Only eight weeks until EntConnect 2009

Time continues to pass quickly. It is only eight weeks until the annual Entrepreneurial Connections (EntConnect) conference, from Thursday, March 26, 2009 through Sunday, March 29, 2009. Traditionally the conference consists primarily of a reunion of former readers of Midnight Engineering magazine and a few newbies who have gotten suckered into trying it out, but each year we try to figure out new ways to attract fresh blood. This usually brings the discussion back to the question of what people feel they get out of the conference and how to increase its value to current attendees as well as potential attendees.

Check out the conference Web page for an idea of what the conference was like last year. Hopefully the page will be updated very soon for the details for this year. I do know that the hotel rate has jumped from $75 to $79, despite the fact that we are in an economic recession. It will be the same hotel (Sheraton Denver West in Lakewood, CO, with great views of both the Rocky Mountain foothills and the Denver skyline.) We hope to have a notable keynote speaker, but as usual the primary focus will be sessions led by your fellow entrepeneurs.

The conference planners are always looking for new ideas, for example:

• What fun activities to plan for Friday before the conference begins.
• Where to hold our traditional Friday kickoff dinner. Unfortunately, Valente's Italian restaurant has closed.
• Suggestions for keynote speakers.
• Should there be a "theme"?
• Volunteers for Saturday and Sunday session speakers.
• How to promote the conference better.
• Any other suggestions for improving the conference.

I am sure that the effects of the current economic "difficulties" will be fodder for a lot of discussion. And probably at least a few of us will be wondering how we can make at least a little money from all of this fiscal stimulus that is about to come gushing out of Washington.

Oh, and please feel free to join the Midnight Engineers Yahoo discussion forum.

-- Jack Krupansky