Last week I broke through that endless feeling of being disconnected by jumping into HubSpot's massive Inbound conference with both feet. It was filled with people I love to be around, so I wasn't surprised to learn that they have been feeling disconnected too. 

I know, there have been lots of blog posts about Inbound takeaways, but stick with me, because this is not your average "conference takeaway" blog post. 

Some conferences are so big and have such great sessions that trying to assimilate everything in your mind is like drinking from the proverbial fire hose.

Oh, and then write about it publicly, and don't disappoint. 

Sidenote - I was given the privilege of taking over as the primary author of this blog and I hope to honor the talented colleagues that came before me by serving you well. 

In preparation, I literally printed (I know, right?!! I'm #GenX) my notes and cover pages from the presentations I watched at Inbound so I could organize my thoughts and then sat on my deck to simply...

Think about what I learned.

About what changed in me while I was at Inbound 2022. 

The connections I made.

The relationships I built.

The tactics I wanted to implement. 

How disconnected we have all been feeling. 

Heck, the lobster roll I ate on a picnic bench with a friend I hadn't seen since pre-covid. 

Big conferences are great, but if you don't take the time when you come home to think about all the things, then it may as well have just been a party. 

So here I am, writing to you after a week of playing catch-up and sitting on my deck with my notes.

Thinking. 

Thinking about how Different is Better than Better. 

I want to be Different - AND Better, but apparently I've been going about it all wrong. 

According to Sally Hogshead, author of Fascinate, you can't beat someone at Better.

I'm never going to be better than George B. Thomas at what he does. 

I'm certainly never going to be better than Dharmesh Shaw at what he does. 

But I can figure out how I am Different, and then work on getting better at how I show up every day. Boy, I hope that makes sense. If not, read Sally's book. Highly recommended. 

Thinking about how I want to be different made me talk to the rest of my team about how they want to  be different too.

Here are 3 ways we plan to be different going forward:

1. Build Deeper Connections
2. Break Free of Disconnections
3. Lean into Small Communities

Build Deeper Connections

I can't say enough about the Ops team I get to work with every day. They are doubling down on helping clients grow their business in an economic environment that feels nearly impossible to succeed. They are doing that by helping businesses create deeper, more meaningful relationships with customers through a connected CRM platform. 

Every member of the Ops team is dedicated to helping clients deliver what their customers actually want - data privacy and ownership, flexible buying experiences, and deeper connections with the people and companies that they choose to engage.

They are world-class at what they do and I'm proud to be a part of the team.

Break Free of  Disconnection

The Denamico team (ok, everyone in the HubSpot ecosystem) is inspired by HubSpot's new CEO, Yamini Rangan. We are following in her footsteps by recognizing that we are disconnected, but committed to rebuilding connections.

Rebuilding can't be accomplished by just connecting data and systems. We have to rebuild our connections with each other, individually, so we can grow together. 

The impact of this paradigm shift is what will guide us through a new era - the age of the connected customer. 

A period where customers are taking back ownership over their personal data, placing their trust in each other, and expecting more flexibility and value from those of us who choose to serve them. 

Lean Into Small Communities

I feel like I'm stepping on a bullet train and embarking on a new journey. I have my backpack filled with cameras and microphones and lights so I can connect with you more directly through video. 

But there are so many of you and our old tactics to break through the noise no longer work.

Let's make deeper connections in small group environments. I'm not a salesperson, so I won't be selling you anything, but I'll bring some wicked smart people to the community with me. 

I'm here to Teach. 

To share my knowledge and the insight I have after almost 30 years in this business. 

To reconnect our community.

Let's do things like break down epic tech stacks and reinvigorate the relationships within internal teams together. 

And spend time listening to people who are smarter than us and understand how to interpret all the data we collect. Maybe they don't always explain what they see in ways we can understand, but we can start by being patient and asking different questions. 

We can do - and be  - better together. 

As for me, I'll be here on this blog, on LinkedIn, and hosting community events all while doing my very best to earn your trust as we talk about how to:

• Empower you to tackle the crisis of disconnection.
• Not only help you connect your data in a way that honors your customers, but also help you build strong, durable relationships with your customers.
• Transform your buying experience for your sellers and buyers using a fully connected CRM.
• And so much more

We can break down the barriers of disconnection and choose to have a different experience, together. 

In order to reconnect, please reach out to me directly on LinkedIn or send me an Email. Either way, I'll be back every week doing my best to earn your trust. 

To rebuild connections.

Stay tuned next week for a preview of a fantastic, free workshop on September 29th about How To Use HubSpot To Run More Lean In Economic Uncertainty. 

See you soon!