Entrepreneurship isn't for the faint of heart. And it can be a really lonely road too.
If you find your non-business-owning friends' eyes glazing over as you share the latest win from your entrepreneurial venture, might I kindly suggest you need to add some new pals to your entrepreneurial network.
While local networking events for entrepreneurs can be a good starting place for much needed connection and community, I highly encourage you to consider carving out a bigger chunk of time and making the investment in attending a conference.
Why Attend A Conference for Entrepreneurs
While local small business events are nice to occasionally attend, I find that entrepreneurship conferences - particularly ones that you need to carve out a few days to attend - are a better way to make deeper, more lasting connections with others than local meetups.
As an online business coach, host of an entrepreneurial podcast and a virtual mastermind for entrepreneurs, I find entrepreneurial conferences to be absolutely vital for my business's growth and my personal enrichment.
Here's why...
Taking time away from your home turf and your typical day-to-day grind for a few days to travel to a business conference created for entrepreneurs helps you do two things...
- Change your scenery enough that it supports making room for new ideas to take root and learning leaps to take flight.
- Give you enough time to make lasting connections with other people who you might not have met otherwise.
Attend a few breakout sessions and share a few meals with another entrepreneur as on fire about their business as you are and you'll become fast friends.
Plus, most events for small business owners that draw out-of-towners are multi-day events. Because of cost of travel and hotels, they tend to bring in entrepreneurs who are profitable and committed to making a meaningful investment in their personal and professional growth.
These are the people you need to surround yourself with as you continue to grow your business and level up your entrepreneurial mindset.
Which Entrepreneurial Conference Should You Attend?
Unfortunately, COVID has caused a huge upheaval in the world of in-person business conferences; however, there are a few that I have attended multiple times, others that I am attending for the first time this year, and a few others I've had penciled in for years that the timing hasn't worked out on but I can't wait to attend.
Below you will find my current recommendations, but these will change over time.
Be sure to sign up to stay connected by email so I can let you know when this list grows and there are new conferences for us to explore together!
Content Entrepreneur Expo (CEX)
First up is one that draws amazing speakers and is intended as a great starting point for any online entrepreneur: CEX.
Typically held in Ohio in May, this event features high-caliber speakers and sessions that will help any entrepreneur at any level move the needle in their business. That said, based on feedback from friends who have gone, it sounds like this one is the best fit for folks who are new to the online business space.
This conference has been in my sights since it launched after the pandemic. I am incredibly excited to attend this for the first time some time soon.
You can learn more about CEX here.
Momentum
Prefer a small gathering with a community feel over a large conference vibe? You have to check out Momentum, the conference my friend Lou Mongello hosts every fall in Orlando, FL.
While Lou's community has a lot of Disney fans in it, this conference is not just for Disney creators. Intentionally capped at just 50 attendees, this event is intimate and full of lovely entrepreneurs from all walks of life.
Head to LouMongello.com/Momentum to learn more.
Long-Haul Leader Summit
Another conference for small business owners that promises a more intimate feel is the Long-Haul Leader Summit, hosted in Cambridge, UK by Chris Ducker.
2024 is this conference's first year in existence but, let me tell you, it is timely.
Too many entrepreneurs struggle with burnout - a fact Chris is highly aware of having burnt out twice during his incredible career.
The Long-Haul Leader Summit is limited to just 100 entrepreneurs and is a place for us to get grounded and create businesses that support us living a life we love. Having attended Chris's Tropical Think Tank event back in 2016, I have no doubt that this conference will be as wonderful as TTT was - if not better.
PodFest
Are you a podcaster? If so, it can be so great to learn with and from other folks who understand what it takes to do this particular kind of work.
Typically held in late January or early February in Orlando, FL, this is a great place to meet other podcasters and learn about the tech and trends in the podcasting world.
With the launch of my new podcast for entrepreneurs, I am beyond excited to attend this event once again as a member of the podcasting tribe.
Mom 2.0
Are you a mompreneur? If so, Mom 2.0 may be the perfect fit for you.
It happens every spring and is a location-rotating event draws other mompreneurs together for a weekend full of great sessions for learning and fun get-togethers for meaningful community connection.
Check out the upcoming dates and destinations here.
Where To Next?
While community is important for entrepreneurs - particularly digital entrepreneurs - and conferences are a great way to find your tribe, the truth is that you don't actually need to attend a conference to build your business.
It's just more fun to do this work alongside friends who get it. After all, you never know who you will meet and where it might lead.
For example, my awesome friend Jody Maberry (who I, incidentally, met at a podcasting conference) texted me one day out of the blue to see if I'd like to narrate an audiobook. I said yes and it was an incredibly fun, lucrative project that I wouldn't have gotten to work on had we not been connected.
However, do you need to attend conferences to build a thriving business? Not really. In fact, I think there are 3 tools (and only 3) that you absolutely need in your toolbox.
And, if you sign up below, I'll send those tools and how I use them your way.