Holistic Leadership for Festival & Live Events Professionals
🎤 NEW COURSE: Festival Leadership Foundations  •  Founding Member: $297  •  Save $100  •  Launching May 2026  •  Join Waitlist →

Leadership Coaching for Festival Directors & Live Event Professionals

From Someone Who's Actually Doing The Work

36 years leading in the festival and live event space | Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach

NEW ONLINE COURSE — LAUNCHING MAY 2026

Save $100 · Join the Waitlist for Festival Leadership Foundations →

Recognized Across the Industry

Billboard 2024 Touring Power Players New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Tulane University Freeman School of Business Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach FestForums Folk Alliance International European Festival Summit National Independent Venue Association Institute of Coaching · Harvard Medical School Affiliate
 
EJ — Numbers + Problem Section Preview

36+

Years Leading in the
Festival & Live Events Industry

400K+

Annual Attendees Served
Across Major Festivals

Billboard 2024
Touring Power Player

What We're Not Talking About — But Should Be

You built something extraordinary.
And it might be quietly costing you everything.

I've been in this industry for 36 years. I've stood on the production side of Jazz Fest, Presidential Inaugurations, NFL events — stages that take your breath away. I know what it feels like when the crowd arrives and everything you sacrificed to make it happen suddenly makes sense.

I also know what it feels like at 2am the week before load-in, when your best department head is one resignation letter away from leaving. When you're the person everyone needs to be strong — and you haven't had a full night's sleep in three weeks. When "the show must go on" stops being a rallying cry and starts being a warning sign.

Our industry talks about production excellence. We celebrate the wins. What we haven't built — until now — is the leadership infrastructure to sustain the people producing all of it.

74% of live events professionals report poor mental health directly caused by their work. Suicide rates in our industry run 5–10 times higher than the general population. These aren't abstract statistics — they're our colleagues, our crews, our emerging leaders.

Source: Skiddle Industry Report, 2024

The problem isn't that festival professionals aren't resilient. We are the most resilient people on the planet. The problem is that resilience without a leadership framework to hold it eventually breaks. And when it breaks, it takes institutional knowledge, team culture, and the next generation of leaders with it.

This industry deserves better than grinding through.
That's exactly why I built The Leadership House.

 
EJ Encalarde, Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach
 

Get "The 3 Questions Every Live Events Leader Should Ask Before Burnout Answers For Them"

74% of live events professionals report poor mental health due to their work. We can do better.
— Source: Skiddle 2024

Meet EJ

Senior Festival Producer | Festival Leadership Expert

Transforming Festival Leadership Through Experience and Practice

For 36 years, I've had the privilege of producing major festivals including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Presidential Inaugurations, NFL events, and other large-scale live experiences serving hundreds of thousands of attendees annually.

This work has given me deep respect for the complexity of festival leadership. I've experienced every challenge our industry faces: building collaborative teams across functions, making strategic decisions under extreme pressure, developing leaders who can sustain excellence, and creating organizational cultures that support both high performance and human wellbeing.

I've also seen the gap: while our industry excels at production excellence, we have limited resources for leadership development designed specifically for our operational reality.

That's why I created The Leadership House. As a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and adjunct professor at Tulane University's Freeman School of Business, I'm committed to serving our industry by developing leaders who can build on the excellence we've achieved while creating more sustainable paths forward.

The Leadership House is my contribution to an industry that has given me an extraordinary career. I'm honored to support festival leaders as they navigate the unique challenges and opportunities of our work.

ALL ACCESS
CREDS
  • Senior Festival Producer (36 years)
  • Coordinating Producer
    New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
  • Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach
  • Billboard 2024 Touring Power Player
    Festival Productions, Inc.
  • Adjunct Professor
    Tulane University Freeman School of Business
 

Testimonials

EJ is a bright light that brings a balanced, grounded energy to the projects that engage her expertise. She is a consummate professional, extremely patient and listens to her client and staff needs. I learned invaluable lessons working along aside EJ in the beginning of my career,
that have shaped my business acumen and organizational skills. She is an executive that not only cares about the bottom line and the operation side of running a business but gives back to her community and has built her career managing a business holistically.
— Gina Charbonnet, GECHAR INC. | Former EJ Encalarde Mentee & ESSENCE Festival Producer
EJ Encalarde has been an incredible coach + mentor to me. Her insight has guided me through complex problem-solving in my career and personal growth. She is frank and will tell you like it is, but she always comes from a place of love. I truly appreciate the kindness and patience she’s shown me over the years.
— Marion W., lmsw, Office Operations administration
Joy is bursting in my spirit! I so connect with EJ. SHE WAS CONFIDENT - CLEAR - CONCISE! As a direct result of this course, I learned to stay focused, become more aware and get it done. GREAT SESSION!
— L. Robichaux, Marketing and Development Professional
This course inspired me to BE MORE CALM when speaking and listening to my coworkers. Best take away was EJ’s STRAIGHT ADVICE on professionalism in the workplace. my team needs more coaching classes.
— Anthony W., Cultural Curation Manager
EJ just knew how to help my business go to the next level. I struggled with communicating effectively. She strategically showed me where my mistakes were. The steps given were tailored for me. EJ takes her time to develop your skill in preparation for a brighter future. I am thankful for her many ideas and wisdom. It’s taking my business and personal growth to the next level.
— CHRISTINA PAPPION, PROFESSIONAL ARTIST
This coaching session forced me to take a serious look at myself. I realized how much fear is present and holding me down. I feel a shift taking place in my life. I would love a longer session!
— Menhati S., Site Maintenance Manager

Festival Leadership Insights Blog

The Leadership blog shares insights and trends for Personal Growth + Lifelong Learning, Career Advancement + Leadership Development, Work-Life Balance + Managing Stress, Relationship Building + Conflict Resolution, Teaming Dynamics.

 

Awards & Speaking Engagements

Ready to Build Sustainable Festival Leadership?

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