This past week I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Startup Grind Global Conference in Redwood City, California. This incredibly jam-packed two-day conference brought together the world's greatest entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes to network, share their ideas and learn from the "best in the biz."
Over 100 fantastic speakers inducing but not limited to business owner, author and ESPN broadcaster Jay Williams, co-Founder, and CEO of Rent the Runway Jennifer Hyman and president of Y Combinator Geoff Ralston. These incredibly seasoned professionals taught classes and seminars on everything from pitching your startup to asking for funding from investors. Our day ran non-stop from 8 a.m. to nearly 9 p.m. and included over 10,000 attendees. The conference took over downtown Redwood blocking streets and packing restaurants.
As I spend the weekend recovering from a fun mix of conference exhaustion and jet lag, here are a few personal and professional takeaways.
This conference helped me realize that ...
1. People want to help you. As intimidating as those "more successful" than you may seem, odds are they remember vividly what it was like to be in your shoes and all you have to do is ask for help.
2. You have to learn to take a break. This conference was a non-stop sprint beginning to end. Sessions ran all day in different buildings around town, most of them overlapping by 10 or 15 minutes. If you didn't decide to step out and take a break, you'd be exhausted, staving and mentally drained by 2 p.m.
3. You'll get more out of a conversation if you're honest about the things you don't understand. Asking for clarification makes others think you really care about the idea they're pitching or the topic they're explaining.
4. There's no reason to go thirsty. No matter where you are or what event you're attending, keep a water bottle in your bag.
5. You need to know yourself. As simple as this seems, you would be shocked at the number of people that freeze when you say, "so, tell me about yourself." Don't be one of them. Know yourself even if that means saying "I'm a student still trying to figure everything out but I'm all for learning."
No matter where you are in your professional career or even in your own startup, here are a few professional takeaways that will change that way I behave professionally.
1. Complicated language loses your audience. Regardless of if you're talking to a company CEO or an intern, keep it simple. If they don't understand what you're pitching, there's a 0% chance they'll invest.
2. There is no such thing as being "too old" or "to young" to launch a business or idea. Some of the coolest ideas I saw this week were from founders ranging in age from 15 to 80. If you've got the passion, run with it.
3. Gen Z consumers really care about the background of the products they're buying. If you're looking to attract this age group, be open and transparent about your morals, standards and beliefs.
4. If you aren't willing to show emotion when it comes to your business or startup, drop it. Starting a business is terrifying but also so exciting. No one is going to want to support you if you aren't willing to show your passion.
5. As you think about the changing future, don't focus on what will be different, think about the few things that will stay the same -- that's where your opportunity is.
The world of "dreamers" and "doers" is HUGE. Whether you're thinking about starting your own business or are still searching for your big idea, the resources are endless. Startup Grind was a blast and the connections I made will stick with me for years to come. Do you have a big idea? Let's talk about it. Maybe it's more possible than it seems.
