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Stories, Tips and behind-the-scenes of a freelance globetrotting facilitator

Hi Reader, It's Nathy

To those celebrating, happy Valentine’s Day! 💕

I’ve always loved this day—not just for romance, but for all the ways love and appreciation can show up in our lives.

When my daughter was a teenager, we had a tradition: Pink Lady Day. Every Valentine’s morning, she would wake up to pink mugs, pink and white flowers, pastel-colored sweets, and little surprises waiting for her at the breakfast table. Her eyes would light up with excitement—it wasn’t Christmas, but it was our special day.

✨ A day where small details, thoughtful gestures, and a little magic made all the difference.

And honestly? That’s exactly how I approach my workshops. When I design a session, I want my participants to feel the excitement 🥳

I want them to sense, from the very beginning, how much I look forward to working with them.

I build in surprises, curiosity, and moments of delight—not just because it’s fun, but because they’ve invested in my expertise, and I want to give them an experience that exceeds their expectations—both in results and in how they feel throughout the journey.

4 WAYS to ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS

1- Setting the Stage: Onboarding Participants

✨ During the Design Phase:

• One-on-one interviews: I prepare a Miro board with 10 questions to explore participants' challenges, hopes, and expectations around the session topic. This also helps me gauge their enthusiasm (or skepticism) and adjust my approach accordingly.
• Pre-session group call: If I have a large group, I host a 30-60 minute online session to collect insights—again, using Miro, but this time with anonymous responses for more openness.
• Survey via the client: If direct interaction isn’t possible, I send a structured survey for the client to share with participants.

✨ Just Before the Session:

• A personal welcome video 🎥 → I send a short video expressing my excitement about the session, emphasizing that they bring the expertise and that together, we’ll accomplish something great.
• An email with clear instructions 📩 → This includes mindset tips (“come curious!”) and any practical details they need to prepare.

2- The Sweetest Welcome

Who doesn’t love a little treat? 🍬

I’m a sucker for sweets (pun intended!), and I use them strategically to set the right mood.

• For group activities, I assign each group a color-coded lollipop 🍭 upon arrival. They don’t know why yet—but later, they’ll discover that it’s how their teams are formed!
• Each table is always stocked with post-its, markers, LEGOs, dried fruits, and nuts—fuel for creativity and engagement.

3- Unexpected ‘Wow’ Moments✨

I love to sprinkle in small, surprise rewards throughout the session.These could be a mini chocolate box for a challenge winner, custom stickers or small gifts for engagement or special perks for teams that go the extra mile

(And let’s be honest—I often encourage sharing, so it turns into a collective win 😉)

4- Music is Non-Negotiable!🎵

A well-timed playlist changes everything. 🎶

• I always use the same song for welcoming participants, signaling the end of breaks, and closing the session—something catchy like "Take On Me" by A-ha or "As It Was" by Harry Styles.
• During working sessions, I keep it chill with lounge music.
• I even run mini-surveys during breaks, asking participants for their favorite energizing or calming tracks—then I add them to the playlist for a personalized touch.

Because at the end of the day, it’s all about unlocking the right mindset—preparing participants to be at their best so they can generate real, tangible outcomes.

Now it's your turn, I’d love to hear from you!

📖 NEW BOOK ALERT: "The path of the guide"

Speaking of unlocking mindsets, Emily Gardner dives deep into this in her brand-new book, The Path of the Guide – A Framework for Effective Corporate Facilitation.

I had the privilege of being an early reader, and if you’re looking for a practical, structured resource to refine your session prep—this book is a goldmine.

Emily walks you through all the steps to craft a session with structure and enable the maximum impact:

From defining your identity as a facilitator to navigating the terrain and creating the map. It’s an insightful facilitator’s bible, guiding you step by step to mastering your craft.

And guess what? Emily joined me on the podcast this week! 🎙️

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🎙️SPOTLIGHT "THERE IS A WORKSHOP FOR THAT" 🪄

Episode #65 In this episode, I sit down with Emily Gardner, and we dive into a Chapter of her book – Creating the Map, exploring the key principles behind designing workshops that drive real impact. If you’ve ever wondered how to structure a session for clarity, engagement, and results, this one’s for you! Listen on your app ​Spotify​

FACILITATION GOODIES OF THE WEEK💡

📅 State of Facilitation 2025 Report – Have you read it yet?. Every year, SessionLab puts together the ultimate snapshot of the facilitation field—based on insights from 1,000+ facilitators. You’ll find: the tools & methods facilitators rely on most, the hottest workshop trends, the facilitator’s challenges and wins. It’s free, and you can download it here​

🤖 AI Tinkerer Free Event - a vibrant community around AI. Do you want to learn how to integrate AI into your facilitation practice. Join the community for monthly sessions with both beginners and experts, and start using AI practically in your work. Curious, have a look here​

📅 Miro Shape Shifters – with Lucie Agoline & Said Saddouk Okay, this one’s HOT. 🔥 I heard through the grapevine that they’ve already got 200+ people registered for this session! Lucie & Said are masters at transforming remote workshops into engaging, visual experiences using tools like Miro & CNVS. Register here

That's it for today. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Your support means the world to me🙏🏻

Creatively yours,
​Nathy

P.S. How can I help you?

1️⃣ 1:1 Mentoring: "Flourish in your facilitation career" Whatever your level of facilitation, I can help you sharpen your skills, co-design impactful and memorable workshops, or even equip you to go freelance as a facilitator. Book a 20-mins discovery call.

2️⃣ Custom Corporate Services: Looking to build future proof human-led and AI enhanced teams - La Workshoppeuse's got your back. Book a call to discuss your situation and find out about how we can help you.

Any question or feedback ideas, just hit reply !