ALC unConference 2019

Let me start by extending my personal THANK YOU to everyone at ALC board and members of the various committees. In my thank you I want to include everyone from the previous years, as success of unConference is rooted in the events of the past and lessons that have been learned on the way to produce this year’s event. I always try to find one thing that makes me say that no matter time or resources, it was a trip worth taking. This year it was.

Disclaimer: everything you read here is my opinion and it does not reflect the opinion of the ALC, its board or its members. Feel free to add your comments.

TRAVEL

Every ALC unConference begins with the tickets. Having two airports within the driving distance is a understated plus. LAX and Orange County greatly improved accessibility of the event and gave more options to both, international and US-based attendees. If we are to put some virtual value points, 2019 unConference scored them right away. If evolution of the ALC is to be open to the international members, this was a move in the right direction.

Value points: +2

FACILITY

Pasea hotel was nearly perfect. I can’t speak on behalf of everyone but every time I attend ALC events investing my time is more crucial than the cost of the hotel. Few dollars spent on a better facility with good infrastructure and walking distance to the restaurants, bars and stores go a long way. Hotel featured 24-hour service and we were able to have a business meeting at the spacious table next to Tanner’s until 2:00 am. Hotel staff were available to assist us all that time. Coffee shop that stays open 21 hours (yes they were closed in the afternoon) should be mentioned.

Value points: +2

PRE-EVENT

ScheduleInterpreter.com, Inc. sponsors both events of ALC, so this may not be something that everyone experienced. We all know that internet infrastructure of the organization is not the 21st century dream come true, board members and organizers were super responsive. E-mails were prompt and to the point. Kudos to the board again.

Value points: +1

EVENT MOBILE APPLICATION

This has been discussed and addressed, so I will spend no time on this. Application was OK but UX was underwhelming. We will wait till May to see what improvements the new app will bring.

Value points: -1

CONTENT

ALC unConference is like no other. Translation and interpreting as an enterprise is very old. Many businesses start from the garage, kitchen or a basement and true business approach is something that is still comparatively new. Yet, dynamics of the relationships within the industry is changing, resulting in openness and willingness to share and cooperate. Joint efforts by all members are bringing results that were previously unthinkable. 

The unConference takes all these large-scale developments and splits them among the groups of 6 to 8 people. These groups gather around fire and talk about subjects that matter or keep them up at night.

The wealth of information is hard to measure. The format of the event delivers an opportunity to meet new people, share your success story, learn from others and sometimes skip the topic all together in favor of business meetings on the sideline. Some years ago, we set the standard that everyone refers to as Carmel(-by-the-sea). In my opinion, success of any event for a small group of people with A-type personalities is driven by the topics. 

Topics that engage everyone. Bringing developments within the industry, court rulings or standardization may have been the key of the success. Advocacy forum, an event prior to the official opening, drew practically everyone in attendance. That to me is a sign of nailing it.

Growth was the subject of many sessions I was part of. While not all of them discussed it directly, many found the way to get to this topic. Lots of discussions on MT and how drastically it changes the landscape. Also, how new opportunities are created with new tools. Sales and marketing are always occupying plenty of time in our discussions. This unConference I had my personal eureka moment, again. May be you also experienced something similar? Not the first time I am leaving the unConference with something, that I believe, will have lasting effect. That is HUGE!!!

Ice breakers were fun and did what they were supposed to do. There is a solid core of people who come every year and we all know each other, it is a bit harder for new members or first-time attendees to get to know everyone. This year I did not see a single person who was not engaged. It truly felt like a big and welcoming family.

Dine around places were great. Our group lost a couple of people , at the end of the day it turned out to be their loss ?? Going out and meeting someone new or someone you were not able to engage in a larger gathering is a fantastic experience. At dinner, we almost always talk about business, this year we ended up discussing topics that ranged from Shark Tank TV show to in-depth analysis of the politics. Can’t speak for everyone but our restaurant was great. Delicious food and good service. Having a board member in the group helped too.

Breakfast - finally, it was done right. Good selection of food. Fresh fruit, ham and cheese croissants, yogurts, eggs, coffee, juices. It was perfect. The best part was that we all started our morning together. I believe it set the right mood for the day and helped people to connect.

While breakfast was a hit, lunch was a miss in my opinion. Boxed food is never a good choice. But that’s just my 2 cents.

Drinks in the afternoon. That was incredibly cool and gave another opportunity to network and talk. Many groups carried on the conversations started in the sessions, proving once again that level of engagement was very high. In general, the atmosphere was relaxed and few, very few left to talk on the cell phone.

Value points: +5

ACTIVITIES

With group of people who socialize all the time, there is no surprise that you could pop your head into any of the bars or restaurants around hotel to bump into someone. Whale watching was scheduled for Saturday afternoon and we got a nice group of people. There was an attempt to have a bike ride that did not take place. As solid group of attendees enjoyed the boat trip many people opted out. May be a voting of some sort and selecting one event from 3 or 4 would be a better way. 

Value point: +1 (for the cool bar that looked like a house with fireplaces and large rooms where only ALC members could gather)

We always try to finish the last day by gathering in a cool restaurant that can accommodate loud group of people for an extended period of time. This year we ended up going to a Persian grill and spent 3+ hours there. What a blast it was!!!

TOTAL POINTS: 10

What defines the success of this year event? I can attest that people I know, who came for the first time to the unConference were very happy. I have talked to few attendees who came for the second time and also said that this one was better the one they came before (none were in Carmel). Everything was well put together and perfectly organized, attendees were always engaged and in the conversations between sessions many said they loved the topics and the format. 

Did we make it to be the Carmel 2.0? Time will show. In my imaginary timeline Huntington Beach is connected to Carmel with a direct line.

Thank you everyone who attended. Looking forward to seeing you in DC.