Breakthrough Conference
Team Co-Leaders: TBA and TBA
BREAKTHROUGH CONFERENCE – SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, 9AM-5PM
Breakthrough Conference Team Strengths
Breakthrough Conference Team Areas for Growth
Breakthrough Conference Team Future Considerations
Information from Breakthrough Evaluation Survey (electronic)
Overall Anniversary Strengths
BREAKTHROUGH CONFERENCE – SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, 9AM-5PM
Breakthrough Conference Team Strengths
- Good variety of workshop/topics; dynamic speakers
- Great engagement of participants
- Very positive comments from attendees
- People thought it was well organized.
- Flexibility in agenda (e.g., sing along which wasn’t planned)
Breakthrough Conference Team Areas for Growth
- Start much earlier with identifying presenters.
- More dispersion of responsibilities among committee members
- All aspects of function should be coordinated by one person, such as all aspects related to presenters.
- Not have food trucks. Have box lunches or Hillside caterer(s).
- Arrange for presenters to get their food first.
- Have advertising specifically about the youth track.
- Increase number of youth participants. Reach out to schools and local churches.
- BOGO was bulk of sales so that cut into income. Possibly have lower ticket price and no BOGO.
- Many people did not understand what the conference was to be. Need to figure out how to make it understandable.
- Needed Dr. Barbara to emphasize it.
- Ensure there is a way to “compensate” presenters and let them know at the time they are requested.
Breakthrough Conference Team Future Considerations
- Fewer workshops; longer sessions
- For youth, have activities that lead up to the conference.
- Possibly two days to give participants opportunity to attend more sessions
- Conference should not be close to another churchwide ticketed event. (This year, it was two months after Iyanla Vanzant workshop and this impacted timeline for advertising and making the push.)
Information from Breakthrough Evaluation Survey (electronic)
- Survey sent to entire email list; 93 respondents so far; 75% were Breakthrough attendees
- Have more events like Breakthrough - 100% “yes”
- Value of what paid to what was received – most said it was the right price
- Best rated session was “Shut Up and Listen!” by Rev. Dr. Brooke Brimm
- Future topics: meditation - 76%; health - 72%; 12 powers & metaphysics – 68% each; relationships - 56%; money & travel opportunities – 52%. Lowest rated: job/careers, volunteering, politics (16%)
- Would you attend Breakthrough on Sunday? 44% - somewhat likely; 36% - likely.
Overall Anniversary Strengths
- Clear leadership from Nuri who assumed role of chairperson less than two months before anniversary.
- Dedicated and hard-working committee.
- Excellent graphic design and print materials by Nuri who had dual role of graphics and committee leadership.
- Only two activities outside Sunday service.
- Activities, as set – Founder’s Day, Awards, Jazz on the Hill, Breakthrough Conference.
- Make awardees, speakers, performers, vendors top of the business in January 2018.
- Must have more volunteers in addition to the committee.
- Have sub-committees for each event, major activity.
- Assign someone to Dr. Barbara for all aspects of events, including desired transitions during Sunday service.
- Need seed money. Can possibly raise it if there is no profit for set aside.
- There should not be a major churchwide, ticketed event close to the anniversary ticketed events, particularly if there is not a “draw” (big name, popular person) for the anniversary.
- Develop comprehensive sponsorship program, handled by Board Finance Committee. Could be a packaging of all churchwide events for the entire year.
- Reach out of universities and colleges.
- Bookend awards ceremony and Jazz on the Hill (JOTH).
- Send mailers within the ½ mile radius. Use that mailing list.
- Include wrap-up/debriefing dinner in budget.
- Put out a call for volunteers and push it.
- Reward volunteers in some way. They are expected to pay for event as support for Hillside even if they volunteer. However, they go a step beyond and often do not get a chance to take part in the event.