Menfluential 2019

Menfluential is one of those annual events that I have come to look forward to attending. For those not familiar, Menfluential was started by Aaron Marino (YouTube channel AlphaM) and Antonio Centeno, (YouTube channel, Real Men Real Style), two successful entrepreneurs who have made a living of teaching men how to better themselves. What makes the event so special is these two are able to bring together like-minded individuals with the idea of helping one another succeed. You know what they say, “A rising tide lifts all ships.”

What is Menfluential

Originally called Stylecon, the event has morphed into a 2-day conference designed to empower men (and women too) to grow both personally and professionally. The conference is jammed packed with speakers who provide incredible information around personal growth, style, content creation, influencing. In addition, they are dedicated to providing the keys for starting and growing businesses. One of the major pluses is that all of the speakers are very accessible. Many times and in other settings,  these champions of success don’t have a chance to interact with their followers. This conference is an excellent forum to gain highly covet access to some of the internet’s most successful people.

In addition, the conference introduces attendees to newer and up and coming brands and products. Brands such as Anson Belts and Thursday Boots have a chance to show off their wares. It’s an opportunity to get their products in front of people that otherwise might never discover them. In addition, it enables the brands to forge relationships with influencers and content creators. It’s these relationships that can be beneficial to the both the brand and influencer. For the influencer, they can develop financial partnerships to promote the brands. For content creators, they can develop content around the brand providing reviews and recommendations. Both types of connection can help the brand by serving as an avenue to disseminate product information and generate additional sales.

Lastly, Menfluential is an incredible networking opportunity. From business owners to content creators to just those with a curiosity, there really is something for everyone. When you get a room full of people striving to either create a successful business or just working on themselves, you’re bound to connect with someone that can support you. Whether it’s forging new business relationships, finding common interests or providing support, this conference really encourages the networking aspect.

 

Why I attend

This was my fourth year attending. I’ve previously written why I’ve attended. If you haven’t read about my previous thoughts,  check out Why I Attended StyleCon and StyleCon becomes Menfluential. This year I was honestly on the fence about going. I had my reasons. I had done a bit of traveling so I wasn’t sure if I should take the time off work. Furthermore I was feeling a bit frustrated with my influencing and social media game so I didn’t really feel the desire to head to Atlanta for a conference  to build my brand. Especially if I wasn’t sure what I was doing with it. However I ultimately changed my mind.

What I discovered was a new energy to strive and move forward. There was a session on failure and how you work to overcome it. That resonated for me because I’ve suffered some setbacks and hearing other’s stories just strengthened my resolve to push myself more. Paul Mcgreggor talked about mental health and the tragedies in his family that has led him to where he is today He was truly an inspiration. And in one of the most informative sessions of the day Travis White shared his secrets on building a successful Instagram account. During his talk, the room was completely mesmerized. I’ll definitely be incorporating some of his insights into my Instagram game. More importantly, it was these speakers and others like Andrew Snavely of Primer Magazine and Brock McGroff of The Modest Man who not only shared some valuable info during their presentations but also showed a willingness to talk in one on one settings. I’ve actually been able to reach out to many of these guys for help, guidance and assistance. That’s one of the most important reasons I attend.

But it wasn’t just the speakers where I made some great connections. I’ve been able to make some lasting connections with the attendees as well. As a result of this year’s conference, I’m looking forward to doing some great collaborations with guys who are doing amazing work. Not to mention, it was also great to reinforce connections with the DC contingent that was also in attendance. I’m looking forward to some exciting things as the rest of the year progresses.

Cons

The conference is an amazing experience. If I had to give one critique it would be the session layout. While many of the sessions were quite informative, with such a wide variety of attendees and topics, not all sessions are for everyone. However, that’s not necessary a bad thing. During these times, people would congregate in the back and network. The space was not always conducive to this type of setup. It could get loud and those interested in the topic had a hard time hearing.

The other issue about the format is that sitting all day with people talking at you can sometimes get tiring. Even with engaging and knowledgeable speakers and Q&A sessions at the end of most talks, it’d be great if it were a bit more interactive. My one suggestion would be to vary the structure of the conference. Have a few main conference wide sessions along with several breakout sessions but by no means eliminating the networking aspect. This would add a little variety to an already powerful 2 days,

 

What I wore

 

Day 1 – Bold Business Look

Plaid Suit – Indochino | Tie – Prada | White shirt –  Saks Fifth Avenue | Pocket square – Hart Schaffner Marx | Chelsea boot – Magananni

Day 2 – Elevated Casual (After all it was Saturday)

Double breasted blazer – Indochino | Turtleneck – Michael Kors | Jeans – J Brand | Chukka boots – Prada