Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Cali.
Hi Marisa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Marisa Cali’s story begins long before “virtual events” became a buzzword. With roots in digital marketing dating back to 2006, she learned early how technology could amplify connection — not replace it. After years in marketing roles that blended analytics, creativity, and relationship-building, she took a leap in 2015 and launched her own business, a consulting business built around one simple belief: when people are fully present, better ideas — and better results — happen.
When the world shifted online in 2020, Marisa’s ability to merge tech with human experience took center stage. She built Live on Social Now Productions, helping organizations translate in-person impact into engaging virtual formats. From assisting with the production of global conferences for companies like Nvidia and The Philadelphia Inquirer to guiding nonprofits and corporate leaders through business and product storytelling, Marisa became known for creating events and digital strategies that feel human.
Today, she’s evolved beyond production into mindful leadership, digital wellness, and AI-literate strategy, empowering executives and teams to simplify workflows, reconnect with purpose, and communicate authentically — whether online, on stage, or within their own organizations. Through her retreats, workshops, and content platforms like the Resilient Events podcast and her Substack Be Present, Marisa continues to help people pause, realign, and lead with clarity in a tech-driven world.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t always been smooth — far from it. Like many entrepreneurs, Marisa’s path has been filled with detours, reinventions, and quiet moments of doubt. When she left the security of a traditional marketing career to start her own business in 2015, she quickly discovered that building something meaningful requires more than strategy and hard work — it requires self-trust.
Early on, she struggled with the same questions many leaders face: Am I doing enough? Am I enough? Balancing creativity with client demands, learning to price her worth, and navigating the isolation of entrepreneurship forced her to redefine what success really meant. Then, after the world shifted in 2020, Marisa’s workload exploded as virtual events became essential — but the constant motion came at a cost. She realized she was producing events that helped others connect, while she herself was running on autopilot.
That’s when she began to pause — intentionally. Through meditation, travel, and sober curiosity, she started to see that being “worthy of success” wasn’t about external validation or nonstop productivity. It was about alignment — living and working in a way that honors both ambition and peace.
Those reflections became the foundation of her retreats, her upcoming book Work From Anywhere, Thrive Everywhere, and her guiding philosophy: success doesn’t have to be chaotic. It can be calm, clear, and deeply human.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Be Present LLC?
Be Present LLC was born from Marisa Cali’s belief that events should do more than just “run smoothly” — they should mean something. Based in Tennessee but with clients across the U.S., Be Present LLC blends event production, strategic planning, and mindful leadership to help organizations create spaces — virtual or in-person — where people genuinely connect.
Marisa specializes in virtual and on-site event production for business conferences, training sessions, meetings, and retreats. Whether she’s producing a multi-day corporate program, coordinating a leadership retreat, or managing a live broadcast, her approach always begins with one question: What experience do you want people to feel and remember?
What sets Be Present apart is the fusion of clarity and creativity. Marisa doesn’t just handle logistics — she helps clients think strategically about how each event supports their larger mission. She bridges the gap between technology and human connection, teaching leaders how to use tools like AI, livestreaming, and automation to elevate—not replace—the human experience.
Be Present LLC’s services span four pillars:
Empower Efficiency – AI-driven systems and workflows that save time and reduce overwhelm.
Connected Experience Design – Purposeful event strategy that strengthens relationships and engagement.
Digital Identity Systems – Helping leaders align their presence and message across professional platforms.
Wellness-Driven Experiences – Retreats and mindful workshops that restore balance and spark creativity.
Brand-wise, Marisa is most proud of how Be Present has become more than a company name — it’s a philosophy. Her clients often leave projects not only with a seamless event, but with a renewed sense of alignment and confidence in how they show up as leaders.
At its core, Be Present LLC helps leaders take the guesswork out of event production so they can be fully present for the conversations — and people — that matter most.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk has been a constant thread in my story — but not always in the traditional sense. One of the biggest risks I ever took was moving to New York City without a clear plan, mentor, or safety net. I just knew deep down I wanted to build something meaningful and learn from real experience, not theory, in New York. That move taught me how to trust myself, navigate uncertainty, and create opportunities even when none were handed to me.
Since then, my relationship with risk has evolved. I no longer see it as something to fear, but as a signal that growth is on the other side. Launching my own business, Be Present LLC, was another leap into the unknown — I didn’t have a blueprint for combining event production, mindfulness, and leadership strategy, but I followed what felt aligned.
To me, risk is about believing in your ability to figure it out along the way. It’s choosing alignment over approval, clarity over control. I’ve learned that you can’t be fully present and play it completely safe. The moments that have shaped me most were the ones where I stepped into something new before I felt entirely ready.
Pricing:
- Event-as-Strategy Consulting: $333
- Fractional Events Manager: Flexible
- Workshops: $1800
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bepresentllc.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bepresent.events
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/calimarisa
