2015 Fastlane Summit, Official Thread

[Travis Phipps]

The Fastlane Forum Meetup was like DisneyLand.

I was going to wait a few days and write up my analysis of the event, but then I knew it wouldn't get done...this is too important, so here it goes. I also wanted to be able to tag as many people as possible, but that will just have to come with time.

Number One takeaway (if you don't read anything else, you'll know how I felt about the weekend): I made lifelong friends, business associates, and potential partners. It is not everyday you can make that kind of a statement. I met every single person at the event, and had a meaningful conversation. However, some of you I didn't get to spend as much time with, but we'll change that on the forum and in future meetups.

I would like to thank @MJ DeMarco for having the courage to write this book, and create the forum. Lives are changing on a day by day basis, and that fact is obvious when you attend this live event. The impact will span decades and the scale will be enormous.

@Red killed it with the event organization. She did so many behind the scenes things, that most people don't even realize were going on. I used to manage trade shows, and pulling this off is no easy task. So, thank you!

@AllenCrawley - Thanks for MCeeing, and help make the event first class.

I've been going to conferences, events, and meetups for the better part of 18 years. Best. Event. Ever.

I'm going to try to avoid tagging specific people, too many people to give credit to, and thank, and I don't want to leave anyone out or spend too much time looking up their damn forum name. Most of you know who you are, and I will continue the conversations off-line, and send personal thank you's...looking forward to it!

I'm relatively new to the forum, and haven't been terribly active since I joined. The book spoke to me like no other business book I've ever read. I read about 2 business books per month, and this one catapulted to the top of the list. I've read it 3 times since last April. However, the forum can be a little unwieldy. A lot of the people on the forum have a history, the threads can sometimes take days to read, and some of the posts are suspect at best.

When I first heard there was going to be a Meetup (this was back in September or something), I knew I wasn't going to miss this. I had an intuition that this is where the people who take this seriously would be. I figured if the barrier to entry is set just high enough, it will only attract the people who take action, and want to learn. So, I jumped out of my comfort zone and submitted an application to present. To say that was a great decision, is an understatement.

Fortunately, my presentation was accepted.

Fast forward a few months. My 2015 got slammed from day one, and I barely had time to breathe. I had planned on reading, posting, and being more active in the forum...you know what they say about the best laid plans.

I was super nervous about this conference, and that really isn't my MO. I knew a lot of the people there would know each other personally, from the forum, or from other business. I didn't know a single person prior to my arrival on Thursday night. And I didn't even have much experience on the forum to see who I wanted to reach out to. So, I had about 75 people to get to know.

The event started unofficially at The YardHouse. I reached out to @Eskil before the event because he was a fellow PPC guy and I knew he was presenting too. He's a great dude...felt like I've known him for years. He introduced me to some folks, we chatted about business, and got along great right away. I knew right out of the gates, these were my kind of people. 3 huge tables of Fastlaners. It was loud, so I lost my voice talking with everyone. I only met 20-25 people, and really got to know about 10 people that night.

I was starting to get worried about meeting my goal of getting to know everyone at the event. We shut it down and I shared an Uber (my first Uber ride ever) with two of my new friends. I went back to the hotel "early" at about midnight. I didn't want to be a wreck for the first day.

Some people have hobbies...I like to learn about businesses and the people who built them, like other people watch sports or workout or whatever they are addicted to...

The diversity of businesses, and where people are on their journey was nothing short of spectacular. I was in my element and couldn't get enough. So many people had so much to offer.

I'm getting on in years, so it is so terrific to see some of the younger guys/gals with so much passion. They "get it". It took me until I was 35 or so to really buy into the entrepreneurship idea. There was a very interesting 18 year old, and 22 year old that had just as much to offer as some crafty veterans. In fact, I would venture to say they have more to offer, simply because they get it at an early age and they have so many years of successes and failures ahead of them!

Many people have mentioned that everyone was helpful, nobody was really sitting around with their "cliques", and there was very little if any hero-worship. I would like to echo those sentiments. Some people have interesting personalities on the forum, and it is obvious they know each other (just like I will now have relationships with everyone who attended the event this year), but they didn't let that bring an elitist attitude or "in-crowd" mentality.

On Friday the presentations started. I'd like to personally thank all of the brave souls who presented on the first day. The first presentation helped me with mine the following day (however, I was consciously aware of my "crotch grab"...gotta protect those balls!). I had the benefit of seeing what worked, and learning that profanity was not only acceptable, but seemed appreciated...I have trouble stringing a sentence together without dropping a few f-bombs.

I couldn't believe that our price of admission included all meals! WFT?! Talk about adding value...not only did we not have to sit around trying to figure out who was going to pick up the check for every meal, but we were all in the same place getting to know each other better. I'm all about free food, but the ease with which this allowed us to continue our conversations was priceless.

Once again, I headed to the room early, about 10pm...I still had about half my presentation to put together. Worked on that until about 2am.

Saturday...met everyone for breakfast...which is an awesome way to start the day...killer conversations with some of the brightest entrepreneurial minds on the planet. More presentations, mine included. I was super nervous, but by this time I knew at least half of the crowd, and was able to garner inspiration from those that came before me. The presentation was well received, and I believe many people got value out of it. Trying to stay on the positive side of the value trade is hard with this group!

Another "dinner included" with more great conversations. In my younger days, I would have joined the folks staying out until all hours of the morning...but I called it a night at about 1am or so...

Wow, at this point I feel like I've been here for a month...but don't want it to end! Sunday was more of the same...but now, I'm hanging with old friends, and starting businesses with people I didn't know 72 hours earlier...I know, right? The official event ended with a bang to say the least...but fortunately, the party continued in beautiful Scottsdale, poolside. It only gets better.

Shared another Uber back to the airport with a new friend...and back home to take advantage of everything I leaned and work on maintaining, building on, and adding value to my new friendships and business relationships.

As @Vigilante (sorry we missed you) said...I'm going to take this experience and get married to it...I won't let it slip away.

Also as @MJ DeMarco says:

1. "Opportunity drives through your neighborhood frequently, and when it does, you have to grab that bitch."
2. "The amount of money you have (or don't have) is a direct reflection of value you have provided (or not provided)."

Final takeaways:
I'm grabbing that bitch, and will be providing as much value as humanly possible.

Thanks to each and every attendee this weekend, and those who came before that made it possible. I learned something from everyone, and I am eternally grateful.

Travis

 

[GlobalWealth]

Sorry for the long delay, but immediately following bnp in Scottsdale I flew to St Petersburg, FL and gave a presentation to about 350 people about protecting their wealth using trusts and foundations. Currently in London and back home to Latvia on Sunday.

I am not going to mention everyone's "handle" as I think we all know who was in Scottsdale. So first. Takeaways:

Focus on value. Every. Single. Day. And stay focused on the things that matter.

Marketing. I need to do a better job with fb ads, twitter, youtube vids, ppc, etc for our membership site. We offer enormous amounts of value, but are lacking in spreading the message. Viral marketing is a must have strategy and should be implemented into my toolbox. I guess I knew this but didn't know how to do it.

Technology is rapidly advancing faster than we all can imagine. The visualization with pixel tracking blew me away. Damn. Just damn. Makes me want to set up a dictionary website.

Presence. I am in control of my presence with people. I can alter my audiences perception of me just by tweaking a few small details like body language, voice level, pitch. I can negotiate more effectively by matching energy levels but not emotion. The idea that I am in full control of my presence blew me away.

Mindset. I need to be willing to do what others aren't willing to do. Like fail fast, accept pain and struggle, get out of my own way, and focus on execution.

Business systems. My business needs to be more streamlined. I need better processes and delegation. And it needs to be more user friendly. I don't ever need to get an email from a client that cannot figure out how to pay me.

Lastly, networking. The number 1 most critical component to success in business and in life is the people you surround yourself with. Surround yourself with mediocre people and you will suffer a lifetime of mediocrity. Surround yourself with entrepreneurial action takers, you will progress in your own life.

Action steps:

I reached out to my uni alumni association about a feature and doing a speaking event.

I outsourced our fb ad campaign for our membership site.

I have upgraded my PA. I had a PA before, but timing is everything it seems. She was part time and is going to move on to a full time job offer. So I hired someone locally to me for a more full time role as PA to outsource more tasks.

I immediately implemented many of the techniques for improving presence the following week in Florida at the speaking event. It appears to have worked based on the leads I am working with now.

This is just a start. Ongoing persistent process improvement. Every. Single. Day.

 

[LightHouse]

Here is my memoir of BnP 2015. It took me a few days to recover... At this point that should be a built in excuse for me.

As others have reflected, thank you MJ, Danielle and Allen for saving BnP and everything that makes it amazing. I came in around the 3rd event(2010?) I believe and there is always a drive to go back.

These past two years I got much more out of my annual trek across the country. I started learning that business isn't the point, making money isn't the point. Those are arguably easy in contrast to how our relationships with people like us really drive everything in life. Business becomes a game of clicking the right pieces of the puzzle together in the right order and the right time. The point was to forge strong relationships with other people that have a drive to effect those around them and have significance in life.

Knowing this I started being more transparent about where I come from, I noticed the more i open up and trust the greatness in those that come, the more amazing the outcome is for everyone. Trust isn't easy and it isn't free.

Now to the tidbits of info and the connections.

Thank you @throttleforward , I got the opportunity to travel with a friend this year. The circumstance of us changing flights and getting in early, turned out to be the most insightful and valuable thing that happened all weekend. We had some very deep conversations throughout Wednesday night and Thursday that may in fact change my life for good.


Thank you @Arrabista , for being so impactful in my life and everyone else's that you meet. You are truly an inspiration to many and the concepts and ideas you teach will better the world, seriously. BTW, the story of how offended you were at getting free soda is my new favorite story of the weekend.


Thank you @GlobalWealth , for being a positive influence on me under all those dirty tricks and terrible re-hashes of my jokes. You have a tremendous amount of knowledge that people value highly... I am starting to think I should actually listen to you


Thank you @1step for taking the time to chat with me Sunday morning and missing part of the event. You’re insight will hopefully push me forward for the new goals I want to achieve, and I am glad we had the chance to connect.

Thank you @danoodle for letting us in on your life. It’s great to really get to know someone at that level as I think it is mutually beneficial. I think you have better clarity on your purpose for your upcoming newborn.


Thank you @Chadi for having a great conversation on sensor technology, singularity, and where humanity is really headed in the future. Thinking on a grand scale opens the mind to greater problem solving and greater impact.

Thank you @Iwokeup & co for letting me be transparent with you. Your perspective on how you run your family has given me a LOT to think about. Your sense of likability inspires me to be that way with others. Our session with @arribista was one of the highlights of my weekend.

Thank you @MJ DeMarco for being around more this weekend. Although you say you are an introvert, we don’t see that in you. You can really captivate an audience and flood them with knowledge. I didn’t get a chance to talk to S much (your SO) but…. That might be a good thing

Thank you @AnneC for reminding me to get my stuff together. Your no excuses approach was the idea I needed to get back to my goals after the last few weeks. It helps to have those pushes. Thanks for not sugar coating it!

Thank you @Jill for making it out. Phx wouldn’t be the same with out you. Thanks for also reminding me much the same that I need to get with it and move forward. I loved the pictures from the Kili climb as well!

Thank you @MikeC for being the best most random dude I know. You already know the thanks I give to you for this weekend via our texts. Can’t wait to see you again next year.

Thank you @Ramble On for our chat at yardhouse. You have a great jump on business and sounds like you are well on your way to success with your wife. Corner that market!

Thank you @Chitown for being so inspiring. I am glad you took a second to ask me about your business. If you ever need help, call me, this time I will pick up! I loved hearing your crazy celebrity filled stories. You are an amazing dude.

Thank you @TopChef for having a short convo at breakfast about amazon. I look forward to hopefully getting some of your guidance. I wish we had more of a chance to chat about it.

Thank you @pickeringmt for being my first day summit buddy. You have a great brand going, I hope some of the concepts you learned can make that business explode. Thanks for being such and awesome dude.

Thank you @OperationMyWay for not dying on me! I still have guilt but I’ll get over that. It was awesome sharing the real deeper moments no matter the outcome at the Summit this weekend with you.

Thank you @K.Y. for being my inspiration to get up and do what it takes. We talked about this on FB. But your willingness to just get up and find any means possible to get to this meet up is an inspiration to everyone that didn’t do that. You have what it takes no doubt to be great.

Thank you @RHL for your teaching and your angles on business given your experience. You have a ton of great stories, and our conversation about dealerships and business was a true highlight of the weekend.

Thank you @Travis Phipps for our conversation on business and life on Saturday. You have a great story and you are extremely knowledgeable in your craft. I hope to connect some more with you and trade some business.

Thank you @Milkanic for our conversations on Marketing Automation. It is always great to chat with people above my technical ability. I am sure we annoyed some with our acronyms but that’s ok, it is its own language.

Thank you @benhebert for sharing your story. You have a great business running and an inspirational background. I hope to meet up with you in Austin and learn some more.

Thank you @JasonR for everything…. Literally everything. I have few great friends and I am glad you are one of them. I have to leave most of the detail out of this thread, but I think you already know. Thanks for helping me change my life this weekend.


And finally thanks to @Red , @MJ DeMarco and @AllenCrawley for resurrecting “BnP” and turning it into something amazing again. I can’t wait for the next one, or in the mean time I can’t wait for all the other meet ups before then!


To those of you not listed, I hope to get to know you more through other channels over the next few weeks and months. There are so many great people; it is hard to make strong connections with so many in such a short time.

 

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[Vigilante]

I went to the prom once. Had the night of my life. It was the kind of night you wished would never end. The night settled into the early morning. We never wanted it to end. It was if we were breathing new air. It literally was, up until that point, the time of my life. The next week, everyone else settled back into their old routines. Not me. I continued to live in that moment, falling more and more in love with the girl. While everyone else eventually slipped back into mediocrity, I decided I was going to spend the rest of my life pursuing her.

I married her.

What about you? Are you simply going to look back on this awesome experience as an event, with the memories and lessons and contacts and feelings eventually fading to black? Or... are you going to marry it and make it even bigger than this past weekend was for you? You don't have to be one of them. You don't have to go back to the way things were for you last week, last month, or last year. You can stay in the moment.

A lot of you have posted thanks. Awe. Inspiration. Motivation. Enthusiasm. Appreciation. Resolve.

Now what? Are you going to marry the girl, or are you going to be like most of the attendees and just look back at it as a fond memory and moment in time?

Now that you are all back where you started from, now what?

If, a year from now, you find yourself unchanged and in the same place you were last week, you wasted your money and other people's time. Now is the time to decide. Now is the time to make a break for it. Now is the time to leave bold declarations as the "old you" and make decisive action the "new you."

We're waiting for you. Are you going to be on the speakers platform next year after a transformational year like @Eskil ?

 

[Chadi]

My biggest takeaways from this event:

1-Own your own product
When you own your own product you control the manufacturing, the brand, the distribution channels. You set your prices (and margins), your terms, your packaging. You can sell retail and/or wholesale. You can set licensing terms or sell the business altogether. This goes for both physical and digital products. I know I heard/saw/read the above in some way or shape in the past but this past weekend it sunk deeply into my mind.

2-Numbers are numbers
MJ talked about how his limo business kept growing revenues month after month. Even though we may perceive a jump from 1K to 20K as huge, MJ (and I guess people going through the same growth curve) realized that numbers are just numbers. There's no reason to get attached to or be afraid of reaching a high number. Money follows value. Concentrate on creating value and the money will follow.

3-Cognitive biases and fallacies
I've heard/read about some of these biases and fallacies. I've looked at them as some abstract concepts that somehow vaguely interfered with our lives. But MJ really drove the point home for me when he made it clear that these things can actually run our entire lives, undetected, or worse, accepted by us as the reality of how things should be. MJ talked about a few but there's way more than I thought. I don't want to go in details here but if you're interested here's a list of them here.

4- Be happy
Really! Be happy! I've met people from all over the world and they all seemed to be happy despite the fact that they probably had their own vision of happiness. We all fall into the trap of chasing materialistic goals, I'll be happy when I make $10K. I'll be happy when I quit my job. I'll be happy when I get a Ferrari. I'll be happy when I move to Scottsdale (although if you do I don't blame you ).
But really, just do whatever the hell is going to make you happy and don't worry about anybody's expectation, judgement or stereotype. Whether in your close circle of family and friends or on this forum. If you're going to start something new ask yourself, will I be happy doing this for the next 5,10,20 years and still be happy? If you're already doing something don't be afraid to ask yourself if you're still happy? Will you continue doing that for the next 5,10,20 years and still be happy?

 

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[Vigilante]

Mix with EVERYONE while you are there. Do not hang out with the same 4 people the whole time. I was fortunate enough to have breakfast with @jon.a and his wife one morning, do a late night chat with @Kak and several others in a private lounge, and sit with several others for lunch. Everyone that is there has something to contribute. You better be prepared to give as much as you take. Bu definition, there are few if any action fakers in attendance. There's an honor code of confidentiality, mutual respect for all attendees, and a shared interest in increasing the value of everyone in attendance. The forum is only a gateway to a deeper significance that can only be experienced at one of these get togethers.

The downtime is as important as the meeting times, and the lifelong connections you will make will be worth 1,000x the cost of your attendance. Take it all in, and engage fully. You have a ticket to a private event most people will never understand, and you will learn more in 72 hours about life and entrepreneurship than some people learn in a lifetime. Shut down your iPhones while people are talking, as you might miss something that could change your life. You spent the money to travel from far away places to learn and engage. You paid to hear these people speak, so drink it in. They also paid to hear you speak, so make the cost of their ticket worthwhile. Never before has there been as much of an expectation of a two way street as there is at this meeting. Set the bar high and don't disapoint. Deliver.

I wish I could have been there with you all this weekend. If your life isn't forever changed, you probably would have done the weekend injustice. Set your expectations high, and give your fellow attendees everything you have.

 

[Eskil]

Now that the dust is settling a bit after the weekend, it's time for me to reflect on the meetup. I also wanted to wait a few days to post because I want to keep the spirit of last weekend's meetup fresh in the mind of those of you who are back to your 9-5 or getting tempted to slip back into the unglamorous reality that you perhaps strive to change.

Here is something I told @throttleforward the other day, but I'd like to repeat it here...

For anyone looking at the progress I made in one year, and who feels like they are perhaps stuck or unsure where/how to move forward - I have the following advice:
The thing people in your situation should be absolutely most afraid of - is settling back into routine. That fear was what eventually drove me out of it. I've been there and know how 'comfortable' it is to slip back into the 'everyday of things'. Then before you know it, another month, then 6 months, then 12 months have gone by. That is what you should be scared of.

Embrace the fear of 'settling in'. Instead, maintain the drive and energy from this conference and do NOT let it slip. If you have to - frequently look at photos taken at the event to remind yourself of it. Also - do like @thorn and make it your goal to be up there on that podium next year with YOUR progress story to tell.

Anyway... so this was my 2nd meetup (last year was my 1st), and even though last year was terrific - this was even better. Without repeating what everyone else has already posted before me, it goes without saying that @Red and @MJ DeMarco especially deserve a big tip of the hat for arranging and handling the practical sides of the meetup. @AllenCrawley also did great introducing each speaker (we should hire that guy again for the same job next year...)

The venue and meeting room was well suited I thought (also better than last year), and the food and service was excellent.

All the presentations were great. I'm bummed I missed one (sorry @splok ) but I had to leave to see my son's drum concert with his school band. Other than that, I didn't miss a thing - and I enjoyed every second of my time there. The names are too many to list here and I *think* I got around to meeting and talking to the majority of you.
You know that saying though - time flies when you're having fun? Well that's definitely the case. Those 4 days feel like 1 day, lol. And sadly there were a couple of people I didn't get around to talk to much or at all. If you were one of those people and wanted to talk - please send me a pm and we can catch up in private.

Met lots of extraordinary people though that I am proud to say will become my lifelong friends. Got that same feeling again as I had last year.. that I'm "with my tribe". There's an instant feeling of connection and understanding among us. These are my people. Like I also posted on my Facebook page the other day - there is no bullshit, no arrogance, and no elitist attitudes. 100% down to earth folks.

And thank you @MJ DeMarco for sticking around most of the weekend and mingling with us. I used to be like you, shy of crowds and most comfortable in smaller groups. The best way to get over that is to get out of your own comfort zone, so kudos to you for trying that. (And your presentations were killer btw). Five cards...suited...? LOL I'll try to make it a goal next year to be a poker champ by then.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I've been apart of these for the past 7 years (indirectly, sometimes directly) and I already know this has been the best one ever. Hands down. After the first 3 or 4 presenters I felt like the rest could go up there and do nothing but Gregorian chants and I'd still feel the same way. So glad we stuck with the show in the midst of a possible hiatus, made the necessary alterations, and got it done. @Red is an event maestro. @AllenCrawley incredible job on MCEEing and keeping the entire thing on target and on time. Wonderful to meet the faces behind the names. Over the next few days we'll review the feedback forms and see what we can do next year to make it even better.

I've gotta take a nap now.

PS: HUGE AND GROWING FAST!!!

 

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[LightHouse]

Edit, I added a word that @MJ DeMarco re-enforced to me at RnR saturday night...

Edit: in practice... (Thanks Eskil)

 

[Iwokeup]

Got home late last night and have finally gotten the kids settled.

First, I want to thank @MJ DeMarco for writing the book, starting the forum and basically being the foundation for this whole enterprise. Both of your talks were outstanding, and my Wife had never heard the last talk you gave. It was eye-opening and mind blowing for her, and has already led to some fundamental changes in our own financial plans. So thank you. In addition, it was refreshing to meet you in person for the first time. Thanks!

Next, thank you @Red for one of the BEST organized and RUN conferences that I have ever attended. I've been to many and this was nearly FLAWLESS. Next year I want you to give a talk about the dos and don'ts of RE and hear about your journey.

@AllenCrawley: thank for the wonderful MC job and for the great advice.
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.
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@Vigilante, you posted

Now what? Are you going to marry the girl, or are you going to be like most of the attendees and just look back at it as a fond memory and moment in time?

Now that you are all back where you started from, now what?

GREAT question. The Wife and I wished to lose no momentum and so on the plane flight home we laid out the entire plan for moving forward over the next 12-18 months with our product-centered business. Thanks to the folks at the meetup (especially @thorn, @throttleforward, @enΔeka, @Travis Phipps, @Eskil (from your talk) and @Milkanic) for the discussion and advice about how to source, package, test, market, and deliver a product, as well as how to advertise and get traction. We've got a serious must-do family thing on Monday (with an attendant week of preparation) and then we'll be launching. The Wife and I plan to have a compelling (and successful!) story to tell at next year's B&P and we'd love the opportunity to speak again. That's our plan for guaranteeing a ticket.


I/We would also like to thank:
- @Y.B. for one hell of an idea. I'll be in touch shortly.
- A special thank you to @Maverick 1000 for another powerful story as well as kindness, genuineness, a wonderful offer, and for showing that failure/adversity is just the beginning of the journey. I'll be in touch.

- @Arrabista for a powerful presentation, powerful personal story, and for being a wonderful human being.
- @The Duc for expanding our minds. We've been thinking of the "homeless" lifestyle for a while and your example and story were a powerful push in that direction.
- @GlobalWealth for another life altering (for us) presentation; you've shown us a way forward (financially) that no one else in the "financial sector" ever has. Plus your personal story is fascinating.
- @Esquire: thanks for one of the funniest presentations that I've ever seen. Who knew that vasectomies were fastlane? And that Ferrets could be the daddy?
- @Travis Phipps for an outstanding presentation and product. Hope to see you here next week!

******************************
This was such a powerful weekend in so many ways. It's difficult to wrap my mind around the massive change that has already happened as of today (Monday). But let me try and list it out:

o The Wife is FULLY ON-BOARD with the entrepreneurial journey. It's not just something that I do and that she supports - it's now personal for HER. She's all in on a cellular level. More importantly, we're a team in the truest sense of the word. No more disconnect between one of us wanting to be an entrepreneur & the other being "most of the way" there.

o It's been said multiple times, but we have found our tribe. Neither of us has found such a consistently positive, supportive, and yet challenging group of people, EVER. We both now know at the gut level who we are and what success really looks like. It's not just an idea anymore.

o We went from a couple of possibilities for moving forward to a laser-like focus on a product/niche that could be very promising. We'll have to test it and see if it works but we're going.

o We started several incredible friendships.

o We feel accountable. How awful would it be to get there next year and not have tried? To not have taken action?

One final note: as we were flying home and mapping out the next 12-18 months of our Master Plan, the Wife said to me: "Okay, starting Monday you have four weeks to TAKE ACTION on this before going back to work."

"TAKE ACTION."

A two word combination never used by her ever in my presence. But now? Lessons seen, experienced, absorbed and integrated.

"TAKE ACTION."

This is what this weekend has done for us. Deeply, seriously life changing.

Gotta get to work. Thanks again guys!

 

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[thorn]

I hesitated to post this since I have already posted a few thoughts in this thread since the meetup. That and I am not capable of keeping things short on any level. But I had a few more things stuck in my head that I felt were worth sharing. Plus I did not get to personally thank those involved...SO….

@Arrabista , @AnneC , @JasonR , @RHL , @Iwokeup , @MJ DeMarco , @Milkanic , @Eskil ,@Travis Phipps ,@benhebert , @Esquire ,@GlobalWealth ,@splok ,@TopChef

Thank you not only for the knowledge you shared but for volunteering your time and the efforts you put into your presentations.

@AllenCrawley

Thanks for MC’ing and keeping things moving along. Very pro-style.

@Red
Thank you for all of your time organizing the event. Clearly a lot of thought and effort went into coordinating an event like this and I can’t imagine how challenging it became once you needed to move venues. Much love.

@MJ DeMarco
Thanks for the book. Thanks for the forum. Thanks for the meetup. All of have been life changing. Not sure how else to phrase it.

Now that I am done with all of the a$$-kissing, there were a couple of things that I think are important to stress.

We all got a shot of entrepreneurial energy this weekend and are currently on a high from it all. New friendships were made, fresh ideas shared and motivations restored. It was great to sit in a room with 70+ other people who all think just like us. It's hard to find people like that in our day to day lives.

But as the dust settles and we return to out own lives we are going to hit our first obstacle as we push forward. And then, guess what...we are going to hit another one. And then another after that. And then slowly, one by one you will begin to see frustration settle in and people will begin to separate from the pack and turn their attention to the next idea. Some will just continue to repeat this cycle and never progress forward and your time, money will have been wasted. Not only that, but you took someone else's seat who would have done more with the knowledge than you will. That's like stealing and stealing is douchey.

I got to meet and speak with about 75% of you (which I regret the fact I did not get to talk to all of you - I found myself going more deep than wide and before I knew it, the event was over. And yes, I realize I possibly just left myself open for about 100 shit-tons of internet abuse with the "deep vs. wide" comment ) but I did not sense in anyone that there was a quitter amongst us. However, I did see a recurring theme in many of my conversations that lead to a generalization that many of us are having trouble being able to focus on just one idea, myself included. We progress and shift without every really moving forward. I am not talking about "failing fast" I am talking about being non-committal.

As entrepreneurs we are wired differently than the rest of the world, constantly in pursuit of building the next great “thing.” And with that, I would love to sit here and say that we are all going to be hugely successful by the 2016 Meetup. I want it to happen so much so that I hope MJ is going to have no choice but to find a way to expand the event next year to allow enough time for all 75 of us who attended this year to speak and share our amazing stories of success.

But it won’t happen.

Not unless we hold ourselves accountable. Not unless we stop spreading ourselves thin and begin to focus on that one idea we have that stands out from the rest. Not unless we truly apply what we learned and not unless we stop going wide and start to go deep (Haha...there it is again). If you paid attention and took advantage of your time at the event, you should realize that you now have ALL of the tools you need to succeed. I am not trying to imply that the speakers above spoon fed you the magical answers to your personal business success. But you know what...chances are pretty damn good that there is someone in the group, probably someone that you met and spoke with, that has the answer you need to get over your next hurdle. I encourage you to find that person, engage them and ask for their feedback. You may be surprised what you find. Human beings are the fastest way to close a knowledge gap and you just connected with 70+ others who all LOVE to talk about this shit.

So I am going to issue a challenge to the class of 2015, myself included and more so than anyone else, by submitting my entry to be a speaker at the 2016 Meetup Right Now. (yea, yea, I know, I can’t do this yet and all that crap, but indulge me a bit). My topic/plan is to showcase specific examples of how 12 people who attended the event in 2015 applied what they learned at the event itself to find success or overcome a major obstacle they were facing. I could do this by compiling 12 of the best progress threads started by members at the Meetup or I could personally take submissions of their stories at the end of 2015 and interview the attendees. I think it would be a great way to lead off the event (more than likely after @Arrabista speaks because his presentation was so awesome as a kickoff) only to show the profound affect an event like this can have on your business if you truly apply what you learned. Going in, I think everyone, right of the gate needs to prepare themselves for the information that is going to be coming in the following days and know up front that it can have an immediate impact on their lives if taken seriously. And to those thinking a year isn’t enough time to build your story….bullshit. @Eskil’s presentation was centered around something that was just in the idea stage at last year’s event. We all know how that ended up.

To hold myself equally accountable, I plan to tell my story and how I applied what I took from this meeting...succeed or fail. So that's story number 1 of 12. So hurry up… only 11 slots left.

Finally, to conclude this "novel of a forum post" that you probably didn't read because I have no concept of how to keep things together in a well organized and legible fashion, if nothing else, build off the momentum you have right now and start to change your world.

Postword

I really enjoyed meeting all of you and hearing your stories. @Eskil - glad to share a ride with you each morning and get a chance to catch up. @Iwokeup (and your SO), @RHL , @throttleforward - really enjoyed just shooting the shit with you guys Friday night. @pickeringmt , @Turbo , @Mrs. BRKb - another good talk Saturday… @Mrs. BRKb has an ungodly knowledge of woodland creatures @Jill - thanks for sharing your own story and pictures of your trip at dinner on Saturday, @csalvato,@Y.B. , @randomnumber314 , @Even Steven , @FionaS - shared a couple breakfasts/lunches with you guys and really enjoyed listening to what you had to say - ..i Have no doubt you guys are going to do quite well, @Chitown - @Atown512 should bring you on as a consultant… your knowledge of beer is impressive….

...and I could go on and on...but thanks to everyone not mentioned above for making it a special weekend.

 

[csalvato]

Don't have time for a full write-up of my experiences, but going after blue whales ( a la @benhebert ) means I just emailed the CEO of a company I am working with directly, instead of dealing with their low level peons.

Well...that was fast...

Chris- Thanks so much for the email. Are you free at all after 3:00 PT tomorrow?

I can't thank you enough for reaching out to me directly to discuss this. I take a lot of pride in the products we've built for publishers, but I know there is always room for improvement. Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

 

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[Eskil]

Was coming here this morning to post and say what @throttleforward said.
Week 1 has passed. That is 2% of the one year until next year's meetup.

Visualize a progress / 'loading' bar and know that by next Friday a week from today, it will read 4%
Taking action is great - but don't forget to take CONSISTENT action, not sporadic action.

Also, to keep the spirit and energy of last weekend alive, I put together this little inspirational video for us all:

Do not. Lose. Your. Momentum.

 

[biophase]

Are the presentations recorded so those who aren't there can buy them later?

LOL, just kidding guys...

Sounds like a great time. This is the first B&p that I've missed ever! It's weird being on the outside side of the thread.

 

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[FionaS]

Some of my take-aways:

1. When booking a ticket, make sure that you're going to the right place.

2. Everyone has something valuable to offer - from the newest entrepreneur to the most experienced. I think I learned something new from everyone I spoke to. Talk to everyone, whether it's a pedi-cab driver, a waitress or a multimillionaire CEO.

3. Pedi-cabs are freakin' fantastic.

4. People waste the most time on the internet during work hours. Take advantage of that.

5. "Quit writing your story with someone else's pen." - another brilliant MJ quote.

6. Talk to as many people as you can as much as you can. The talks were great, the relationships were in some ways better.

I went from:

to:

Pretty quickly. I didn't meet one person I didn't like, and I see myself staying in contact with them for years to come.

7. Mirroring! Don't be a 2 when the other is a 9.

8. I need to read Ready, Fire, Aim. Apparently.

9. Look at what information http://bluekai.com/registry/ has for you. Fascinating.

10. Protect your assets.

11. Most stove tops are terribly designed. Seriously.

I found my tribe. No joke. I had so much fun, I learned so much and I have so much to do before next year (I'm speaking, you all. Go ahead and put me on the schedule now, cuz it's gonna happen).

I encourage everyone that went to take an hour or two today, go through the notes, and figure out how you are going to implement what you learned - if you don't implement, this event has just been mental masturbation. Figure out how you can permanently change your life with the information you learned.

And remember to keep talking to the people you met!

 

[Even Steven]

That's a great point @throttleforward and @Eskil.

I'm a little late to the post-summit-recap party, but here are my takeaways and what I've done since getting back.

I think I can honestly say that I got something useful from every speaker and every person I talked with while I was there. The talks were just jam-packed with great information. Also, let me take a second here to thank @MJ DeMarco, @AllenCrawley, and especially @Red for creating, planning, and hosting this thing. The location, the food, the speakers, the schedule...it was just put together and run very, very well.

Although all of the speakers were great, I was most intrigued by Eskil's presentation, and not just because I like looking at tall, sexy Norwegian men About a week before the meetup, I finished reading One Simple Idea by Stephen Key, and the things he talked about regarding prototyping, manufacturing, and market validation were reinforced by what Eskil was saying. For some reason, after reading the book and hearing the presentation, developing and manufacturing a product just seemed so much more do-able.

The information about prototyping in particular got my gears turning. I realized that I don't have to have any knowledge right now about how my idea would be manufactured for production. And that realization was huge to me. I learned that I can take an idea and build a works-like prototype with whatever-the-hell happens to be readily available just to prove or disprove the concept. I can get in touch with people later who can give me the information I need about how to design for production, but I can test my ideas really quickly and cheaply (like Eskil making parts out of wood in his workshop). This had been a missing step for me.

So, since I got back, I've committed time each day to brainstorming to find some of the needs and pain points in my life. One idea in particular piqued my interest, so I committed time to fleshing out the design a bit in my head and investigating how I could build a proof-of-concept. Yesterday, I spent an hour at Lowe's scouring for parts I could use, and then about another hour after the kids went to bed building it. Surprisingly, it kind of worked. And it cost me a grand total of $56 to make.

Now, I may get a little further down the line and find out that there's no market for it or that it would cost too much to make and sell, but having taken this step is huge and very motivating for me. Seeing my idea take physical form and do what I wanted was inspiring. And I had the knowledge and motivation to do it because of attending the meetup. I really can't express how glad I am that I flew 3/4 of the way across the country to meet a bunch of people I didn't know. $299 was F*cking cheap.

P.S. Have to shout out to @Arrabista. I got a chance to practice some of your stuff this week. I did something to piss my wife off, and when she confronted me, I matched her energy (but not her emotion), and then deflected and talked it out. Worked like a charm. Then I told her to take her clothes off, but that just seemed to make her mad again. Maybe my tone was a little off

 

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[JasonR]

Already launched a new business.

Going to Thailand and Bali for 3 months.

 

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[Vigilante]

So I spent the last few days surfing a couple of Regus business lounges in the Twin Cities using my Regus business card, and here's what I came to realize.

The average "employee" has only probably 4-5 productive hours in the typical 8-9 hour day. From surfing the web to checking facebook, hanging out at the water cooler, singing happy birthday to the office secretary and eating the obligatory slice of crisco laden cake, or taking a long lunch break, I propose the average worker bee only works roughly half the time they are on the clock.

So, for the entrepreneur that has no set schedule, no clock to punch, and no specific routine that is required to be followed... remote or digital offices are awesome. You drop in (where ever), knock out 3-4 hours of hard core work, and then the rest of the day is a digital tether to your business from where ever.

When I was cleaning out my office, I was amazed at the raw amount of SHIT that accumulated just because. 99% of it I didn't need, and none of it enabled the business to continue to churn. So, working from where ever eliminates the clutter of life.

I'm writing this email from a 10x20 "office" in the middle of who cares where, sipping coffee they provided, using office furniture they provided, and finding solitude. In a few hours, I will pack my bag, hit the road... and the business will continue to churn. Devoid of physical restraints, absent of gathering shit for the sake of gathering shit. The only lasting effect of today will be the ripple effect of the work I do while I am here, which will continue long after this "virtual office" is gone from my memory.

Your desk, your cubicle, your corner office. It's just a space. You want a space to hang your hat? How about on your boat?

I remember as a young executive, when I got my first cubicle. It was a big deal. Then I wanted an office. Then I got one. That was a big deal. Then I wanted my own office. I got one. I filled it up with people that worked for me. I downsized. I upsized. I had warehouses. I got rid of the warehouses. New furniture. Sold the furniture. Leased furniture. New office. New phone systems. IT guys. Leases. Secretaries who wanted to know when you were coming and going. Secretaries who spent half the time I was paying for playing on Facebook. (See above). Workers calling in sick. Computers. Cubicles.

F*ck it. Surfing offices as an invisible cog is pretty great. I've leased offices in a different state now, but I may never go there. I'd rather be invisible.

 

[EvanOkanagan]

Two years ago I went from having literally no assets, to growing a portfolio of Real Estate that pays for my living expenses in just 6 months. The main difference was the people I associated with and learned from.

The best part of this meetup for me were the connections I made.

These connections will last longer than any of the content or lessons that were taught.

Took a lot of great notes and I learned a lot but the true ongoing value will be staying in touch with my fellow Fastlaners who attended. For those of you who I haven't sent a request yet feel free to hit me up on Facebook (Evan Goode). I would love to provide value for years to come.

 

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[Guest12120]

...... also totally bummed I won't make it this year

Me too!!! I looked forward to the event so much but some unfortunate event made it impossible.

I went to BnP last year and it changed my life. I met a lot of great people and got motivation (and help) to start my own online business. I have been self employed since May last year and I'm loving every minute of it.
The fact that my business is location independent makes it possible for me to move to Poland (flying out tomorrow) to be with my family when they need me.

See you all next year!

 

[Y.B.]

This is for @Arrabista

 

[Bosstradamus]

Dammit Chadif took my some of my thunder

Welp, I'm already home and honestly I wish it wasn't over already. The weekend flew by. This was such an amazing event. I was more than surprised with how well everything was organized. @Red @MJ DeMarco you guys truly did an amazing job at putting everything together. The effort you guys put in was more than apparent. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

To everyone who spoke. You guys blew my mind... more than once. So many eye opening stories, so much insight. Thank you guys so much!

In no particular order:

@Arrabista I thought I knew about rapport after doing sales for 10 yrs but you proved me wrong. Thank you for making us take off our clothes... I mean DO, in order to understand. lol
@Travis Phipps I learned a ton from your presentation.You blew my mind with the youtube stuff
@Eskil What a testament to what can be done in one year without having prior knowledge on an industry. WOW
@Milkanic I'm still trying to understand half the stuff you said since I'm a caveman but you gave me more than a few jumping off points, to learn things I previously saw as hieroglyphs
@Iwokeup I woke up too lol. Thank you for sharing your experience. You brought some things to my attention with one of the projects i'm working on
@JasonR Great stuff man. Yet another example as to what can be done when we force ourselves out of the comfort zone
@TopChef I never considered some of the things you brought up. thank you for expanding my knowledge.
@Esquire I just booked an appointment for a vasectomy.. JK but seriously thank you for putting things in perspective
@endeka Thank you for opening my eyes to the potential of reddit and the reality of viral marketing
@AnneC Awesome awesome stuff. I definitely need to practice leaving at least one bite left at the end of a meal
@benhebert True inspiration, for thinking big. You made the blue whales a true possibility.
@GlobalWealth Blew my mind as well. Global wealth protection wasn't even something I knew existed.
@splok Thank you for showing us how we don't know shit till we test. Very eye opening
@AllenCrawley Thank you keeping the conference moving smoothly
@MJ DeMarco Thank you for speaking twice, writing your book, setting up the forum, and again for setting up the summit

I'm so happy I went and got to meet so many cool, down to earth people with a mindset on execution. I had a great time and learned a lot even from people that didn't present. I can't wait to go next year, wherever it is. Y'all are a great group of people. I'm glad I was able to be a part of this meetup.

 

[AndrewNC]

How do I get my money back for my ticket? Something was different this year...

This was my third year attending this event. An interesting through came to mind while relaxing in the courtyard with a group of attendees.

I felt like I was back in college.

Year 1 - My first year in 2013 I felt like a college freshman. Mixed with excitement, anticipation, and nervousness; I had no clue what to expect. It was my first time sitting in a room filled with millionaires. I wanted to take notes on every strategy they were using so I could get my money's worth. There were people there who were very successful and there was something different about them. My small glimpse of this potential success was short lived, and I headed back to work the next day.

I hoped one day I would learn the secret to be like them...

After the event, I stayed in touch with some of the other Fastlane freshmen. Three of us decided to move in a house together in Scottsdale to grow our online businesses. In October, we signed the lease and kept pushing forward.

Year 2 - Last year we came back as Sophomores. A lot of familiar faces, and some new ones. At this point, some of the other friends in my grade began having some success and have achieved the fastlane dreams from last year. I wasn't there yet. I went back to work that Monday, believing it was possible to one day be like them.

While I was sitting at my 8-5 the days after B&P ended, I was at my desk unable to take my mind off of the event. A group of attendees went up to Northern Arizona to go hiking and explore. Seeing the pictures they posted on Facebook didn't help me enjoy my cubicle any more. I couldn't go because I had to save my vacation time to see my family for Christmas.

I decided that I have to quit my job by summer time to live my fastlane dreams of traveling for a bit and seeing other parts of the country. My gut kept telling me it was possible to be like the people I saw at the conference.... I just wasn't there.

Year 3 - My Junior year just started with the conclusion of my third Fastlane meetup. Someone else on this thread made a post about going back to that 8-5 and finding an escape from it by June. June 11th of last year is when I put my notice into my job and signed my first lease 1,000 miles away as a full time entrepreneur.

A few of the Freshman asked me about my experience starting an entrepreneur house with other attendees (message me if you have any questions).

Something just clicked in my mind for this event... the people you see at these events are on the same journey your are on, and they are not much more than past and future versions of yourself. I have the opportunity of looking back and the better privilege of looking forward and seeing the certainty that I will soon become the future self standing in front of me. Up until this point, it was just a dream.

Just as I look back at the Freshman and see them just a few steps away from where I am right now, I look to the 'seniors' who presented this year who did things like going from 0 to 1 million in a year, or selling their first business in their 20s. Or the graduates who are sitting in a beach house across the world who didn't attend this year. Or the Van Wilder that flew in from Latvia this year to share his stories with us. This time I know that we all will get there...as long as we don't drop out.

So what changed since last year? Nothing more than my self, and following the steps to take in this journey from those who came before me. Or walking side by side with those who started with me.

How do I get my money back? Same way I did last year: Keep pushing forward and don't quit.

Welcome to Scottsdale!

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

We better be careful, people might get the wrong idea. The last time I saw so much excitement I was at an Amway convention 25 years ago.

 

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[Vigilante]

We were sitting there at the event, and a relatively quiet newcomer joined us. We didn't know @million$$$smile well. Yet. He had been on the forum a while, posting occasionally. We started talking about his business, and I started in on my soapbox about how he might reach scale, etc...

Very humble guy. Very quiet and unassuming. Listened to what we had to say.

It was only as we peeled back the onion over the next 24 hours that I came to realize...

that the guy I was preaching to...

Could buy and sell my a$$....

10x over.

Be mindful of who you meet. You will meet people who you can influence, and meet people who can influence you.

In my case, I learned a very valuable lesson there. Don't judge a book by it's cover.

 

[GlobalWealth]

Best bnp yet. Enormous value here. I pity those that didn't attend.

 

[FionaS]

This has been such a great time, everyone. I have loved meeting every single one of you, you're all great.

Wonderful presentations as well. I'm getting a headache from trying to cram all of this information in my head.

Definitely going back next year, and for those that didn't make it - I highly recommend it if you are at all interested in business and can make it happen.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Absolutely this. I just had this exact conversation with my wife. I'm expecting some killer progress threads over the next year.

Next year's event isn't going to be just a learning experience but a celebration of many MASSIVE success stories from 2015. I intend to be one of them.

Guys, try to remember. Progress isn't just about having one success to share, but maybe 2 or 3 failures. The point is, start doing and grinding a process that creates personal growth.

 

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[JasonR]

This B&P/Fastlane Summit was absolutely awesome. A few people hung around in town a day later. It's awesome to be around like-minded people talking business, international travel, buying investment apartments in foreign countries etc. If you've never had to sit down with @GlobalWealth - he's a WEALTH of knowledge.

Thanks to @Red @AllenCrawley and @MJ DeMarco for putting on the event and doing an AWESOME job. I'm fortunate enough to call you all personal friends, and that would never have happened if I didn't move my a$$ to Scottsdale over a year ago.

Thanks to ALL of the speakers. Everyone had something great to add, and I'm always pleasantly surprised to see someone go from an idea to a fully launched concept in a year @Eskil

And than you for EVERYONE that attended. I enjoyed talking and meeting each and every one of you.

Edit: Oh and we missed you @Vigilante

 

[Jill]

As one of those B&P veterans (attending the first, and 7 out of the 8) I will have to agree that this was the best. I missed several of the other "old guard" members and their rich contributions (and am even more bummed that the newbies missed their wisdom and insight).

But I'm so glad that I made the effort to be there, regardless of the details that should've kept me away.

I have a renewed sense of urgency to act. I asked several of you (who were cursed to sit next to me at lunch Sunday) what your next step was? "What actionable item are you going to take once you return home?" Still looking for your responses!!!!!!!

As for me, I promised to get out of my comfort zone and start treating my tie business as if it's my only avenue (rather than a "hobby business"). Thus far, I've downloaded and started reading the first half of Travis' eBook on traffic gen. By the time I get back home on Thursday night, I plan to be ready to pull the trigger on A/B split tests for paid traffic.

You?? (.... and you know who you are!!)

Note: I know I mentioned it to you privately, but I also wanted to pile on publicly:

Danielle (@Red), you rock. I've run dozens of events like this. I know what it takes behind the scenes to make these things appear seamless. I'm beyond impressed. Thank you.

MJ (@MJ DeMarco), I appreciate your hanging around all weekend. I know it's not necessarily in your comfort zone. But your presence here this weekend I think made a huge impression on the folks who needed to believe that even an ordinary, shy guy can build a phenomenal Fastlane business. Thanx.

 

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