Top Reasons I Enjoy Conferences

Editor’s note: Our own conference, Financial Freedom Through Real Estate 2022 is currently open for registration for free for a few more days, more details at the end of this post, but you can also check it out by clicking here.

As a professional in the medical field, I’m no stranger to conferences. Medical conferences are held relatively often, and between the big Anesthesiology conferences and my Society of Obstetric Anesthesia conference, I was at a conference every other year or so up until recently.

In fact, if I had to guess, I’d say that most of us have even presented at some of these conferences.

Perhaps it was because it was a break from clinical work while still being immersed in medicine, but I really enjoy them.

However, the thought of ever going to a non-medical conference never even crossed my mind.

At least, not until I came across FinCon, an annual convention for financial bloggers to come together, learn, and network. I was still new to blogging, but I kept seeing people talking about this conference and how impactful it was.

I finally decided to step way out of my comfort zone and make the trip to FinCon 2017. That was all it took–I was hooked. (You can read my key takeaways from FinCon 2018 to get an idea of what it was like)

Since then, I’ve consistently attended on average one conference a month for the last 18 months, even during the pandemic, as conferences went virtual.

That may seem like a lot. But I’ve found conferences to be an invaluable resource for my personal, financial, and business growth.

So if you haven’t attended a conference for a while, here are a few reasons why I highly recommend it.

Curated Content

No matter what subject you’re interested in, it can be tough to find truly useful information by using only the Internet.

Even if you do find a great resource, finding relevant, trustworthy content can be quite a bit of extra time and energy.

Conferences are a great resource for learning because rather than having to go out and find them, knowledgeable people in the industry are brought to you.

Once you trust the host and the convention committee, you can rest easy knowing that you’re going to get amazing content all in one place. You just have to show up and learn from the people around you. It’s an extremely high-yield and efficient way to learn, especially compared to going out and searching for it yourself.

Networking

While content is great, sometimes I learn the most from a single conversation with a new acquaintance. These conversations have happened again and again over lunch breaks, seemingly at random.

It’s powerful to meet with like-minded people. Not only that, but you can learn a lot from people one or two steps ahead of you. They’ve been where you’ve been, and they’re going where you’re going. Their advice can be immensely helpful.

Plus, I’ve made some great friendships that have lasted to this day.

Ideas

Between presentations, content, and conversations with others, I’ve been presented with ideas that had never even occurred to me.

There are so many people there, each with their own unique take on their industries, that you’d be hard-pressed not to find something new.

The times I went to FinCon, for example, I not only learned new things about finance, investing, and blogging, but I thought of new ways to share these subjects with my colleagues, friends, and my readers.

So if you’re looking for fresh ways to engage with people, or even just to learn from a different perspective, a convention may be just the thing.

Inspiration & Motivation

One of the greatest things you can get from a convention comes from simply being around like-minded people. Yes, you’ll learn, network, and get ideas. But even being in a gathering of people, all there for the same reason, can be invigorating.

You’ll hear stories of success, lessons learned, and milestones achieved. Just about everyone there is eager to share their journey, and it can be a great inspiration.

Plus, if you’ve hit a wall in whatever industry you’re pursuing (a common thing in finance, to be sure), hearing everyone else’s experiences can be very motivating. I love seeing how far people have come and the encouragement they provide.

Practical Strategies

Now, with all these great reasons to go to a conference, it still pays to be intentional. After I attended a few, I realized that I needed a way to make sure I got my money’s worth. So, I decided to make it easy.

Now, before attending any conference, I decided that I would walk away with at least:

• One great new connection
• One new great idea to explore and try
• One way that I would change how I currently live

Having these goals always in my mind helps me network better, keep my mind open, and think about how I can apply the things I learn. 

This has helped me get a ton out of every conference I got to, and it’s made each one well worth the time and expense. 

Conclusion

If your only experience with conferences has been in the medical field, you may be hesitant to venture out into others. While I do enjoy those medical conferences (for the most part), I know not everyone does. 

What I can say that if you’re interested in a different industry, just as I am with finances and investing, attending one can be hugely beneficial to your personal and professional life. Even as popular conferences move online, it’s still well worth it. Make new connections, learn new things, and get inspired to take your next steps. You’ll be glad you did

If you’re interested in curated content by experts who have accomplished a ton in real estate investing, please join us for the Financial Freedom Through Real Estate Conference 2020. It’s all virtual this year and absolutely free. It runs from Oct 9-11 and you’ll hear topics from how to get started in real estate to how to choose the right investment properties or passive real estate deals. You can join by clicking here. See you there!