With his uniquely down-to-earth and friendly approach, Marc puts on a very special conference that has not only garnered a loyal following in Germany, even the speakers can't wait to come back to another round of beyond tellerrand.
“Friends of beyond tellerrand” – What Your Support Means and Does
First of all, thanks for stopping by.
With this post, I want to share a few insights into how the Friends of beyond tellerrand membership program came to life and why I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for you to own a part of this project, support its future, and invest in a space that’s all about community, creativity, and curiosity.
All this isn’t just about the obvious: supporting an event series. It’s about what it means to back a community that thrives on connection, values independent ideas, and exists because people like you care about making such spaces possible.
Events – and a Lot More in Between
Right now, beyond tellerrand consists of two main events each year – one in Düsseldorf, the other in Berlin. We had stops in Munich, with the first edition being in January 2018, a one day spinn-off in Hamburg in 2022 and many smaller events and roadshows plus cooperation during the last 15 years.
Each of these events is planned and organised entirely by one person, me, Marc Thiele. From the very first email or idea to the moment the first speaker walks on stage, it’s all done solo.
On site, I’m supported by a small and wonderful team that helps with registration, exhibition areas, and creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for our partners and guests. While they manage what’s happening in the lobby and exhibition area, I’m usually on and around the stage in the theatre, taking care of the tech and speakers and making sure everything on stage runs smoothly.
But what often surprises people is just how much happens in the months between those events. And that is what you’d support with being part of the “Friends of beyond tellerrand” program.
Creating the Program
Every beyond tellerrand event starts with careful curation. That means exploring themes and topics that feel relevant, inspiring, and human. I spend a lot of time researching, talking to people, and reaching out to potential speakers. These aren’t just quick invitation emails. It’s often a longer conversation, sometimes even spanning months, until the time is right and the story fits.
Once someone is confirmed to speak, I take care of travel and accommodation most of the times, and make sure everything is arranged so that they feel taken care of from start to finish. It’s a personal process and something I take great pride in, because I want speakers to feel supported and valued.
Building Partnerships
In order to keep beyond tellerrand accessible and affordable, I work with fantastic partners who share the values of the event. Reaching out to potential sponsors means not just asking for support, but having conversations, explaining what beyond tellerrand is, who the attendees are and listening to them about what they want to achieve, what kind of presence fits best, and how we can create a meaningful exchange rather than a commercial transaction.
It’s about alignment: If a partnership fits, it helps fund the event and – at the same time – enriches the experience for everyone attending, if a potential booth is not just a sales point, but gives value for the attendees.
Designing, Sharing, Growing
Aside from curation and partnerships, there’s also everything else that goes into producing beyond tellerrand: designing all the visual materials and assets, manage the website, write and send out newsletters, and create content for the blog and social media. Just to mention a few things.
After each event, I cut and publish the talk videos so they can be watched and shared freely. And throughout the year, I attend other conferences and gatherings. Both to maintain existing connections and to discover new people, voices, and stories that might be a good fit for future events.
A big part of my time is spent growing and nurturing the beyond tellerrand community, making sure it stays vibrant, welcoming, and constantly evolving.
Why Your Support Matters
This is where the Friends of beyond tellerrand membership program comes in.
By becoming a Friend, you’re helping to keep beyond tellerrand alive, independent, and human. You’re not funding a brand, you’re supporting a space that values people over profit, and connection over marketing.
Your support allows me to continue experimenting with new ideas and formats and to keep producing and sharing content freely, even outside of the two main events. It helps ensure that ticket prices can be fair, bring in a diverse range of voices, and keep the event welcoming for as many people as possible.
What You Get in Return
Being part of Friends of beyond tellerrand means more than just helping out. It means joining in.
As a member, you’ll receive early access to ticket sales, updates and insights from behind the scenes, and the occasional surprise or special piece of content just for you. But most importantly, you’ll know that you’re playing a real and important role in keeping this community strong and you own a part of this event and its community. You can say “I help making this happen!”
What the Tiers Contain
Surely I also thought about what possible tiers can include and I came up with three tiers in total that (for now) contain the following bits and pieces …
bt Micro-Supporter – €7/month or €60/year
- You help keeping events and other beyond tellerrand activities alive
- A monthly update about what’s happening
bt Member – €15/month or €120/year
- You help keeping events and other beyond tellerrand activities alive
- Your name/logo on our membership section for each event (under “Partners”)
- A monthly update about what’s happening
- Free access to possible Stay Curious (in-person or online)
- Earliest access to tickets – before anyone else
- Private online channel to join and communicate
- A limited (1/50) letterpress print of Rob Draper’s “Stay Curious” black on white, signed and numbered by Rob (printing process, signing) – only yearly subscribers and as long as they last
- … more to come
bt Partner – €50/month (€480/year)
- Everything from the “Member” tier!
- Your name/logo on screen at beyond tellerrand events (rotation during the breaks)
- Your name/logo on our membership section for each event (under “Partners”) PLUS a link to your website
- A limited letterpress print of Rob Draper’s “Stay Curious” of your choice. Either like in “Members” or white on black, signed and numbered by Rob (printing, signing) – as long as they last
- Surprises and more to come …
- A Marc, who is forever thankful
In Summary
If beyond tellerrand has ever inspired you, introduced you to new people or ideas, or simply made you feel like you were part of something meaningful, I’d love for you to become a Friend of beyond tellerrand.
It’s a small step, but one that makes a big difference. For me, for everyone involved, and for the creative, curious world we’re building together.
Thanks for reading – and for being curious.