Start Messy, Finish Brilliant: Your Event Superpower

Why This Might Be the Missing Piece in Your Business

Perfectionism is sneaky.

It looks like planning your first event for six months… and never actually hitting “go.”
It sounds like “Once I figure out the tech, I’ll launch.”
It feels like staring at someone else’s polished promo reel and deciding you’re not ready.

Here’s what no one tells you: the first version of your event isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s supposed to be done.

Because done gives you something to build on.
Done gives you feedback.
Done gives you confidence.

This post is your permission slip to start “ugly” - and repeat beautifully.

The Pressure to Be Perfect Is the Real Roadblock

Let’s call it out: most of us are secretly afraid of being seen before we feel polished.

We think we’ll feel confident once we have the right gear, the right title, the perfect funnel, and a full audience waiting with bated breath. But perfectionism is just procrastination in a prettier outfit.

And for ADHD entrepreneurs, that internal pressure multiplies. Our brains tell us if we can’t do it all right, we shouldn't do it at all.

🔥 Real talk soapbox: That’s not protecting your brand. That’s silencing your voice.

I once had a client who planned out a full 3-day summit… but never launched it. Why? She couldn’t land on a name that felt “right.” That single decision stalled six months of strategy. We finally stripped it back to one 90-minute workshop, and guess what? She had 14 signups, 3 sales, and priceless insight.

Messy Events = Data Gold (and Confidence Fuel)

Your first event - no matter how imperfect - is a data collection machine. It shows you:

• What people respond to
  
  

• Where you lose them
  
  

• What questions come up
  
  

• Where your offer lands (or doesn’t)
  
  

Beyond Data: Building Momentum

It also builds something even better than data: momentum.

That Q&A moment where your brain blanked? It revealed where your next resource needs to be. That one slide people couldn’t stop talking about? That’s your next social post, lead magnet, or course module.

The goal of a first event isn’t to crush it - it’s to learn fast.

The Myth of the “One and Done” Event

We’ve been sold the fantasy of the perfect launch: you do it once, you blow up, and you never have to do it again.

That’s not mastery. That’s marketing fluff.

If you want consistent results, you need a repeatable process. That only comes from iteration.

✨ I call it the 6-event rule: You’ll find your rhythm around the third, nail your offer by the fourth, and smooth out your systems by the sixth.

No one wants to hear this because it requires time and trying again. But this is where the real magic lives: consistency over spectacle.

How to Start Ugly (Without Falling Apart)

So how do you actually do the “ugly first event” without spinning into panic?

You give your brain a container.

Your Permission Slip Starter Kit

Here’s my “Permission Slip Starter Kit” for messy-but-done:

• Tech: Zoom or Google Meet. Use your phone or laptop cam. Don’t overthink it.
  
  

• Topic: What question do people ask you most? Start there.
  
  

• Content: 3 key bullet points. That’s it.
  
  

• Engagement: Ask 1 open-ended question during your talk.
  
  

• Offer: Soft CTA at the end - invite them to DM, book a call, or join your list.
  
  

💡 That’s enough. And here’s the real kicker: no one but you is expecting TED-level polish. They want realness and helpful insight - and you already have both.

Turning Ugly Into Repeatable Brilliance

The moment your event ends, your brain will want to spiral:

“I forgot to say this!”
“My lighting was awful.”
“I stumbled over my words.”

Pause. Breathe. Instead of judging - debrief.

The Post-Event Debrief

Ask yourself:

• What part flowed?
  
  

• What confused people?
  
  

• What would I change next time?
  
  

Then... schedule the next one. Same structure. Minor tweaks. That’s how a single scrappy event becomes your signature series.

✨ I’ve run events with no slides, dogs barking in the background, and last-minute email sequences. And I’ve turned every single one into an opportunity to refine.

Every messy launch contains the seeds of your next great offer. But only if you’re willing to start.

Here’s What I Want You to Remember

The first version of anything you create is going to be a little awkward. A little underwhelming. A little off.

That’s not a failure - it’s a flex.

It means you’re in motion. It means you’re learning. It means you’re building something that’s yours.

✨ Start ugly. Learn fast. Repeat beautifully.

Want more honest, empowering strategies to help you launch, grow, and repeat your virtual events without the burnout?

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