ChiliPalooza Reviews on Testimonial.to

Daniel Cmejla

VP Marketing * Community Marketing * Events * I build systems to deploy the customer voice everywhere relevant

3.5 years ago, I left Chili Piper. This week, I saw two Bobcats while fractionally supporting their first ever conference. This was an event that 20+ people have told me was, “the best industry event they’ve ever attended.” Here is what I think made this event so special. 1. The People (attendees) It only takes a couple bad apples to ruin a vibe. At Chilipalooza, every single attendee was personally vetted by the Chili Piper team. We used only two criteria: Will this person contribute value to our group discussions? Will this person be respectful? Easy way to do this is to place everyone on a waitlist before you send their ticket. 2. The People (Organizers) Nicolas Vandenberghe, Alina and Alexis Petrichos had an incredible vision of an event designed to create true connection by removing all keynotes. And Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 did an incredible job realizing their vision. Events are made special by the people who run them. This was truly a special team. And the thesis “that people attend events for the time between sessions” proved true. 3. Invitation Tactics & Sponsors Easiest way to sell out all your tickets for an event is to build a list of 20+ ways to promote it, each with a subgoal. This worked magically for our event. Between ticket and sponsorship revenue we started off with several hundred thousand in recouped costs before the event even began. Bonus points if you include tactics to make the event diverse. Without these tactics, it’ll just be a bunch of dudes. 4. Breakout Groups My primary role for this event, apart from negotiating with vendors 😅 and helping invite people, was curating all the breakout group questions, sub questions, and sorting everyone into groups. This project, across 155+ attendees, took forever. But it’s worth it to create truly bespoke experiences where people really relate to the others in their groups. 5. The structure My event philosophy has always been “give people structure and tell them they are free to ignore it.” Try this, it works. 6. Venue Desert, spa, massages, pickleball, hiking??? CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa was amazing. I’m off to Costa Rica for eight days, but can’t wait to continue to support Chili Piper when I return. I’m only working with folks who bring me joy and have a solution I believe in. Chili Piper definitely meets this bar and I’m honored to support them as a client. Tagging a few friends from this event: Ben Smith 💜, Brianna Doe, Lauren Bailey, Hamish Stephenson 🦘, Morgan J Ingram, 🐰 Jen Igartua, Lorena Morales, David Walker, Emily Kramer, Colin Specter🥇☁️ Cliff Simon and so so many more. This was really special. Thanks for including me Chili Piper. Run it back next year? #chilipalooza

3.5 years ago, I left Chili Piper. This week, I saw two Bobcats while fractionally supporting their first ever conference. This was an event that 20+ people have told me was, “the best industry event they’ve ever attended.” Here is what I think made this event so special. 1. The People (attendees) It only takes a couple bad apples to ruin a vibe. At Chilipalooza, every single attendee was personally vetted by the Chili Piper team. We used only two criteria: Will this person contribute value to our group discussions? Will this person be respectful? Easy way to do this is to place everyone on a waitlist before you send their ticket. 2. The People (Organizers) Nicolas Vandenberghe, Alina and Alexis Petrichos had an incredible vision of an event designed to create true connection by removing all keynotes. And Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 did an incredible job realizing their vision. Events are made special by the people who run them. This was truly a special team. And the thesis “that people attend events for the time between sessions” proved true. 3. Invitation Tactics & Sponsors Easiest way to sell out all your tickets for an event is to build a list of 20+ ways to promote it, each with a subgoal. This worked magically for our event. Between ticket and sponsorship revenue we started off with several hundred thousand in recouped costs before the event even began. Bonus points if you include tactics to make the event diverse. Without these tactics, it’ll just be a bunch of dudes. 4. Breakout Groups My primary role for this event, apart from negotiating with vendors 😅 and helping invite people, was curating all the breakout group questions, sub questions, and sorting everyone into groups. This project, across 155+ attendees, took forever. But it’s worth it to create truly bespoke experiences where people really relate to the others in their groups. 5. The structure My event philosophy has always been “give people structure and tell them they are free to ignore it.” Try this, it works. 6. Venue Desert, spa, massages, pickleball, hiking??? CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa was amazing. I’m off to Costa Rica for eight days, but can’t wait to continue to support Chili Piper when I return. I’m only working with folks who bring me joy and have a solution I believe in. Chili Piper definitely meets this bar and I’m honored to support them as a client. Tagging a few friends from this event: Ben Smith 💜, Brianna Doe, Lauren Bailey, Hamish Stephenson 🦘, Morgan J Ingram, 🐰 Jen Igartua, Lorena Morales, David Walker, Emily Kramer, Colin Specter🥇☁️ Cliff Simon and so so many more. This was really special. Thanks for including me Chili Piper. Run it back next year? #chilipalooza

Mar 6, 2025

Daniel Cmejla

VP Marketing * Community Marketing * Events * I build systems to deploy the customer voice everywhere relevant

Sunrise hike in AZ with Andrew Mattock Chili Piper knows how to throw an event… Excited to see 150+ of the greatest marketers from my LinkedIn feed in their corporeal existances today. Whose coming? Whose got fomo? #chilipalooza #desert #marketing

Mar 3, 2025

Kathleen Booth

SVP Marketing & Growth @ Pavilion | DM me to ask about Pavilion membership

In my capacity as head of marketing at Pavilion, I spend a LOT of time thinking about the future of community and events. My team puts on 5 major summits and conferences every year and with every new event we put on, we do a lot of soul searching about what we can do to deliver value, and help our members and attendees build relationships with peers who they can count on for support, insights, inspiration and opportunities. What I've learned from putting on our events and attending more than 10 other B2B tech conferences and events is that there is an important shift happening. After COVID, most people just wanted to get together in person and would attend ANY event. We were craving CONNECTION. Today, event attendees are more discerning and are looking for events that make it really worth taking time away from family and work. We still want connection, but it must be QUALITY CONNECTION. For many execs, this means fewer booths, panels and happy hours, and more curated small group networking, in-depth off the record discussions, and a focus on personal wellness. There aren't many event organizers who have nailed this, but I'm bullish on what Chili Piper is doing with its ChiliPalooza event - an invite-only celebration of SaaS and community-building for GTM executives in the Sonoran Desert this March 3-5. I'll be there as a moderator and I'm excited to see them pull off this new event format 👏 There are no booths, no pitches, no boring keynotes — just community-building, cross-departmental collaboration, and roundtable discussions based on topics you choose. After the roundtables, we’ll all get the chance to get outside with breakout activities (spa, tennis, hiking) and further foster real-life connections. The best part? It’s hosted at CIVANA, a luxury wellness resort and spa. So instead of feeling completely drained when we all head home, we’ll leave feeling refreshed and energized. Want to join me? Link to sign up for the wait list: lnkd.in/e-fHQaHb #futureofevents #kathleenhq

Jan 27, 2025

Lauren Bailey

Great conversations with great leaders is basically my new favorite thing. This week at Chilipalooza I learned some amazing marketing tips, recharged, refueled, and reconnected. Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️and team took a risk with less programming and more unplugging, and the result was fantastic. No better place to talk strategy than around a campfire (the soles of my shoes have peeled off, but worth it!) And my favoite part was meeting inspiring and authentic new people like Katie Lambert Brianna Doe Sam Yarborough Jess Toro Audrey Harze ✨Cory Snyder Brandon Sizemore Zach Grove MJ Patent and of course long time favorites Angela (Scanlan) Salazar and Daniel Cmejla! Thank you for the insights, the authenticity, and the campfire questions. I can't wait for an excuse to hang out with ya'll again. Best. Night. Ever!

Mar 6, 2025

Lindsay O'Brien

AI-Enabled Head of Global Marketing & Ops | Demand x Product x Content

When you’re hugging people goodbye at a work event, you know it wasn’t just another conference. “Lose your corporate mask." That's how this unconventional, unforgettable summit started. (Thanks, Alina! 🙌 ) Instead of surface-level networking, people showed up as themselves. Conversations weren’t just about GTM strategies and AI use cases—they were real, honest, and human. No matter how advanced AI becomes, personal connections are what truly matter. The Chili Piper team created something special—an event where people were a community, not just attendees. From the 3.5-mile hike and practicing yoga to unplugging in the spa and having deep conversations that blended personal and professional, the experience was unmatched. I walked away feeling refreshed, inspired, and incredibly grateful. ✨ I didn’t take nearly as many pictures as I should have (not that they would’ve done the event justice). Some experiences are just meant to be felt in the moment. To everyone who showed up with intention and humility, (Mychelle Mollot, Natalie Marcotullio, Mandy Schnirel, Claudia Ring, Korina Edwards, Lindsay Britt, Pete Vomocil 📸 just to name a few) thank you . You made all the difference. And a special shoutout to Chelsea and the entire 🌶️ team for making it happen. Authentic connections win. 🔥 Let’s not lose sight of that in 2025.

Mar 6, 2025

Lindsay O'Brien

AI-Enabled Head of Global Marketing & Ops | Demand x Product x Content

Big career moments don’t happen in a vacuum. They happen because of the people who support you behind the scenes. I'm on my way to Chili Piper’s first ever GTM leaders summit, ChiliPalooza. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be in the room with some of the best minds in the industry. But just as much as I’m grateful for the invite, I’m grateful for the people making it possible for me to actually attend: ➡️ My husband, Stephen, who is holding down the fort tonight until he leaves tomorrow morning for his own work travel. ➡ Our nanny, who has been with us since the deep pandemic days of 2020 and keeps my kids' days running smoothly (and is even starting at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow to help us out). ➡ My in-laws, who are stepping in for an overnight stay. It truly takes a village. And I know not everyone has the kind of support system that allows them to say “yes” to these opportunities. I don’t take that for granted. This is just a moment to recognize that behind every milestone, there’s often an entire network of people helping to make it happen. Who’s in your corner? Who helps make your career possible behind the scenes? Let’s take a moment to appreciate them today.

Mar 3, 2025

Lindsay O'Brien

AI-Enabled Head of Global Marketing & Ops | Demand x Product x Content

Is anyone else tired of performative "thought leadership?" 🙋‍♀️ Lately, I’ve found way more value in one-on-one conversations and small group discussions—the kind where people actually listen, share real experiences, and challenge ideas. These exchanges feel far more impactful than the usual content from self-proclaimed thought leaders. That’s why I’m excited for ChiliPalooza next week—not just because of who will be there but because of how it’s structured. Instead of sitting in a room watching slides, we’ll be having small-group discussions, open dialogues, and actual relationship-building. 🚫 The best ideas don’t happen when everyone is glued to a screen. And they don’t come from the loudest voices. ✅ They happen when people feel comfortable enough to ask tough questions, challenge each other, and think out loud. It’s not often you get to step away from the day-to-day grind and just focus on learning and connecting with others. To say I’m looking forward to it would be an understatement. What’s one topic you’d love to dig into with a room full of GTM leaders?

Feb 26, 2025

Lindsay O'Brien

AI-Enabled Head of Global Marketing & Ops | Demand x Product x Content

Maybe it’s because tomorrow is International Women’s Day. Maybe it’s because I met so many amazing moms at ChiliPalooza this week. But you know what I do know? It's event season. Traveling for work is stressful. Traveling as a mom with small kids? Even more stressful. And if you’re breastfeeding? That’s a whole new level. I’ve been there—juggling work travel while pumping, trying to stay professional while managing a million logistics no one sees. It’s overwhelming. But a few small things made all the difference for me: ✅ A work bag with a hidden pumping compartment – Looks sleek, but secretly holds everything you need. (Search “breast pump bag with laptop sleeve.” I got mine for less than $50.) ✅ A compact freezable bag that fits inside your bag – Keeps milk stored discreetly without drawing attention. (I love the PackIt brand. You can get one for $25 or less.) ✅ Ask the hotel if they have a freezer you can use. They often do! (If they don’t, your best bet is unfortunately filling up the ice bin and keeping your bags as cold as possible for as long as possible.) ✅ Ask the event if they have a dedicated pumping room. If they don’t, request one—it’s a reasonable ask, and you deserve better than a bathroom stall. These small things eased so much of my stress when traveling, and I hope they help another working mom out there. If you know a mom who’s navigating this, tag or DM her. Let’s lift each other up—because being a mom and a business leader is hard, but we don’t have to do it alone. 💛

Mar 7, 2025

Daniel J. Murphy

Exit Five (#1 community for B2B marketers). Drive 2025 is Sept 10th & 11th in BTV.

Fun morning in Scottsdale getting a workout in + brunch together afterwards. Thanks for showing up. When you organize anything, that's what you really appreciate afterwards. Love being part of this community. P.S. That workout was harder than I think we all expected but... was definitely worth it for the lemon ricotta pancakes. See you at Chilipalooza. Kyle Lacy, Vin Matano 🐝, Andrea Montgomery, Pete Vomocil 📸, Alex Olley, Tyler Cook, Drew Giovannoli 🐙, Sarah Skidd, Brianna Doe, Madhav Bhandari, Ben Smith 💜, Tyler Zeman, Jeremy Boissinot, Benjamin Douablin, Morgan J Ingram, Jordan Crawford.

Mar 3, 2025

Daniel J. Murphy

Exit Five (#1 community for B2B marketers). Drive 2025 is Sept 10th & 11th in BTV.

B2B marketing. Arizona. And no boring keynotes. I'm excited to be moderating at the first ever ChiliPalooza here in Arizona, March 3rd-5th. Got to love what Chili Piper is doing. They are putting on a small, niche event (150 people, application only) to get the right GTM leaders in the room to connect and learn together. Even cooler, they actually booked the conference at a wellness retreat (one of the nicest in Arizona and that's saying a lot). Picture this: sitting around a table working on your biggest business problems with peers who can help, then spending the rest of your day getting to know them better while hiking in the desert, doing yoga, or unwinding at the spa. Connections made like this scale way beyond a two day conference. And that's the point 👊 I’ll be joining a great lineup of moderators and attendees for an event that redefines professional gatherings for GTM executives. You can see who else is attending with the link below. If this sounds like your kind of experience, you can apply to join the waitlist here: lnkd.in/gY9ANdcW.

Jan 24, 2025

Amber Artrip

VP of Marketing at EnergyCAP | Climate Tech, Driving Growth

Proof that the world is seriously so small. I'm here this week at Chili Piper's marketing leader retreat and started chatting with the lovely Kate Gerwe. We quickly realize that we worked at the same great company 10 years apart! Kate joined Lucid in its early days back in 2008 when Gavin Platt Michael Murray and Vladi Shunturov were fresh out of college building what would soon become a great company! Fast forward 10 years I joined Lucid 2018 and stayed through the acquisition by Acuity as it became a part of Atrius around 2020. Fast forward another 5 years and Kate and I are in Arizona together at a marketing conference. It's such a small and wonderful world. I've always treasured my time at Lucid and the lifelong friendships I built there. I love that Lucid is still bringing people together after all these years 💚

Mar 4, 2025

Andy Markle

Chief Revenue Officer and Evangelist at Empowered

So excited to be joining my friends from Storylane and Chili Piper for Chilipalooza. Excited to see how other GTM leaders operate in the software space and how I can get better as a leader. If you’re going to be there, too, drop me a line and let’s find time to connect! I know Kyle Lacy will be there!

Feb 19, 2025

Beth Yehaskel

Helping modernize & optimize GTM Systems

Having an amazing time connecting with an incredible group of successful Marketers & GTM leaders at Chili Piper's Chilipalooza conference at Civana in Arizona! Learning a ton about trends in Marketing including AI, Communities & Branding, and having great conversations - love a small conference focused on the people. And a special shoutout to my Wednesday Women co-conspirators, Audrey Harze ✨MJ Patent Diana Illiano!! #chilipalooza #gtm

Mar 4, 2025

Claudia Ring

Foundational AI | Growth Marketing Leader

is "mom hands" a thing? on the plane for chilipalooza and I don't know what to do with my hands because I'm not wrangling a child or trying to keep her from falling down or smashing her face onto something. my brain doesn't know what to do with this hand freedom. see you in carefree, arizona, fellow paloozers 🧘‍♂️🌵🌵

Mar 3, 2025

Claudia Ring

Foundational AI | Growth Marketing Leader

5 wonderful and unexpected things that happened at chilipalooza 1. queso bar. the only bummer was JUST missing the second helping i desperately wanted to bring back to my room to eat like a late night rat. 2. meeting some of the coolest people i've ever met at a conference, bar none. but especially the first evening ladies who saved me from being a solo queso rat Lindsay O'Brien 💜 Korina Edwards 💜 Mandy Schnirel 💜 3. AI recs that people are ACTUALLY USING in their daily workflows. tools and processes. failures and successes. more to come here. 4. quiet and solitude for the first time in nearly a year. i spent some real time recharging and relaxing, got an hour long massage and got 8 straight hours of sleep last night. i feel.... like new. 5. remembering why i loved marketing at the start of my career and feeling the nagging prickles of inspiration and growth. most of us are doing our best and are trying to navigate parenthood, careers, and AI possibly taking over the fun parts of our job. but meeting other people doing the same, balancing it the best way they can and kicking around ideas for 2 days was incredible. my brain feels washed and hung to dry in the best possible way. thanks for this incredible event Chili Piper and Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈. can't wait to start a new role on monday riding the high of these vibes and take notes, event world! this is how you do it 🧡

Mar 5, 2025

Chris Wirt

VP of Sales - Americas

Awesome time at #chilipalooza connecting with the who’s who of GTM leaders in B2B SaaS! New friends, and tons of knowledge to take back to my team. Thank you to Chili Piper and Hamish Stephenson 🦘 for the invite!!!

Mar 5, 2025

Shawnie Hamer

Sr. Director, Brand & Content Marketing

We have some great events coming up in the next few weeks: 1️⃣ Feb. 13th at 9:30 AM PT - Day 3 of the #AILedGrowthSummit hosted by Hard Skill Exchange Jay McBain will be leading the panel on AI Partner-Led Growth alongside: 👉 Meagen E. – CMO, Board Member, Samsara 👉 Blake Williams – CEO & Co-Founder, Demandi.co 👉 Dina Habib OMara – Global Marketing Director, Intel Corporation, Ex- Microsoft and 👉 Bob Moore – our fearless leader at Crossbeam . . . 2️⃣ Feb. 18th at 9 AM PT / 6 PM CET - The State of Partner Sales report launch We've teamed up with HubSpot and Partnership Leaders to dive into the strategies from the recent report with the leaders who made them happen. Leaders like: 👉 Alexis Bonavota, Sr. Partner Success Manager (G2) 👉 Jon Maly, VP of New Business Sales (G2) 👉 Alexis Petrichos, Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Marketing (Chili Piper) and 👉 Ashi Aber, Head of Technology Partnerships (Gong) . . . 3️⃣ March 3rd-5th - #ChiliPalooza by Chili Piper Our team is heading to the Sonoran Desert for an invite-only gathering alongside industry leaders like Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️, Alex Olley, Kathleen Booth, Roxana Irimia, Rob Moyer, and many more! . . . I'll drop links below! We hope to see you there 💙 -------- P.S. Be sure to subscribe to ELG Insider at crossbeam[dot]com/newsletter to stay up-to-date on all the upcoming events in the community!

Feb 12, 2025

Vin Matano 🐝

Building a B2B Influencer Marketing agency in public.

I just spent the last 3 days in the desert with Chili Piper. And it completely changed my perspective on conferences. Everybody I spoke to shared the same thought. B2B conferences are broken. There is a quiet but increasing shift to move away from traditional large events in stuffy conference halls, And to smaller, intimate events centered around experiences. There were 150 Marketers in the desert at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa We had group discussions, went on hikes, and networking in the cold plunge. Such a unique experience and can't wait to attend more events like this! Shout out to Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 for planning an unforgettable event and for being an even better human! And of course, recap video coming VERY soon 👀

Mar 6, 2025

Vin Matano 🐝

Building a B2B Influencer Marketing agency in public.

I’ve been to over 30 different conferences. But none compare to this... What if I told you the best conference I ever attended had no speakers, no booths, and was hosted at luxury a wellness spa in the middle of the desert? With sound healing, yoga, and spa treatments. I know, I was skeptical too. But the truth is, B2B conferences are broken. We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to sit in a conference hall and get pitch slapped by every speaker. But Chili Piper wants to change that. Instead of speakers or panels, the day kicked off with personalized discussions based on your experience and interests. Instead of being in a stuffy conference hall, we had our discussions out side near the pool and fire pits. And instead of conferences going wayyy too long, We ended the discussions after 3 hours and headed to 3.5 mile hike. And I finally got to meet Kyle Lacy and Kevin "KD" Dorsey in person! The future of business events isn't about cramming more content into our already overloaded brains. It's about creating space for genuine human connection and personal growth. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to slow down. BIG shout out to Alina Vandenberghe, Chelsea Lassen, and the rest of the team for putting together the first ever Chilipalooza. Same time next year? 😉 Oh, and I’m curious, do you think this trend will catch on to the rest of the B2B conferences?

Mar 11, 2025

Taylor Wilson

Rent a marketing team | Founder & CEO of Creative Shizzle

You can’t grow in a vacuum. You can read all the books, watch all the webinars, and sit behind your screen all day… But real growth? That happens out here. In the conversations. In the unexpected insights. In the moments where you put the phone down, step away from the inbox, and fully engage. Today, I stepped away from the noise. I showed up in person. I listened, I learned, I connected. I absorbed insights from companies who are further along. I sparked new connections that could last far beyond today. And it's scary; it's intimidating showing up to a conference where you feel like you don't know anybody, or "maybe they'll all be smarter than you.." You know that feeling? But I keep learning...There's a whole new level of growth that happens when you make the choice to be present and to walk into the unknown or uncomfortable. The to-do lists, the inbox—they’ll still be there tomorrow. Today? I chose this place in the desert with the Chili Piper team. What are you choosing for yourself today or this week?

Mar 4, 2025

Taylor Wilson

Rent a marketing team | Founder & CEO of Creative Shizzle

Want to know how to throw a good event pre-party? Follow Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 bc she has got event planning GAME and the event hasn't even started yet. Now what did she do....? Invited all the attendees to Chilipalooza into a WhatsApp channel so we can connect ahead of the event and coordinate rideshares. So simple and so brilliant! Little things like this make a huge impact on the experience and building community. Bravo. Can't wait to see ya and the Chili Piper team!

Mar 2, 2025

Madeleine Work

Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Chili Piper 🌶️

Events then: -15-minute networking break between 𝗌̶𝖺̶𝗅̶𝖾̶𝗌̶ ̶𝗉̶𝗂̶𝗍̶𝖼̶𝗁̶𝖾̶𝗌̶ speaking sessions -"How to achieve sales-marketing alignment and cross-departmental synergies" -No windows -Inside all day -Sales pitches disguised as thought leadership keynotes -"Yay, I got another branded notebook and pen, love it" Events now: -The entire event is the networking session -Roundtable discussions -Meaningful conversations with smart people -No booths, no sales pitches, just vibes -Leave the conference excited to implement everything you learned That's why I'm so bummed that I'm not going to be able to go to Chili Piper's Chilipalooza — it's literally all those things. (unless Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ and Nicolas Vandenberghe let me expense round-trip tickets from Taiwan for the 3-day conference, then I can go. Plz plz 🙏) Plus it's in Arizona. WARM, sunny Arizona. And idk about the January you had, but it's been about 433 days too long. Comment "chilipalooza" and I'll DM you if you're eligible for a discount code 🧡

Jan 29, 2025

Vinicius Wazlawik

The secret spice of Revenue Teams | SDR @Chili Piper 🌶️

Happy to share we’re hosting our first-ever executive event on March 3rd to recharge and learn. It’s happening in the desert, at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa and will bring together executives from mid-market and enterprise companies to master GTM strategies. It’s an event for learning, growth, and collaboration. No speakers, no pitches and no booths In round table discussions we will be covering: → AI agents and how they’re reshaping business → The rise of B2B influencers → Scaling ABM to drive results → Practical attribution strategies → Clever messaging, and more. Link with full agenda in the comments! See you there? PS. Comment "chilipalooza" and I'll DM you if you're eligible for a discount code 🌶️

Jan 30, 2025

Aaron Wallace 🌶️

Went from teachin class 🤓 to slingin Saas 😎|AE @ Chili Piper|Stay Spicy 🌶

Soooooooo Chili Piper I'ma need an invite to the next #ChiliPalooza. Please and thanks. Signed - Someone who is getting sad they missed out after seeing all these posts.

Mar 7, 2025

Aaron Wallace 🌶️

Went from teachin class 🤓 to slingin Saas 😎|AE @ Chili Piper|Stay Spicy 🌶

Anyone who knows Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ knows that she thrives off of building connections. If she is attending a big event you pretty much bank on the fact that she will be hosting a dinner with 20-30 people focused on great conversations...and food of course. I got to experience this first hand when I went to the 6Sense conference last year and had a blast. Because of this she decided to throw together ChiliPalooza. Chili Piper along with 10ish other companies will be hosting 3 days at a spa resort in Arizona March 3-5th. No booths, no pitches, no sales reps....if you were hoping to see me there sorry bout ya(sad day). What there will be is great conversations with other leaders in the industry, great food, fun andddd of course a spa. If you're a sales, marketing, or ops leader interested in going, hit me up. I may even be able to hook you up with a discount code 😉.

Jan 30, 2025

Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️

Co-founder & co-CEO @Chili Piper 🔥 Here I talk about lessons I learned to jumpstart my career from intern to SVP. And to grow a company from 0 to almost $1Bn

Going to my own conference in the desert be like

Mar 2, 2025

André Schatz

Product @ Chili Piper 🌶 | B2B SaaS

Had a blast with this amazing research team at the #ChiliPalooza event at the Civana Resort in Arizona. Had to skip Carnival in Brazil for this one but got to say I had a lot of fun with Taylor Jennings, Mauricio Villamayor and my fellow Pipers, among all the long hours of hard work we put into making our research sessions happen. Glad to have met so many people and learn so much from them. Excited for what's to come 👀 (but first I hope AI can help me summarize hours of recorded calls)

Mar 6, 2025

Alexis Petrichos

Sr. Director, Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️

The Anatomy of an Event. ChiliPalooza is over and many people asked me how we decided to run an annual Chili Piper event. Time to share how we did it. For years we've been contemplating doing it, but never clearly took steps towards it. That changed last January when we first hired an event agency to execute a venue search for us. Among all the venue suggestions CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa just stood out. We were looking for a desert vibe which plays well with our branding and could also allow for outdoor and mindfulness activities, and that could host around 150 people. What we didn't know back then was the level of unbelievable support we received from the venue, but this would take a whole other post to analyse. So Civana it is. We put the signature on the big event pre-order last June. It's happening. First step. Sponsors. We shouldn't take the full cost ourselves, but also want our best partners featured there. But we didn't want to offer weird sponsored keynotes or boring booths that would kill the event vibes, what do we do? We designed sponsorships packs that are focused on initiatives that create feelings. The opening ceremony sponsor, Gong. The spa sponsor, LeadIQ. The activity sponsor, Storylane. The party sponsor, Reachdesk. And another 10 supporting tier sponsors: 6sense, G2, Crossbeam, Carabiner Group, a part of SBI Growth, Exclaimer, TrustRadius, Upside Technology, Knak, UserGems 💎 & Orum 🥇. We signed 14 sponsors and made around $150,000 in sponsorship revenue. Not bad for our first annual event ever. Then content, what do we do? By attending tons and tons of events we understood that most people go to events for the time in between keynotes and boring presentations. So all our content was delivered in an informal format. 45 roundtable sessions with incredible moderators and people just couldn't stop talking, sharing thoughts and exchanging ideas. Ok we got sponsors, we got content planned, time to bring in people. Daniel & Chelsea built the most thorough and targeted invitation strategy I could ever hope for and they brought together the smartest of the operators that exist out there. The result? An event that surprised even us organisers with how impactful it has been to our attendees, sponsors and ourselves. Huge thanks to all the people that contributed to this. Tech can be boring at times, but people never are. Focus on them. See you next year, #chilipalooza !

Mar 7, 2025

Alexis Petrichos

Sr. Director, Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️

My favourite upcoming thing for 2025. BY FAR. We're planning our first ever annual event - ChiliPalooza by Chili Piper. We're bringing together our incredible customers, partners and industry folks we admire for 3 days of bliss in the middle of the Sonoran desert in Arizona. We'll be sharing experience, building collective knowledge and innovating together, but we'll also HAVE FUN! We're bringing in famous DJs and musicians from all over the world and we've planned wonderful activities including but not limited to desert hiking, rappelling, tennis, yoga, sound healing classes etc. Even though it's our first annual event EVER I'm so proud to announce we have all these incredible companies who have joined us as sponsors - and a few more that are about to join in. Gong, Reachdesk & Storylane as our premium sponsors. 6sense, G2, TrustRadius, Exclaimer, Crossbeam, Knak & Upside Technology as our supporting sponsors. If you want to take a peak at some of the attendees who have already registered, check the event landing page in the comments section. Oh and so I don't forget, we do have ONE LAST SLOT for a sponsor, so if your company is selling towards a similar ICP to ours, dm me. Hopefully the first sentence of this post makes more sense now.

Dec 4, 2024

🌶 Jason Peck

| 📈Account Manager at Chili Piper | 💫Top 25 SDRs to Follow 2022 | 🤓 Food Scientist turned AM | 🌶️Light some fire under your SaaS

Excited to share about the first-ever #Chilipalooza! Had the honor of being part of Chili Piper's inaugural conference, a unique event that prioritized human connections over business discussions. All the way from the pickleball courts to the spa, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement and everyone left feeling re-energized. A big shoutout to the Chili Piper team - looking forward to next year!

Mar 7, 2025

Andrew Pease

Head of RevOps Solutions at Chili Piper🌶️

I told the team this is the first work event I’ve left with the “Monday blues”. It feels like leaving a long weekend with your close friends. So many stories to recap and new friends made. What made 🌶️ #ChiliPalooza so special? The people and the conversations (okay the location and DJs didn’t hurt either) We have so many notes of learnings from our sessions that I am excited to share, but my overall learning was this: People want to learn from other people. They want to understand new ways of thinking. They want to validate that they are moving in the right direction. They want to confirm that the struggles they are facing are real. They want to understand new workflows. They want to celebrate other people’s successes. They want to learn from other people’s failures. They want to share their own failures to help their friends not make the same mistakes. They want to swap stories, laugh, and dance until 1am. Shoutout Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 Daniel Cmejla Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ Alexis Petrichos for making it happen.

Mar 7, 2025

Andrew Pease

Head of RevOps Solutions at Chili Piper🌶️

What if a b2b event felt more like a weekend with friends? Or a spa retreat with live music? even better! Chili Piper is hosting ChiliPalooza in the Sonoran Desert at a wellness resort - anyone want to join? There are no booths, no pitches, no boring keynotes — just community-building, cross-departmental collaboration, and roundtable discussions based on topics you choose. After the roundtables, we’ll all get the chance to get outside with breakout activities - live DJs, spa treatments, hiking - you name it. This event is invite only, and I may or may not have some sweet sweet promo codes for the right people. DM/comment with interest - only a few spots left!

Feb 6, 2025

Dale O'Shea

Senior AE @ Chili Piper 🌶

A Game-Changing Event for GTM Leaders: ChiliPalooza 2025 🚀 Excited to share something special happening this March: ChiliPalooza, an exclusive gathering that's reimagining how GTM leaders connect and learn. 📍 Where: Scottsdale, AZ 📅 When: March 3-5, 2025 👥 Who: Director+ GTM Leaders from Mid-Market & Enterprise companies This isn't your typical conference. Here's why: - No exhibition booths - No traditional keynotes - 100% focused on meaningful connections and collaborative experiences Hosted at a luxury wellness resort, ChiliPalooza brings together top minds from: • Gong • 6sense • G2 • Reachdesk • Storylane • LeadIQ ... and more innovative companies What's included: ✓ All-inclusive lodging ✓ Curated meals ✓ Immersive breakout sessions ✓ Unique networking experiences Bonus: I've got a couple of free tickets to give away! Interested in joining this transformative event? Comment below, tag a colleague who would be perfect for this, or send me a direct message. #GTMLeadership #Networking #ProfessionalDevelopment #ChiliPalooza2025

Feb 7, 2025

Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈

Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | Social-first marketing leader working on customer, partner, field & experiential marketing | From craft beer 🍺 to outdoor gear ⛺️ to public safety 🚒 to SaaS 👩🏻‍💻

If you know my story, you’ve heard me mention that I’ve often been the first marketing hire with no clear path forward and reporting into a non-marketer. So I spent most of my career seeking out amazing marketing minds to learn from. I frequently leaned on CXL, MKT1, and Exit Five to help me figure out how to do my job and admired all of the people involved from afar. But in 31 days, ChiliPalooza by Chili Piper will be here and it will put me in the same room as: - Peep Laja (who founded CXL) - Emily Kramer (MKT1) - Daniel J. Murphy (Exit Five) (and so many more amazing humans, too many to tag) All week I have been fan-girling out and literally too excited to sleep at the prospect of just getting to breathe the same oxygen as these humans who I have looked up to so much for years. I say this a lot lately, but how is this real life?!? *we have a fewwwwww spots left for execs who want to attend, DM me if you want to apply to go*

Jan 31, 2025

Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈

Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | Social-first marketing leader working on customer, partner, field & experiential marketing | From craft beer 🍺 to outdoor gear ⛺️ to public safety 🚒 to SaaS 👩🏻‍💻

That was fun. I’m exhausted. I once again did an absolutely terrible job of taking photos. Full thoughts to come after I’ve decompressed from all of this but I think it’s safe to say that we crushed it. #ChiliPalooza Chili Piper

Mar 5, 2025

Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈

Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | Social-first marketing leader working on customer, partner, field & experiential marketing | From craft beer 🍺 to outdoor gear ⛺️ to public safety 🚒 to SaaS 👩🏻‍💻

Slept through my 3:35am and 4am alarms, woke with a jolt at 4:08am with my alarm was still going off, survived a few other minor catastrophes, and just barely made it to the airport. But now I’m just one flight away from ChiliPalooza by Chili Piper. It’s happening!! 🌶️🌵

Mar 2, 2025

Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈

Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | Social-first marketing leader working on customer, partner, field & experiential marketing | From craft beer 🍺 to outdoor gear ⛺️ to public safety 🚒 to SaaS 👩🏻‍💻

I know I know I know, it’s a selfie and we hate those here 👀 My first work trip of the year is now and I’m having a ‘pinch me’ moment. I’m headed to a luxury resort in Arizona to scope it out for ChiliPalooza in March, an executive B2B marketing & wellness retreat in the Sonoran desert. And it’s going to be moderated by smart marketing leaders I’ve looked up to for years, people I never thought I’d get to cross paths with. How is this real life?!?

Jan 13, 2025

Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈

Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | Social-first marketing leader working on customer, partner, field & experiential marketing | From craft beer 🍺 to outdoor gear ⛺️ to public safety 🚒 to SaaS 👩🏻‍💻

Picture watching this sunset after a day of breakout discussions and breakout activities (spa, hiking, etc) with all your favorite B2B marketing & revenue executives: Before going to Exit Five’s Drive conference last fall, I’d never met anyone from this B2B world in person. Those post-conference interactions - the dinners and walks and happy hours with the other attendees - changed my life forever. So many of the faces and names I associated with LinkedIn profiles became real-life mentors and friends. I’m halfway through my site visit for the ChiliPalooza venue, prepping the logistics and finalizing all the details — but this place is incredible and I can’t wait to see how this event fosters connections for people. 🔗 below if you want details.

Jan 14, 2025

Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈

Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | Social-first marketing leader working on customer, partner, field & experiential marketing | From craft beer 🍺 to outdoor gear ⛺️ to public safety 🚒 to SaaS 👩🏻‍💻

I pretended to be an influencer all over CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa (ty to their event team for humoring me) so I could make a ‘come with me to prepare for an executive B2B wellness retreat’ vlog … Did I do it right? Are you all influenced now? PS if you’re a marketing or rev ops executive at a mid-market/enterprise company and you want a ticket to ChiliPalooza this March … 🔗 below ⬇️ Edit: no laptops were harmed in the making of this video. 👀

Jan 15, 2025

Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈

Marketing @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | Social-first marketing leader working on customer, partner, field & experiential marketing | From craft beer 🍺 to outdoor gear ⛺️ to public safety 🚒 to SaaS 👩🏻‍💻

Traveling home from ChiliPalooza today. Yesterday after the conference wrapped, I relaxed at the spa and talked B2B marketing in the hot tub and sauna with the handful of #ChiliPalooza attendees who hasn’t departed yet. It was such a funny scenario but also really great conversation. The venue staff at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa hooked me up with vegan pastries and quinoa cookies for my travel day today, and gave me a humidifier for room all week to help me recover from a bad cold. Last night we had a small team dinner with the remaining crew - we had people from France, Romania, Brazil, and the U.S. The global aspect of the Chili Piper culture is one of the best parts of being a piper. Allison Saxon and I had a 5:49am FaceTime debrief at the airport this morning to share stories from ChiliPalooza and her first event with Exit Five (which I heard was also a smashing success). Still exhausted and decompressing. It’s been such a great few days.

Mar 6, 2025

Taylor Jennings

lead researcher @ Chili Piper 🌶️ | UX research expert

I haven't done in-person research in over 5 years. What better way to jump back in than with 1 week's notice to join 150+ senior leaders in the desert 😅 #Chilipalooza was special for so many reasons: 🌶️ André Schatz, Mauricio Villamayor, and I had phenomenal conversations with 20+ people on the direction of our products. 🌶️ Intimate, timely, and purposeful small group discussions where people could connect on real problems and help each other find solutions. 🌶️ The location - attendees were able to nourish their minds and bodies at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa. The scenery and food were top-notch. 🌶️ The vibes - seriously! Everyone was incredibly welcoming, thoughtful, engaging, curious, brilliant, and willing to answer just about any question I had. I'm still processing everything I learned, but one thing is for sure: AI will enable us all to do more and better work, but it will NEVER replace the feeling of genuine human connection. I feel more confident in that than ever before. Thank you Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈, for organizing such a phenomenal event; Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ and Nicolas Vandenberghe for building such a special organization; and all of the attendees for teaching this researcher about marketing, AI, and so much more. Same time next year? 🤪

Mar 7, 2025

John Barbieri

Director of Mid-Market Sales at Chili Piper 🌶️

Some of the most common questions I get at Chili Piper are about benchmarks. Everyone wants to know where they stand and how they can do better. After analyzing 4 million form submissions, here’s what we found: → 42% of inbound leads never get a meeting → The average conversion rate? 30% → Slow follow-ups are still killing pipeline (it's 2025 people, com'mon) TLDR most companies are leaving revenue on the table without even realizing it. If you want the full data + some tips, read the report here:

Feb 19, 2025

John Barbieri

Director of Mid-Market Sales at Chili Piper 🌶️

Y'all might have heard about ChiliPalooza by now... For those who haven't, it's Chili Piper's upcoming conference in Scottsdale from March 3rd through 5th. And it turns out I've just gotten my hands on a couple of free tickets to give away 🙃 so keep reading... The event is exclusively for GTM leaders (Director+) at Mid-Market or Enterprise companies. It'll be a lot different model than most GTM Leadership events: no booths, no keynotes 100% focus on breakout groups, networking, and experiences. Oh and it's at an all-inclusive luxury wellness resort. We'll be joined by partners from Gong, 6sense, G2, Reachdesk, Storylane, LeadIQ and more. All food, lodging, experiences, and of course the breakout sessions, are included the ticket. It's going to rock. Want to join? Drop a comment, tag a friend, or shoot me a DM if you're interested. More info below too. See you there!

Feb 5, 2025

Lucia Avraamides

Account Manager at Chili Piper 🌶️

#chilipalooza was such an inspiring event and I’m so grateful I was able to be a part of it! Thank you to Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈, Alexis Petrichos, Daniel Cmejla, and of course, Nicolas Vandenberghe and Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ for throwing this unique and energizing meeting of the minds! As an IC, I gained valuable insight into my customers’ priorities and the future of AI in our industry—plus, I got to meet some of them in person! And being a fully remote company, I always relish the in-person time with my team. I’m always blown away by the people I work with…it’s an honor. And I’m sappy about it and miss them already 😭 Here’s to hoping I get to attend all of the Chilipaloozas! Thank you Chili Piper!

Mar 7, 2025

Leslie Greenwood

Community Strategist, Co-Founder of Wednesday Women, Chief Evangelist, Startup Advisor, Ex-Stay-At-Home Mom

This is no lie!! I’d pay lots of money to hang out with Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ and Kevin "KD" Dorsey for a weekend. YOU can do this at ChiliPalooza. No booths. No boring keynotes. No awkward expo halls. Just real authentic community building. 🔥 The smartest minds in GTM, AI, and PLG 🎤 Candid roundtables (not sales pitches) 🍷 And a wine list curated by my 💜best friend Alina 💜 (she may not know this, I mean being besties and maybe the wine list but details, details…)🤣 It’s all happening March 3-5 at a stunning resort in Arizona. Through the partnership between Wednesday Women and Chili Piper, I may have a way for you to participate. Want the inside scoop? Drop a 🍷 in the comments or DM me. #ChiliPalooza #SaaS #GTM #Networking #PLG #Community

Feb 5, 2025

☁️ Cliff Simon

RevOps-as-a-Service ® | We Make RevOps Easy!℠ | GTM & RevOps Leader | Advisor

With all the buzz around about AI, what will be the real differeniation in market? The way you show up in person. Thank you to the Chili Piper team for creating a first of its kind event. No boring keynotes. But rather deep human connections. When you can bond over parenting, taxing travel schedules, and other stresses in life, the world suddenly doesn’t feel quite so difficult. It was a pleasure to see old friends in the flesh for the first time MJ Patent, Ben Smith 💜 Catching up with some awesome guests for 5 episodes of our new podcast, The Climb. Kevin "KD" Dorsey, Trinity Nguyen💎, James McArthur 👋 , Morgan J Ingram , and Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ Deep convos with Kate VanLue 🌱 Allison Munro Katie Lambert Daniel Cmejla Alex Olley Alexis Rivera Scott Joe Venuti Palmer Houchins Rob Moyer Matt Schroyer Thanks to Alexis Petrichos Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 Anthony Kapitanski Nicolas Vandenberghe Katie Ray, MBA for an amazing event.

Mar 14, 2025

☁️ Cliff Simon

RevOps-as-a-Service ® | We Make RevOps Easy!℠ | GTM & RevOps Leader | Advisor

Next week, a bunch of SaaS leaders are going to the desert. The world is different than it was 6 -18 months ago. We need to keep learning from each other. That's why we're excited to be sponsoring an event where everyone attending is an expert, and everyone attending is a speaker. No booths, no keynotes, just actionable ways to address real problems we are all facing. I'm excited to hear great tactics from Kevin "KD" Dorsey, Trinity Nguyen💎, Morgan J Ingram, & Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️. Thanks to the Chili Piper team for organizing.

Feb 28, 2025

Drew Giovannoli 🐙

Owner of Buried Wins, a win-loss and competitive intelligence agency

I spent $3K to fly out to an anti-conference—no booths, no speakers, just real conversations. 100% worth it. Chili Piper, Pickleball & the Arizona desert gave me what LinkedIn couldn’t—real relationships. 🏡 When you work from home, your neighbors don’t even know what B2B stands for. LinkedIn fills the gap—it’s better than nothing. It’s great for reach, but it will never match a real human-to-human relationship. So what’s real? It’s getting past transactional. It’s enjoying time together and learning from people with no strings attached. 🎬 Talked Severance & B2B influencer marketing with Brianna Doe. 🏓 Played pickleball with James McArthur 👋 , Sarah Sehgal, and Morgan J Ingram 🔥 Got wildly motivated to grow through paid acquisition on Linkedin by Garrett Mehrguth & Evan Fehler 🍵 Learned about great NYC tea spots from Natalie Marcotullio & parent getaways in Nashville from Sam Yarborough. 🪵 Laughed around a fire with Kyle Lacy, Robin Daniels, and Jordan Crawford. 💪 Worked out with Tyler Cook at F45 🏋 Espoused bootstrapped ethos with Guy Yalif and Colin Specter🥇 👶 Spoke about parenthood with Madhav Bhandari, Audrey Harze ✨, Mandy Schnirel 🤷‍♂️ Will these people become customers, partners, or hires? Maybe. Maybe not. But I weirdly feel confident that the answer is yes. Because I want to buy from friends. I want to recommend software and agencies that taught me something. Not because they pitched incredibly well, but because we built real relationships. 🚖 Where I don’t need more relationships? In the backseat of an Uber, making small talk while the driver is distracted on their phone. Check out my driverless experience leaving the Arizona airport!

Mar 6, 2025

Drew Giovannoli 🐙

Owner of Buried Wins, a win-loss and competitive intelligence agency

In 2025, I'm investing my boostrapped dollars on building real connections. Planning to attend Chili Piper’s Chilipalooza, Wynter’s Spryng, and hopefully Drive by Exit Five (if the family calendar allows!). Will you be at any of these? Let’s connect beforehand and help each other make the most of the event! I want to know who the A+/dream link-up is so that when I meet them I can say - "WAIT - have you met Talya Heller G. 💡?" "Do you know Natalie Marcotullio" Let me take you to her now.

Jan 21, 2025

Wojciech Czajkowski

⚛️ bards.ai | Helping SaaS’es build AI |Techstars Alumni ✅ | 🎯Growth & GTM advisor

At Chili Piper, they do things differently - we do the same at bards.ai 💫 . This event hosted by Chili Piper is no exception 🚀 🌵 🌄 Instead of hearing some speaker whose knowledge you could find online, they’ve assembled a format where people interact, relax, and get real-time feedback from other experts. There are no booths and no repeated keynotes - just community building, collaboration, and discussions based on actual topics in the tech world. I'm genuinely excited to connect with such an incredible group of people. Big thanks to everyone at Chili Piper and all the sponsors who are making this happen. Looking forward to a great experience! Thank you, Daniel Cmejla, Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈, Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ ... and others involved 🫡

Mar 2, 2025

Wojciech Czajkowski

⚛️ bards.ai | Helping SaaS’es build AI |Techstars Alumni ✅ | 🎯Growth & GTM advisor

I’m at Chilipalooza, the event which is gathering of some of the sharpest minds in GTM. The conversations here are 🔥 no fluff, just real insights from people who actually do the work. We’re diving deep into AI products, AI development, demand gen execution, revenue growth, sales and what’s really moving the needle in B2B today. Excited to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and walk away with a game-changing perspective🙌🏻 #chilipalooza #gtm #demandgen #ai

Mar 4, 2025

Wojciech Czajkowski

⚛️ bards.ai | Helping SaaS’es build AI |Techstars Alumni ✅ | 🎯Growth & GTM advisor

Several people at #Chilipalooza asked me what it’s like to work for a smaller tech company. The truth? It can be tough. You wear multiple hats, juggle priorities, and sometimes feel like you’re doing the job of an entire department. But at the end of the day, it’s incredibly rewarding. We’re living in an era where small teams can achieve more than ever before. Speed, creativity, and adaptability matter more than headcount - and that’s what makes it exciting. Being Head of Growth in a smaller one is basically like having eight jobs and one salary🫶🏻😅🥲 You’re not just responsible for growth - you’re filling gaps across sales, marketing, and strategy every single day. Sound familiar?😀 SDR – because someone has to scout, research, and prospect BDR – because those discovery calls won’t happen by themselves AE – building relationships and delivering value Head of Sales – creating strategy, playbooks, and managing the CRM Marketing Specialist – actually making content, videos, and campaigns Head of Marketing – driving demand generation, events, and growth hacks CSO/CMO – setting goals, budgets, and talking to the board Partnerships Director – because no one wins alone Early stage companies don’t come with neatly defined job descriptions. You learn to wear multiple hats, move fast, and figure things out on the fly. It’s chaotic. It’s intense. And it’s what makes growth one of the most dynamic and underrated roles out there. Many small companies are now ahead of the big ones thanks to AI. We’re already seeing large enterprises trying to adapt - embracing agility, speed, and innovation to operate more like startups🫡

Mar 10, 2025

Wojciech Czajkowski

⚛️ bards.ai | Helping SaaS’es build AI |Techstars Alumni ✅ | 🎯Growth & GTM advisor

Is it worth flying more than 20 hours for a b2b event? Absolutely. #ChiliPalooza2025 was worth every hour in the air! 🔥 Being here in the desert has been a blast. GTM leaders, founders, and AI enthusiasts all in one place, exchanging ideas, challenging perspectives, and making real connections. I’ve spent the last few days diving deep into the AI development challenges SaaS companies face today. Providing AI development services at bards.ai gives me a front-row seat to the hype vs. reality. But beyond the discussions, what truly stood out? Face-to-face connections. In an era where everything is digital, nothing beats real conversations, unscripted moments, and relationships built over shared insights (and maybe some 🌶️ food 😁 ). I'll head back to Europe with fresh perspectives, new friends, and a stronger conviction: Showing up in person still makes all the difference. Ps. Don't forget to take SPF with you to Arizona 😅 🌄 To everyone I met—thank you 🚀 Xander Zonneveld, Matt Schroyer, Vin Matano 🐝, Robin Daniels, Hamish Stephenson 🦘, Zach Grove, David Walker, Lindsey Katalan, Nabeel Ahmed, Anthony Kapitanski, Rob Moyer, Jordan Crawford, Dolli Player, Nick V., Michael Petery, Lindsay Britt and others 🙌 Shout out to Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️, Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 Daniel Cmejla Alexis Petrichos, and the 🌶️ team for making this happen! #AI #GTM #Networking #ChiliPalooza #saas

Mar 6, 2025

Sydney Garsee

Head of Revenue Operations | Fitness & Nutrition Enthusiast | Girl Mom

Coming home from events usually comes with a high that fades after a day or two—but this one was different. ChiliPalooza wasn’t just a fun experience in the moment; it left a lasting impact on me that can only be attributed to the incredible humans that I feel wildly thankful to have crossed paths with. A huge THANK YOU to Chili Piper for curating something so special — every single detail was designed to create real human connection. Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈, you knocked it out of the park, my friend. Herman Melville said: “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” And that’s exactly what this event got right. It wasn’t just about networking—it was about connecting in a way that actually meant something. Lately, there’s so much talk about AI and how it’s changing the way we work, but events like this are a reminder that human connection has to be an integral part of the equation. AI can help us move faster and work smarter, but it should never replace the relationships that actually make business (and life) meaningful. I personally hope that more events start to take this approach—where it’s not just about packing a schedule with speakers and meetings, but about creating space for real conversations and relationships to form. My tank is full.

Mar 11, 2025

Anthony Kennada

brb

Saguaros, community, and marketing. Big thank you to the team at Chili Piper for a really exceptional experience in the desert this week. High quality of attendees. Incredible venue. Amazing focus on wellness (much appreciated). Events are a future proof marketing program in the Intelligence Age.

Mar 4, 2025

Morgan J Ingram

Turn LinkedIn into Pipeline | CEO @ AMP | SDR ➠ CEO

The event landscape is changing FAST. (My thoughts after 3 days at a desert spa) Big conferences are losing their magic. Small gatherings like the one I just went to in Arizona are taking over: ↳ No keynotes ↳ No speakers ↳ No pitches Just roundtable discussions and genuine connection. Going in I told myself no pitches just straight good vibes. ⇒ And it delivered beyond expectations. It was incredible to: ↳ Reconnect with Lori Richardson, Hamish Stephenson 🦘 , Kevin "KD" Dorsey ☁️ Cliff Simon 🔥 Tom Slocum Alex Olley ↳ Meet new faces like Sarah Sehgal, MJ Patent, Daniel J. Murphy Katie Lambert ↳ Share ideas with people I rarely get to see So... if you're a brand wondering if you should host a mini-event? The answer is YES. ➠ Today, companies that want real connections MUST do this. I made better friends here than I ever did at huge events. ↳ We had deeper conversations ↳ We shared better ideas. ↳ We had more fun. (Dan crushed me at pickleball but I still had fun.) Shoutout to: Daniel Cmejla for the invite Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 for making the event happen Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ and team for making it possible. ----- P.S. What was your favorite ChiliPalooza moment?

Mar 7, 2025

Elizabeth Niemczyk

GTM Executive | Connector | Advisor | Investor | Bakery Owner

What an incredible time in the desert. Innagural #ChiliPalooza, you were epic and filled with legends. The landscape of learning, selling, and partnerships is quickly evolving. How are you educating yourself? How are you meeting with your current customers? (hint: do it in the desert) 🌵 Less talk, more action. 🌵 Intimate and organic vs loud. 🌵 Vulnerable and honest vs know it all. 🌵 Give to get. Thank you again and again Chili Piper, Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈, Daniel Cmejla, and Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️. Excited for round ✌🏼. There’s a shift happening and I’m grateful to be a part of it. Special shoutout to Dot 🐶 for reppin’ the swag proudly.

Mar 10, 2025

Rachel Zerilla

B2B Product Marketing professional focusing on AI and data narratives

I'm coming home from representing 6sense at Chili Piper #Chilipalooza with so much appreciation for the amazing folks I met this week! From breakfast to AI workshops, it was an immersive experience that sparked conversation, validation, and friendships. Thank you Chelsea Lassen, MBA 🏳️‍🌈 and Alina Vandenberghe 🌶️ for an amazing few days! I walked away with so much more than expected and can't wait to stay in contact with everyone to see how the takeaways from the week are implemented ❤️ My main takeaway: we're all facing the same challenges, and solving them is easier (and a lot more fun) together!

Mar 5, 2025

Wall of love for ChiliPalooza