May 9, 2017
Do you know how to conference? In a sea of options for professional development and making connections, the annual ShopTalk conference is a Spirit of 608 favorite for the quality of its programming, yes, but also for having a damn fun vibe.
On this week's show: hear from leaders at the intersection of fashion, entrepreneurship, sustainability + tech (a space I call FEST), including experts we nabbed at ShopTalk from CommerceTools, Olapic, KidBox & Rossi + Rei.
In its second year, ShopTalk grew by 80 percent - and it showed. Held at the Aria in Las Vegas, it was literally brimming with people throughout the three-day event. But even with all the high-level executives and frothy startup names on the agenda, there was still an air of openness. Almost everyone I spoke with there had run into someone they'd truly wanted to meet, but had never had the chance to before. Person after person told me stories about connecting with someone new for a quick conversation and being shocked at how willing the person on the other end was to sit down, chat and make a real connection rather than just a vehicle for a business card exchange.
Listen to this bonus episode for experts weighing in on the future of FEST, as well as notes on how to conference like a badass.