Intro

When most people think about lead generation, they think about:

• Ads
• Social media
• Cold outreach

But there’s another method that’s often overlooked…

👉 Event planning

In this episode of The Side Hustler’s Society Podcast, Elijah Bilel sits down with an entrepreneur who has turned events into both a business and a powerful lead generation tool.

Because when done correctly…

👉 Events don’t just build community
👉 They build opportunities

Intro to Kirsten Bradford

• Kirsten Bradford is a digital strategist and social media consultant
• Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Technology from the University of North Texas at Dallas
• Earned a Master’s degree in Management from Southern Methodist University
• Has 7+ years of experience in digital strategy and social media consulting
• Founder of For the Girls Social, a community focused on empowering women through events, education, and networking

👉 Check out her Eventbrite page here 

Episode Overview

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How event planning can generate leads for your business
• Why community building creates long-term opportunities
• How Kirsten Bradford built her organization from scratch
• The transition from free events to paid experiences
• Why networking is one of the most underrated skills in business

Listen to the Episode

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Side Hustler’s Society Resources

Side Hustle to Full-Time Strategy Session

The Personalized Side Hustle Starter Kit

How Events Become Lead Generators

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode:

👉 Events can become passive lead generators

Elijah Bilel shares how he’s done this through
👉 The Veggie Outers 

Even though the purpose of the group isn’t to sell…

It has led to:

• Video editing clients
• Consultations
• Business opportunities

Why?

👉 Because people got to know, like, and trust him

Why This Works (The Psychology Behind It)

When people meet you in person:

• You’re no longer just a profile
• You’re no longer just content

👉 You’re real

And that builds:

• Trust
• Familiarity
• Comfort

Which leads to:

👉 Business opportunities over time

Sometimes immediately…
Sometimes months later

If you want to go deeper into building real-world connections, check out Elijah’s Social Dynamics content here 

This is where he breaks down:

• Social skills
• Communication
• Confidence
• Real-world interaction strategies

From Small Gatherings to a Full Business

Kirsten Bradford didn’t start with a full business plan.

It started with:

👉 A simple brunch

Then:

• Friends invited friends
• Events started growing
• Community started forming

What began as something small turned into:

👉 A full organization

The Hidden Skill: Event Planning

One of the most powerful insights:

👉 She was already building this skill before it became a business

Examples:

• Planning trips
• Organizing outings
• Hosting gatherings
• Coordinating events for friends

This highlights something important:

👉 Many profitable skills start as things you already do naturally

Everything Is Sales & Marketing

A major realization Kirsten had:

👉 No matter the industry…

Everything comes back to:

• Sales
• Marketing
• Positioning

Even with events:

• You’re marketing the experience
• You’re selling the value
• You’re attracting the right people

Free vs Paid Events (The Shift)

At first, many events were:

👉 Free

Why?

• Build awareness
• Grow community
• Get people involved

But over time, she realized:

👉 Value needs to be priced

Now the shift includes:

• Ticketed events
• Paid experiences
• Future membership model

Because:

👉 Time, effort, and resources are not free

Why Social Skills Matter Even More Here

This episode connects directly to something we’ve been talking about:

👉 Social skills = income

Because at events:

• You’re meeting new people
• You’re building relationships
• You’re creating opportunities

If you lack social skills…

👉 You miss the entire benefit of being there

If you want to improve:

• Your confidence in conversations
• Your ability to build rapport
• Your ability to turn conversations into opportunities

👉 Learn more here 

The Long-Term Play (Where Most People Miss It)

A key point Elijah Bilel makes:

👉 Events are like planting seeds

You might meet someone today…

And then:

• 3 months later → they reach out
• 6 months later → they need your service

This is what makes event-based networking:

👉 So powerful

Why This Applies to ANY Side Hustle

You don’t need to be an event planner to use this strategy.

If you are:

• A video editor
• A graphic designer
• A real estate agent
• A consultant

You can:

👉 Host events related to your industry

And position yourself as:

👉 The go-to person

Real Example: Industry Events

Elijah references how professionals use this strategy:

• Hosting educational meetups
• Providing value upfront
• Building relationships

Then later:

👉 Those same attendees become clients

Final Thoughts

Elijah Bilel and Kirsten Bradford show that:

👉 Event planning isn’t just about gatherings

It’s about:

• Building relationships
• Creating value
• Generating opportunities

And when combined with strong social skills…

👉 It becomes a powerful income strategy

Watch The Podcast On Youtube!