Monday, October 06, 2008

Missing SMB Nation 2008

SMB Nation 2008

Sadly, I missed SMB Nation 2008.

I was there. But not there.

Here's what I mean. This year, I signed up as an attendee (for my fifth year in a row). But I also paid full price to be a vendor with a booth.

The booth worked out great. Killed a lot of ducks. Gave away some nerf guns. Had a LOT of visitors.

But I was stuck in the booth.

So I didn't see Ryan Speak. Or Jeff. Or Dave and Mark. Or George. Or Dana. Or Wayne or Susan. or Robert or Matt.

Or anyone.

I didn't get to wander the hallways. In fact, I didn't know where the hallways WERE until Monday.

Being a vendor was great fun. Probably more fun for me than almost anyone else. Lots of people came by the booth and took a shot at a duck, or signed up for the Results Software (www.results-software.com) reseller program. We talked strategy. We analyzed a few businesses.

We had fun.

But I missed SMB Nation. I missed the content. I missed the hallway conversation.

Yeah, I got to be a vendor.

But I missed everything that makes SMB Nation great. I literally don't have the shared experiences that true attendees have.

SMB Nation remains the one, the true, the first SMB-focused and SBS-focused consulting conference ever. I won't miss it again.

Next year you'll see me back in the audience seats. I'll be in the hallways. I'll be asking questions and hanging out at the lunch tables.

My plane leaves in ten minutes. And I'm sad about having missed my first SMB Nation in five years. Yes, I had a GREAT time. Great parties. Great events. But I don't feel I attended the conference.

I miss it. And I'll be back next year.

:-)

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