I just got back to Nebraska after a great week in San Francisco for the Elite Retreat 2009. First of all, I want to thank all of our Elite Retreat attendees for coming out! From small business owners to affiliate managers, it was an amazing group this year. I think everyone can agree that not only did they walk away with tons of new knowledge, tips and ideas, but there is a good chance everyone made some great networking contacts.
Secondly, I want to thank all the speakers at this year’s Elite Retreat – Neil Patel, Chris Winfield, Kris Jones, Stephan Spencer, Andy Liu, Brian Norgard and Michael Brito. And last, but definitely not least, Gary Vaynerchuk. Wow! He absolutely blew everyone away.
Also, while I seem to get all the credit… I want to thank my team – Tigh and Brienna. They did an awesome job. We have been receiving quite a few emails asking to be put on the waiting list if we decide to do another Retreat. Tigh has started to collect the names and emails of those people, so if you would like to be notified if/when the next Retreat will happen and have first chance to register, please email him directly, tigh@shoemoney.com
Recap:
I arrived in San Francisco on Monday to get everything situated before the attendees and speakers arrived on Tuesday. We chose the Hotel Vitale this year, and it was a great choice. The hotel was very nice, and they were very accommodating. Tuesday people started to arrive, and we had a Meet & Greet scheduled for that night in the hotel bar sponsored by Affiliate.com. Scott Richter and one of their top affiliate managers, Jaz, came to the event as well. There was of course an open bar, and it was a great kick start to the event.
Breakfast was served bright and early the next morning, with sessions starting at 8 am. The layout of this year’s retreat was changed a little, and we decided to do all of the leaders’ presentations on one day, and then do a couple of ad hoc speakers on the second day while attendees had one on one sessions with the speakers.
We started off the day with Neil Patel speaking, followed by Kris Jones, Stephan Spencer, Andy Liu and Chris Winfield.
The end of day 1 culminated with a keynote by Gary Vaynerchuk. He absolutely brought the house down, and was a great addition to our leaders. Check out a little of the presentation below:
After everybody was overflowing with information, we had a reception set up on the rooftop terrace of the hotel. Of course it was great weather and open bar again. During the reception Gary, decided to do an episode for Winelibrary.tv which you can watch below:
Check out Gary’s Elite Retreat Wine Library TV episode here.
Dinner (sponsored by Pepperjam) was taking place at one of, if not the best, restaurants in San Francisco – Boulevard. We had the entire downstairs reserved for our dinner, and lots and lots of wine available (each of them hand picked ahead of time by Gary V. himself).
People had a great time trying the wines, enjoying a great meal and getting to know one another. Afterward, everyone hit the sack to wake up for Day 2 of the Elite Retreat which started once again bright and early on Thursday morning. To kick off the day, I started with a presentation about conversions. I gave insight into the tactics I am using to really capitalize on my advertising efforts with platforms like MySpace and Facebook. I also spoke about the importance of creating your own landing pages and then testing, testing and testing those pages.
Unlike the other Elite Retreats, we really wanted to make sure the attendees got even more one on one time with all of the speakers. So after my presentation, the attendees started their one on one meetings with the speakers in another room.
For those not in a one on one meeting, we brought in the VP of MySpace MyAds – Brian Norgard – and the head of Social Media for Intel – Michael Brito. They not only gave great presentations, but also led amazing discussions and were totally open, ready and willing to field all the attendees’ questions. Here’s Brian speaking with the attendees:
And here’s a look at the video Michael Brito shot at the Elite Retreat:
At the end of Day 2, AzoogleAds gave away a ticket to their Playboy Mansion party to one of our smart attendees – Garrett. (Check out the authentic smoking jacket and pipe they gave him, too.)
The Elite Retreat attendees were also able to pick up some sweet shwag from the XY7.com team – everything from shirts to snacks.
We also had SureHits who sponsored and designed this years Elite Retreat shirts. They turned out awesome.
Thanks to the generous sponsorship by GetAds, later that evening we headed a couple blocks up the street to Waterbar for an amazing dinner (and an open bar…again!).
For the first time in Elite Retreat history, we also added a day three to the event with a field trip to Facebook. And thanks in much part to the hard work of the one and only DK (he’s with me in the pic below and runs the ThinkTank event), we were able to secure this once in a lifetime opportunity! We started off with lunch at the FB Headquarters. It was a great time – but people were pretty anxious to learn and see even more. So after lunch, we were able to meet with the FB advertising team, including Alex Schultz. For a couple hours we were able to learn from the FB team things that were working for other advertisers. Not only that, but we were able to ask them ANY questions that came to mind – an amazing opportunity. At the end, Facebook hooked everybody up with some coupon codes for free advertising on Facebook along with a Facebook USB drive loaded with tons of FB info. It was a great way to end the Elite Retreat!
Like I said before, if you’re interested in attending the next one – get in touch with Tigh (tigh@shoemoney.com) right away. After this year’s event, I have a feeling if we do this again, it will be sold out within hours. 
Thanks again to the great speakers and sponsors. And most of all, thanks to all of you attendees who keep coming back for more and pushing us to take it to the next level year after year.
Sponsors for the event included:
- Comment Likes 
- Comment Dislikes
April 7, 2009 at 5:54 am
Now a days facebook is one of the best site for promote your site.
March 6, 2009 at 2:07 am
It is nice to hear that the meeting was didactic.
March 3, 2009 at 1:11 pm
great event thanks for sharing.
March 3, 2009 at 1:09 pm
KILLER conference!
I totally loved meeting some new peeps, it was awesome. Good discussions and I learned a ton@
-Justin
March 2, 2009 at 6:06 am
Wow, it is great event. I love it.
March 1, 2009 at 2:05 am
I love your shirt actually Shoe. Full of character. Except for the err… Tummy!
February 28, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Thanks for sharing this!
February 28, 2009 at 8:36 am
Certainly this one was gala events. So many talented people of webmaster community under one roof.
Simply amazing. Nice to see those photos.
February 28, 2009 at 7:32 am
Wow, its was a great event. I envy you
February 28, 2009 at 3:48 am
Wow, sounds like fun Shoe, you sure do travel a lot.
February 27, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I really hope Jeremy posts some more videos!!
February 27, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Looks like a hell of a time. Reminds me of the millionaire’s club retreats we get at work!
February 27, 2009 at 10:57 am
Looks like you guys had a blast… Great turn out and ya’ll had a grip of big sponsors. Sweet.
February 27, 2009 at 8:17 am
“You’re About To Learn The Exact Methods I Used To Go From Deeply In Debt And Working At A Job Barely Scraping By To Making Over $580,000 Net In Just One Year Selling Public Domain Works!”
February 27, 2009 at 5:30 am
I enjoyed the videos most too. I would like to see some more video about this event
February 27, 2009 at 4:14 am
Thanks for sharing this! What a great reminder… I always feel like I’m the focus of people’s attention, but really it’s just me being self-deprecating– the only focus I have is my own!
February 27, 2009 at 2:39 am
yet I would absolutely want to see more videos. of the gary vaynerchuk video was pretty intense short clip.
February 27, 2009 at 1:06 am
Awesome compilation of the Elite retreat. Seems to be an awesome success.
February 26, 2009 at 10:32 pm
I’ve been to a gazillion conferences in my life mostly for the healthcare industry as well as some internet/tech related, and this was the best managed one I’ve ever been to. Tigh and Brienna deserve tons of credit for making it all so smooth. Special props to Jeremy of course for setting it up, and a special bonus was meeting the guys from Unique Blog Designs and hearing about their new venture which I think will have them rule the blog design world. Also good to compare notes over dinner with the legendary Dillsmack!
February 26, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Excellent – enjoyed the videos most. Anyone know anymore video posts about this event?
February 26, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Absolutely the best event! It was first class all the way including great content, speakers, and attendees. Thanks Jeremy, Kris, Gary, Stephen, Andy, Neil, Chris,Tigh, and Brienna! Definitely attending next year!
February 26, 2009 at 9:39 pm
From The LOOK it clearly and Elite ,from the speech it looks So friendly.from The conclusion I Know I have to book my self to get the real sense gathering with the Next Elite
February 26, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Inspiring and motivational speech by Gary
February 26, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Wow looks like you guys a great time, its great that you guys got to tour Facebook and get all that free stuff.
February 26, 2009 at 7:19 pm
hopefully there is another one next year when the dates match up! this looked like an amazing event.
February 26, 2009 at 5:46 pm
It was a great event. Facebook had an open bar in a different sense. All the drinks and snacks they had all over the place. Needed it with that stuffy hot room they put us into. I thought they were torturing us at first before the q&a started.
February 26, 2009 at 9:46 pm
For those who missed the event, facebook had this unreal cafeteria with scallops, and other gourmet food, and as was said cabinets fridges (like in the grocery store) in all of their buildings. Everywhere you went if you wanted a bag of chips, some cookies, soft drinks or just about anything it was all around.
February 28, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Wow thats great to hear that they have so much food around the building, if you are ever hungry while working you can just eat. Must be fun working there.
February 26, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Kudos – looked like an awesome event.
Pity it would cost my life savings to catch a plane over there to attend.
Are you planning on selling the video? Or putting it up somewhere?
February 26, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Awesome post Jeremy. I am going to make it to Elite Retreat one of these days…
February 27, 2009 at 2:36 am
if there ever is another one. Jeremy sure knows how to build demand.
February 26, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Jeremy,
Thanks for sharing some of the highlights of ER2009! That was quite a group of thought-leaders in one place.
Michael Brito and I worked at Sony Electronics in San Jose, during the pre-silicon valley ‘bubble burst’ period.
I’m sure if you assembled some videos of the presentations, you would be able to market them to newbies like me! Understanding how exclusive this information was, you would have to get a non-disclosure statement signed by purchasers…
I hope to one day be successful enough to attend. It was held near my home too, I should have tried to dress as the hotel staff and sneak in?
Respectfully,
Nicholas Chase
http://www.twitter.com
February 26, 2009 at 4:35 pm
This was by far and away the most well run and most productive conference I’ve ever been to….and I’ve been to about 50, including all the “big ones.”
It’s not actully fair to call Elite Retreat a conference….it’s more of a retreat than a conference where everyone collaborates with each other to make more money and build our respective networks.
The other thing is that once Elite Retreat is over it’s only begun.
I’ve had strategy calls with 6 Elite Retreat attendees already this week and have more scheduled. In addition, once you attend Elite Retreat you become part of the Elite Retreat Alumni Network, which entitles you to to work with previous attendees on a regular basis.
Elite Retreat is a life altering event.
Life will never be the same for those who attended Elite Retreat 2009 San Fran or any before it.
Absolutely sick.
Special thanks to Gary V. for one of the most inspirational and in-your-face “cuz I rule and so do you” speeches I’ve ever heard in my life. Gary had more inspirational one liners than Tony Robbins after he just got finished a green drink…and I’m a big Tony fan.
Thanks Shoe for a great retreat.
Kris Jones
February 26, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Kris,
To continue the love fest. I thought your presentation was exactly what I needed to really get affiliate marketing. It was well done, and the book rocks.
February 27, 2009 at 2:36 am
Men after reading this and seeing the one clip of gary vaynerchuk I can imagine how awesome of an event it would be for an entrepreneur to be involved with. I thought my entrepreneurial classes can get intense. this would just be awesome crazy off-the-wall entrepreneurial energy.
February 26, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Thanks for the in depth write up and pictures. Looks like it was a pretty good time!
February 26, 2009 at 4:26 pm
DK pronounces your name shoe-MACH-er. Is that right, or is it shoe-MAKE-er?
February 27, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Shoe Makes money at Mach speeds.
February 26, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I will also agree with DK and say this was the best event I ever attended, hands down. Such a great group, lots of great info, and tons of fun things to do. It also didn’t hurt that everywhere we were (except Facebook) had an open bar.
March 7, 2009 at 3:33 pm
…and not even a “bar” at the nudies. What’s up with that, California?!
February 26, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Looks like you had an awesome time! I want to go to one of these eventually!!!
February 26, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Lookin’ good. Seems like an event I’d actually want to go to and maybe if it’s still running in 2-3 years I may try to apply.
February 26, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Love it! I’m hoping I can go next year… if there is one.
February 26, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Hey Shoe, Are those Affliction Shirts you’re wearing?
February 26, 2009 at 3:43 pm
ya I love affliction t’s
February 26, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Honestly… I’ll make it next time!
February 26, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Sounds like a great gig.
Thanks for sharing the pics.
February 26, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Show rocked once again man! Speakers were awesome and the attendees were great as well. Thanks!
February 26, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Just re-read it and realized something I had skimmed the first time through…
Pretty cool how you had both MySpace Ads and Facebook Represented.
An idea for a future eLite Retreat may be to have all 3 major search engines as well?
February 26, 2009 at 3:44 pm
We have had search engines ask to speak but really what value would they add? They cant tell you what really works…. And you can hear there stump speeches anywhere.
February 27, 2009 at 2:34 pm
The thing I would most like to hear about from Search engines would be their scoring system so I can get on their first page for all of my products.
February 26, 2009 at 1:57 pm
If you take the time to resize these images, you can kind of learn about the presentations (slides).
February 26, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I had a blast Shoe. You have a great operation goin’ on. Thanks for inviting me!
February 26, 2009 at 3:45 pm
You did a awesome job Brito thanks again bro!
February 27, 2009 at 8:36 pm
it’s cool to see all the guys from the event responding here in the comments. I’ve been clicking through and checking out some of they sites.
February 26, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Elite Retreat was absolutely worth the time and money. The speakers and networking events were great. Thanks again Jeremy!
February 26, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Thank you so much for letting me be part of it again. It was truly the best internet event I have ever been to hands down.
I’ve definitely learned my lesson about mugging for the camera, and what might end up on the internet
Every speaker was just amazing. What was also cool was that past speakers really raised the bar, and brought even more than they had before.
February 26, 2009 at 2:10 pm
DK – You did a great job, too! Without you – who knows if there would have been a day 3!?
February 26, 2009 at 4:50 pm
And you and Tigh did an awesome job for days 1 and 2, thanks again!
February 26, 2009 at 5:42 pm
And Slaven, you did a great job at Bamboo. The whole thing with you and the Blue Panda will become legend.
February 26, 2009 at 6:08 pm
I’ve already registered the domain!
February 26, 2009 at 1:19 pm
We’re a 4-person bootstrapped startup, and I can say ER 2009 was $5k VERY well spent. Thanks, ShoeMoney!!
February 26, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Seems like you had a great time!
February 26, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Looks like you all had a great time. I’m definitely interested in going next year!
February 26, 2009 at 12:59 pm
This years event looks awesome and very professional as well. The facebook trip must have been the icing on the cake.
February 26, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Yea, seems like a great way to get one on one with some of their top executives.
February 28, 2009 at 3:24 pm
yea I agree it must have been great to see the facebook company.
February 26, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Loved every minute of it man!
February 26, 2009 at 1:55 pm
You’re one lucky man to attend it!
February 28, 2009 at 8:37 am
Even we enjoyed by seeing videos and photos.
Simply amazing. I am sure people had great time and got food and push to do better.