Stylecon becomes Menfluential

Last year I wrote about why I attended StyleCon, the men’s conference held in Atlanta. This year I was back for my third year and what was initially billed as a men’s style conference has morphed into something much bigger than that. Hence the name change from StyleCon to Menfluential. Menfluential is much more than style. While style is still a part of the conference, it now also encompasses entrepreneurship as well as self-improvement and development.

Photo courtesy of Antonio Centeno – Real Men Real Style

Menfluential is the brainchild of Aaron Marino and Antonio Centeno. Most people initially discovered these highly accomplished gentlemen through their impressive YouTube channels. The gregarious Marino is a spitfire, his YouTube channel AlphaM has nearly 3.6 million followers and he’s been on Shark Tank twice. Although Antonio Centeno is much more subdued, his YouTube channel, Real Men Real Style boasts 1.8 million subscribers and is a go to spot for men who want to dress and feel better.

Photo courtesy of Antonio Centeno – Real Men Real Style

The 2-day conference brought together several hundred like-minded men and a few women to educate and build each other up whether it be for personal improvement, entrepreneurial business development or social media influencer growth. And by like-minded I don’t mean the same cookie cutter guy with the same political beliefs. It’s more about the idea that this common group of people genuinely wanted to help each other succeed.

What did I get out of it?

Surprising connections

Photo courtesy of Antonio Centeno – Real Men Real Style

By attending this conference for the last few years, I’ve met some amazing people. Some are people I would not normally cross paths with but now I consider friends. The networking has been amazing. I believe people want to build each other up and that’s one of the mottos I’ve been trying to live by. By helping each other grow we all grow. One of my favorite sayings is a rise tide lifts all boats and that’s the feeling I get with this group.

Advice and Information

The Menfluential sessions were designed to give practical and usable information on a variety of subjects. While not ever topic was applicable to me 100% of the time, there were a lot of valuable nuggets to be had. Speakers like Dan Lok, Ryan Magin of Handsome Guy Secrets, Andrew Snavely of Primer Magazine, George Laboda of Gents Lounge and Brock McGroff of The Modest Man each had powerful things to say. What was great was that these guys were not only informative but also very approachable. I’ve been able to get advice or help from some great minds on a one on one basis that I would otherwise not have access to.

Brand partnerships

As an influencer, I’ve been able to work with several brands and have had some great collaborations. In the past, I worked with Tani Underwear, Ties.com, Anson Belts and Blank Label all because of attending this conference. This year was no different and I currently have some new deals in the works.

Motivation

Last and probably the most important thing I got out of this conference is inspiration. It’s the motivation to wanting to get off my butt and make some big moves. After seeing some of the incredible things people are doing and getting encouragement from a group of people who only want the bring out the best in you, I get the sense that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. It’s not just about growing an Instagram, increasing my blog or even starting a YouTube channel. Those things are just mediums. I’ve been inspired to focus on taking the DCFashion Fool and my social media influence to the next level.

And that’s what I got out of Menfluential. I hope you’ll follow me for the ride. I plan to do great things!

What I Wore

Even though Menfluential has grown to be much more than style, I still couldn’t help but be myself. That meant for the two day conference I was in a suit on one day and jacket and tie the next. I pulled together my look from pieces I already had in my closet.

You don’t always have to wear your clothes in the same combinations every time. By mixing up pieces you can give tired looks new life. However something new is also nice too. One of the perks of attending Menfluential was scoring these snazzy loafers.

Purple wool blazer – Ralph Lauren (silk version) | Cream wool trousers – Ralph Lauren | Striped shirt – Hugo Boss | Polka dot tie – Ties.com | Purple statement socks – Happy Socks | Loafers – Paul Evans (You can get $100 off your first order of $299 or more)