BIGOmaha: The Little Conference That Could
Yesterday in the gorgeous Nebraska sunshine, about 300 techies, entrepreneurs, and creatives from all over the country gathered in a large but simple room to learn, listen, and make connections.
The one-day, one-track show was just a hashtag to some and entirely unknown to others; still, the pre-show buzz on Twitter and in various blogs had resonated with freshness, immediacy, and inspiration. A week before it opened, the first-ever BIGOmaha conference was sold out.
So, did the reality live up to the hype?
Photo by Nick Stankus / nixter.net.
"#bigomaha is Amazing! This is the best Conference I have been to in awhile, the heart and effort of the peeps that put this together = Rad," wrote keynote speaker Gary Vaynerchuk in a tweet Saturday.
In their own words, the speakers' and organizers' enthusiasm about the event is apparent:
Aside from Vaynerchuk, the conference's all-star lineup included luminaries from well-known companies and stand-alone scene rockstars such as 37signals founder and president Jason Fried and Threadless chief creative officer Jeffrey Kalmikoff, both of whom were particular crowd favorites. Themes of the show, both loudly voiced and unspoken, included the hidden blessings of failure, the importance of good design, the creativity of Midwesterners, the value of hard work - regardless of how unsexy the project may seem - and the joys of getting fired or quitting a "stupid" job.
Also, no one could overlook the sheer cool factor of the venue. Part library, part converted warehouse, part art gallery, the space was immaculately and consistently conceived by Oxide Design (with critical concepting, online, and on-site execution support from BrightMix and Silicon Prairie News to be hip, fun, and functional. A DJ kept the vibe going during breaks between speakers, and three flavors of Red Bull were flowing throughout the day. BIGOmaha was also one of the most Twitter-friendly conferences we've seen. Handles were printed on all nametags, and Twitter walls kept the microblogging stream active all day and throughout the night at the Nomad lounge afterparty.
One surprising note during the show was the mysterious non-appearance of WordPress founding developer Matt Mullenweg, who was scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. Around noon on Saturday, Mullenweg posted a Twitter note stating he'd missed his flight; closer to midnight, he said it had been overbooked. "I usually pack carry-on only and get to my flight about 30 minutes before, which works fine," Mullenweg wrote in an email early Sunday morning. "However, this time - because it was a red-eye and because Northwest had oversold the flight by the time I got there - the counter was closed and they had already given away my seat. I really, really wanted to be there and meet the people (and the other speakers), and was disappointed that I couldn't." Many fans were sorely disappointed to not find him at the show. Others, however, tweeted "No @photomatt, no problem" as the conference organizers shuffled together an impromptu Q&A panel comprised of other speakers. Event organizers declined to comment on the incident, instead praising the flexibility of the panelists.
Photo by Shane Adams, shanelife.com.
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Wow, Jolie O'Dell is really pretty.
The French word "joli" means "pretty" and sounds just like her pronunciation.
I'm with Gary: BIGOmaha was an amazing conference. Great speakers all around, perfect pace, wonderfully produced, and just plain friendly. I definitely learned something new.
I hope to be back next year.
-Jason Fried, 37signals
@jasonfried
@jasonfried So sorry you had to jet before we could properly chat! But I'm glad you weighed in here, and I'm glad you liked the show, too. I personally thought it was amazingly refreshing and can't wait for the next "BIG" thing, wherever it happens to be. =)
Great article,Jolie!
The conference was amazing. It was fun to have everyone in Omaha. Can't wait until next year!
Dave! You rock so much. We can't wait for next year, either! The Secret Penguin/What Cheer space and party were totally magical, and the creativity all of you display on the daily is astounding. You really do a lot to make Omaha remarkable.
After having been to and speaking at a billion conferences, I have to say that BigOmaha did it right on all counts: venue, program, attendees, and organization.
I have to agree with all the speakers: that because the organizers and attendees were so "ridiculously awesome" we had to bring our A game, and I hope that 1) we were able to; and 2) that the attendees agreed...
Jolie: I am sorry that my beautiful mug ruined that fantastic photo of our panel (Gary, Jason, Jeffrey and me) and that I introduced you to fruit rollups (what I was munching on in your video). I assume your life is ruined now forever... :)
Cant wait for BIGOmaha 2! (Anyone want to help Jeff bring the conference to Denver?)
micah, lijit.com
@micah
@Micah Hanging out with you was a highlight of our stay in Omaha! I like your style. And the Fruit Roll-Ups were magical. You've ruined my life in the best way. =)
BIGDenver coming up, hmm?
Jolie - thank you for the wonderful wrap-up on an event that has surely surpassed all expectations for what Dusty and I along with the entire BIG Omaha team thought would be possible.
A huge thanks to all of our speakers who were willing to take a chance and be a part of a new idea, a new energy and a new event. What you brought to the event was not only an unbelievable message, but also have helped to raise the bar in terms of the passion, energy and drive for the innovators not only in Omaha, but the region.
Jason & Micah - we'll count you and everyone else who is interested in for next year! I can honestly say I've heard nothing but numerous positive comments as well as feedback from your, and every other speaker's sessions.
Again, as I'm just now realizing what was pulled off, it's truly evident that what we did collectively was tremendous and have a renewed sense of excitement and drive to continue cranking things out and utilizing the connections and talent we have.
Jolie,
Thanks for joining us at the conference, for a great write-up, and for the kudos on the branding. What I think is most impressive about what happened at Big Omaha is that it would have been inspiring, motivating, and brilliant whether it was in Omaha, or in New York City. Everyone prepare yourselves, there's BIG things happening here in the Silicon Prairie!
Drew Davies
Oxide Design Co.
Jolie, this is my favorite wrapup post I've read so far. You really captured from an attendee and speaker point of view the excitement of this amazing event.
Also, was great to meet you... look forward to seeing you at BIGOmaha 2!
-Gabe