This past month I presented at my 10th HOW Conference, a relationship that started with the MYOB Conference held in Phoenix, AZ back in 2002. The honor has been all mine to work, year after year, with incredible folks like Bryn Mooth, Megan Patrick, Beth Dean, Heather Griffith and Lyn Menke. I’ve been invited to speak at other association gatherings, industry conferences and corporate events but it’s the invitation I get from one of these lovely ladies at HOW that always makes its way to the top of my list of “must attends”.
I’m often asked, “Why the HOW Conference? Why any conference for that matter?” I’ve got an answer for that and I’ll split up my ideas in three separate posts just so I can give each it’s due time in the spotlight. First of all, the general idea behind attending an industry conference is two-fold: to stay plugged in and to recharge. Industry conferences offer an element of newness and insight into what’s current in the industry and where the industry is going in the future. Besides, you’ve got to get out of the office and see what is going on outside of your cubicle walls.
Most importantly, you have to connect with like-minded individuals who understand your profession, deal with many of the same issues and can encourage you to grow in your skills. The HOW Conference has a community vibe that isn’t present in most of the conferences I’ve attended. The sponsored networking events are nice and give you a chance to meet some new people but there is something magical about lunchtime, happy hour, dinner and after hours at the conference. It’s a time to connect outside of the conference walls and really get to know your fellow attendees.
If you open yourself to possibility, amazing relationships can be ignited. These relationships can make such a difference in your career, not because you are offered a job but because you are offered a hand and can give one back. As an independent, you are not going find new clients among your fellow designers. Nor are you going find managers wearing billboards advertising job opportunities. What you are going to find is people that can elevate your confidence, push you towards your goals and support you though thick and thin. This doesn’t happen immediately and it takes effort and care to foster lasting relationships with your colleagues – but it is so worth it!
If you attended the HOW Conference in Denver, you took the first step. Hopefully, while you were there you didn’t walk around passing out business cards as if the cure for cancer was written on the back. Studio tours are a must as you are able to interact with the same group of people for a concentrated period of time becoming aware of possible connections. Workshops also give you a great opportunity to interact with attendees in a concentrated and personal manner. Use roundtable opportunities as well and always greet speakers after their sessions. This is so effective because you are standing in a group of people, introductions are being made, questions are being asked and you have yet another opportunity to connect. The people you already know are a great resource for new connections, too. Be wiling to be introduced and engage in conversation. Some of the best friends are made through an introduction of someone you already know.
By the end of the conference you should have a minimum of three people you connect with and will very deliberately pursue once you arrive home. This last conference I walked away with five people I added to my “connection journal” and another six people whom I already knew but am determined to work towards developing a deeper connection. The simple truth is making a few deep connection that will last throughout the years is so much more valuable than obtaining 100s of new acquaintances.
The HOW Conference is a wonderful incubator for friendships, both personal and professional. Each time I attend, I am reconnected with dozens of people as if it’s a giant family reunion where I get to see folks I don’t see very often and probably won’t see again until the next conference. My experiences over the past nine years have led to some of my deepest friendships. From these friendships have come multiple business opportunities, renewed vigor in the path I’m taking and the constant joy of knowing I’ve got great people out there that have got my back and are keeping me top of mind as they grow in their own lives.
Next up: Why the HOW Conference… EDUCATION
For more information on the HOW Conference, visit http://howconference.com
Awesome post, and I couldn’t agree with you more. I was thrilled to reconnect with several people I met in Austin the year before. We even had dinner after the conference was over with with a designer and his wife that I met the year before, only to find out that we have so much more in common outside of design. It’s nice to know that there are other people who get geeked out about the same stuff I do, whether it’s design, music or a potentially unhealthy fascination with Star Wars memoribilia.
[...] FOH Jeni Herberger answers those questions on her blog. I’m often asked, “Why the HOW Conference? Why any conference for that matter?” … First of all, the general idea behind attending an industry conference is two-fold: to stay plugged in and to recharge. Industry conferences offer an element of newness and insight into what’s current in the industry and where the industry is going in the future. Besides, you’ve got to get out of the office and see what is going on outside of your cubicle walls. [...]
I concur, and looking forward to all the HOW-Love next June in Chicago! xoxo
Hello. Is it June 2011 yet?
I wholeheartedly agree! I didn’t know what a whirlwind I was in for when I attended my first conference in 2005. Since then, my confidence in my skills has gone up, I’ve seen a fellow conference goer become an author, I’ve been a contributor to a book, and I’ve gotten to travel across the states to see many of my design friends. It’s been one fantastic ride and I wouldn’t have had it any other way, I’m continually inspired and encountering opportunities that stem from my HOW Conference (and CFC) experience.