This is Part 13 of a weekly series on my growth and development at a software startup in Austin Texas. Click here to view the full series or start at Level 1.

The conference Life

Level Twelve Stats

Weapons gained:

  • Connections + 22: Definitely the biggest week of connections I have ever had in the business world. I organized a meeting with one of our largest customers who came and met us at our office on Tuesday. This weekend, I’m at a conference visiting with current customers and meeting potential future customers. In the last two days, I’ve talked to over 50 people about the product my company offers.
  • Ability + 10: I started out the week not knowing really how to interact with people talking about my company, and now I feel like an expert. That’s an exaggeration, but being at a conference with my CEO and COO, I’ve learned a ton in a very short amount of time. It’s been amazing.
  • Knowledge + 8: Once again, being at this conference, I’ve learned, not only more about our customers and the needs that we can fill, but also more about our product and how it could help so many practices. I’ve learned how to hear the needs and pain-points of people and learn how our platform can help them.
  • Discipline + 6: I’ve kept up all of my normal routines even with a lot of random things thrown at my schedule. Not perfect, but I’m excited that even with things popping up, I can do the things that I need to continue to do.
  • Organization + 12: Every single one of our customers who was at this conference I was able to set up a meeting with. 13 customers in two days. Even on top of this I met with potential customers as well. I struggled to keep track of each person I talked to, but was able to document every conversation I had so that I am able to follow-up with them later after the conference. The true test of organization will come later when I see if my notes are sufficient for knowing how to reach back out to these people.
  • Strength – 2: Sadly, I’ve kept up my routine this week on time devoted to exercise, even ran a couple of times, but I don’t feel like I made progress. There’s no such thing as no progress, Either forward or backward, and I didn’t move forward, so that leaves only backward for now.

Kills: This week and meetings.

Deaths: Honestly, nothing to speak of this week. Undefeated.

Outside the Game

Had some pretty incredible stories this week with homeless people. Perhaps will write about in another blog. Always learning about people – even the people who make no money for a living.

This is partly still in the game, but the experience of working one-on-one with my CEO, COO, and product manager has been invaluable. I am learning so much. Yes. Things within the company, but even things outside of it. They are some of the smartest people I know, and I feel honored to be able to learn from them

My co-worker, CJ, has completely sold me on Tesla.

Final Takeaways

Feels like things couldn’t be going better. Now I’m spending a week in the Colorado mountains working remotely.

One thing I know, I’m going to have a heck of a time trying to follow-up with the 50 people I met at this conference. Not really looking forward to it, but excited about the results that could come from it.