Wednesday, September 14, 2022

“It’s Like Going Back to the 90s” — INBOUND 2022 Trip: Part 2


The conference begins...

In my 2019 series of blog posts on the INBOUND conference, I talked about how young everyone seemed. I was 46 at the time, and felt like one of the few older attendees at the event (well...other than the speakers). 


This time out, there was a much more eclectic mix of demographics. Sure, there were still a lot of attendees under the age of 30. But my anecdotal evidence suggests this year's event felt like a more balanced professional conference with numerous attendees in their 40s and 50s.  

After getting a quick bite for breakfast at the Dunkin Donuts near our hotel, we headed to the BCEC for the first day of INBOUND programming. 


INBOUND had a different format for the sessions this year. The content was structured in either 30-minute sessions or 90-minute “deep dive” sessions. 

On the surface, the format makes sense. Some speakers/topics are better in bite-size chunks...while others require in-depth examination. 

We only attended two of the 90-minute sessions (which will be featured in the next blog post). The rest of the programming on our agenda was comprised of the 30-minute talks (some of the “deep dives” we wanted were full by the time we registered for sessions). 

The first session we attended on Wednesday was the HubSpot Spotlight featuring HubSpot CEO Yamini Rangan, CPO Stephanie Cuthbertson, and CTO and Co-Founder Dharmesh Shah. 


I guess I should mention that the INBOUND conference is put on by HubSpot (the company provides a popular CRM software product for marketing professionals).  

A key point of the session was how disconnected customers are these days, and how digital fatigue is at an all-time high. Rangan noted that businesses need to diversify the distribution channels they use to connect with customers. 

Building meaningful connections and growing a community are considered critical as it regards cultivating customer loyalty. 

“You need to meet your customers where they are,” Rangan told attendees. 


I tweeted a number of interesting tidbits during the conference on our BeAResumeWriter.com Twitter account. I’ll be including some of those tweets in this series of blog posts (if you’d like to read more, be sure to follow us at twitter.com/bearesumewriter). 

After the session, we decided to grab lunch at the “Lawn on D” food truck area outside the convention center. We weren’t terribly hungry at that point (the breakfast sandwiches we’d had were pretty filling), but thought it best to eat while we had time.  


Bridget and I chose to grab food at The Dining Car food truck. I had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich with chips:


Bridge had the Honey Truffle Goat Cheese Sandwich (the vegetarian offering featured marinated goat cheese, wildflower honey, and truffle oil with greens and vinaigrette on a ciabatta roll): 


Jolene joined us for lunch soon thereafter. It was nice to get to eat with her at the conference on this trip (since we didn’t have an opportunity to do that in 2019). She sat with us at one of the picnic tables. 


Jolene had the Caprese Sandwich from the Pennypackers food truck: 


And Jason (who did not dine with us) had the Shrimp Po-Boy sandwich from the Revelry food truck: 


After lunch, Bridget and I headed back to the venue’s Main Stage to hear author/speaker/entrepreneur Marcus Sheridan’s presentation titled “What's Next: The ‘Seller Free Economy’ — And the Future of Sales and Marketing.”


We attended a session with Sheridan in 2019 and also watched his presentations at the past two digital INBOUND conferences. He is an energetic and enthusiastic speaker with terrific tips. 

“Thirty-three percent of all buyers say they’d prefer to have a ‘seller free’ sales experience,” Sheridan told attendees. For millennial consumers, that number is 44 percent. 

The buyer is in control — and likes to be in control — and marketers need to keep this in mind going forward. 

“Platforms come and go,” Sheridan said. “Businesses need to build on principles that last.”

 
Sheridan also used “Choose Your Own Adventure” books in his presentation (to demonstrate that consumers like to feel in control of purchasing decisions). As a child of the 1970s and 80s, I enjoyed the nod to one of the fun book series of my youth!


We would have loved listen to Sheridan talk longer, but were glad to at least have the opportunity to hear him speak (even if it was in a 30-minute slot). 

The next session featured another of our favorite speakers from 2019 — Outcome Media CEO Jay Schwedelson. 

Schwedelson’s expertise is in the area of email subject lines. Like Sheridan, Schwedelson is an enthusiastic speaker who gives attendees lots of actionable tips in his presentations. 

This particular session — titled “Email Marketing Tips: Do This, Not That” — was on the Founders Stage (one of a number of sessions on stages on the exhibition floor — something new that the conference organizers tried this year). 


“The easiest hack in email is to not send out messages on the hour,” Schwedelson told attendees. 

Schwedelson offered a number of useful tips, including the fact that animated GIFs are “killing it” in email today (so you might consider creating them for your email campaigns): 


Overall, it was a terrific session, but (like Sheridan’s presentation) we would have enjoyed hearing more from Schwedelson. 


We then headed back to the Main Stage for a discussion featuring HubSpot Executive Chairperson Brian Halligan. 


Halligan talked about leadership lessons he learned during his tenure building HubSpot. 

He talked about how the company (during its formative years) targeted small and medium-sized businesses with their software products. Investors didn’t like the strategy at the time, but Halligan bet on the notion that “success was more about the width of your brain than the width of your wallet.”

“Whenever the world is zigging, I like to zag,” Halligan said. 

(He also told a fascinating story about meeting Steve Jobs for the first time...)


The final speaker of the day was entrepreneur Emma Grede, Co-Founder and CEO of Good American (a clothing company built on body acceptance and inclusivity). The session — titled “Mapping Out the Moonshot” — focused on Grede’s business journey. 


Bridget and I were familiar with Grede from her guest appearances on the ABC series “Shark Tank” (one of our favorite shows).  

Grede considers herself a serial entrepreneur these days. She discussed her business philosophy and the importance of diversity in hiring. She believes diversity is a superpower. 

“I wake up every day thinking about my customer,” she said. “Every day. I'm obsessed.”

She has built a reputation for understanding where brands and entertainment collide — and the unique opportunity that provides entrepreneurs. 

After the session concluded, there was a reception in the exhibition hall featuring drink stands and mixed-nut trays. Jolene (who is not a fan of sparkling water) described this alcoholic seltzer as tasting like “cough syrup”: 


We went back to our hotel for a bit before heading out to explore Boston.  

I should add that I had slept horribly the night before. There is always an adjustment period when I am on the road, and I didn’t take any Benadryl (which is the same active ingredient as most of the over-the-counter sleep aids) before bed on our first night (something I would rectify for the rest of the trip). 

As a result, I had been up since 4:30 a.m. — I was tired and could have used a nap. But I figured I’d rest when I returned to Omaha, so I kept myself going...

We planned to head north, into more of the touristy areas of Boston (as we had on our 2019 trip). That meant traversing the bus and rail system to get to our destination (Bridget loves mass transit, so she was excited at the prospect). 


I kept seeing these Hippo Insurance Services signs and video ads in the various train terminals we went through. I started collecting hippos as a kid, and love the graphic design this company utilizes in its marketing: 


After departing the underground rail, we looked around the charming Boston Public Market on the way to get dinner. 


The market featured lots of artisan-built knick knacks, including these wooden bowls: 


There were also these unique lawn chairs (that look like the love child of an Adirondack chair and a wheelbarrow): 


After perusing the market, we walked up Hanover St. looking for someplace to eat. The famous Mike’s Pastry was on our path, but we opted not to stuff ourselves with cream puffs, cannolis, and sugary treats (well...not until later!). 

We spotted an Italian restaurant as we walked along — Carmelina's North End — that seemed like it would suit our culinary needs (one of many Italian restaurants along our route). 


One of the interesting aspects of dinner was our server, Brooke. Brooke informed us that she was familiar with Nebraska because she had done an art residency (in 2021) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

She said, “I liked Nebraska. It’s like going back to the 90s.”

When you live in a Great Plains state, you get used to those sorts of comments from people who live on the coasts (“flyover country” and all of that). That said, the way she worded it was pretty funny. 

The garlic rolls Brooke brought out to start dinner were amazing (honestly, I could have eaten four — or more — myself). 


Bridget ordered the Risotto Milanese as an appetizer for the table (as far as risotto goes, I thought it was good): 


For diner, Jason ordered the Carbonara: 


Jolene had the Sunday Macaroni: 


I opted for the Bronx Tale, which featured meatballs, sausage, tomato sauce, and rigatoni (my dish was very similar to Jolene’s, minus the beef rib and whipped ricotta cheese): 


Bridget had the Gnocchi al Forno: 


Jason and Jolene swapped dishes during dinner (it seemed like a smart idea) to sample each dish. Bridget and I did not (although, I did have a bite of her main course). I thought the food was tasty and would rate it as a solid Italian meal. 

I ate about half of my dish — the rigatoni was really filling. I also knew it would be a long trek back to the hotel, and didn’t want to have any gastrointestinal regrets along the way. 

We had a debate about Bridget’s fancy Pellegrino bottled water during dinner. Jolene wondered if it tasted like the glasses of tap water we had at the table. 

In my “food-coma-lack-of-sleep” state, I thought it went down “smoother” than the tap water, but that could have been my imagination. 😉 


After dinner, we walked across the street to Mike’s Pastry. I opted to watch through the window while my companions stood in line (I am holding the aforementioned bottle of “smooth” water in this picture): 


The people standing next to me in the picture made this joke: “If you have a cannoli in New Orleans, is it called a ‘canNOLA’?” (NOLA meaning New Orleans, Louisiana). 

After I stopped ::rolling my eyes:: I went inside to join the others (to avoid any additional Wednesday night humor). 

Bridget and I bought two cream puffs, an eclair (for me), and a vanilla cupcake (for her) at Mike’s Pastry. 


Jason and Jolene got a cookie and a cannoli. I know the cannoli was for Jason, I don’t know if he also had the cookie. Regardless, I admire their discipline at the bakery (which we obviously did not have). 


Pastries secured, we headed back to the Seaport District and our hotel. It was a pretty packed Wednesday — a day full of food, fun, and education. 


Days like this are what make the trip to INBOUND so enjoyable. And we were excited to see what Thursday had in store for our group! 

The INBOUND 2022 Trip Series: 







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Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Clam Chowder Fries? — INBOUND 2022 Trip: Part 1


The last time Bridget and I went on a trip was 2019. That wasn’t our plan, but it just sort of worked out that way. 

We’ve all experienced the pandemic interfering with travel plans, but that really isn’t the reason we hadn’t gone anywhere in the intervening three years since our trip to INBOUND 2019 in Boston, MA. 

Sure, there was a quick day trip Bridget and I took to Kansas City in 2021 — driving a box truck — to pick up mattresses as a favor for Bridget’s brother Neil (he manages a furniture rental warehouse, and needed the mattresses for a client delivery the next day). 

We’ve just had a lot of things going on in our life — a lot of responsibilities and commitments — and hadn’t had the chance to go anywhere. 

We really needed a break. 

It seems only fitting that our first “real” trip was a return visit to Boston for INBOUND 2022 — once again with our friends Jason and Jolene.

We set off on Tuesday, Sept. 6 for a 10:55 a.m. flight out of Omaha. Thankfully, our flight wasn’t at 6 a.m. like the 2019 trip, which meant we were actually able to get some sleep the night before.  

Jason and Jolene picked us up from our home in Midtown Omaha at 8:30 a.m., and we headed to Eppley Airfield. 

It is surprisingly difficult to pack for a trip when you haven’t had to do it for a few years. I made a detailed checklist in the Notes app on my iPhone, and that really helped expedite the process. (I normally just “wing it” when it comes to packing, and it adds a lot of uncertainty to the effort.) 

I also decided to dress more casually at the conference to minimize the clothing options I had to pack. Most of the attendees wear jeans, so I left the khakis and slacks at home this time out. 

As we were walking to the Southwest gate to check in, Jason and Jolene informed us that they had signed up several weeks prior for the TSA PreCheck program (so they could have an expedited trip through security). 


(Not gonna lie — I was a little envious of my friends’ newly minted airport status as I waited for my sneakers, Osprey messenger bag, and iPad Pro to come through the scanner.) 

We all arrived at security at 9:02. Jason and Jolene were through by 9:09; Bridget and I exited into the gate area at 9:19 a.m.

As we sat at the gate waiting on our flight, we chatted and caught up with each other. It had been a busy summer, and we hadn’t gotten together since the UNO Hockey season ended in March — which is unusual. 


It is typically a quick flight from Omaha to Chicago (about an hour), and we arrived in time to have some lunch before our connecting flight to Boston at Midway International Airport. 


The four of us opted to have pizza from Home Run Inn in Midway’s central food court area. Sadly, I didn’t get a picture of one of the mini pizzas fresh out of the box (I was out of practice snapping photos for travel blogs), but we did get this picture of Jolene’s discarded pizza crusts: 


As we were waiting at the gate for our flight to Boston, Jason (who was in the “A” boarding group thanks to his employer) got this pic of a fun placard on a Southwest Airlines tow truck: 


Normally when I fly, I read a book to pass the time. But I had just purchased “Top Gun: Maverick” (read my review) on iTunes. So I had the movie downloaded on my iPad Pro to watch (and ended up watching it three times during our flights). It was a great way to pass the time, but I’m definitely going to purchase more digital movies before I fly again! 


It was rainy and cool when our plane landed at Boston Logan International Airport. Considering the sweltering heat that has been a fixture of Nebraska’s weather since May, our group appreciated the more fall-like temperatures. 


During our 2019 trip, we took an Uber from the airport to the hotel. This time, we took mass transit to the Aloft Hotel in the Seaport District. Due to construction within the city’s rail system, the MBTA Silver Line was free, and it dropped us a few blocks from our hotel. 


On our last trip, our rooms at the Aloft (a Marriott property) had a view of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC). 


This year, we were on the opposite side of the building. We could see DHL cargo trailers and low-end industrial structures near the harbor — a different view, but it was pretty interesting to see various watercraft in the harbor during our stay. 


After we dropped off our bags and refreshed a bit, we headed over to the convention center to get our lanyard badges for the conference. 

Before I go any further, I want to talk about the session registration process for the conference. In 2019, you could register via the INBOUND website *or* the mobile app — and your name badge (which was a plastic card with a QR code) allowed you to be scanned into each session. 

For some reason, the conference organizers decided to make everyone use the mobile app to register for sessions. Frankly, it was glitchy and problematic (and the interface didn’t suit a 5-inch screen at all). 

Because there are concurrent sessions at INBOUND, I really wanted to do our registrations on the website (it’s much easier to navigate with a trackpad or mouse). When that wasn’t an option, I loaded the app onto my 2018 iPad. 

It wouldn’t work on that iPad (I have no idea why), but I later got it to work on my 2017 iPad Pro. Regardless, many interesting sessions were already full by then. 

In addition to registration changes, organizers switched to name badges that included little “pucks” with LED lights that got you into the building each morning and into the various “RSVP-required” sessions (although, for some odd reason, they also wanted attendees to show proof on the app that they had RSVP’d... even though the “puck” was what allowed you to be scanned in). 

I guess the pucks were an enhancement. The organizers could randomly make them change color at various events held at INBOUND. You could also “connect” with other attendees by clicking your pucks in close proximity: 


Honestly, I preferred the process in 2019. If social media posts and conversations with our fellow attendees are any indication, others in attendance were frustrated by the various issues caused by the app and the session registration process. 

Anyhow, after picking up our badges, we headed to M.J. O'Connor's Irish Pub for dinner. The restaurant is housed in the Westin Boston Seaport District hotel (that connects to the BCEC), and Jason had eaten at the establishment a couple weeks prior at the 2022 Digital Summit: 


I thought the food was solid. Jason and I had the Boston Lager Fish & Chips: 


Bridget and Jolene opted for the Lobster Mac & Cheese: 


We also had the Chowder Fries (which Jason had sampled on his previous trip). They were pretty interesting. The fries are smothered in clam chowder and topped with bacon and scallions. 


I mean... they aren't really my thing, but they tasted good (kind of like loaded potato boats). Definitely worth a try if you find yourself at this restaurant. 

My only pet peeve with the experience was the fact that our waiter didn’t automatically refresh our drinks (I had ginger ale). I know the staff was busy serving conference attendees, so I’ll chalk it up to larger-than-usual traffic for a Tuesday night. 

After dinner, I filmed Jason, Jolene, and Bridget looking at this large video board in the Westin — featuring an aerial view of Boston: 


As we were walking back to our hotel, we spotted one of the Mailchimp cars that were offering folks rides (frankly, I don’t know if these were special taxis for the event or not. I did wonder out loud if you were required to watch a sales pitch for Mailchimp if you took a ride). 


The driver of this particular car drove away when I took a picture. I dunno if he thought I was gonna report him or not (I wasn’t... I just wanted to document it for the blog). 

A short distance from the Mailchimp car was the HubSpot VIP Welcome Party. The party wasn’t included in our registration, so we stood outside the fence and watched for a few minutes. 


I also want to mention that they took down the wall-mounted Scrabble game in the lobby of our hotel that had been there in 2019. Jolene and Bridget were disappointed, but they said it had fallen apart and they couldn’t find replacement pieces: 


We were pretty tired after a full travel day, so we retired to our respective rooms to settle in for the night. 

Lots of interesting stuff is on the way — informative conference sessions, fun food excursions, and a trip to Rockport, MA!  

The INBOUND 2022 Trip series: 






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