Every year, we have hundreds of new people join our FinCon community. If you’re one of those first-timers, this guide is for you.
We’re so excited to see new faces join us, and we know you’re excited, too. But we also know that your excitement may be the nervous kind. Let’s be honest. It feels overwhelming to be a newbie at an event. So we developed this guide to help first-timers ease their mind before #FinCon18.
1. Wear What’s Comfortable
It’s hard to know what to wear when you’re new to FinCon. If you’ve been to other financial conferences, you may think you need to wear sharp business attire. While there will certainly be people wearing professional outfits, it’s not the norm.
In fact, FinConners tend to wear whatever makes them feel the most comfortable. We encourage you to come however you like! You’ll see a mixture of business, business casual, t-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, and even Hawaiian flowery shirts!
If you feel comfortable dressed to the nines, then dress up. If t-shirts and jeans are more your style, you’ll fit in too.
This is a diverse community with an even more diverse taste in dress. If you’d like more details about what to wear, check out this dress code guide.
2. What You Should Bring
In addition to your clothes, there are a few other items you won’t want to forget.
- Cough Drops/Throat Lozenges – Losing your voice at FinCon is a common occurrence. You’ll be meeting a lot of awesome people, after all! So come prepared in case your voice starts going out halfway through the event.
- Extra Room In Your Bags – Plan to leave a little extra room in your bags for some of the free swag you’ll receive at the event.
- Business Cards – Don’t forget to bring some business cards with you! It’s an easy way to help people remember who you are after the conference. And it’s a great way to network with the brands and other partners who will attend.
- Swim Suit – There are a few pools at the resort in Orlando. If you plan to relax and take a dip, don’t forget to bring your suit!
- Athletic Shoes – There are a few attendee-lead meetups like workouts, runs, and even time on the basketball court. If you plan to join any of these meetups, don’t forget a good pair of shoes!
- Comfortable Shoes – Speaking of shoes, plan to bring comfortable shoes for the conference. You’ll be on your feet a lot, and a bad pair of shoes will ruin the event for you. Remember, comfort over fashion.
- Golf Clubs – The resort in Orlando also has a golf course! If you’re looking to play a round or two with some other FinCon friends, don’t leave your best clubs at home.
3. Download The FinCon App
The #FinCon18 Schedule can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why we created the #FinCon18 app!
Simply search in the app store (both Android and iOS) for “FinCon” and you’ll find it. Create your account using the email address you used to register for your #FinCon18 pass in Eventbrite, and you’re in!
You’ll have access to other attendees, plus the complete schedule is now at your fingertips. The app also lets you star sessions and set reminders for specific events you want to attend.
Navigating FinCon without the app is a nightmare. There are so many great speakers covering topics to help you grow your business. You don’t want to miss anything! So do yourself a favor and download the app.
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4. Use Slack To Connect With Your Niche
With over two thousand people coming to #FinCon18, it can be daunting to try to connect with people in your niche. But FinCon Chat slack channels allow you to easily chat with other people in your niche.
Whether you’re a podcaster, blogger, or YouTuber, you’ll be able to find others in the same area. You can also join channels focused on FIRE, travel hacking, millennials, and much more.
You will have countless opportunities to connect with others in your niche at different sessions and during various events throughout the conference. But if you want to get a head start, join the slack channel here: http://bit.ly/finconslack
5. First-Timer’s Orientation
If you’re a first timer, be sure to come to our orientation on Wednesday the 26th at 3 pm! We’ll tell you everything you need to know for #FinCon18. Plus, we’ll help you nail down why you’re there and how to make the most of the event. Trust us, you’ll leave saying, “Time well spent!”
If you can’t make it to the Wednesday session, we’ll have the same orientation again on Thursday the 27th at 8:30 am.
6. Freelancer Marketplace
If you’re looking for more clients or want to expand your business as a freelancer, don’t miss out on the Freelancer Marketplace!
We set aside time on Thursday the 27th from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm for freelancers to meet with companies looking to hire. This is your chance to showcase your skills as an editor, writer, graphic designer, website builder, consultant, or anything else you do.
This is an easy way to make an ROI on your trip to FinCon. So don’t overlook this event!
7. FinCon Central
This is the hub for all things FinCon on both Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th. We’ll have Big Idea talks on the central stage, plus Innovations and Solutions talks on the side. You’ll also find podcasting and video booths, free headshots, and a lounge area! Of course, all our partnering brands will be there to network with you. So take advantage of this area for your business development.
If you haven’t been to FinCon before, you may look at the schedule and think it’s light during this time. But trust us, nothing could be further from the truth. Any downtime in between sessions is the perfect opportunity to network. Make sure you maximize your time to build relationships with brands and other attendees in FinCon Central.
8. Don’t Leave On Saturday!
A lot of new attendees will mistakenly book a flight for Saturday night thinking the conference is over. But Saturday is a full content day. There’s a ton going on: breakout sessions, mentoring, the final keynote, and, of course, our Closing Party!
Experienced FinConners leave Sunday so they can attend the closing party and hang around the hotel to continue networking. Some of your best relationships will be built on Saturday evening. If there’s any possible way for you to stay until Sunday, we highly recommend it!
9. One-on-One Mentoring
As another perk of being new to FinCon, you can sign up to meet with a mentor during the event. We have a dedicated time set aside for this on Saturday the 29th during lunch.
Look for an email and a post in the FB group with a signup sheet for one-on-one mentoring. Simply fill out the form, and we’ll pair you with a speaker or more advanced FinConner. During this session, you’ll be able to ask them questions and solicit advice for your own business, blog, or brand.
This mentoring session is included in your ticket, so don’t miss this opportunity to talk with our gracious community members!
10. Never Miss A Talk With The Virtual Pass
We have over 200 speakers coming to #FinCon18. Odds are, you’ll wish you could be in two places at once. No worries though! Over the past few years, we have significantly improved our recordings, and you can have access to all of the talks and slides via our virtual pass.
If you add the pass on before the event, you can still get it for only $99.
Take action: Upgrade And Get The #FinCon18 Virtual Pass
The post The First Timer’s Guide to #FinCon18 appeared first on FinCon: Where Money and Media Meet.