Philly Freelance Fest
Philly Freelance Fest brought together freelancers and talent-seeking organizations for a day of learning and relationship building.
Role: Event Lead
Client: 10k Independents & Indy Hall
Location: REC Philly
Timeline: 5 Months
Date: January 2020
The Project
10k Independents is a local organization working to build a more resilient economy for small businesses. With a goal of helping 10,000 Philadelphians become sustainably self-employed, they offer community, resources, and advocacy to the independent workforce.
Founder of 10k Independents and Indy Hall, Alex Hillman, came to Catherine with a loose idea to gather independent contractors, freelancers, and creatives for a full day of learning and community building. After many brainstorming sessions, deep discussions on goals, and a lot of planning, Philly Freelance Fest was born. In January 2020, the inaugural full-day conference welcomed more than 100 freelancers, small businesses, solopreneurs, creatives, and the companies that hire them for a day focused on building genuine relationships and learning how to succeed together as independent workers.
The ‘Why’
Through deep observation and many conversations with independent contractors, it was clear there was a lack of professional development and networking events geared toward freelancers. In creating Philly Freelance Fest, 10k Independents, Indy Hall, and Catherine aimed to fill this gap in the event landscape in order to further support and empower the independent workforce. Philly Freelance Fest aimed to offer a space for freelancers to:
Meet fellow independent workers
Connect with potential clients
Learn something valuable to support their business
The Plan
With a mutual passion for supporting the independent workforce, Alex and Catherine decided to make this event a partnership. In the initial brainstorming sessions, they ideated on the goals of the event, what structure would work best, and how to attract sponsors in future years. After locking in the initial details, they focused on the programming ensuring every aspect would add value and every attendee would walk away feeling like the event was worthy of their time. The intentional programming and experiential touches included:
Networking activities so even the most timid attendees felt empowered to meet their peers
Panel discussions for peer-to-peer learning
Workshops around finances, taxes, business planning, and a variety of other topics to support independent contractors in increasing their success
A directory booklet broken down by industry
The Results
The inaugural Philly Freelance Fest was a huge success. With Catherine as the lead, the logistical aspects of the event went exactly as planned. As for the programming, 10k Independents received a ton of praise and appreciation from the freelance community for providing a dedicated space for independent contractors to connect and grow together! While COVID, halted the team's plan to host a few in-person Freelance Fests’ per year, they continued with virtual workshops for the remainder of 2020 and the inaugural event paved the way for the organization’s future programming!
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