Frequently Asked Questions about Confab
What is Confab and who is behind it?
What does Confab cost and what does it cover?
How does the price of Confab compare to other conferences?
What is the ‘dress code’ for Confab?
How are speakers chosen?
I would like to be a speaker. How do I get on the list?
How do I get the content of a session that I can’t go to?
Do you provide handouts in the sessions?
Is there a list of other participants?
What supplies I should bring?
Do I need a car?
Why is Confab in Reno?
What is Confab and who is behind it?
Confab (kon’fab) v. To talk together in an informal way; chat.
Confab is IMC USA’s Annual Conference for successful consultants and those who want to be.
Background
Confab provides both education bounty and a consulting schmoozefest. It’s a conference by and for consultants on the business of consulting. Whether you’re new to consulting, currently building your customer base and offerings, or are a seasoned with years of experience, Confab is the place to learn, grow and connect – and to get priceless hot tips, tactics and know-how on the business of consulting. Confab presents workshops and keynotes, as well as networking opportunities. Occurring annually for over thirty years, Confab is now the largest conference in the US for consultants and by consultants.
History
The first Confab get-together (called Western Mini-Confab to reflect its regional focus) was a one-day affair with 22 attendees. Now, the mighty peaks of the Sierra Nevada serve as the conference’s majestic backdrop. In downtown Reno, Nevada, Confab plays host to hundreds of consultants from across the U.S. and Canada who ascend every year to this high-desert town to learn, network and sharpen their consulting wits.
Many professional conferences focus on strategy and the content of consulting practices; not so at Confab. Here the emphasis is on tactics and practical application. Confab speakers are consultants themselves, because we’ve found the most effective presenters come from the trenches of consulting.
Confab is open to any consultants at any stage of their practice including:
- Anyone who consults to management
- Internal consultants
- Business coaches and mentors
- Special practice consultants, such as IT consultants, CPA , consulting engineers, professional speakers, and marketing consultants
- Individuals and students interested in management consulting
IMC members receive a significant discount on Confab registration. For information on the benefits of joining IMC USA, go to http://www.imcusa.org
What does Confab cost and what does it cover?
Because Confab is a conference created by volunteer consultants for consultants, Confab is an affordable conference, costing 40-50% below comparable professional meetings. Registration covers far more than most conferences, with several hosted bar networking sessions and most meals. Your Confab registration cost (http://www.confabusa.org/about-confab/rates-reservations) includes:
- Full conference registration, meals and participation in all Confab events
- Your photo and practice description in the Confab Photo Directory (so you remember who you met and how to re-connect after Confab)
- Saturday “Welcome to Confab” Cocktail Networking Party
- Sunday breakfast, lunch and evening banquet and entertainment
- Monday breakfast, lunch and evening cocktail party
- Online access to most Conference presentations (some speakers cannot release their proprietary materials)
How does the price of Confab compare to other conferences?
Compared to other professional conferences, Confab has a history of consistently providing great value for a modest price. Because of our relationship with the conference hotel, the volunteer time and efforts of both the Confab committee and our wonderful speakers, and the support of our Sponsors and Exhibitors, we are able to make Confab a high-quality yet affordable event. Unlike other conferences, Confab’s goal is to provide consultants with the best educational and networking experience and is priced to cover the costs rather than make a profit.
What is the ‘dress code’ for Confab?
During the day, business casual is the norm. Be aware that when you register, your head shot photo for the directory of participants will be taken. Your head and shoulders are will be ‘captured’ in this picture, so you may wish to plan accordingly.
Sunday evening offers dinner and networking. Participants dress in a wide range of styles, from business casual to business dressy. Some men choose to wear sports coats and ties and some women enjoy the opportunity to dress up a bit. So wear your daytime attire, or dress up a bit more formally – it’s up to you. We want you to enjoy Confab and be comfortable in what ever choice you make.
If you leave the hotel, you should prepare for a range of weather conditions. Because Reno is in the mountains, late October nights can be cold. We can have 60-70º temperatures during the days and below freezing temperatures during the nights. You may wish to check the weather on the internet to help your packing decisions.
How are speakers chosen?
Confab is fortunate to receive more applications than we need. Session speakers are volunteers who generously share their knowledge with their fellow professionals. The Program Committee strives to create a program that offers a balance of practice development topics, offerings for each consulting practice track, and presentations versus workshops. We are again excited about the sessions we’ve chosen for this year’s Confab!
I would like to be a speaker. How do I get on the list?
To be considered for Confab, please send your name with the subject line “please add me to the potential Confab speaker list” to info@confabusa.org by mid-February. In addition, our Call for Presenters is usually posted to our web site www.confabusa.org early in the year, with a response deadline date in the spring.
Potential speakers must complete an application that describes their speaking experience and their topic, learning objectives and an outline. References are checked to determine the speaker’s ability, WOW factor, knowledge of the material presented, etc. In our effort to maintain the affordability of Confab, most session speakers are volunteers.
How do I get the content of a session that I can’t go to?
All registered attendees have access to presentation materials via a password protected link to the Confab presentation materials. You will receive the password in an email from Confab once final versions of presentation material are uploaded, typically in early October. If you do not receive an email with your password by October 15, please email info@confabusa.org with a subject line ‘please send password’. For fastest response, please include your reservation confirmation number and your name as you registered it in your email. During registration, you may also choose to purchase the printed note version of all available presentations which you will pick up at Registration. A limited number of these will also be available for purchase at registration.
Are continuing education credits available?
Attending Confab will support your requirements for CMC/ CMC Renewal. You can earn up to 3 renewal point towards your CMC Education requirement by earning 1 Education point for each calendar day of the Confab conference. If you are a speaker, you can additionally earn 1 point towards your Education requirement for your 90-minute session. Further in addition, sessions that count towards your Professional Conduct (Ethics) renewal points will be notated in the session description with attendance at each of these sessions earning 1 Professional Conduct point.
Due to the limited number of attendees applying for CPE credits and the very high cost of sponsoring the credits, CPE credits are no longer available.
Do you provide handouts in the sessions?
You will have access to session materials for you to print prior to Confab via our web site. This includes electronic versions of handouts and Powerpoint presentations provided by the speakers for the Confab sessions. The session speakers may elect to bring materials to their sessions. During registration, you may choose to purchase the printed note version of all available presentations which you will pick up at Registration. A limited number of these will also be available for purchase at registration.
Is there a list of other participants?
Prior to Confab, you can visit our registration site to see who has registered for Confab and network online with fellow attendees on LinkedIn and Facebook. During Confab, a directory with all participants’ contact information and descriptions of their consulting practice is provided.
- Confab is a great networking event, so you should bring at least 50 – 100 business cards with you.
- Review the session materials and bring printouts of the session slides outlines and/or handouts to take notes on them (or purchase the slide note printout of all presentations during registration).
- Some people bring their laptops to take notes. Please be aware that there are only a very limited number of electrical plugs located in the session rooms.
Do I need a car?
No. If you fly into Reno, the Hotel has a shuttle from the airport or you can take a cab. The hotel is near the airport and all of the activities for the conference, as well as many restaurants, are in the hotel.
Why is Confab in Reno?
Reno has been host to Confab for several years. Repeated research of other locations causes us to return to Reno because no other venue can match their price-competitive location with the same level of service quality and meeting facilities.
Why did Confab move to the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa?
The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa has recently invested over $100 million in a state-of-the-art Conference Center, a world class Spa Atlantis and redesigned luxury guest rooms, all in a non-smoking environment. This conference area is a significant upgrade to our previous venue and will provide attendees with a professional experience including the latest technology in every room and breakout room. Their classroom chairs even “lean back” for comfort. We were also able to contract so that all Confab attendees will be staying in the newly designed guest rooms in the Luxury Tower which will include free in-the-room wi-fi, 42-inch flat screen TVs and modern décor.
Is the conference venue non-smoking?
While the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is not a smoke-free casino, we have arranged for Confab and Confab attendees to have a non-smoking experience. Arriving Confab attendees will be directed to enter the East Side where an escalator will take you to the non-smoking conference area for Confab-only hotel registration (starting Saturday) and the conference itself. All hotel room reservations for Confab attendees will automatically be for a non-smoking room. (Smokers may specifically request a smoking room by calling the hotel and changing their reservation.) Once registered, attendees may totally by-pass the smoking areas by accessing the conference center via the 2nd floor family game room.
(Note – all of the Conference committee are non-smokers; Confab’s move to the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa was partly driven by the need to provide this non-smoking conference experience.)
