You survived every season. Now let's build something that lasts.
Now let's make it sustainable. Leadership development built for the reality of festival production — not corporate theory.
You're ready to lead from a place that's sustainable — not just relentless.
Festival leadership is one of the most complex leadership challenges that exists. Here's who I work with.
Leaders who are confident, connected, and built to last.
Lead with confidence, not performance
Communicate with authority across every department
Build relationships that sustain through the season
Navigate imposter syndrome — so it stops running your calendar
Lead high-performing teams without burning them out
Executive Coaching for Festival Directors & Senior Leaders
Strategic support built on 36 years of doing the actual work.
You carry the complexity of your organization in your body — the pre-show chaos, the post-show crash, the decisions that fall to you and only you. This coaching partnership is where you get to put that weight down and build something more sustainable.
Together we work on the leadership challenges that don't fit in a staff meeting: your identity as a leader, your communication under pressure, how you lead high-performing teams, and your vision for where you're going next.
- 6-month coaching partnership (bi-weekly)
- CliftonStrengths assessment + debrief
- Three Depths Framework™ training
- Cross-departmental communication tools
- Strategic decision-making frameworks
- Sustainable leadership practices
- 90-day check-in to assess & recalibrate
- End-of-season celebration + real talk "what's next" wrap-up
- Festival directors and COOs
- Senior production leaders in transition
- Leaders managing high-performing teams
- Executives navigating succession
Investment discussed on your complimentary consult call.
Schedule Your Complimentary Consult →"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."Christina Pappion · Professional Artist
Rising Festival Leaders Strengths-Based Team Workshops
Transform silos into synergy through cross-functional collaboration.
Your team is full of talented people. Production, marketing, talent, operations, finance — everyone excellent at their individual jobs. So why does it feel like you're constantly working against each other?
This 3-hour workshop teaches festival and live events teams how to speak each other's language, leverage their differences as strengths, and build the kind of cross-departmental trust that holds under show-week pressure.
See the Full Workshop Details →
"This course inspired me to BE MORE CALM when speaking and listening to my coworkers. Best takeaway was EJ's STRAIGHT ADVICE on professionalism in the workplace. My team needs more coaching classes."Anthony W. · Cultural Curation Manager
Thought Leadership for Conferences, Associations & Organizations
Real talk about festival leadership from someone still doing the work.
Festival leadership has a knowledge crisis. We pass institutional knowledge in hallways, not programs. We learn by trial and catastrophic error. We don't talk about the mental and emotional cost of doing this work.
EJ brings 36 years of production experience and Gallup-Certified coaching credentials to every engagement — and speaks only from stages she's earned.
Popular Topics- YOUROPE European Festival Association Summit
- FestForums — Festival Industry Leadership Conference
- Tulane University Freeman School of Business
"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 alongside EJ in the beginning of my career."Gina Charbonnet, GECHAR INC. · Former EJ Encalarde Mentee & ESSENCE Festival Producer
Before We Talk
I'm a festival director but not sure which service is right for me.
Start with the complimentary consult. We'll talk about where you are, where you want to go, and what kind of support makes the most sense. No pressure, no pitch.
Do you work with people outside the festival and live events industry?
My work is built specifically for festival and live events professionals — the frameworks, the language, the operational examples. If that's your world, you're in the right place.
What does the 6-month coaching commitment look like in practice?
We meet bi-weekly for focused, strategic sessions. Between calls, you have access to frameworks and tools we develop together. The work is intensive and practical — we're building, not just processing.
I'm interested in the online course, not 1:1 coaching. Is that an option?
Yes. Festival Leadership Foundations launches May 2026. Founding Member pricing of $297 (save $100) is available now — join the waitlist here.
Ready to lead differently?
Festival leadership doesn't come with a manual. But it doesn't have to stay this hard. Schedule a complimentary consult — I read every inquiry personally and respond within 48 hours.
— EJ