On Salesforce Events & Time Well Wasted

I’m attending Connections and Texas Dreamin’ this week and couldn’t be more excited.

When talking about these events with other consultants and business owners, several have dismissed them saying:

“Oh those are a huge waste of time… I never get anything out of them.”

I wholeheartedly disagree with this assessment. Here’s why:

1. You get to network with really smart people

I “see” a lot of the Ohana on Twitter regularly, but there’s nothing like getting to mingle in protein form.

The number of people that turn out for these events (from all types of companies, all types of roles, all backgrounds) is astounding. This is even more impressive for the Dreamin’ events, which are 100% community organized.

Having a support network to bounce ideas off of when you hit a roadblock or come across a doozy of a use case is invaluable.

2. You learn all the things

The Salesforce ecosystem changes constantly. It’s impossible to know everything about the products, use cases, and best practices without constantly educating yourself.

I have yet to attend a Salesforce event where I didn’t walk away with at least one new idea or insight that changed the way I approached my work.

Also usually walk away with lots of stickers.

3. You might find you have something to give

If your one and only goal is to sell something at these events – yeah, then maybe they are a waste.

Like many things in life, if you go into something with a focus on “getting,” you’re probably going to be disappointed.

My experience in the community is that a posture of generosity and focusing on what you have to share generally leads you to a better place. And sometimes even helps you sell stuff.

4. Mental blue-sky time is where the magic happens

It’s so easy to get caught up in day-to-day execution and keep-the-lights-on types of tasks.

How can you carve out time to think more strategically?  How can you take a step back and ascend from myopia?

For me, attending events like Connections and Texas Dreamin’ provide a great opportunity to focus on the bigger picture and think about the longer-term roadmap.

Do you find conferences & Salesforce community events worth it?

What’s your take?  Do you find value in attending conferences and events?  Any on your “must attend” list?

Let me (and your fellow readers) know in the comments!