He takes a pretty dim view of them as well – and I certainly wouldn’t try to change his mind about attending conferences himself – for exactly the reasons he states. However, keep in mind the perspective he’s approaching it with – that of investor or deal-maker. If you’re looking for some fresh perspective in your business or in the way you personally operate, you’re likely to find some value in conferences. If you’re looking to share common experiences with people in similar situations – and you DON’T have geographic centralization as VC’s tend to in silicon valley and in NYC – then a conference can be a great way to make connections. They can even be inspiring at times (depending on the speakers or the nature of the conversations).

He takes a pretty dim view of them as well – and I certainly wouldn’t try to change his mind about attending conferences himself – for exactly the reasons he states. However, keep in mind the perspective he’s approaching it with – that of investor or deal-maker. If you’re looking for some fresh perspective in your business or in the way you personally operate, you’re likely to find some value in conferences. If you’re looking to share common experiences with people in similar situations – and you DON’T have geographic centralization as VC’s tend to in silicon valley and in NYC – then a conference can be a great way to make connections. They can even be inspiring at times (depending on the speakers or the nature of the conversations).