My favorite events I have ever attended are just regular get together that you never hear about. Just networking with regular people learning about what they are doing and offering advice from my experiences if its asked for.
Often even at the biggest events I am RARELY seen at the actually conference but rather prefer to spend my time meeting up with shoemoney.com readers for drinks or just hanging in the bar talking to people.
Anyway I just signed up to attend this Midwest Conference called the “Midwest UnConference”. The Midwest UnConference is a FREE event being held in Chicago, Illinois, on October 17-18, 2008.
I will see you there!
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I would go if it was on the west coast… Darn
Holy crap, this is like 3 blocks from where I work (next to the Nordstrom building) and its free! I’m there. Looking forward to the chance to finally meet ya Shoe.
Yeah, you can’t really go wrong with a free event. That would never happen in California… it would be nice if some A-list marketer put together a huge free conference, because you know they are going to cash in on it anyway…. but then it would just be a huge pitch-fest.
Sounds great- I love when events are free!! It’s awesome that you’re attending- I wish I could, as well, but I’ll be well into my MBA classes by then…thanks for sharing the event with us, though!
It’s kind of a good idea to make things like this free. You should make your money off of exhibitors and such.
hehe sorry both Ajaz and Agent
couldnt stop my self from saying that … but .. hey i’m glad i said that , i won a shoemoney t-shirt from it lol
Thanks Shoe !
Shoe, thanks for posting this. Very much appreciated.
We currently have just under 50 registered for Midwest Unconference. We have a room with capacity for about 120, so we’re already almost 50% booked.
This should be a great gathering of marketing minds and I look forward to seeing you in Chicago.
-Eric Odom
Midwest Unconference
$5 cab ride, most definitely in for this one!
I’m in. It’s just a hour or so east for me. It will be fun to meet up with like-minded people like I did at SES a few years ago.
And I can not be at this conference. I will be far away. -(((
Yes. A small child is a big stop light. -)
I wish fun and exciting conversations to everyone!
Same here – I would love to travel the world going to stuff like this
When I used to be a software dev I always found that going outside and getting some fresh air would always help clear your head. If i ever got stuck on a tricky piece of code, getting away from the PC for a bit would always help me to solve the problem.
I wont be eating fish for while now after reading that
Informal gatherings always seem to be far more relaxed – I know which I prefer. Free events like this are great, I wish we had something like it in the UK.
we wish we were in us so we could easily attend this confrences
it being free makes it more intresting…
See you there … I’m 30 minutes away
Kinda far for me, be sure to show some video highlights on your blog, that would be interesting.
If it worth it make an effort to attend it!
Very interesting, I’ll see what i can do to get a VISA!
Have a nice time there. And keep us updated of any new or interesting events for us to learn about.
http://jeflin.net
Is this worthwhile for somebody from Buffalo, NY to attend. …or is “Midwest” just part of the name?
easily thousands… travel and hotel alone is ussually well over that.
Cool idea but too far for me to travel.
ya not to much in the midwest always either east coast or west lol !
Very cool! I love chi-town! I love ‘Free’ even more! haha.. will definitely be making the drive out!
Hahaha… you know what is funny about that is that you’re one of the “gurus” in the field, and the people in the area have no idea what kind of opportunity they have at their fingertips even hanging out and just bullsh*tting. I suppose thats the funny thing of life, everyone think’s the big bucks and “easy money” are somewhere else not in their own back yard.
Ahhh, Shoe I wish I could have a drink with you, but Chicago is too far, when are you coming to LA?
Well that was a little bit more than I cared to know!
Finally something in the MidWest!
Sometimes it really sucks that I don’t live in the States. I think I would become the biggest ‘Jet Setter’ there is getting to all the meet ups.
OO cool just signed up. Will be a nice weekend
I am actually going to this one. I love these free events and now working with the kind of people that are like you is awesome. Sometimes it is easy to feel so alone when you’re just behind the computer screen. So to get out an actually talk to these people face-to-face is awesome.
Wish I could go there.. Sadly its way too far from my place..
Awesome, I may try to go to that one.
These events always seem to come up when my J-O-B turns for the worst.
have a nice time
I wish, i were in US…
I’m going to my first conference in 2 weeks (in DC). Whenever I hear of someone going to one they tend to go to many of them, so I hope the wife enjoys a weekend with the kids all by herself =P
Awesome! I just signed up..looking forward to it.
Yeah, sounds really cool, I’d love to see something like that in the NYC area.
Fishing is one of my favorites hobbies , but i dont know why all fishes in montreal are full of worms ! i searched and the gov. says its normal just fries them for more than 10 mn on 60 degree and it will be ok to eat them !
here is the official canadian gov. site : http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/csl/inf/inf043_e.html
Sounds like an interesting un-event
. I hope this type of event spreads to other parts of the country. It’s pretty far from where I live.
hmm 400? Most conferences are thousands.
she is doing totally awesome thanks for asking.
Tekfirm, you crack me up!
Thanks for the resource. I found several groups within a short drive. Looks like I’m going to be busier very soon.
I agree you have to be careful how much time you spend in front of the computer. I have a time set so I remember to take breaks. Ten minutes away from the computer helps me refocus and has increased my productivity a lot.
Won’t be able to attend, it’s not that close to where I live. That’s awesome that it’s free though. Surely beats the $400 tickets.
Sounds like a plan. So how is Joslyn doing?
let us know if you’re planning to come again
, by the way never fish in Montreal the fishes are full of worms !
Check meetup.com and if there is not one already you should form one. I have tried to form meetups here in Nebraska and only like 1-2 people show up =( Some areas are just not very savy to internet marketing.
Normally I do 2-3 traveling events per month but with having a new baby this year I took a 5 month hiatus. I am ready to get back at it again.
Mostly I fish in Canada
.
I have been to 2 SES’s in Toronto. Had a blast.
I need to try and find some meet ups close to where I live (Toronto) if anyone knows of any let me know.
conferences are good – and anything else that’ll get you away from the computer.
Spending too much time in front of the computer will make you go coo coo crazy.
looks good.
Hope I could be there :!
Free huh, that’s interesting. Never heard of it. How many conferences do you attend per year?
Shoe do you go to conferences in Canada ?