We’re back from PCBC 2018 and finally caught up on email so we thought we’d share a few highlights from our whirlwind San Francisco adventure.
OK Avocado Toast, Excellent Conversation
While the great debate will always be pancakes vs. waffles, the breakfast choice of the morning at Mel’s Drive-In was a hearty helping of avocado toast. We’ve had better versions, but the conversations, connections and overall energy at a table packed with stellar sales & marketing professionals was unequivocally unbeatable.
It’s not everyday that you start your morning at 6:30 with a heavy dose of laughter and perspective but we were honored to have a seat at (arguably) the most impressive breakfast table in San Francisco that day. Thanks Will Duderstadt and Kevin Oakley for organizing. We hope it becomes a long-standing PCBC tradition. ONeil Interactive will be in search of the ideal Las Vegas breakfast destination for a reunion at IBS in February 2019.
All-Star Cast of Speakers
The PCBC stage is known for inspiration and innovation and this year was no exception. The Moscone Center welcomed world renowned photographer, Platon, as he presented powerful portraits of subjects ranging from notorious world leaders such as Vladimir Putin to ordinary Americans with extraordinary stories. With an underlying message of human connectivity, the kickoff keynote was a gluttony of visual stimulation.
The engaging speaker sessions didn’t end there. We absorbed lessons in innovation from Tim Sullivan, Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki and Max Deutsch at the Re-Think Conference and re-energized with words of wisdom from Mike Lyon, Kevin Oakley and Will Duderstadt at PCBC’s Hub for Social on the Exhibit Floor. Ali Wolf briefed us on millennial expectations and keynote speaker, Patrick Lencioni, handed over the secret sauce on how to make our organizations stronger.
We could have written this entire post just on the PCBC education roster, but we’ll end here and just give all the speakers a standing ovation.
Nothing Beats a Real, Live Handshake
ONeil Interactive is a digital-first creative agency so tech is kind of “our thing,” but we’re the first to admit that virtual meetings, G-chat and email threads have a tendency to sterilize the human element just a tad. When we get that chance to connect with our partners and clients IRL (in real life for those of you without teenagers) you can feel the love and we take these reinvorigated relationships back home with a bit more familiarity.
Our stop at the Zillow booth gave us the chance to shake hands with our new Zillow Group Advantage Program partners and put faces to the names of people we interact with on a regular basis. It’s amazing what happens to interpersonal communication when you remove the internet connection and 3000 miles of geographical distance! Bring on the collaboration…
A Perfect Backdrop
If you’ve traveled to San Francisco you can most definitely relate to what we’re going to say next. There is nothing better than getting to immerse ourselves in our professional passion for a few days and doing so with such a delightful backdrop. San Francisco (I won’t call it “Frisco” for fear of sounding like a tourist) is indeed a remarkable city offering a smorgasbord of sights, enchanting architecture, sounds and culture.
We took a little time to appreciate a taste of this bustling metropolis. We invite you over to our specially curated Facebook album so you can experience the trip as we enjoyed it.
Rudyard Kipling once said “San Francisco has only one drawback: ’tis hard to leave.” Thanks for the hospitality San Francisco and for hosting another PCBC we won’t forget.
