I am currently sitting in the mountains of North Carolina awaiting the festivities and celebrations associated with a niece’s wedding, answering emails.

I just read an email trail regarding the Grow!, our national conference in October. Please allow me two minutes and into your home or office to share a couple thoughts about it, please.

The email trail started with an active member expressing surprise at the registration cost, $750* (early registration until the end of July) especially, as the individual noted, that it might stretch the budget for training. Then I read the subsequent email in the trail, from an IMC USA Board member, and it said, in part, "… I appreciate the challenges of cash flow and expense of the conference. We made a very conscious decision – supported by the Board – to build a program and conference that was high in quality in a different venue and that we would do our best to keep costs in line with other quality events.” [Emphasis added]

I thought I'd address this, from my perspective.

Grow! Is different from Confab.

First, as is obvious, the venue is different. IMC has moved the conference to another facility (note: I’ve seen the Buena Vista Palace at Orlando myself), and the organizing team has negotiated excellent room rates for our registrants ($99/night). Being on the Disney grounds, you also have access to all the amenities/events by being registered at the hotel. Bring your family, if you can; could be quite an experience [See: http://www.buenavistapalace.com/photo_gallery/photo_gallery.cfm?LinkToGo=hotel1]

Second, Orlando is different; it is truly a destination that is (1) easy to get to, typically with non-stop flights, and, since it is a destination location, (2) very affordable in airfare costs.

Third, the audience (profession of management consultants) is different this year, for two reasons:

(1) ICMCI (our "parent”) has decided to hold their annual conference (which this year is their 25^th anniversary celebration) in conjunction with Grow! Consultants from around the world (remembering that there are 48 constituent Institutes around the world) will be in attendance, bringing a totally global feel to this event.

(2) All management consultants, whether they practice in very small firms (of one consultant, like me), boutiques, or large regional, national and international firms.

Fourth, the speakers and workshops will be different. Grow! has been designed, from the beginning, to be different -- a conference for the profession of management consulting. [Note: a previous blog had a list of speakers, but the full schedule can be found at: http://www.imcusa.org/?GROW_Intro

You can do your own math in two ways:

One way is to estimate your total, all-in cost as compared to previous years (conference + hotel + airfare [all of which the organizing committee took into serious consideration]); and, the other way is adding up the differences: venue + city location + audience + speakers and workshops. The sum of both (costs + experience) is an outstanding value for your personal and professional growth.

We strongly believe that the nature of this conference will far outweigh any perceived out-of-pocket cost difference (unless, of course, you live in vicinity of Reno). * BTW, the early bird registration of $750 is only $145 more than Confab last year and you get so much more, especially considering the differences.

Register now, please. The room block (at $99) at the Buena Vista Palace is already approaching 50%.

Register now for Grow! and be part of a national conference for the profession of management consulting.

Thank you for your two minutes and into your life.

Stay tuned,

My best,

David

More Good News to Share…

You probably have seen the sidebar graphic on our website about Grow!, the national conference for management consultants. If you haven’t clicked through, check this page http:// www.imcusa.org/?IMC_Conference.

The Whats:  

This conference is a totally new approach to our conference for successful consultants – from the venue, to the speakers and workshops, and to the design. · Attendance is open to all.

This conference will be held in conjunction with ICMCI’s Annual Meeting and its 25th celebration. Consultants from around the world will be in attendance. ·

The facility is on the Disney property (see http://www.buenavistapalace.com/). Come early, stay afterwards, the rates we’ve negotiated for you are outstanding (and, while I’m on that topic, we are already at 26% of our room block at these rates, so register now to take advantage). ·

The Early Bird registration rate is only $750; save $145 by registering before July 31st.

Speakers/workshops include but are not limited to: ·

How to Think LIke a Seven and Eight Figure Consulting Firm—James Malinchak, featured on ABC’s "The Secret Millionaire” ·

Building Trusted Advisor Relationships—Charles Green, Co-author with David Maister of "The Trusted Advisor” ·

Mastering the Art of Sales Conversations—Mike Schultz, Founder, "Rain Today” ·

The Changing Nature of Business in Society—Lenny Mendonca, McKinsey and Company ·

From Good to Guru: How to Become a Thought Leader—Vicki Sullivan ·

Close Deals, Not Doors: The Secret to Communicating Your Competitive Edge—Sam Horn ·

Accelerate Your Established Consulting Practice:Tools, Techniques and Tips—Andy Birol ·

The Wisdom of Wizards—Dick Metzler ·

 Innovative Marketing Mastery for Consultants—Ford Saeks ·

Ethics, Risk and Compliance—Juan Pujol and Paul Martino ·

And, more…

Why?

What do you do for you, for your consulting skills and competencies?

I’ve written, in this blog, that management consulting is a noble profession. You are, as one author wrote in the front cover of his book to me, "..one of the few, who influence the few, who influence the many.”

You strive to be better. You serve your clients with integrity and pride. You influence many beyond your clients.

Come. Do it for you, for the profession and for your clients. Participate in learning from and with your international peers. Grow!

Follow the link, be part of something bigger: http://www.imcusa.org/?IMC_Conference

Stay tuned,

My best,

David

• We will be in Orlando, at a Disney property and a new, large, smoke-free facility, Buena Vista Palace.  They have recently done a multimillion dollar extensive upfit.  The venue, itself, is excellent (see for yourself at http://www.buenavistapalace.com/video1/).  You will be across from Downtown Disney (if you want to bring family, for example; there's free shuttle service to all Disney Parks).
• Your 'peep' have negotiated extremely attractive rates for the duration of the conference ($99/night).
• Orlando, because it is a destination city, has a broad range of non-stop flights from airports across the country (and, indeed, internationally).
• We were just notified that ICMCI (International Council of Management Consulting Institutes, our world-wide 'parent') awarded IMC USA their Annual Meeting, which will be held concurrent, and in some combinations, with our conference.  2012 is the 25th Anniversary of ICMCI and, since IMC USA was a founding member this award is especially an honor.