Tag: conference

Start Sooner: How One Conference Kickstarted My Blog, My Business, and My Freedom

Posted on by Sarah K Peck

Want to win a free ticket to an amazing conference this June 23-35? Read to the end—details on how to win a ticket to the conference are below. Make sure you enter before June 5, 2017.

It was 2011, and I was living in San Francisco.

I worked my day job as a landscape architect working long hours at a big firm in Sausalito, and had night jobs as a high school tutor and weekend swim coach. I spent time writing my blog in the wee mornings.

I’d heard of a book and blog about living an unconventional life by a blogger who was pretty famous. Chris Guillebea talked about how much more there was to the design of our lives, and how we could make things happen in completely different ways than the world was telling us.

Minimalism, travel hacking, freedom. I was hooked.

I signed up with some big dollars to go to the conference — $499 was no joke on the salary I was pulling in. Friends from the internet and friends in real-life piled into a car. (Did I drive or fly?).

On a whim, I decided to put my own blog together more seriously. All those doubts that plague you? I had them: who was I to write? What did I have to say? But I stayed up late hacking together a WordPress site with zero knowledge for how to do it (Google to the rescue!), transferred all my best blog posts to the site, and printed out some personal business cards. Made my way to Portland for my first big conference.

I showed up to the conference knowing exactly no one.

But I showed up.

I stood outside by myself, willing. Open. Waiting. Nervous as all get out.

And then a two-year-old ran up to me and threw her arms up and I laughed and threw my arms out. Suddenly Adam Baker, Courtney Baker, and Laura Roeder and I were giggling and running around on the grass in a big line of people waiting for the conference to begin.

I relaxed, dropped my shoulders back, and started saying hi to new faces. I met Pam Slim, Scott Dinsmore, Leo Babauta, and Danielle LaPorte for the first time. I didn’t even know to be intimidated because it was all so new to me.

By the end of the conference, I’d had a macaroni and cheese date, driven around in a Volvo with too many other people, stayed out late making mischief in Portland, done yoga in the park with new friends, enjoyed hammock time, listened with wonder at people’s stories, and met people I’ve been in touch with ever since.

And I wrote up recaps for each day of the conference with those same wide eyes. (Here are the Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 recaps!)

That conference was the weekend my blog became a reality.

And my work took a new turn.

More than any course, metric, skill, or tactic, the people you surround yourself will make the biggest difference in your life and career.

Conferences can be transformative experiences. When you bring people together in one place, for one weekend, to celebrate, to learn, and to connect, you leave changed.

That weekend I met people who have since kept me accountable, people I text when I’m figuring out the next step in my business, and people I learn from on a weekly basis. These wonderful people are constantly introducing me to new ideas and perspectives, challenging me, and helping me grow.

Your network, your tribe, your connections are the lifeblood of your business.

Beyond just the speakers on stage, here’s what conferences provide:

  • Workshops and real-time opportunities to move through ideas.
  • A chance to unlock or break through a past mindset.
  • An opportunity to try out your new ideas, bio, pitch, or story. (What better way to get better than talk it out a dozen times?)
  • The chance to meet new people who can become business friends (and friends in real life!) for a long, long time to come.

The people you surround yourself with matter.

Next month, I’m heading out to Boise, Idaho for 4 days to join the crew putting on the Craft + Commerce conference with the team at ConvertKit.

I’ll be on stage on the last day, Sunday, giving a talk about my experiences in motherhood and entrepreneurship, and how becoming a parent taught me to level up (yet again) in my business life.

After six years since that day I decided to step in and join the fun, I’ll be back, on stage, telling my own story:

Beyond the adrenaline rush: How becoming a parent taught me to level up (yet again) in business

(And let’s be honest — I go right before Seth Godin. I’m definitely a little bit nervous about that, I won’t lie.)

If you want to join me for an unforgettable weekend, I’ll be in Boise to meet new friends and hang with old friends. I’ll likely teach a workshop or host a group yoga class, as well. A few attendees and I are looking to put something on the calendar so we can go to a yoga class together!

It’s been a while since I’ve been out traveling the conference circuit (becoming a mom was enough of a challenge for a while), and I’m excited to get back and say hi and meet lots of new faces.

And I have a special place in my heart for people who put conferences together. Conferences are really hard to execute, they require a huge investment of energy and capital, and they are, first and foremost, always about the attendees.

Grab your ticket to the conference here: https://convertkit.com/conference

See you in Boise in June!

PS: As a speaker at the conference, I get one free ticket to give as a scholarship / giveaway. Leave a comment over on this Facebook Post by midnight on Monday, June 5th with your answer to the following question:

What do you need to start sooner? 

The Introvert’s Guide to Networking at a Conference

Posted on by Sarah K Peck

My friend was recently excited about a conference but terrified of going and getting overwhelmed.

He texted me:

“Help! do you have any good networking advice for introverts at conferences?” 

Conferences are a great way to meet people, and it’s one of the best ways I’ve used to reach out to new people, connect with peers, learn, and find friends.

However, conferences are also one of the scariest places to go as an introvert: all that talking, all that stimulation, and a loud, crowded set of rooms with people all day long? Call me exhausted, because all of that extroverted energy is draining and leaves me wanting to crawl into a sensory-deprivation tank for three days just to recover. 

 “Sitting and writing and talking to no one is how I wish I could spend the better part of every day.” — Amy Schumer 

As Amy Schumer explains, “If you’re a true introvert, other people are basically energy vampires. You don’t hate them; you just have to be strategic about when you expose yourself to them—like the sun.” (From her new book, which, while it has a few quotable good bits, I don’t recommend.) 

So if you’re an introvert, how do you make the best of a conference situation? 

Here are a few ways to manage a conference and make it work for you:

  1. Message 20 people in advance, and tell them you’ll be at the conference. Connect over the conference before you even get there — from the comfort of your PJ’s and the quiet of your own room. You don’t even actually have to meet them at the conference. You can just connect over the fact that you went to the same conference.
  2. Take introvert time plentifully. I know that I don’t enjoy a full day stacked with speakers, so I look at the agenda and pick out my top 50% – 75% of the day. I actively choose which session slots I will SKIP so that I can leave the conference, walk through a park, do some stretching, or take a nap. Rather than accidentally skipping the best stuff because I’m too tired to make it through a 14-hour day “on” in front of other people, I’ll plan ahead to take my own introverted break from, say, 2 to 5 PM, and then return refreshed for a dinner mixer and a night event.
  3. Plan to meet people at a food event the night before or the morning after. Research a venue in the area you like and make a reservation for 10 people. (A taco truck, a park, or a single line to-go cafe works well, too, provided it’s nice weather and you can find a place to sit). Tell people that you really want to connect with that you’re doing “X” at “Y,” and be an informal organizer. (“I’m going to get Tacos at 6PM after the first day, join then?”). Invite double the people that you actually want, and a handful will show up and you can create a smaller place to reconvene and have deeper conversations.
  4. Reach out to people afterwards, using the conference as the tool for connection.
  5. Bring cool business cards that say “We met at XYZ conference,” and reference the event itself.
  6. Live tweet the conference using the event’s hashtag and meet people online who are also at the event.
  7. Write a blog recap of the event and share it on social media with the conference hashtag. Bonus: write a blog roundup with the best posts you can find about the event, and comment on other blogger’s write-ups and reach out and meet them digitally.

Those are just a few of my conference-going tips for introverts or people who need slow space to think and connect!

What about you? What are some of your favorite tips for getting the most out of a loud, noisy, awesome, social event that is *maybe* a little too much for you?

 

How do you combat loneliness? A brand new talk at ALIVE in Berlin + an epic scholarship opportunity worth $400.

Posted on by Sarah K Peck

Loneliness by Deviant Art

How do you deal with loneliness?

The problem with my first job wasn’t the job itself—it was how few people I knew at the company. In most structures throughout my life—family, school, college, sports—we bonded as teammates and community members because of shared goals, ideas, and dreams. Yet at work, I barely had friends. Perhaps it was the age disparity; the fact that people started quietly only a few days per year, or because we didn’t have a common lunch area. Being busy chasing financial goals didn’t help, either. At the end of my first year, I found myself tired, alone, and unsure of what I was contributing as an entry-level employee.

I made a vow to change a few things. I joined two sports groups—a morning swim team and a triathlon training group. I signed up for my first yoga community practice. And I started going to events. I found meet-up groups, lectures and workshops, and conferences to attend. In one year, I met more than 500 new people—many of whom are now, ten years later, some of my closest friends.

What is loneliness? Where does it come from?

What is loneliness? Where does it come from, and why do we experience it? How can we combat it—and better yet: why is it useful?

For the past year, I’ve been researching loneliness, community and the power of connectivity, and I’ll be debuting a new keynote at ALIVE in Berlin this May looking at the structures that create loneliness, why community and connectivity are so important, and what we can do to help reconnect both to ourselves and to other people. As a bonus, I’ll also be teaching a workshop on the power of connection—and tips on how to connect with other people through understanding the physical body (your posture and stance); through your story (and what you say); and by being open and asking questions.

One of the most important ways I’ve met new people and found my tribes is through attending and joining conferences that gather like-minded people together. From WDS (Portland) to Big Omaha (Nebraska) to The Feast (New York + Global) and TED (Global), each time I’ve taken the jitters of traveling alone, taken a deep breath, and tried to meet kind faces and reach out and extend my ties to the world by meeting more of the humans we share space with.

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]The strength of your life comes from the people you surround yourself with.[/tweetable]

 

Alive in Berlin Banners-Jana+Sarah

What does a woman who lives with hens and roosters on a farm out in the middle of England decide to do after building a thriving virtual and in-person coaching practice? Start a conference, of course.

Jana Circle
I met Jana Schuberth at the first World Domination Summit (one of my favorite conferences—you can check out the yearly recaps as a testament to the experience). We both wandered through Portland, Jana with bare feet, me in my yoga clothes—and chatted about nutrition, exercise, paleo diets, motivation, and personal development. She’d made the trek over to the States from Loughborough, England, and our late night chats meant it was an instant kinship—we still chat by Skype as often as we can schedule it across projects and time zones.

I had a chance to sit down with Jana and interview her about her story, how she writes, and the challenges of blogging. As she says, “I’m probably a bit crazy to be doing this all, but I looked around and I really wanted the WDS experience here in Europe.” She describes chatting with a mentor about wanting someone to build similar conferences in Europe and her home country, Germany; to which her mentor replied:

“If you really want something like this, you’re going to have to be the one to build it.”

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]“It’s your job to build what you want to see in the world.”[/tweetable]

With a bit of excitement and nerves, she realized—Yes, that’s it. Somehow, we’re going to throw a conference next year. Alive in Berlin was born.

Alive in Berlin Banners—1

Alive in Berlin: A global conference for change-makers

I have a soft spot in my heart for do-ers and makers; and this conference aims to collect them in one space. If you’re curious about the conference, check out Alive in Berlin (and read the end of this post for an incredible scholarship opportunity to the conference).

Some things to know: The conference is in Berlin. Registration fees are £349.00. Dates are May 30-31. It will be gorgeous Springtime in the epic city of Berlin (I’m staying a few extra days to explore the city—I’ve heard the street art is phenomenal and the late night dance parties epic, in addition to exploring the cities’ rich and vibrant history).

From the ALIVE team:

“Alive in Berlin is not just about getting a temporary hit of inspiration, it’s about making deep connections and coming away with a solid plan of action. Rather than leaving with your head in the clouds, overwhelmed with information and ideas and ultimately coming back down to earth with a bump, we want you to feel confident, re-energised and ready to wholeheartedly step all areas of your life up to the next level over the long-term.”

“The two-day event will include 8 brilliant expert speakers from a wide range of disciplines, space throughout the weekend for relaxed conversation and interaction, daily Q&A sessions where you can interact directly with many of our speakers and coaches, and opportunities to get active and involved for those who want to. There will also be a chill room and coffee corner to relax, reflect and take time out if you need to!”

Together we’ll explore the common threads that connect us and make us come alive.

And the EPIC April Giveaway: One scholarship space to ALIVE in Berlin—all the details (and a short application)!

Want in?

The thing about conferences is, they often cost a couple of bucks. I know—one year I went to 24 different events—from Big Omaha to The Feast to WDS to Startup Weekend Los Angeles. I was averaging a conference or event every other weekend—and I was exhausted. And it was the bulk of my eating and entertainment budget for the year (let’s just say I ate a lot of granola bars and hardboiled eggs).

But I wouldn’t change that year for the world.

The thing about conferences is, they’re also one of the best places to meet new people. People in your tribe, people who speak your language, people who have what you want, people who want what you have to offer. Sometimes it’s a late-night chat and a fitness conversation; sometimes it’s a life-long friend, sometimes it’s the right designer for your project or a place to crash the next time you travel to that new city.

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]Finding your tribe—people who understand you—is life-changing.[/tweetable] As adults, there aren’t as many opportunities to mix up the sandbox and say hello to knew folks. To meet new friends. When you have the same job, the same commute, and the same screen every day, our opportunities for adult summer camp and friendship quickly dwindle. Conferences are places to let you come out of your current storyline and try a new route for your own adventure.

As a bonus—because I’m a speaker at the event—I have one scholarship ticket to ALIVE in Berlin to gift to a lucky reader in this community.

If you’re itching to go to Berlin, to shake up your life, or find a new community, one lucky winner will get to win ONE ticket to the conference.

How do you win? Here’s what you’ve gotta do:

  1. First, leave a comment down below! Tell us a conference story: what have conferences done for you? Where do you find and meet new people? What’s been the best event for you so far?
  2. Second, share this post. Heart it, tweet it, post it, write about it. Simple. Click to tweet: [tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin]Epic April Giveaway: One scholarship space to ALIVE in Berlin![/tweetable]
  3. Third, apply for the scholarship with this application form.

Winner will be picked on Friday, April 11, 2014. Turn in your application by Thursday, April 10, 2014. You have one week to enter—good luck!

The scholarship is for £249 off the ticket price. The scholarship ticket will be £70 (to cover basic event fees + registration fees) towards the ticket price. If selected, you will have one week to purchase the ticket.

[tweetable hashtag=”@sarahkpeck @aliveinberlin”]Bravery is encouraged. Authenticity rewarded.[/tweetable] Tell us, what makes you come ALIVE?

To listen to the full interview with Jana Schuberth and Sarah Peck, listen here: