My inner sense of skepticism is always stimulated when it comes to being involved with any type of conferences or seminars similar to this one. Being a victim of so many of them in the past, I have truly reached my overall limit when it comes to “opportunities” that promise me wealth and health but just leave me walking away high and dry with nothing but a raised eyebrow, a bag filled with advertisements and promotional materials along with several hours from my day that I will never get back.
FaffCon is NOT one of those conferences. Leaving your ego at the front desk of the hotel when you first check in will unlock the door to an overabundance of cherished nuggets flowing from within a gold mine of talented voiceover artists! Continuing my education was a positive factor that I was expecting before I went, but I was even more impressed and privileged to have the opportunity to offer some of my own nuggets that I have discovered during my career to fellow listeners that were eager to learn from my experiences.
My ADHD and overall anxiety issues presented their own challenges for me when it came to attending FaffCon, especially since just the idea of being among a massive amounts of people for ten hours a day was overwhelming in itself. However, this was truly nothing that a few warm hugs and hearty laughs could not cure! By fighting my way through those mental and emotional obstacles, I was able to enjoy the awarding and thoroughly enjoyable experience of networking with and learning from my peers.
One of the main things that can be learned and appreciated from experiences like this one is the fact that some people can be much different than what you think when you get a chance to meet them in person, regardless of whether it is at a public event or not. Take for example different social media websites, such as Facebook. They normally have the innate ability to conceal a person’s overall warmth and strength, hiding them behind vague profile and posted status updates. When you meet them face-to-face, however, you may quickly come to the realization that their online profiles only scratched the surface and barely reached the tip of their figurative icebergs. A good lesson to take away from this is that we should never allow ourselves to judge others simply based on what we read or see on the internet.
Regardless of whom you decided to talk to at this conference, one of the best parts of the event and overall environment was that you felt reassured in knowing that they were actually listening to you and were keenly interested in whatever you had to say. As most people that have attended similar conferences in the past will agree, that is definitely a rarity that most people will never get a chance to experience regardless of what the advertisements promoting those events promised. Ego and insecurities can truly roam rampant at these types of events, but FaffCon truly is the exception to the rule. The confidence and humility of all in attendance significantly contributed to the overall enjoyment of the total experience.
Every experienced expert within the voice talent industry should seriously consider attending an event like this as soon as they have the opportunity to do so. This is definitely one of those few milestones in your career that will be able to change you both personally and professionally for the better. Personally, my brain has been recharged and has professionally ignited a blazing fire under my “you know what!" Even if this specific event is not the right fit for you, do some research and find another conference or meet up event that will allow you to share your nuggets of knowledge with others and receive so many more in return that will help boost you to the very next level of your career.
