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4 Ways You’ll See San Francisco Differently After SERENDIPITY

San Francisco. It’s known for the tech, world-famous sourdough, and of course, the legendary Golden Gate Bridge. As a Midwest native, when my plane landed and I had a few days to explore before beginning work at the GUILD, I found myself standing among hoards of tourists and street performers in Fisherman’s Wharf, wondering what I had done wrong.

As any long-time SF resident will tell you, the innovation, creativity, and quirky people are the real moving parts that make this a city unlike any other in the world. It wasn’t until I began to make my own connections (with the help of my GUILD networking matches, of course) that I saw the truly endless things San Francisco has to offer. I can proudly say that after only a few months of living here, I fell deeply in love with this city, and may never leave.

The GUILD has designed SERENDIPITY to be deeply rooted not only in their values of learning, connecting, and inspiring, but also with a heavy emphasis on ensuring that attendees get an authentic taste of the city. Read on to discover the four ways you’ll see SF differently after this two-day summit.

1. Appreciate the uniqueness of each neighborhood.

We’ve ditched the bland conference center that makes it feel like you haven’t seen sunlight in ages. Why try and learn a new skill or creative strategy in a venue that doesn’t get you excited? Each of our “houses” are in different neighborhoods of the city in everything from art galleries to co-working spaces to beautiful studios which we found with the help of Peerspace. You’ll be feeling like a local in no time.

2. Taste the best of the city.

Sure, we’ve made our way through the many museums and tourist sights around San Francisco, but more importantly, we’ve eaten our way through one of America’s best foodie cities. Our family-style dinners on Thursday night have menus that have been created by local chefs from Feastly specifically tailored to SERENDIPITY, giving you a taste of the best cuisine in the city. Bonus: we’ll have snacks, coffee, and other treats from our favorite bakeries and brands from the city in each session! Thank you illy, Urban Remedy, Marlo’s Bakeshop, il Morso, and Hopsy, to name just a few.

3. Grow your network.

Whether you only live a few minutes away or are like me, thousands of miles from home, you’ll be devoting two days to expanding your network. We’ll be using the Socio events app to help you connect with the women in the room, and Sparked will be bringing their icebreaker game to spark conversation around the dinner table. Perhaps you’ll meet the excited product team from Tophatter at one of those dinners, or network with the ladies of JPMorgan at the coaching house. Maybe you’d like to connect with the team at French Tech Hub or General Assembly over lunch? Many of our hosts, volunteers, and attendees are from around the Bay Area, and always looking to diversify their networks, and even hire…which is where you come in! You may find yourself returning to San Francisco for a business trip (or vacation!) sooner than you think.

4. Get inspired by your surroundings.

We’re all about learning, connecting, and most importantly, INSPIRING! We’ve kept this idea in mind as we rally local brands, designers, creatives, businesswomen, and sponsors to show the best of what San Francisco has to offer in every industry. From a panel with some of San Francisco’s best marketing agencies to the Founders’ Lounge filled with local investors, we’re finding new ways to give you the perfect two-day sample of the city. Bonus: at our closing Happy Hour, you’ll be able to try on a pair of killer Enrico Cuini’s with a crafted Argent blazer, win a fashionable dog collar for your PuppyMama friend, or a hydrating backpack from Smith & Starr, and find even more amazing brands in our goodie mag, full of discounts on products and experiences from local business owners!

So we’re saving you the trouble of a double-decker bus tour, and giving you instead two days of living in San Francisco as a local. With a schedule that we’ll perfectly tailor to you and sessions that cover topics you’re truly invested in, we can bet that it’s one of the best plane tickets you’ll ever buy.

Don’t wait: book your ticket(s) to SERENDIPITY now!