From Coachella to Corporate: Kelli Bielema’s Wild Ride in Events

In this episode of BEATS WORKING — Winning the Game of Events, hosts Alysse Bryson and Libby Sundgren welcome Kelli Bielema — a powerhouse event producer with 25+ years of creative expertise across mega festivals, brand activations, and employee experiences at Meta. Kelli shares her secrets for creative ideation, resiliency in the face of chaos, and building unforgettable events both big and small. Plus: behind-the-scenes stories from Coachella, EDC, running her karaoke Airstream lounge, and working with celebrity talent at Universal Studios Hollywood. Timestamps:  [00:00] – Meet Kelli Bielema  [03:29] – Kelli’s creative event planning process & storyboarding [08:39] – Memorable moments producing Red Bull activations at EDC [15:56] – Coming down after high-energy events: recovery rituals [17:09] – Best and worst event swag [20:14] – Launching The AirScream: mobile karaoke in an Airstream [28:13] – Big-budget events, scrappy solutions & working at Meta [32:27] – Celebrity encounters & Universal Studios stories [37:38] – What’s next: NY-themed events, symposiums & animal rescue [41:13] – Event trends & tech: crafting, VR, and AI for event production [46:09] – AI tools & creative brainstorming for events Resources & Links: -Kelli Bielema: LinkedIn & Instagram  -The AirScream: Website & Instagram -Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses -BW Swag Episode: Event Swag and Strategy Insights with Karianne Michelle -Alysse & Libby: Bios & LinkedIn Connect with Us: -Website: www.beatsworkingpodcast.com -LinkedIn: @BEATS WORKING Show -Instagram: @beatsworkingshow -Facebook: @Beats Working Show -YouTube: @BEATSWORKINGPODCAST Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your feedback helps us improve and reach more listeners.BEATS WORKING is a platform on a mission to redeem work—the word, the place, and the way. We believe that work is the most honorable act in the universe, and through inspiring stories and practical insights, we want to transform the way people think about work and help them discover greater fulfillment in their lives. We invite you to join us as we build community through sharing and actively demonstrating what we learn.