As founders, attending events can be a crucial part of building our companies. However, not all events are created equal. With the plethora of opportunities available, it’s essential to evaluate each event before investing time and resources. In this article, we’ll explore strategies for selecting the most beneficial events that drive business growth.
The Conundrum of Founder Events
Last week, TechCrunch+ published a survey that asked founders about their experiences with founder-focused events. The results showed that while many founders have found value in attending these events, there was no consensus on how much time should be spent at them. In fact, more than 50 founders replied to the survey, revealing that they’ve figured out ways to optimize their event attendance.
A Strategic Approach to Event Attendance
Mohammed AlKaff AlHashmi, co-founder of Islamic Coin, emphasizes the importance of having a strategy for attending events. He advises founders to plan ahead and critically evaluate which events may provide value. "Attending four well-planned events each year, one per quarter, is far more beneficial than going to many events with low impact," he explains.
This approach allows founders to allocate their time and resources effectively, ensuring that they make the most of each event. By focusing on a smaller number of high-impact events, founders can create meaningful connections, gather valuable insights, and drive business growth.
Industry-Specific Events: A Higher Return on Investment
Many founders have found industry-specific events to be the most beneficial, offering specialized insights, relevant connections, and opportunities directly tied to their startup’s growth. Ritwik Pavan, founder and CEO of Krava, highlights the value of these events:
"I believe the industry-specific events yield a higher return on investment, as they offer specialized insights, relevant connections, and opportunities directly tied to our startups’ growth."
Industry events tend to have a different vibe than founder-focused events, with attendees often displaying a more genuine interest in helping one another. Amanda Li, co-founder and COO of Banyan Infrastructure, notes:
"Notably, attendees seem to deeply care and follow more of a ‘pay it forward’ approach," she says. "We have gotten introductions to customers, investors, and job candidates with no horse trading involved."
The Drawbacks of Generalist Events
While generalist events like conferences can be beneficial, they often feature the same speakers and panelists. This can lead to a sense of familiarity, but also means that founders may see the same people over and over again. Lisa Gibbons, founder of Orchards Near Me, cautions:
"Many generalist events lack depth and fail to provide meaningful connections or insights."
The Importance of Meaningful Connections
Meaningful connections are a crucial outcome of attending events. These relationships can lead to valuable partnerships, collaborations, or even new business opportunities. By focusing on industry-specific events and taking a strategic approach to event attendance, founders can create the conditions for these meaningful connections to flourish.
Conclusion
Attending events is an essential part of building our companies. However, not all events are created equal. By adopting a strategic approach to event attendance and prioritizing industry-specific events, founders can drive business growth, gather valuable insights, and build meaningful connections.
As the startup ecosystem continues to evolve, it’s essential for founders to stay ahead of the curve by selecting the most beneficial events that align with their goals and objectives. By doing so, they’ll be well on their way to building successful businesses that thrive in today’s competitive market.
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