Your Life Is the Pitch: Unlocking Creative Collaborations Between Real Lives and Real Brands

The most magnetic travel stories do not start with a brief or a budget. They start with real life. In this interactive session, tourism consultant and creator campaign strategist Leslie Walker (Leslie Walker Consulting and TBEX) shares how she has turned lived experience into brand gold for destinations and creators alike.

Drawing on partnerships she facilitated this year, including the Accessible North Alabama initiative that matched content creators with disabilities to destinations ready to rethink inclusion, you will see how authentic personal narratives transformed into powerful campaigns that resonated far beyond standard ads or influencer posts.

We will unpack:

• Why life-driven storytelling works: The psychology behind audiences trusting stories rooted in a creator’s real world.

• Creative thinking exercises: Live brainstorming to help brands and creators narrow their focus to a moment, a community, or a lived perspective.

• Case study insights: How Accessible North Alabama’s creator collaborations delivered meaningful exposure, improved accessibility practices, and boosted regional tourism appeal.

• Actionable takeaways: Practical tips for aligning campaign goals with a creator’s genuine passions and community connections, resulting in content that feels natural and not forced.

Whether you are a brand hungry for authentic content or a creator eager to pitch partnerships that reflect your life and values, this session will spark the kind of ideas that build loyalty, drive bookings, and make audiences say, “I have to go there.”