How to Build Authentic Connections with Your Audience and Host Profitable Events

Are You Struggling to Connect with Your Audience?

I’ve been there—standing at the front of an event, speaking to a room full of people, but somehow still feeling disconnected. As a business owner, you might have been told that there should always be some separation between you and the people you mentor or lead. It’s a mindset I learned early in my career, especially in network marketing. But as I continued to grow my business, I realized that the more I tried to keep that separation, the more I isolated myself from the very people I was trying to help. It was hard to unlearn old habits and concepts.

When I started hosting events, I built a community of women who were all striving for similar goals. They were supportive of each other, they were creating relationships, which I absolutely loved, but I felt like I was on the outside looking in. Why? After some self-reflection, I realized I wasn’t allowing myself to be relatable. I was so focused on providing value and helping the women I was in community with grow that there was always a sense of seperation.

Connecting with Your Audience on a Personal Level

It took time, but once I realized that being vulnerable with my audience didn’t make me weak or less of an expert, I started actually building relationships. When I let down my walls and started sharing my journey—my challenges, my breakthroughs, my fears—that’s when people began to feel like they could connect with me on a personal level.

You see, people don’t just want to follow someone they admire—they want to follow someone they can relate to. They want to see that you’re not perfect, but you’re committed to growing and improving. It’s this realness that builds trust and loyalty, especially when you’re hosting events to grow your business.

How to Build Authentic Connections with Your Audience

1. Share Your Story: Don't be afraid to open up about where you started, your struggles, and your growth journey. People want to know you’re real.

2. Engage Meaningfully: Don’t just talk at your audience. Ask questions, start conversations, and truly listen to their needs and struggles.

3. Create Safe Spaces: Your events should feel like a safe environment for people to be vulnerable and authentic. Let them know it’s okay to show up as their true selves.

4. Be Consistent: Build trust over time by showing up consistently. Share your victories and losses, and be a voice they can rely on.

5. Set Boundaries When Needed: It’s important to protect your time and energy, but don’t make boundaries feel like walls. Be open about your needs and why certain boundaries exist.

Letting Down the Walls for More Meaningful Connections

You don’t have to be vulnerable 24/7, but when it comes to hosting events and creating a community, it’s important to let people see the real you. That means sharing your story, talking about the tough days, and acknowledging the hard work that goes into building your business. Being real is one of the most powerful ways to connect with your audience.

I encourage you to try this next time you host an event—let your audience into your world a little more. I’ll never forget when I hosted my annual Galentine’s Day event. I struggled financially to provide the experience I wanted to give my attendees. I found myself Ubering and doing DoorDash just to make extra money to cover all of my expenses. No one knew, and it was extremely isolating to hold all that pressure by myself.

But when I shared a piece of my testimony with the attendees, it was like for the first time, many of them saw me—not just as a businesswoman, but as a woman passionate about helping other women, even if it meant putting myself in a financial bind. Because I shared that vulnerability and truly opened my heart that day, they saw the real me. They were able to connect with me, relate to my story, and ultimately felt that the event was powerful because we all showed up for one another in real, meaningful ways.

I promise you, if you are intentional about letting your audience get to know the real you, it will make a world of difference in how they connect with you and your brand. Don’t be afraid to show them that you’re not just a leader, but someone who understands, struggles, and grows alongside them.