Coming Together

The first day of a conference reminds me of the first day of school. You walk up to the check-in desk, smile, give your name, the person searches for you, you continue to stand there smiling, the person finds you in the system (digital or analog), looks up at you and smiles, by this time your face has started to tremble a bit from all the smiling so you readjust your face to smile less intensely, you take your badge and your goody bag then you turn around to see a sea of people you may not know.

Unlike school, you’re not wondering where you fit in at at a conference because you know you’re there with people of like-mind and mission, so then it becomes kind of like church. You walk around introducing yourself with the fervor of someone newly introduced to the faith and you have a story on your tongue ready to be rattled off because you’re ready to soak things in and make them happen.

I love conferences for this energy and how the air seems pregnant with possibility. I appreciate the handshakes, the stories, the drinks and the opening night presentations.

The opening ceremony of Rustbelt to Artist Belt was hands down one of the most amazing nights I’ve experienced because you could feel the “Let’s Do This” in the air. Everything from the food, to the room with the amazing view to the heart-string-pullin’-breakout-the-tissue-or-use-your-sleves-because-you-are-going-to-cry entertainment, it was perfect!

Congratulations and much love to Jill McGuire and Roseann Weiss for setting the tone for what is going to be transformative conference.

Fest your eyes on some of the smiling faces.