Despite being a top voice in his niche, Eric Coffey was denied speaking slots at industry events, which he found were often pay-to-play. He circumvented these gatekeepers by launching his own conference, creating a platform for himself and other successful minority contractors who were also being excluded.
Related Insights
Eric Coffey broke into government contracting by partnering with existing businesses. He managed the complex bidding process for them in exchange for a percentage of the contract, leveraging their history and workforce to win bids he couldn't have secured alone.
While competitors focus on scalable AI and digital products, a significant, less-crowded opportunity exists in high-touch, in-person (IRL) experiences. This "anti-trend" approach creates a strong competitive moat and appeals to audiences fatigued by digital overload.
Instead of asking to "pick someone's brain," start a podcast. It provides a valid reason to invite dream mentors for interviews, granting you an hour of their focused attention. This access offers invaluable coaching that would otherwise be inaccessible or cost a fortune.
Bizzabo's founders, being new to the events industry, used their lack of preconceived notions to their advantage. They could question established norms and identify problems that insiders overlooked, leading to innovative solutions. This "beginner's mind" is a powerful disruptive tool.
When Hexclad's founder suggested using Facebook for community in 2010, his boss's dismissal became the direct motivation for him to leave and start his own, more modern company, exploiting the established player's blind spot.
Event programmers place immense value on recommendations from speakers they already know and trust. Building relationships with established speakers can lead to warm introductions that are far more effective than cold submissions, giving your proposal immediate credibility and a closer look.
A top reason speaking submissions fail is a mismatch with the core audience. For instance, at IMEX, educational content is built for event planners (the buyers), not the hotel salespeople (the exhibitors). Deeply understand who the educational sessions are designed for before submitting a proposal.
Top-tier event programmers, like those at CES, prioritize finding the best speakers and deepest experts in a field, then build the program around them. To get selected, focus on establishing and proving your authentic, deep expertise in one specific niche, rather than just pitching a topic.
Large tech conferences often foster consensus views, leading VCs to chase the same deals. A better strategy is to attend smaller, niche events specific to an industry (e.g., legal tech). This provides an information advantage and helps develop a unique investment perspective away from the herd.
Bypass C-suite gatekeepers by interviewing lower-level employees who experience the problem daily. Gather their stories and pain points. Then, use this internal "insight" to craft a highly relevant pitch for executives, showing them a problem their own team is facing that they are unaware of.
