Hold a Virtual Event: An Example of Qando Qoaching - Gnowbe
Finding a digital platform to start your first virtual event? See how Qando Qoaching used Gnowbe to run their Global Leadership Summit. Check out now!
Interview with Julian Foe, Managing Partner, Qando Qoaching
Kirsten: Hello Julian! Thank you so much for taking the time to join us!
Julian: Thank you for having me! It is an honor to be here.
Kirsten: Word on the street is that you have been using Gnowbe in some really cool and innovative ways. Can you share with us a little bit about your background and the Global Leadership Summit?
Julian: I ran a nonprofit organization, Kingdom Business Community, that focuses on mentoring business leaders to build value-driven organizations. We have been running this program for the past 17 years with more than 30,000 members (alumni). Every year we have around 20–30 business camps to run.
During the pandemic, no one could attend in-person events, and that is when we learned about Gnowbe and started using it to run our business camps and mentoring programs in what we call a blended learning program (online through Zoom and in-person through the digital platform, Gnowbe).
This new approach has brought high engagement, a positive experience to our participants, and a 4.5 out of 5.0 satisfaction rating—creating new opportunities for us to continue growing despite the pandemic.
Learning from that experience, in my role as Country Leader of Global Leadership Summit (GLS) Indonesia, I worked with the leadership team to level up the experience—from a one-way video broadcast to a dynamic hybrid learning environment using Gnowbe as our engagement tool. It really made a difference.
In-person experience
Kirsten: That is incredible. So what did it actually look like for your team to use Gnowbe in this way?
Julian: We had about 1,000 attendees for the summit across five studios in four different cities. About 25% attended in-person gatherings (we called them micro gatherings), while the rest joined online.
We created two digital workbooks in Gnowbe—one in English and one in Bahasa—and sent them out before the event. During the sessions, we used the workbook alongside live facilitation to create a more engaging experience.
We also mirrored the workbook onto live screens across studios, allowing participants to interact and see each other’s responses, which created a stronger connection among learners.
In each session, we played a high-quality speaker video, followed by live discussions led by facilitators using Gnowbe. Facilitators highlighted participant responses in real time, which made the experience much more interactive.
Online Experience
Kirsten: I love that! What did the attendees think about using Gnowbe?
Julian: People loved it because they felt involved in the facilitation process. We could see their answers, call out their names, and display responses live. For many, their only prior online event experience was passive Zoom sessions—so this was exciting and different.
Kirsten: Was there anything specific that worked well?
Julian: Yes! We encouraged participation by selecting posts and giving away prizes. Before the event, we also ran a self-guided onboarding program with incentives like vouchers, headsets, speakers, and coffee rewards.
People loved it—it really got them excited to participate.
Kirsten: So fun! Why did you choose Gnowbe over other platforms?
Julian: Other platforms felt clunky and required technical support like developers, which is costly and time-consuming. Alternatives like combining Zoom with LMS tools were complicated.
Gnowbe simplified everything by bringing it all into one place.
Kirsten: Did it take long to set everything up?
Julian: Not really. We spent about two weeks preparing—training facilitators, setting up simple studio environments, and onboarding participants.
Simple green screen set up
Simple live streaming set up
Kirsten: How did you prepare participants?
Julian: We created a digital workbook ahead of time so attendees were already logged in and familiar with Gnowbe.
We also used a Linktree with resources, including tutorial videos and program access, which helped users get comfortable before the event.
The Conference Program
Kirsten: To wrap up, what advice would you give to someone planning a similar event?
Julian: Gnowbe helps bring your conference to life in three key ways:
- Dynamic digital workbooks – Easily editable even during the event, unlike static PDFs.
- Real-time data & automation – Track responses and automate follow-ups effortlessly.
- Stronger engagement – Participants love seeing their contributions live on screen.
Kirsten: Thank you so much for your time, Julian!
Julian: Thank you!
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Julian Foe
About Julian Foe
Julian Foe is a multi-faceted leader, consultant, coach, and senior trainer. With a Master’s in Education (major in Education Technology), he develops creative and interactive learning environments.
He is actively involved in human capital development in nonprofits, working with organizations such as Kingdom Business Community (KBC), NEXLeaders (Singapore), and the Global Leadership Summit Indonesia.
As Managing Partner of PT. Qando Qoaching, he specializes in talent management and company culture, working with organizations like PT. Kalbe Farma, UNDP, Standard Chartered Bank, BCA, and more.
His practical, engaging, and humorous approach makes him a sought-after speaker locally and internationally.
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