I was chatting with Andrew and Pete, the duo behind Atomicon, about how they’d built their incredible event and the power of showing up in person. Somewhere between the laughs and the insights, they mentioned a conference they were heading to in San Diego. I asked a few questions out of curiosity, and they suggested I attend this year with them.
Three days later, the flights were booked.
It felt spontaneous, but the truth is, it was exactly what I needed. And it reminded me, in a way that Zoom never could, just how powerful it is to physically show up in a room with ambitious, energised, like-minded people.
We talk a lot about return on investment in business. But I think we’re overdue a conversation about the ROI of presence – actually being there. At conferences, workshops, and events that pull you out of your comfort zone and drop you somewhere new, where you’re wide awake to possibility.
Because that trip to San Diego? It changed how I think, and what I do next.
Not just another name badge
There’s a temptation to write off conferences as expensive distractions. I get it. You’ve got a full diary, a team that needs your input, a to-do list longer than a book manuscript. But when you’re always head down in the day-to-day, you miss the chance to lift your head and ask bigger questions.
In San Diego, I had space to do just that.
The speakers were phenomenal. World-class talent with decades of experience distilled into mic-drop moments. But honestly? That wasn’t the biggest value. It was the time between the talks. The chats over coffee. The introductions that sparked ideas. The buzz in the room that reminded me why I love being in business in the first place.
The sheer permission to think bigger.
It’s easy to coast when things are going well. But being in a room where everyone is pushing, learning, experimenting is the kind of energy that shifts your perspective. I came home with a notebook full of ideas, yes. But more importantly, I came back bolder. Ready to take more risks. Backed by the knowledge that people I’d only just met were already cheering me on.
The power of proximity
We all know business is about relationships. But somewhere along the line, many of us have become very comfortable keeping those relationships on screen.
Conferences cut through that. They force serendipity.
There’s something very real about standing in a queue for a sandwich with someone or laughing over dinner about jet lag and jargon. That kind of informal, unfiltered connection builds trust quickly and trust leads to opportunity.
It’s not always instant. But these are the relationships that often resurface later, in the form of introductions, podcast guests, referrals, or messages that start with, “Hey, I thought of you for this…”
You can’t manufacture that from your inbox.
The other ROI: Confidence
Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: going to a conference can remind you how far you’ve come.
We spend so much time looking ahead, setting goals, chasing the next win that we rarely stop to acknowledge what we’ve already built.
In San Diego, surrounded by incredible business owners and speakers, I didn’t feel out of place. I felt energised. And proud. It was a moment of reflection in the middle of momentum and a chance to see my business (and myself) through fresh eyes.
That confidence boost is worth its weight in gold.
Because when you operate from a place of clarity and self-belief, everything else shifts: how you pitch, how you price, how you show up online, and how you back yourself when you’re stepping into something new.
So, should you go?
If you’ve been wondering whether to attend that event you’ve seen advertised, I’d say book the ticket.
Don’t overthink it. Don’t wait until it’s convenient. Make the decision that future-you will thank you for.
Go in with an open mind, a clear intention, and a willingness to speak to strangers (even if it’s just one per day). You never know which conversation will lead to the breakthrough you didn’t even know you needed.
Business growth doesn’t only come from strategy and spreadsheets. It comes from rooms that challenge you, people who inspire you, and moments that change your thinking.
San Diego was that for me. And next time, it might be you hopping on a flight and coming back with a whole new vision.
