August was big for me. Float Conference 2015 came and went, I got married, and I went on an incredible honeymoon. During my honeymoon I was able to take time to reflect on the Float Conference before writing about it, which is different compared to years past. I plan to cover many of the speeches given this year in future posts, but today I want to talk about the absolutely insanely passionate community that we are part of. I came away from the conference with an overall feeling that what we’re apart of is something incredible, and this is in large part due to the incredible and passionate members of this community. If you’re a long-time reader or first time visitor, if you already own a float center of your own or are just starting out, you are one of the individuals that create the fabric of this incredible community. Here’s what I observed while being immersed among fellow float center owners during the Float Conference:

Ideas!
Anyone who spends much time with me will hear me rant about how ideas are the easiest part of business. Actively manifesting them is the part that counts. After the conference weekend, I had to let go of that way of thinking a little. The amount of ideas I had never considered (and many still don’t fully understand!) was staggering. Considering there were over 450 visitors to the conference, I imagine I only had meaningful conversations with just 5-10% of the community. I know that there are even more ideas out there percolating that are going to help move this industry forward and I find it awe inspiring.

Humility
It’s humbling. With the Float Shoppe being open for almost 4 years and watching the industry grow, it’s becoming easier and easier to think I’ve seen it all. But this year, perhaps more than most, has taught me that this industry really is a newborn. There is so much development that I see happening in the next 10+ years. We are still neanderthals learning how to create sparks, with no concept of what direction our culture is going to evolve.

Culture
There really is a float culture among us. We’ve got button-up business professionals, Burners, youth filled floaters, well aged floaters, Republicans, Democrats, and persons in-between and outside those labels. Regardless of where we might fit in that spectrum, we all come together and share our knowledge, ideas and passions. We share our excitement for floating, our excitement for our industry, and we bond. I wouldn’t want to be part of a community that only looked one way. This culture can’t be pegged with labels other than our shared vision of a floating world in our future. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this culture.

Thank you for being part of this community and being the amazing people you are.

More on Float Conference 2015 in the following weeks, stay tuned!

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