What's Your Name Again?

The Hunt Scanlon crew at today's conference in New York City
(Photo courtesy Chris Hunt)

I just had to teach last night at CSB in Stratford, didn't I?

If you're keeping score, that meant driving back to Mahopac, decompressing, and getting to bed.

Oh, right, I also had to print a script out and make sure I was ready for a conference in New York today.

Meaning I had to be out of bed at 4:00. 

AM.

I closed my eyes sometime after midnight and I barely slept.

So, yeah, teaching last night (and calling a soccer game today) probably weren't my best moves. There's no question I'm tired and have been fading all day.

But let's circle back to that conference, hosted by Hunt Scanlon. To be clear (and to prove I've actually typed their names) that is a team led by Chris Hunt and Scott...S...c...a...n...l...o...n.

You see, I've been serving as their conference moderator (and host of the global podcast success, "Talent Talks") for roughly four years now. At the end of one of the days (to be clear, long days) I completely botched Scott Scanlon's name.

I called him "Saunders" or something completely foolish. It was a brain lock and I will never hear the end of it, not should I. Still, I sort of had someone in my corner.

"You guys are going to embed it in his brain," Mike Hawkins said.

Fortunately, I didn't screw up Scott Scanlon's name today. After all, he only plays a role in getting me paid, so I probably should pronounce his name correctly.

I'm making the conferences out to be more about me than they should be. Chris, Scott, Mike, Erik Boender, Anthony Pisano, Walker Manning, Paul Silverfarb (you might be familiar with him), Ian Kim, Will Schatz, Diego DaLan, Charlie Schlitt, Dale Zupsanky, and Steve Sawicki do the hard work. I show up and talk while keeping the conference on schedule.

While there was probably some rust (and exhaustion) for me to shake off, the reviews for the entire day were glowing. The Hunt Scanlon team puts on a great show and, while it's a juggling act, it's one that I enjoy because I spend the day collaborating with ith friends and colleagues that I enjoy being around.

Most of all, it was great to get back to hosting conferences for the first time since 2019.

My role really is to facilitate and keep things on schedule. That means getting that early start, jumping on a train, and being on-site (the Harvard Club on 44th St. in NYC)  to make sure things are good before the conference.

Then it means delivering the speech and striking a balance between being straightforward and sometimes allowing for some form of humor to keep everyone on their feet. For example, I made an announcement that the conference would start in five minutes.

Everyone sat down and went quiet.

"Wow," I said. "I didn't expect that."

The audience liked that and we were off and running.

From there, it's working with everyone -- most of all Chris and Mike -- to make sure that the show stays on schedule. I had literally no problems today. If anything, presentations ended early. I've tried to create an atmosphere where my body language tells the speaker that time is almost up.

For me, the day is a grind and pacing is necessary. Don't overdo the caffeine, for instance. Same with food. With the early start (coupled with minimal sleep) I inevitably get tired. So, when your chair normally faces the whole audience, well, it's not what you want.

Today, my chair was to the side of the podium but it was behind a curtain. That made yawning and checking my phone for correspondences from my colleagues a lot easier.

Somehow I did not do any jokes from "The Wizard of Oz."

When it's all over, so long as Chris and Scott (Sanders, as you may have already heard) are happy then I go home somewhat content with the effort.

But, today, knowing I could get to Brunswick in time to call a soccer game, how could I not go?

I know, I know. Silly Rob. I went, I called the game, and then I sat in awful traffic on I-684 on my way home.

After everything, I'm home and can collect my brain and get ready for another day.

Brunswick lost 3-2 in the 89th minute.

The next conference is in November.