1/ Here’s a Founder/CEO power move: 

Resist the siren song of the many conference & event invites you’re likely receiving and which seemed to hit new highs in 2023.

Operating Partner & Head of Crypto Startup School 
@a16zcrypto. 25 years working on frontier tech. 2X CEO, 4 exits & most recently VP Subscriptions at Google.

2/ Instead, emphasize quality over quantity by attending a few high impact events per year and making them count.

3/ Create a game plan prior to each conference:
- Who do you want to meet?
- What are the conversations you hope to have?
- What outcomes do you hope to achieve by the end of the event?

4/ Here are the simple questions I used to ask myself when evaluating whether I should go or stay home:

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1. Access to customers, partners and investors. 
Can I meet a set of customers, partners or investors that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to access?

2. Save time. 
Can I save time by meeting the folks above all over the course of a few days rather than over weeks or months?

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5. Punching above our weight. 
Can we host an exclusive dinner, cocktail hour or a gathering in the context of the event that will amplify our product/brand/message above everyone else?

8/ By resisting FOMO and embracing JOMO (Joy of Missing Out), it’s likely that you can have a much bigger impact on your long term success and goals. 

With all of this in mind, what are some of the conferences or events that you’re looking forward to in 2024?

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3. Brain Boost. 
Will I be exposed to a set of people, ideas, or inspiration that might help me unlock new strategies for creating value in my company?

4. Opportunity cost. 
What are the high value activities I’m giving up by spending my time at the conference?