Third time really is a charm

Kim Ellis, looks back on the third Free Spirits LIVE! conference, held on 1st October 2026 with the theme of finding your voice. She shares what went into the day, what speakers and attendees had to say, and why speaker applications are opening up for the 2027 conferences.

Our third conference happened on 1st October, and I have to admit I’d been a little apprehensive because the other two had gone so well… I mean, how the heck could we keep topping the last one? But we did it.

Over the course of the day, we had 57 people attending, whether that was to deliver or to absorb.

This year’s theme was finding your voice. We wanted to help people express themselves, in writing or out loud, to grow their presence and reputation and become known as the go-to person for their ‘thing’. It’s easier to win clients when they already know you for being great at something… it can break down barriers and create a level of trust when you’re seen as the expert.

What we crammed into the conference

We had:

• 2 keynotes
• 9 conference talks
• 6 skills labs
• 2 discussion panels
• 4 speed presentations
• 2 breakout rooms
• a three-week Conference Village running alongside the conference, with a daily discussion thread and daily resources
• plus the conference was accredited by The CPD Group, so there was a certificate too.

We cram an awful lot into the actual conference day. There are three streams so people can choose how they want to develop (think of it like a choose-your-own adventure conference).

The week leading up to the conference is filled with ‘have we forgotten anything?’ moments. We make sure everyone has all the information, deal with last-minute changes and host walkthroughs for our speakers so they know what to expect on the day.

With so many people involved it’s a little like herding cats at times. That’s why, when we choose speakers, we make sure they’re people who are as invested in making the day a success as we are.

What people said

Here’s what some of our speakers said about the conference:

There are so many online events out there, but none with the warmth and genuine community spirit that L&D Free Spirits. No egos, no edge or pitching – Just smart people getting together to lift each other up and build something better. Same time next year?
Paul Service, Your Best Next Move

 

One of the things that makes L&D Free Spirits different is the camaraderie – the sense that speakers, panellists, attendees, hosts… we’re all in it together learning, doing our best, wanting to make our positive impact on the world. If you haven’t been to a L&D Free Spirits event, do so. You’ll leave a better, happier, person!
Kara Stanford, The Marketing Spaces

 

It’s not easy to create real engagement, interaction and positive energy at an online event, but L&D Free Spirits LIVE pulled it off. There was a brilliant sense of community and curiosity, with everyone keen to learn from each other. It was the kind of event that leaves you feeling lifted, inspired and glad you were there. I have no doubt people came away with plenty to think about, a few new people they’ll want to stay in touch with and a whole lot of spirit from an absolutely amazing day.
Hayley Maisey, Maisey Marketing

 

L&D free spirits is a space that is all about helping you grow your business sustainably. The theme of visibility is something that any L&D freelancer struggles with and it was amazing to collect so many great ideas, strategies and formulas to bring back home and put into practice!
Linnéa Sjögren, LinnéaLearning

We also asked attendees for three words to sum up the day. Here’s a selection of what we got: inspiring, practical, thought-provoking, interesting, well-organised, supportive, friendly, intellectual, thoughtful, comprehensive, engaging, informative, focused, energising, exciting.

I for one had a blooming awesome time. I love the organising because there are so many moving parts, and I love hosting the whole thing. You’d think the day would drag, but because the sessions are only 30 minutes long it flies by.

Free Spirits, through and through

We try really hard to make the conference feel like the Free Spirits community itself, rather than just another online event. It’s fully live, with no recordings and no AI notetakers, so everyone’s properly there in the (Zoom) room together. A portion of every ticket goes to a nominated charity, and this time round that was St Gemma’s Hospice. And the Conference Village means the conversations don’t stop when the day does. There are three weeks of daily discussions and resources to dip into.

Our COO, Andy Candler, summed it up really nicely:

What I love about Free Spirits LIVE! is that it keeps the spirit and value of our community alive, even as an online conference. The speakers are genuinely interesting, the topics are often ones you won’t hear anywhere else, and there really is something for everyone. But what makes the day is the attendees. People get stuck in with the speakers, chat with each other during the breaks, and there’s a real sense that we’re all coming together to meet, learn and grow our knowledge.

If you’re a self-employed and you liked the sound of all this, you really should check out our community. As a member you get:

• A massive discount on all our conferences
• Member-only events like Friday Fiesta, Pitchathons, Portfolio Club and Workshops
• All our resources for free (some are paid for non-members)
• Full access to all the community channels on Circle
• A free 90-minute deep dive with me
• Exclusive insider deals

If you’re thinking ‘heck yes, sign me up’, then head over to the website. If you use the code WELCOME-20 at checkout you can save 20% off your first months membership.

Fancy speaking in 2027?

Traditionally it’s been us at Free Spirits HQ asking people to speak. Between us we know a of a lot of awesome people doing awesome things, so it made sense to tap into our professional networks for speakers.

But we want to make 2027 a little different. We’ll still ask people directly to run sessions, but we’d also like to open it up so people can apply to speak… because if we’re ran a conference all about finding your voice, it’d be a bit weird if we didn’t walk the walk.

If you’d like to apply to speak at either of our 2027 conferences, please complete this form . Each conference has a specific theme, so please make sure your proposal fits one of them.

• Spring: Working Smarter, Earning Better
  Thursday 4 March 2027, 9:30am to 4:00pm UK time
  Build a freelance business that pays well without taking over your life. This is a day about pricing, profit, pipeline and protecting your time. Speakers to be announced.
• Autumn: Learning Doesn’t (Always) Work
  Thursday 30 September 2027, 9:30am to 4:00pm UK time
  Solve the problem your client really has, even when training isn’t the answer. This is a day about diagnosis, performance, learning transfer and measuring what matters. Speakers to be announced.

Early bird tickets for next years conferences are on sale now, so grab yours here. And if you’re a Free Spirits member, don’t forget to log in to apply your discount.