-off + Welcome:
Ditch traditional icebreakers (which always cause an eye roll) with purpose-driven connection activities. Using tools like our Curiosity Deck, we kick off events by nurturing authentic relationships that spark opportunities for collaboration, while helping participants clarify their goals for the event.
Participatory Workshops:
Inject creativity into your agenda with our interactive workshops that tap into the collective wisdom of your group. After an initial planning call, we’ll share a proposal that includes a variety of facilitation methods we think will best engage your audience, from unconference-style methods to design thinking sprints. We promise there will be lots of interaction and sticky notes.
Harvest + Debrief:
What Past Clients Have Had to Say
All of our experiences are tailored to each client. We partner with governmental agencies, nonprofits, universities, foundations, and corporate clients. Below is a snapshot of some events that our team has designed, facilitated, and emceed for our partners.
“Spud’s level of facilitation was next level! I’ve experienced good and bad facilitation over the years – and Spud was at the top of the charts for what a facilitator is capable of unlocking. He was instrumental to the success of our Imagination Summit!”
“Spud’s level of facilitation was next level! I’ve experienced good and bad facilitation over the years – and Spud was at the top of the charts for what a facilitator is capable of unlocking. He was instrumental to the success of our Imagination Summit!”
Imagination Summit – 1-Day Conference for 200 University Employees
“Spud made this annual conference a huge success! Thanks to his facilitation and emcee skills – along with all the effort he and his team put into designing the overall agenda – attendees reported this being their all-time favorite version of the event in years!”
“Spud made this annual conference a huge success! Thanks to his facilitation and emcee skills – along with all the effort he and his team put into designing the overall agenda – attendees reported this being their all-time favorite version of the event in years!”
Innovation Experience – 3-Day Conference for 750 Government Employees + Partners
“Spud brought a high level of energy and expertise to our community conversations – his facilitation skills are absolutely invaluable!”
“Spud brought a high level of energy and expertise to our community conversations – his facilitation skills are absolutely invaluable!”
Workforce 2030 Summit – 1-Day Gathering for 250 Leaders across Business, Education, Government and Nonprofits
“Spud re-invigorated our social entrepreneurship program. He revolutionized our retreats by working tirelessly to reach students and coordinate facilitators. Our programming would not be at its current level without the guidance of Spud”
“Spud re-invigorated our social entrepreneurship program. He revolutionized our retreats by working tirelessly to reach students and coordinate facilitators. Our programming would not be at its current level without the guidance of Spud”
Ignite Retreat – 2-Day Gathering for 150 College Students + Faculty (we were hired to host this event more than 20 times)
“Spud makes an impossible feat feel possible by walking alongside and giving you the tools you need. I love the way he holds space, crafts experiences, and engages communities from a grassroots perspective.”
“Spud makes an impossible feat feel possible by walking alongside and giving you the tools you need. I love the way he holds space, crafts experiences, and engages communities from a grassroots perspective.”
Creative Communities Convening – 2-Day Gathering for 100 Regional Arts + Culture Leaders
“Spud is the most creative person you’ll ever meet – especially for creating unique experiences for communities”
Michael Williams – Serial Entrepreneur and Coach
“Spud really knows his trade and uses interactive activities very purposefully; an extremely effective facilitator!”
Nancy Peters – Statewide STEM Education Coalition Director
“We had ideas but nothing concrete. Spud does a great job to organize those ideas and put thoughts into motion.”
Jamie Dunlap – Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Trusted by Groups Worldwide
We help partners design engaging and dynamic initiatives to strengthen their communities.
Take Your Event to the Next Level
Looking for even more? Creatively capture your event’s connections with our Interactive Live Print Mosaics. We’ll facilitate opportunities for collaboration while the mosaic captures all of the friendships and memories forming. Afterwards, hang the mosaic in your office or town hall as a proud reminder of your community’s shared experience.
