How to Bring Real Value and Connection to Your Events
- Yvonne Armenta
- Jun 15
- 5 min read
The on-site upgrade that turns a standard conference into a premium experience.
As a professional speaker, I probably shouldn't be saying this, but the keynote to panel breakout sessions (that are always too short to actually be valuable, especially if facilitators try to cover too much content), to more speakers, lunch, and then more panels, are getting a little old.
The information and talks are incredible, but where do the follow-up questions go? How can someone continue their learning and get real value on the spot?
For the record, I believe deeply in the collective power felt when you have a speaker that just captivates, inspires, moves, and actuates your audience. So, to be fair, maybe it's not the format, but the speakers and your own investment in ensuring they are adding to your event. That's a separate conversation. For another day…
So, you're having an event, like a conference, and I'm sure you have all of the intentions of packing it with value. Naturally, you think "I need to get a keynote speaker, host a panel, and maybe have a few breakout sessions if time permits".
What's the audience's experience there?
Physically, what are people doing? Sitting/standing in the crowd, listening/watching people speak, and perhaps taking notes. All day.
You know, I know that can get pretty draining. But there’s a way for us to bring life and connection back to events.
It’s time to bring back intentional, creative, immersive experiences and real connection to the spaces we work so hard to curate. You already have the ability to bring people together over a common interest, that's huge!
Let me say that again, getting people in the room is a huge accomplishment. Trust me, I understand event planning (it was my full-time job for 2 years and my “sure, I’ll do it” in tech and community spaces for many years). It means you have something worth sharing.
The next step: Getting people to actually do something with the experience you curate.
I recently attended Futura Fest 2026 by the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley, where I not only had a table for the Public Speaking con Cultura practice cards, but also a “Coach” table where I offered live public speaking coaching to attendees.
Here’s what came up during some of our conversations:
How do you navigate the pressures of speaking up in a room?
What is your advice for nerves?
“I’m usually the life of the party at home, but when I get to my corporate job, for some reason I just don’t know how to speak up more.”
How do I engage more deeply in the art of communication?
“I didn’t even know you could get paid to speak”
“This is exactly what I needed right now.” - someone who was preparing for a promotion conversation with their manager.
I provided actionable information and in some cases, attendees applied learning in real-time through short and effective public speaking practice.
Some of these were inspired by what the main speakers shared on stage. Questions and thoughts that aren’t always shared out loud in the larger conference space, but add value to an attendee's experience when answered.
5-10 minutes of one-on-one conversations that led to practice and growth.
That is hella valuable.
And I’ll also take it back to my participation as an on-site coach for Lean In Latina in 2025, hosted at LinkedIn Headquarters. Attendees got to choose from a selection of INCREDIBLE Latina coaches offering a variety of coaching across industries.
Latinas know what’s up: community, real value, and el chisme del bueno.
I’ll leave you with some of what that looked like here:
On-site live coaching is the event trend we need right now.
You intentionally create moments of connection.
AI is the talk of the town. It’s making some things a little easier, and other things, like human connection, harder. As a person who believes deeply in the power of storytelling and thinks strategically about communication, there is nothing like connecting with a real person to understand their lived experience and expertise. It’s also great practice. We need that now more than ever. If we stop exercising that muscle of connection and communication, we’ll only become more and more dependent on finding answers outside ourselves, outside our community.
It’s Introvert-Friendly
Selfishly, this is probably THE reason I love on-site coaching. As an introvert, I love the fact that I can blend into the crowd where no one really sees me. But as a conference attendee, I’m there to get as much value and as many action-oriented tools as I can. On-site coaching is probably the only way I would be able to get the thoughts and questions I've internalized while listening to speakers, out loud.
I’ll give you an example. Breaking for lunch can feel a little awkward, especially if you were brave enough to attend alone. On top of that, it’s midday and that introvert battery is probably in the yellow zone. But you know what could bring it near the green zone again? Organized, done-for-you one-on-one connection, a.k.a. one-on-one, on-site coaching.
As a coach, you’re granting me the space to completely nerd out! I will not only love you forever, but also get to practice my own craft as a speaking coach and consultant in a way that feels truly valuable.
It’s an action-oriented & individualized experience.
Conferences and events are often a space for inspiration, motivation, and information. As attendees, we learn so much, but then later do nothing with it. You can’t even lie, we’ve all been there.
On-site live coaching gives attendees the tools from an experienced professional to act, to practice, and to take that step toward their goals, whatever that looks like for them.
Attendees now not only get value from the larger conversations happening in the room, but they can leave with so much more when they have space to connect with someone one on one.
And now, your event is a premium experience.
It’s a win-win for everyone.
How to curate on-site live coaching sessions:
Understand what your event attendees are hoping to get out of attending your event. What is their ‘why’ and what “access” could help elevate their experience?
Find coaches and consultants who are aligned and experienced.
Have a designated area of the event space for these conversations to happen.
Promote the on-site coaching & consulting as a value-add for your attendees. Let them know exactly where this will be held and the kind of guidance they can receive.
Create community among your coaches & consultants. Their experience also matters. I can help with this! Reach out if you want to chat: yvonne@chatswithyvonnne.com.
Let’s build something impactful together.
Whether you’re an event organizer looking to create a valuable, introvert-friendly experience, or a leader ready to help your team master the art of communication, let's connect. Through my background as a professional speaker and communications consultant, and my lived experience as an introverted, first-gen Latina, I specialize in blending strategy with the cultural nuances of communication.
I’m here to help you bridge the gap between inspiration and action.
On-Site Event Coaching & Keynotes: Let’s transform your next conference from a passive listening session into an active, high-value experience.
Corporate Communications Training: Practical, interactive workshops designed to help your team navigate high-pressure rooms and use their voice.
Introvert-Friendly On-Site Activations: Curating dedicated spaces that give introverted attendees a built-in, low-pressure way to connect, process, and apply the event content in real-time.
1:1 Public Speaking Coaching: Personalized sessions for professionals and first-gen leaders who want to grow their presence and communication, without having to change who they are.
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