How Can I Maximize My Conference Experience?

About this episode

This week Drake Lawhead comes to visit us in Insurance Town to talk all things conference , and maximizing the conference experience. We get into what all goes into building a major industry event and how attendees can actually get value from showing up. They also dig into how ITC evolved from an investor-focused conference into a broader experience for agents, brokers, carriers, and the tech vendors serving them.We discuss why in-person networking still matters, how to prepare before a conference, and what makes ITC’s agent and broker programming different from a typical trade show. 00:00 - Welcome to Insurance Town and sponsor shoutouts 08:25 - What conference planning really looks like behind the scenes 09:36 - How conference teams handle complaints and reduce friction 11:42 - How attendees should prepare before a conference starts 13:25 - Why some people should attend with a plan and others should leave room for serendipity 15:46 - Why staying present beats taking conference-day Zoom calls 18:48 - Why in-person networking still beats digital connection 19:49 - How ITC’s app and meeting system help people connect fast 28:35 - Why insurance is a natural fit for technology and AI 31:09 - What ITC Agents attendees can expect from Tuesday through Thursday 33:43 - Expo hall, main stage, happy hours, and the closing concert 38:05 - Why ITC was built for introverts too 39:43 - Quiet zones, lounges, puppy park, and low-pressure networking 42:31 - How ITC borrows ideas from other conferences 45:01 - Why intentional networking matters more than just putting people in a room 46:45 - Why Drake enjoys the independent agency world 47:58 - Dates, location, and how to register 48:59 - ITC events around the world 50:49 - Final push to register and use the app 51:47 - Closing thanks and signoff Thank you to my Sponsors: Canopy Connect 1fort Viva Virtual Solutions