At most industry conferences, the agenda is about as interesting and democratic as the congealed goop calcifying in the metallic pans at your kids’ school cafeteria. Sure, it’s edible, but it’s not exactly what you would have chosen to cook. Nor is it presented in a fashion that’s most, well, helpful.
Typically, this problem stems from the fact that most events: (a) are planned by conference companies that design hundreds of meetings on myriad topics—from corporate taxation in the Ukraine to Hispanic grocery demand in Vermont—and hence know little about the challenges in any specific industry; (b) are orchestrated by industry service providers that subsequently control the agenda for their own purposes; or (c) are designed by publishing companies that suffer from the “ivory tower” syndrome, characterized by aloofness or know-it-all arrogance.
