Jake just left the Southbridge Summit, a small conference with less than 300 people. So, why come to such a small conference? If you haven't been to any tradeshows, there's a level of excuses people make.

"What can I learn from that" or "I don't have time" are common excuses.

Jake says that less than 50% of going to the conference for him was the ability to sit in the room and listen to others talk. What it's really about for him is talking to other people at dinner or lunches after the classes. Discussing with other builders opens your eyes to other strategies and ways of doing things. Another value tip for attending tradeshows: bring an employee with you so they can tap into the knowledge, too. 

Do you attend tradeshows? Why or why not?