SEO Think Tank, Unlike Any Other Conference!
- 36 Comments
- By Zac Johnson on September 30th, 2008
I just returned from SEO Think Tank in San Diego, California… and I have to tell you, this event was like no other. I had already met the majority of attendees at this event earlier in the year at Elite Retreat. Heading into SEO Think Tank, there was no agenda released, no sessions planned, no keynote speakers and many of us had no idea what to expect next. Here’s how it all went down…
Day 1
Once I arrived at the airport in San Diego, I met up with Jeremy Schoemaker who also just landed. A driver picked us both up and brought us to our hotels, then we headed out to breakfast then down the the beach where a huge tent was set up, that we would continually come back to over the next three days.
Once the majority of Think Tankers showed up, we had surfing lessons, and almost everyone participated. This was also the first time I ever went surfing, along with many others. Later in the day we also played football, had dinner and headed back to the hotel for drinks.
Day 2
After breakfast we headed over the beach again and had a speed networking session which gave everyone 2 minutes to introduce each other and say what they do. This quick networking was enough for everyone to get a quick idea of what everyone does, while getting to know everyone’s name as well.
The most exciting part of the event was “Fight Club!“. We headed over to a YMCA, where we met with Randy Couture’s MMA trainer, Shawn Tompkins and another MMA fighter. In addition to watching these two guys battle it out for a bit on the mats, we also had a chance to get in on the action and go through some MMA training. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with one of the best MMA trainers in the world. Afterwards everyone’s bodies were killing them for the next several days from the training.
After MMA training, we headed back to the beach where we had a big Mongolian dinner, where the restaurant basically took their whole kitchen down to the beach and made our fresh dinners right in front of us.
Later that night we had poker games spanning through the night and lasting nearly 6 hours before everyone turned in.
DAY 3
The last day of SEO Think Tank started again with a breakfast at a nice restaurant, filling up the whole building. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel and beach for a bit.
The majority of networking and brainstorming took place on the last day and it lasted four hours long. Once again, the group took over a real fancy restaurant & bar and we all discussed ideas and problems we have.
D.K., the founder of SEO Think Tank, wanted to throw something special together for everyone at the event, so after the brain storming session we headed over to another bar where D.K. had setup a modeling contest with various models featuring different shirts of multiple advertisers. The winner would then receive $1,000 and a ticket to D.K.’s PubCon poker tournament in Las Vegas.
The dinner for the last night was an actual BBQ with chicken and ribs, and there was a massive amount of food left over. Whoever was still around that night, stayed late into the night until the tent was taken down and we were headed off the beach.
SEO THINK TANK BREAKDOWN
- This may sound like a summer fun camp for kids (millionaires)… but it was actually so much more. When you get to the point where you can afford to pay $5,000 to attend an event like this, you are probably at the point where you won’t learn much at the traditional networking and conference events.
- No one is afraid to share their secrets or ask for advice. Everyone that attends that event has to sign a non-disclosure agreement and is very open with everyone else. There were also just under 60 attendees at the event.
- All attendees were taken care of. D.K. does his best when putting a show together and did his best to keep everyone happy. There was never a dull moment. The only problem I had at the event was that I ended up in a different hotel, which didn’t have internet access, so I wasn’t able to post any new updates to the blog. However, there was always so much going on… I didn’t mind not trying to make time to get online.
If you feel you are in the upper class of affiliate or internet marketers and looking for something new, than SEO Think Tank would be a great choice for you to attend. It’s unlike any other networking or conference around… and everyone is at the same level. Also, DK and Purpose, Inc will be throwing an awesome Poker Tournament at PubCon in Las Vegas during November if you can make it.
- Posted in Affiliate Marketing, Blogging, Zac's Life
"With great power comes great responsibility".... my Uncle Ben told me that. Haha, just kidding! I'm Zac Johnson and I've been making money online for over 10 years now. In short, I started making money online while I was in high school... but my passion for marketing and making money goes back way earlier than that. I created ZacJohnson.com to help motivate you to start making money online, and live the life the you always dreamed of.
WOW !! this looks like a party of millionaires where you guys had a blast !!
ReplyLooks like you guys had a great time, thats awesome that you got to meet a MMA fighter
ReplyLooks like a great time Zac. Maybe someday I’ll be able to hang with the big boys of SEO ad IM…
ReplyLooks like a great event. Im glad you all enjoyed yourselves.
ReplyDang, you’re sooo lucky to get into some “MMA” fun
-Mike
ReplyYou have to be careful at those SEO conferences. You can get penalized for duplicate content. You can get penalized for duplicate content.
ReplyDamn that looks awesome.
Replywow. does sound like quite a heavy hitters type of an event. :O
ReplyDid you fight Shoe?
Replyowo, $ 5 K for an event? It should contain good knowledge event with fun.
Reply“If you feel you are in the upper class of affiliate or internet marketers…”
what exactly does that mean?
ReplyThat was pretty cool to meet the MMA fighters. Looks like you were training THEM, huh?
Jay
ReplyZac,
I guess that the SEO Think Tank events, ’softened the blow’ of seeing your $27,000.00 gone after you re-aquired web access on your phone? Ouch!
I’m still trying to sort out my next move based on “info-overload”. I found a PPC / SEO consultant who had some good advice for traffic-building in my network / blogs.
Thanks for spending some time with me at the Market Leverage dinner at BWE08. It was encouraging for a newbie to hear that persistence pays off.
Respectfully, Nicholas - ‘the video guy’ at BlogWorld Expo 2008
ReplyI would say it means you’re making enough as an affiliate or internet marketer to justify spending $5K+ on a conference
ReplyIt’s meant to come off as… you are sick of learning nothing at the regular conferences every year and are willing to pay more to network with the elite.
ReplyWow, that seems like a cool place. Too bad about the non-disclosure form though.
ReplyI don’t think so, Shoe was too busy going around trying to get those fighters to advertise his site, fighters.com
Replywow, eating at the beach that was so cool, i like also to meet mr. ShoeMoney
ReplyWoah - that guy on the right is a tank
ReplyLooks like a good location
Wow I want to be anywhere I can see those two fight!
ReplyNetworking is all what matters
ReplySounds like lots of fun going on there.
ReplyBeautiful location on the beach there in San Diego. How were the waves?
ReplyA lot smaller than the ones I see here on the east coast.
ReplyIt was tough not being able to get online… but was also nice at the same time.
ReplyWe’ll save the match for next year. I did get to grab a Fighters.com shirt though… they are actually pretty nice!
ReplyIt looks like a happy vacation.
ReplyI agree this event looks great. Looks like they had a great time
ReplyMMA fun? It looks like you had a blast!
ReplyMy friend Andy went, I will have to get with him and see what he thought about it. Maybe I will go next time.
ReplyI would spend if my monthly income stabilize more than $ 5 k / Month, because after taking part in this kind of event may double revenue.
ReplyLooks like you had a good time. You are right; it definitely seems like a summer fun camp. Bet it sure was great though.
Replywell i thought its going to be absolute intellectual people meet……. but its more than that
ReplyWow. That is one beautiful location to be working from.
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