Inside Create & Cultivate's $3M Festival With CEO Marina Middleton

How do you sell 3,800 tickets to an industry-leading business event with zero ad spend and a team of only seven people? In this episode, Create & Cultivate CEO and Partner Marina Middleton explains the fully organic growth strategy that has scaled Create & Cultivate into the biggest festival for women entrepreneurs and business leaders, from user-generated content to placing a strong focus on value in every asset. She reveals why she doesn't pay Martha Stewart, the Kardashians, or other A-list celebrities to speak at the event and her outreach framework for speakers, guests, and brands. Finally, she and Natalie break down the unique challenges women entrepreneurs face in friendships, marriage, and public perception. In this episode, Natalie and Marina discuss: (01:24) How We're Building a Tentpole Event for Women Entrepreneurs (05:04) Are Paid Ads The Best Way to Grow From Scratch? (09:08) Year-Round Organic Promotion for Create & Cultivate (12:04) Putting On a $3 Million Event With a Seven-Person Team (16:54) How to Provide Clear Value to Event Sponsors and Investors (20:50) The Balancing Act in High-Achieving Marriages (27:14) Identifying Fake Friendships as a Woman Entrepreneur (31:47) How to Rebuild Your Relationship with Work and Success (35:38) Is Social Media Killing Your Ambition and Burning You Out? (40:31) The Unique Challenges of Running a VC-Backed Business Marina Middleton is the CEO and Partner of Create & Cultivate, the largest events and media platform advancing women through access to resources, connections, and opportunities. A former corporate strategist turned bootstrapped founder and now VC-backed CEO, Marina has led the launch of the world’s largest festival for women in business and developed CONNECT, the largest AI-powered matchmaking platform for women, transforming how women network and collaborate. She has been featured in Forbes, Inc., and Business Insider, and regularly speaks on entrepreneurship, venture capital, business growth, and building inclusive communities. Sponsored By: Quince - Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns at quince.com. FreshBooks - Get FreshBooks for less than $3 a month for your first four months at ⁠FreshBooks.com/podcast⁠. Faire - Sign up today and get 50% off your first wholesale order, up to $100 at ⁠faire.com/bossbabe⁠. AG1 - Save 20% on your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro at ⁠drinkAG1.com/bossbabe. ⁠Hostinger - Go to ⁠Hostinger.com/bossbabe⁠ and use code BOSSBABE for 10% off. Resources Mentioned: This December’s Supper Club in Miami Connect with Marina: Website LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Create & Cultivate Connect with Natalie: Instagram LinkedIn Website YouTube Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method event planning, entrepreneurship, women in business, organic marketing, event marketing, event sponsorship, Marina Middleton, Natalie Ellis, Create & Cultivate, event planning tips, event marketing strategy, event sponsorship strategy, event business, event promotion, organic marketing strategy, women entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, sell event tickets, event sponsorships, business events, conference marketing, event management, experiential marketing, brand partnerships