What’s it like to be at a conference with “fancy” people, when you’re the one feeling like you snuck in a side door as a seat filler? Okay, okay — that’s just my imposter monster talking. In today’s experimental episode, I’m taking you behind-the-scenes of the recent 5-day main TED conference in Vancouver, building on Pivot episode 325: 10+ Conference Networking Strategies with Alisa Cohn.

In full-on morning voice with a travel mic, I do a daily check-in about what I was nervous about, spontaneous serendipitous invites, fan-girling my favorite authors and podcasters, falling off the energy cliff, what gave me FOMO and JOMO, and my daily quest for coffee. Always. Find. The. Coffee.

This crossover episode originally aired on the Free Time podcast on June 9, 2023.

🌟 3 Key Takeaways

• Identify when you’re at your conversation-sparking best: time of day and format (1:1, small group, big group; format vs. informal gatherings)
• Trust that less can be more: Fewer, deeper conversations can be just as powerful, if not even longer lasting than more, shorter ones. Resist the pressure to maximize every single element of being at the event.
• Put yourself in the path of people: Even when you’re not invited to the fancy formal events, place yourself in a central place — like the hotel lobby or a coffee station — to attract random conversation from other people who are also looking to meet someone new, but may be similarly unsure about how to break the ice of conversation.

📝 Permission: Embrace JOMO, knowing you’ll be at your best if you say no to situations that tend to bring out your worst.

✅ Do (or Delegate) This Next: Send a follow-up note to reconnect with someone you met in the last year. Bonus: schedule a small group reunion event over brunch or dinner (or Zoom).

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Apply to attend the TED Conference in Vancouver
• Travel: Athletic Greens, TripIt Pro, Peloton, Tonal, my favorite Tumi carry-on bag
• People: Alexandra Franzen, Alisa Cohn, Jon Levy, Cameron Herold, Gina Bianchini, Amy Cuddy, Dan Harris, Scott Belsky, Krista Tippett, Jacob Weisburg
• Articles: Jon Levy Influencer Dinners

📚 Books Mentioned

• From Start-up to Grown Up: Grow Your Leadership to Grow Your Business by Alisa Cohn
• You're Invited: The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging by Jon Levy
• Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy
• The Messy Middle: Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture by Scott Belsky
• 10% Happier Revised Edition: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story by Dan Harris
• Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business
• Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One
• Life After College

🎧 Related Episodes

• The Sensitive CEO Show with Rose Cox: An HSP’s Guide to Podcasting with Jenny Blake
• Free Time:
• 043: From Start-Up to Grown-Up (and Coach to Author) with Alisa Cohn
• 166: Crashing into Quiet Time 🏝️
• 126: Creating Time Buffer—7 Strategies for Spacious Scheduling
• 084: Sprinkling the First 1,000 Serendipity Seeds of a Launch
• 167: Transform Your Approach to Community-Building with Gina Bianchini
• Pivot:
• 325: 10+ Conference Networking Strategies with Alisa Cohn
• 298: Networking in a New Niche and Becoming Broadway Investors with Dorie Clark and Alisa Cohn
• 251: Listener Q&A on (Furry) Imposter Monsters
• 324: Six Golden Shadows of the Imposter Complex with Tanya Geisler
• 77: 21+ Travel Tips, Tools and Apps — with Jenny Blake
• 302: Moving Beyond Burnout with Dr. Susan Biali Haas

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