Julia Morgan Ballroom, 7 a.m.

 

Julia Morgan Ballroom

The audio/visual crew is testing the microphones out.

"Check, check, one, two," they say.

At one point, two crew members were standing on the stage wearing lavalier mics inside the Julia Morgan Ballroom inside the Merchant's Exchange Building in San Francisco.

"Can you guys talk?" someone at the control desk asked.

So they regaled us with stories of their day.

"I'm just looking forward to tomorrow when I get my check," one said.

Such is the life in the early morning hours of a ballroom before a Hunt Scanlon conference. Whether it's in New York, London, or here in San Francisco, the routine is mostly the same. The personalities are also mostly the same.

My priorities when I arrive include helping Erik, Walker, Bogdan, and Caleb set the room up with pamphlets and tent cards on the tables.

After that, a chair. For me.

Because it gets forgotten without fail.

In fact, there were initially two chairs to the side of the stage here with a table. I'd no sooner sat down when an A/V member booted me so he could put them on the stage.

I'm now planted in a standard-issue ballroom chair, several feet stage left.

I'm also fresh off a night of deep sleep that began at 9 p.m. Pacific (Midnight Eastern). Oh, don't get me wrong, I woke up a few times, including before the alarm went off but it's fine because I'm trying to remain close to the time at home.

And all is well at home. Sean is there and, yes, I've checked in on Rascal. He's as usual.

Branding in the elevator

Back here, the badges will get handed out as registration rolls along. Breakfast will be served and attendees will mingle as they begin to roll in.

Then the process of getting everyone seated and ready will commence.

What I love -- truly -- is the trust here. Erik and Walker are the leaders of this gig but they couldn't be more clear with me.

"You know what you're doing. Run the show."

I'm a firm believer in that, as a manager, I've hired people for a reason. Now I have to put my faith and trust in them to do what they do. Ask any broadcaster or, for that matter, any staff member that has ever worked with me and I'd like to believe they'd tell you that.

So I've got this. I know the routine. I've got the script. I know what to say.

"There are tables to the far side of the ballroom so if everyone would please take a seat."

Of course, audiences can be different wherever we go. In London, they snap to attention when I say that we're ready to start.

In New York, there are deals to make and it's just different.

Here, in the Julia Morgan Ballroom inside the Merchant's Exchange Building in San Francisco, CA, well, we'll find out when I step to the podium at 8:30.

That's 11:30 in New York.

I'll speak the first several pages of the script -- for me, always the most intensive of the day -- and then introduce the leadoff presentation.

Then I'll go to my seat near the A/V table.

And we'll be off.

The Merchants Exchange Building, across the street from our hotel

ADDED NOTE: So, this happened, and we're all fine. We felt nothing as a 4.1 earthquake hit between the Sacramento and Stockton areas.