In partnership with
Trailhead Thoughts
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
- Seneca
Trail Map - Learn. Think. Act. ™
Build Your G.A.M.E. Plan for Any Event
📚Learn
Heading to a conference soon? Don’t leave it to chance. Whether you’re an attendee, speaker, or sponsor, success starts with a clear G.A.M.E. Plan.
Events are full of opportunity, and we think the best moments happen in the margins. The hallway chats and coffee breaks are where the real connections are made.
Here’s how you can make the best of the next event you participate in.
🤔Think
What’s your primary goal for the next event you are attending?
Who are the 3 people (or types of people) you must connect with?
Are you showing up prepared to create value or just to collect the swag?
💪 Act
Write down one measurable goal for your next event (e.g., meet 5 potential partners.)
Identify where your key people will be - sessions, booths, socials.
Prepare 3 conversation starters or insights you can share.
After each session or interaction, jot down one takeaway or next step.
Be intentional. When you build your G.A.M.E. Plan, you don’t just attend events, you leverage them.
Email Was Only the Beginning
Four years in the making. One event that will change everything.
On November 13, beehiiv is redefining what it means to create online with their first-ever virtual Winter Release Event.
This isn’t just an update or a new feature. It’s a revolution in how content is built, shared, and owned. You don’t want to miss this.
Beyond the Trailhead
Stop Attending Events, Start Leveraging Them
Most people think all they have to do at conferences is show up, shake some hands, collect a few business cards (remember those?) or LinkedIn connections, maybe hit a happy hour or two, grab a few selfies to prove they were there and then head home. But, when Monday rolls around, how much of the conference content actually sticks and what made it worth the “out of office” time?
This is the difference between attending an event and leveraging one.
The best don’t just go, they go in with a plan.
Before you pack your bag, take 20-minutes to get clear on why you’re going.
What do you want to walk away with?
Who do you need to meet and why?
What questions are you hoping to answer?
Write your answers down. Just the simple act of getting your goals out of your head and onto paper (or your ReMarkable if you’re like Mike) changes the game.
During the event, when you find yourself in those hallway chats, in the side conversations, at the happy hours, be curious, ask better questions, and listen more than you talk. If you struggle to get the conversation started, remember this: you already have something in common, you are at the same event. Use that.
After the event, don’t let the energy, connections, and momentum die.
Reach back out to people you met. Try to do this in a timely manner.
Send one note of gratitude for something meaningful you learned.
Capture some “recap” notes to share takeaways with your team and as a reference to refer back to.
These simple post-event steps are what turn great event conversations into real progress.
Keep in mind, this approach isn’t just for attendees. If you’re planning your company’s SKO, RKO, or GKO, the same principles apply.
The best events aren’t about filling time, they’re about filling time intentionally and creating clarity, alignment, and action for the upcoming year. That’s why Mike partners with teams to design and speak at kickoffs that actually move teams forward and where people leave not just inspired, but ready to execute with clarity, alignment, and a plan they can put into action the next morning.
Before you attend your next event, or before you plan one, ask yourself:
“Am I going to just show up or am I going to level up?”
Voices from the Trail
Hitting the Trail
We’re lacing up and heading out. Here’s where Catalyst will be in the coming weeks. Join us on the path and be part of the conversation.
That’s it for this week.
Keep putting one intentional step in front of the other - the view gets better and better as you climb.
If you have a friend or colleague getting ready to head out to a conference (or plan one) forward this issue so that they can show up prepared, intentional, and ready to turn ideas into action.
The Find My Catalyst Team