Top 10 Reasons I am going to the Bigger Ideas Conference

[Mike Magan]

1. I hope to hear what the speakers have to say and hopefully apply what they share to my personal and professional life.
2. I hope to meet the speakers and especially those who have already committed to attending.
3. I expect to be inspired creatively and spiritually - It's been a brutal Q1 2009.
4. I might bounce some ideas off of certain people if the situation arises.
5. I plan on poking the people I persuaded in attending in the ribs and saying: "see I told you Pat wasn't crazy," and/or "I told you this would be worth it."
6. I want to say to myself "I am definitely coming back next year."
7. I expect to tell Kyle Lacy, "Your voice is always deeper than I think it is going to be."
8. I hope to say to myself, after hearing the speakers, "What am I doing to make enrich the world and people I interact with daily?"
9. I want to Pat Chris Flener's bald head once, twice if he's not too freaked out the first time.
10. I hope to determine if Pat Coyle looks more like his photo picture or vector picture in his profile.

[Lorraine Ball]

Saw this great article on Harvard Biz Review The author outlines 3 ways to make conferences better:
1. Conferences and meetings should tell unique stories. A conference should tell a story, one that unfolds and builds from the initial moments to the close. Like any good story, there should be moments of high excitement, followed by moments of relative calm.

2. Conferences should be for, by, and about the attendees. A meeting or conference should feel participative, and you, the meeting attendee, should have some significant part in it beyond being a warm body. Attendees should react, critique, judge, schedule, and vote for what they like and don't like.

3. Conferences should be about more than just eating and sitting.

When I read this, I was even more excited about attending Smaller Indiana, Bigger Ideas, because I expect it will exceed all these requirements.

[Shawn Quick-Raflik]

Lorraine - your #4 is awesome! Thanks for putting it out there - it will happen!

[Kristen Horton]

1. I read Renewing American Culture: The Pursuit of Happiness and want to hear Dr. Massey speak.
2. from Lorraine: "when SIBI is an annual event, attracting thousands, and national media, I want to say, I was at the First One!"
3. I want to find out what I can do to: Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
4. I always enjoy interacting off-line with my fellow Smoosiers.
5. I'd like to share some thoughts/ideas with a few of the VIP guests
6. I love The Athenæum Theatre!
7. I'm always up for a pint at The Rathskeller.
8. I want to show my support for the non-profits this event supports (Giving Sum, Athenæum Foundation &
Flanner House Charter School)
9. I like the idea of the speakers presenting in less than 18 min.
10. Repeat #7

[Michael R.]

lol @ # 9

[Lorraine Ball]

1) I want to see if Mike Magan is as funny in person as he is in posts
2) I am looking forward to spending spend time with people who see more possibilities, not less
3) I believe creative action is a result of creative input, and I want to see what happens in our community in the weeks and months after SIBI as a result of putting that many interesting people, with such diverse backgrounds in a room together
4) And finally, when SIBI is an annual event, attracting thousands, and national media, I want to say, I was at the First One!