Now that we are deep in Spring conference season – I thought I would update my ever popular #PeopleYouSeeAtConferences list. Now way longer than 10 items. I shall add in a few ‘suggestions from my pals on Twitter and add a few more from my travels around the FinTech universe.
- The old fogey who remembers when this event started above a pub, sometime in the 1980s, with 10 delegates
- The 20-something marketing woman who wears five inch heels … all day
- The middle aged man who is now a “consultant” and scoping for work. He doesn’t wear a tie (but looks slightly uneasy about it)
- The camera guy with a man bun … and tattoos
- The ‘very senior person’ who is constantly trailed by a minder. He is given a script before he gets on stage. A moderator who goes ‘off-script’ and asks a follow up question, will be an ‘issue’
- Me (Come say Hi, I know lots of good jokes 🙂 )
- The really interesting person who arrives five minutes before their great panel and leaves as soon as it’s finished
- The American who tells everyone about their post-event European long weekend plans
- The swag hoarder
- Backpack guy.
*New for 2019!*
- The person who runs up to you, gives you a hug and a kiss, and you have no idea who they are (and their badge is on backwards)
- One lonely person, sitting in the corner of an empty stand, facing the wall
- Boys and girls playing videos games
- Guy asleep in the back of the main plenary session (will definitely be in a suit)
- World weary marketing exec who says over and over ‘I’m sorry, we are all out of VIP passes to our party tonight’
- Senior sales exec who sneaks the last remaining ‘VIP pass’ from booth ‘for a friend’. (thanks :-))
- Over prepared speaker, running through their notes before going up on stage (usually female)
- Conference staffer who really must scan your badge ‘every single time’ you enter a session or a room
- The industry legend whom you’ve spoken to, tweeted with, had drinks alongside, who steals a glance at your badge to figure out who you are after you’ve ‘re-introduce’ yourself to him – again.
- Middle-age-ish-guy – in a box fresh baseball cap too young for him – doing a selfie piece to his camera about how kickin’ this event is – for a LinkedIn post.
- Marketing director moaning about how the show isn’t as good as years before and the cost of the booth was too much – will spend money on the event the following year anyway.
- Someone eating a delicious looking ice cream cone. (You never find the booth with the ice cream cones.)
- Person you haven’t seen in ages – you see right at the start of the conference hugging/making plans to catch up – you never see them again.
- AV guy who asks if you’ve ‘Got any pockets?’ (Wonder when they’ll get tired of that question?)
- There is always a woman wearing a crown – it’s a different woman every year.
#PeopleYouSeeAtConferences The sales person who gives you their pitch without ever asking if what they offer is relevant to you.
— thad peterson (@peterstd) September 20, 2018
Quite a comprehensive list of #PeopleYouSeeAtConferences by @lizlum
I’ll add tho – the big company’s booth barista who is better connected to the conference attendees than anyone else on the shop floor
Add yours! https://t.co/uMkvLpFImo— Shaul David (@ShaulDavidUK) September 20, 2018
Add your #PeopleYouSeeAtConferences today!