
I’m convinced human interaction is worth any cost
I spent the past few days in Atlanta for a conference with current Praxis participants, past alumni, and staff.
If you asked me 2 years ago if conferences are worth the cost, I’d probably say “no.”
Who needs to go to a conference when every question is a Google search or an email away from an answer?
Not counting the time I spent away from my family (which I consider priceless), I shelled out a pretty penny to fly my butt from Pittsburgh to Atlanta.
Again, 2 years ago this would have easily been an easy “no” from me. But I’ve learned something recently that has helped me see otherwise:
Investing in social capital is worth it.
Your ability to interact with other humans in such a way that they are inclined to help you in the future is invaluable. It’s a guaranteed ROI.
This weekend alone I:
- Learned the ins and outs of freelancing
- Received countless perspectives on my business ventures
- Learned about Bitcoin
- Met a handful of developers (with the ideas and means to further help my business)
- Brainstormed another business
- Discussed Les Mis
- Listened to a talk on how to craft your story
I returned home a richer human than I left. Don’t underestimate the power of human interaction.

