Dad 2.0 Summit

This past week I had the amazing opportunity to join Dads and dad-centric organizations from across the country for Dad 2.0 Summit in New Orleans.  In their words "The Dad 2.0 Summit is an open conversation about the commercial power of dads online, and an opportunity to learn the tools and tactics used by influential bloggers to create high-quality content, build personal brands, and develop business ideas."

I was going due to my association with City Dads Group and to help build my skills as a co-organizer for the Portland group. This would be my first year attending the summit so I wasn't completely sure what to expect. I watched the Facebook group and checked my e-mails as they announced various speakers, breakout sessions and Sponsors. With each announcement my excitement grew but so did my anxiety. "I don't belong here" was the message that kept running through my head. I swim in a heavy sea of self doubt and I border on paranoid about letting the founders of City Dads down. They are putting their faith in me and helped make sure I could attend this conference and I don't want to screw it up.  I'm so afraid of failing that I just never start anything. This explains why I've never found my calling in life. Now I've started several things and I'm fearful that I wont fulfill my own expectations and those placed on me by others. I'm not used to having so many responsibilities.  

Despite my fear and anxiety I plow ahead towards the summit. Since I'd never been to New Orleans, and it is Mardi Gras, I decided to jump out of my comfort zone and go a few days early. I spent the weeks up to the conference trying to figure out what to do and where to go. I packed my bag a week in advance with clothes I bought specifically for the conference. I really wanted to get this right.  I had a 5 am flight out of Portland so I decided to get up really early the day before so I would be tired enough to sleep that night. I had to be up at 3am to get to the airport. I scheduled a pickup for 3:30am and set my alarm. Surprisingly I actually fell asleep pretty quickly. What I didn't do however, was wake up on time.  Our son likes to play with my alarm clock, and even though I had set it correctly the volume was turned all the way down so when it went off I didn't hear it!  Fortunately my husband woke up, without an alarm, and told me it was 3:24. We're not off to a great start. All my bags were packed except for my toothbrush, so I threw on the clothes I had laid out before I'd gone to bed and ran to my phone. My ride was already there and waiting for me. I kissed my husband and jumped in the car. Off to New Orleans I go.

I get into New Orleans full of excitement, anxiety and exhaustion. Despite the super early morning I couldn't sleep on the plane. I attempted to read a few chapters of How to win Friends and Influence people by Dale Carnegie but I was too tired. When I arrive I pretty much spend the day walking around the French Quarter. I eat Beignets at both Cafe Du Monte and Cafe Beignet. I have my opinions on which is better but I will let you decide on your own. I will say the Cafe au leit at Cafe Du Monte was incredible and you must have it with your beignets. I go to the Voodoo museum and stay up late hitting up bars, clubs and cafes on Bourbon street. I even had a woman throw beads at me from a balcony which was definitely on my bucket list. No, I didn't "earn" them.
The following day some other dads start coming into town. Wednesday I hit up the Pharmacy Museum in the morning then go on a Swamp Tour with one of the dads. On to dinner then we hit Bourbon street. Thursday I go to Mardi Gras World with a dad from NYC I had just met the night before. We then participate in a Drone flying experience put on by Best Buy and DJI. We get to explore an abandoned power plant, fly a drone and have lunch from a food truck, which was incredible! The welcome party sponsored by Dove Men+care and Kia is that evening. It was a good time to mingle with people and eat some excellent food. Towards the end of the evening Brian Gordon of Fowl Language comics and Chris Grady of Lunarbaboon show up. I had met Brian Gordon at HomeDadCon 2016 and I was apparently one of the only people he recognized because we hit up Bourbon street along with James Breakwell of Xploding Unicorn. 

Friday morning is the beginning of the actual conference. Despite my days of having fun and staying up late I was excited to get to the actual programming. There was a fitness event with Eric Capers in the morning that I missed out on but unlike HomeDadCon 2016 I did make the opening speaker. Our opening keynote sponsored by Dove Men+care was Ronnie Lott and Ryan Nece Moderated by Josh Levs. This was a powerhouse of a conversation. Ronnie and Ryan were down to earth, relate-able and genuine. It was fascinating to learn that the reason they chose to give Ryan his mothers last name instead of Ronnie's last name was to help allow him to be his own person. Ronnie didn't want Ryan growing up as "Ronnie Lotts son" or forcing Ryan to follow in his footsteps. This was a pretty unselfish thing to do.  Disclaimer here, I have a HORRIBLE memory, don't expect me to remember your name, but the next two messages I remember loud and clear. First, in regards to our influence on our kids, Ronnie stated "That's all we can do...help them see the best in themselves." Next they were both asked about how to deal with doubt. Both of them had the same message "always look for the next play...always look for the next moment to be great". This meant despite challenges, shortcomings or failures, not to dwell on them and to look for what was next. This was something that helped them tremendously on and off the field.
After the incredible opening speakers I was pumped about the breakouts and to check out the sponsor booths.  The first breakout on Personal Branding lead by Jim Joseph was incredible. As I've stated before, I lack focus and direction, the worksheet and ideas he gave during that presentation might help me to find those. I then hung out with the Sponsors, hitting up Kia, Hanes, BestBuy and Plum

Organics, who I am a brand ambassador for. We got to hear Von Miller speak and learned that hes the self dubbed King of Chickens. I got to meet him in a one-o n-one and get a picture with him. I then attended a round table discussion by Christopher Lewis about building your Twitterverese.  Then we hit Bourbon street and I was able to catch a Mardi Gras parade. Scored me a massive quantity of beads!
Saturday... After 4 days in New Orleans I was pretty wiped out but another exciting day was ahead. We started with a trio of speakers. James Breakwell of XplodingUnicorn, Jorge Narvaez and Stewart Reynolds aka BrittleStar. James talked about going viral on social media. Often when something goes viral on social media we often attribute it to a quick and immediate rise to fame. James worked for years on building his platform. He wrote ceaselessly without any pay and little recognition.  One of his messages was "be your own spark". He was referring to all the work and effort it took to create the content and putting himself out there no matter what. Don't wait on someone else to make things happen. Make things happen for yourself. He was finally recognized in a Buzzfeed article. When people went to look him up they saw years worth of effort and material and he Xploded.

The second speaker, Jorge Narvaez, talked about growing up in abusive household. He talked about breaking the cycle and being better than what you had been shown you could be. Last was Stewart Reynolds aka Brittlestar. He's a Youtube sensation and pretty awesome guy. His main message was to stop waiting. "Life doesn't wait for you to be ready". He talked about getting out there and doing, doing anything. Starting something and working at it even if you don't think your ready. If you sit around and wait until you feel ready you'll never start. Following these amazing speakers I attended a breakout on Building a constructive dialogue after #metoo. There were 6 members of the panel and moderated by Kimberly Wolf. What an incredible discussion! While there were many amazing points a big one I took away was in regards to men now feeling fear in this new world. Fear of false accusation, fear of accidentally overstepping. "Maybe it's a good thing that men are a little scared". Many people in our country experience fear every day in regards to their race, sex, sexual orientation. A healthy amount of fear can be a catalyst for change and maybe that's what we need. The last breakout I attended was on Instagram. I honestly had just created an Instagram account on day 1 of the conference so this was a much needed session for me.
Now that you know the incredible lineup of speakers and breakouts let me tell you what I personally learned. I went into this filled with fear and anxiety. I learned that I needed to stop waiting and start something. I learned to move past failure and look for the next moment to be great. These directly spoke to my fear of failing. I learned about branding yourself. This directly spoke to my lack of direction.  How is it I went to this conference not feeling like I belonged, lacking purpose and filled with anxiety and each of those were addressed? I will move forward with a little less fear, a little less anxiety, a little more direction and a little more purpose. I will find my moment to be great.

A very special thanks to Matt from City Dads Group for believing me and helping me get to Dad 2.0 .Thank you to all the sponsors of Dad 2.0 Summit- Dove men+care, Hanes, SmartyPants Vitamins, Best Buy, Kia, Lego, GSK, Safety 1st, Plum Organics, Life of Dad, Fatherly, City Dads Group. In association with National Responsible fatherhood clearinghouse, Fathers eve, New Orleans convention & VIsitors Bureau, and cause partners Camp Kesem and the National At-Home Dad network.