Having never been to SXSW before I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. It’s safe to say that it was more full on than I had imagine but incredibly inspiring and full of amazing people that I feel really honoured and lucky to have met and gotten to know.
SXSW – The sessions
As for the sessions, they were a mixture between great and the plain obvious. My reaction to the first day’s sessions was somewhat mixed. I’d expected the level to be higher and the quality better. It’s SXSW after all. Then again, what do I know. I’ve never been before. But, it seemed I wasn’t the only one who were a bit disappointed. Where as I would normally not leave and walk of out of a session midway through, or way before for that matter, walking out is very common amongst the SXSW attendees. And I understand why. With so many sessions and social things going on each day, picking one thing means prioritising that over something else (often sleep) and if it’s not up to standards, well, then there’s no point in staying. You could be somewhere that is better. Even if that is out having a drink with people. As for picking what sessions to go to the general advice is:
Don’t try to go to everything
Pick a few things that you want to see and let the day take you to the rest, even if that’s not a session.
Go to sessions about subjects you know less of, or normally don’t hear about
The talks that are about your field, unless you’re just starting out, are likely to be too basic.
Choose sessions based on who you want to hear speak
If they are a great speaker, even if the subject is not exactly right for you, it’s likely to leave you inspired in one way or another.
I didn’t go to one session about UX or design so whether the middle statement is true or not I don’t know, but it’s what the general consensus seemed to be. As for the sessions I chose I spent the majority of my time over at the Startup Village at the Hilton and in some sessions over in the Convention Centre. But then, I had a clear focus and that was to get as much startup knowledge and inspiration as possible.
SXSW – The people
SXSW is as much about the people you meet as the sessions you go to and that means SXSW is a lot about the parties. I don’t necessarily see anything wrong with that. If you jump from session to session and between one venue to the next you miss out on interesting and unexpected conversations. Even if you stay in one place other people are flowing through so the conversations you’re having are of the shorter kind. Most of the people I got to know or talking to I met during one of the meetup sessions that were aimed at networking, or in the evening after all of the sessions had ended. The majority of the conversations I had were incredibly insightful and inspiring, sharing experiences and stories of what we do, what our dreams and visions are, an interesting trend or development, observation or challenge we’ve come across. There are so many fascinating people in one place, from different backgrounds and working on different things and that, from my one experience with SXSW, is where the biggest value lies.
SXSW – Was it worth it?
Yes. To me it was. I met so many people that I otherwise wouldn’t have met had it not been for attending SXSW and 2/3 of the sessions I went to were above good. Having said that, I wouldn’t go solely for the sessions.
There are other conference for getting expertise in a particular area and with those I go more for the content and to be there in person, seeing thought leaders within a particular field speak. When it comes to the content though, at least with that it’s easier to learn what was talked about by reading write ups and watch videos from talks than it is to randomly bump into someone you want to meet, or a complete stranger that you end up having an incredibly rewarding conversation with. For that you have to be there. And so, depending on how important the networking aspect may be for you, it may be more or less relevant to go. To me the networking aspect was important and it’s my biggest takeout and what made the trip for me. As for SXSW being one big piss up it is if you want it to be and equally, it is no if you don’t want it to.
New York
This city has had a special place in my heart even before I first paid it a visit back in October last year together with D. After this trip its place has only grown stronger. Many of the people we got to know and spent time with are based in New York and it was wonderful to catch up with a few of them only a few days after SXSW ended.
The city is mesmerising in itself but also filled with so much inspiration for me. Exactly why I do not know but it just is. Having been twice in five months I’ve gotten to know it and can find my way around it with ease. I feel at home and the fact that I’ve now made so many new friends make it feel even more welcoming, and compelling. Though, for close ones reading this worried that I will want to move there, that is not the case so please do not worry. For those reading this hoping that I will, I’ll be back soon and hopefully New York and the friends we made over there will play a bigger part in my life over the years to come.
Tomorrow – Day 080 | Freelancing at its best
