It is just about time! Are you attending?
By Steve Moran
It is just about time for the NIC (National Investment Centers for Seniors Housing) Fall Conference. I got to thinking it would be fun to make a list of all the reasons to attend. Not every reason will apply to every person, but they are all available to you:
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You will get to go to Chicago for the first time or again.
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You will get to look out over the Chicago River while doing all your great NIC things.
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You will get a chance to hang out with Steve Moran (could be the best reason of all).
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Free coffee everywhere.
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It is one of the best networking opportunities in the whole senior living space.
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There will be mind blowing NIC talks from industry outsiders.
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There will be provocative NIC talks from industry insiders.
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If you are looking for capital for your next project everyone who provides capital to senior living providers will be there.
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Great food and drink.
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You will hear from major keynote speakers that can’t be heard anyplace else.
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If you are new to the industry there will be serious educational sessions.
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If you are an industry veteran you will learn new things.
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If you are trying to figure out what is going on with occupancy this is the opportunity to figure it out.
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If you need a new headshot, you can do that at this conference.
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If you need to figure out how to make LinkedIn work for you, this is the place.
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Do you want free evening car service around Chicago? Just walk out the door of the hotel and it will be there.
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If you are looking to talk to leaders who have high occupancy this is the place to do that.
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If you have ever wanted to see the “NIC glance” in action this is the place. You know, where people walk around doing that quick little glance at your name tag to see if you are someone they want to connect with . . . everyone does it, even me . . . no wait, especially me.
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It is your chance to meet and interact with leaders from the largest senior living organizations to some of the smallest.
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It is a great place to make new friends.
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It is a fantastic opportunity to hang out with old friends.
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You will get to hear more about what the federal government is thinking about senior living and healthcare.
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Great Chicago-style pizza.
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You get to experience O’Hare International Airport . . . maybe this should not be on the list.
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It’s embarrassing to say you have never been to NIC.
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You have the opportunity to meet famous and influential people in and out of the industry.
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You will be inspired.
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You will be challenged.
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You will be overwhelmed (I think this is a benefit).
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There are amazing after-hour parties and dinners. Though maybe not the first year, because mostly you have to know someone or know someone who knows someone.
Some Color
I know a lot of people who attend the NIC conference and have a great time . . . me included. I also know there are a number of folks who have attended in the past and said never again. My first one was tough. I walked into what seemed to be a sea of blue suits . . . a sea of billionaires and I knew I didn’t belong. I knew no one would be interested in meeting me or talking to me.
I went back to my hotel room that first evening really baffled about what the next day would be like. A part of me wanted to pack it in. I was just too little a fish in the biggest pond with the biggest fish. Not knowing what else to do, I set a goal of meeting 100 people.
The next day I went to work. I would walk into a group of people and sometimes tell them what I was doing. 80% of the time it was fine and occasionally led to some in-depth conversations, though I was willing to take whatever I could get.
And yes . . . some people were jerks about it and the jerks were hard to take because I am like most people I can have 90 good encounters and 1 bad encounter and all I can remember is the bad one.
My Promise to You
If you are there and you see me — whether I am in a big group or a conversation with one — I will be glad to meet you and I promise to introduce you to everyone I am with.
And I know the readers of Senior Housing Forum well, there will be hundreds or thousands of them in attendance and most if not all of them will be every bit as helpful.
