Inside Our First-Ever Sponsorship: What Brand of a Leader Learned by Saying Yes to EO Canada

By Marina Byezhanova

After four years of building Brand of a Leader and eleven years as an EO member, I experienced a significant first: we became an event sponsor.

Sponsorship had never been part of our strategy at Brand of a Leader. Having attended countless EO events across the globe, I understood the delicate dynamics around sponsor booths and have deeply respected EO's non-solicitation policy.

When EO Canada announced that their annual regional conference would be in Montreal this year, I felt a pull I couldn't ignore. Our head office is in Montreal, and this was an opportunity for us to contribute to the EO community in a new way while showcasing our brand authentically.

We decided to say yes—and to reimagine what a typical sponsorship could look like. The challenge was clear—how could we create a meaningful brand experience that added value without feeling promotional?

Lesson 1: Strategic Positioning Makes All the Difference

Rather than setting up in the traditional sponsor area at the back of the main hall, we requested a different location: an open corner space just outside the main room doors apart from all other sponsor booth setups. This high-traffic area offered natural conversation flow without the pressure of maintaining silence during keynotes.

The location gave us visibility while allowing us to engage authentically with EO members in attendance. It created a natural gathering space—exactly the environment we wanted to foster.

Lesson 2: Create an Experience That Demonstrates Your Value

Instead of traditional marketing materials and a boring table with brochures, we built something unexpected: a fully functional podcasting studio right on the conference floor.

We recreated our actual client experience with 5 professional cameras, 5 studio microphones, and a welcoming living room setup complete with comfortable seating and thoughtful design elements. Our team wore custom bright red shirts that made us stand out – one of my personal core values.

Over 60 members participated in brief 3-5 minute interviews throughout the event. Those were genuine exchanges that gave attendees a firsthand experience of our interview process, which forms the foundation of Brand of a Leader’s thought leadership content creation.

The response exceeded our expectations. Members were genuinely excited to participate, and many commented on how refreshing it was to engage with a sponsor in such a meaningful way.

Lesson 3: Focus on Connection Over Conversion

We made a conscious decision not to bring lead capture forms or badge scanners. Our objectives were to:

1. Build authentic brand awareness within the EO community
2. Strengthen our team through a shared team-building experience
3. Create genuine value for conference attendees

During our first morning huddle, I told the team that our energy and enthusiasm would be our greatest assets. If we were genuinely enjoying ourselves and creating value, that positive energy would naturally attract the right conversations.

This approach proved incredibly effective. We had countless meaningful exchanges, and yes, we've since welcomed new clients who first encountered us at the conference. Yet, those relationships grew from authentic connection, not aggressive networking.

Lesson 4: Invest in Your Team's Experience

We approached this sponsorship with the same rigor we apply to client projects. Using our BOS360 operating framework, we held bi-weekly planning meetings with clear roles, accountability measures, and defined outcomes.

Four team members traveled to Montreal—three from across Canada and one from Poland. For several of them, this was their first EO event and witnessing them experience the unique culture of EO while representing our brand was incredibly rewarding to me as their leader.

The feedback about our team was overwhelming. Attendees consistently mentioned their professionalism, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm. Their energy became one of our most powerful brand ambassadors.

Lesson 5: Contribute Beyond Your Immediate Benefit

We wanted to give back to the event itself, so we proposed and executed a social media takeover of EO Canada's Instagram account. Our team created dynamic, real-time content that captured the conference energy and extended its reach far beyond the attendees.

Additionally, we produced the official event recap video, telling the story of the summit from the community's perspective. These contributions allowed us to add value to the entire EO Canada experience while showcasing what we do as a business.

The Unexpected Outcome: Clarity Through Demonstration

As EO members know, our non-solicitation policy means we rarely discuss our businesses in detail at events. After eleven years of membership, many of my EO friends had only a vague understanding of what business I actually own.

“Oh! So you own a personal branding agency?” – they would say, followed by “How cool!”

Cooler yet was the fact that we were demonstrating part of our process rather than describing it, and we gave the community a tangible understanding of how we help leaders build their thought leadership content. Watching members experience our interview process firsthand created countless "aha" moments.

The power of showing rather than telling became crystal clear through this experience.

Reflections and Future Plans

Would we sponsor again? Absolutely – as long as we can maintain our commitment to creating genuine value. We're already exploring ideas for future activations, including potential pop-up experiences at other EO events and expanded content creation opportunities.

For any organization considering event sponsorship, especially within communities with strong non-solicitation cultures, I offer this insight:

Focus on creating an experience that serves the community first. When you lead with value and authenticity, meaningful business relationships follow naturally.

Our first sponsorship taught us that the most effective brand experiences don't feel like marketing at all. They feel like valuable contributions to the communities we serve. And that alignment between our values and our actions is what creates lasting impact.

Proud of the work we get to do at Brand of a Leader and exceptionally proud of my amazing team. The best is yet to come!

Marina Byezhanova is Co-Founder of Brand of a Leader, where she transforms Gen X CEOs and founders into the first name their industry thinks of. As a global speaker, entrepreneur, and university instructor, Marina has delivered keynotes to executive audiences across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Her mission is to inspire leaders to own their narrative and leverage their reputation as a strategic business asset—positioning seasoned executives not as opinion leaders, but as industry-defining thought leaders whose names carry weight in boardrooms and drive business results.