Empress Zingha: Why Should I Go To A Summit Episode 1/4 - Why Should I Go?

Wuh Gine On Creatives! It’s your girl Empress Zingha the Creative Coach and Imagination Detective! This is now episode 2 of why you should attend a summit. Today we are going to be looking at Researching The Field, because when attending a summit we need to know why you are going and what is your purpose and objective. What is it that you want to get out of going to this summit?

Most of you would know by now that the Caribbean StartUp Summit is this Friday and Saturday, the 24th and the 25th May at Lime Grove. Both DJ and I will be a presenting on a panel along with Dwight Forde, the co-founder of Strong Foods Inc - better known as Yella Meat. We are very excited to be on the panel and to give our journey thus far as a start up company.

So! When you decide that you are gonna go to a summit, or convention etc you need to do some research on said summit. Just because you are saying “I should go to it” you have to decide what it is that you want to get out of going. A lot of these summits and conferences are investments to better your skills into the industry that you are in and therefore you may have to take time out of your schedule to attend. Sometimes for the event, the summit organisers leave an agenda online that you can check out. For example, you can go to the www.caribbeanstartupsummit.com and there is a full itinerary for the 2 days about who's going to be there what they're going to be speaking on.

Check out the speakers and see which stories can be beneficial to your development as a start up. What are some of the works that those speakers have done? With Dj and I if you want to hear us speak on the journey thus far, you can go to the site, look for picture and click the links to our website and social media. You don't have to spend a lot of hours going to each and every single thing - unless that's what you really want to do - but you should have an idea of the speaker you are going to see and what their business is. Where they've come from, where they're going now and if any of the things that they're doing or any of the challenges that they have faced, if the solutions to those problems can be applied to your business. Case in point, The Caribbean Startup Summit will be hosting speakers from Netflix, Amazon, Facebook and MANY others. There is even a master class on fashion design. So many different people and industries in which you can sit and ask persons one on one questions.

What I find interesting however, is that people who go to these summits and conferences are really really really shy. Unfortunately you can't continue to be that way. You have to step out of your comfort zone! Entrepreneurship is all about networking that’s why people go to have a cup of coffee or do zoom calls. Even though I am a performer, if I don't know you very well or if I'm not a around closer friends or family and you see me, I am gonna be pretty quiet and I'm gonna be in my shell. Some people think that because I am outspoken I’m like that 24/7 and I'm really not. I like to be very quiet and observe. I people and a like to listen to what people have to say, more so than speak. The getting over the stage fright is more so because I am a trained performer so that helped me a lot in terms of how to speak to people and hold a presence. I will tell you if you're going to be at summits don't just sit in your chair and just take all of the notes. The most vital information usually comes where you stand one-on-one with the person(s) and actually speak to them.

It’s very very very important also within the summit are a call France there usually is a theme maybe you can look at the theme to see how best how best you can apply that theme for the year. See how better you can grow. Go through the agenda and see which workshop, lecture or presentation you want to attend. Some days they are double events, there maybe a clash where 9 o'clock there is a talk by a podcaster a but also in another room there is a talk about, I don't know financing your business or marketing your business. You might want to go to both of those things but you obviously can't be at two spaces at once but sometimes these things happen. Don’t fret, there is a possibility that they repeat either one or both of those of those events and you can attend at another time.

I usually sit down and plan on which seminar or presentation etc that I wanna go to and I focus in on the person(s) speaking and how I can speak to them after they've presented. Sometimes if you can't get to that person, like if there are too many people around them or if you have cold feet, at the very least, try to go to a microphone to a part of the of the the question and answer segment. It may be better if you just talk to the person within the audience. That sometimes breaks the ice because they may remember you later and it can even inspire you to speak to them one on one after. These are just some of the things that I have been made aware of in my time with summits, speeches, lectures and conferences and it has helped me a lot in terms of how I want to present myself as an Entrepreneur.

So! Once again I am Empress Zingha, you’re Creative Coach and Imagination Detective. Please share this video with anyone who may find this information useful and if you have any further questions feel free to message me here on Instagram, or at the bajanfairy@empresszingha.com Stay tuned for Episode 3 - Branding and Contacting!

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