I recant my statement from last week. I love this industry. This industry is full of characters and I am definitely one of them. Usually I play the cynical character of Daniel Starr, Performance Marketing Director, in the Gorilla Nation Media headquarters in Los Angeles, but this past weekend I was able to take my show on the road. Ad Tech is a funny place. I walked anonymously along aisles lined with booths and hustlers. To be honest I was almost reminded of Pigal in France, which is equivalent to the Red Light District of Amsterdam. At each booth there were the hustlers reading your name tags and trying to draw in the crowd. I ducked and slipped between the hustlers and aisles with my nametag securely hidden in my pocket. I know this game and moved quickly with stealth. At points I was tempted to close my eyes and simply follow my ears. There are so many people that I have been doing business with for years, yet I have never seen in person. These people appear in my mind as mere business entities without faces. Thus, hearing a familiar voice can be an overwhelming experience.
I’d like to digress for a moment and apologize in advance for the sudden decline in literary quality of this article. One of the finer aspects of Ad Tech are the insane drinking and partying that takes place after hours. Needless to say, my brain feels like a piece of Swiss cheese today.
Nonetheless, Ad Tech SF this year was a jolt of adrenaline. Unlike the hustle and clamor of the floor scene, my real meetings occurred a bit away from the action. I made my strongest connections with the people in the lobby, outside, and at the bars. I speak with people so often throughout the course of a day that I almost forget that they too are real people with personalities and attitude. For the better part of the year we are all appropriate and corporate until one day we head to NY or SF and totally let loose. To those of you who I had the pleasure of meeting; I sincerely appreciate your time. I have some pretty incredible partners in this space and meeting them in person and seeing how their incredibly high business ethics carry over to incredible friendship ethics is truly a moving experience. So, until NY next year I bid adieu as I am seriously in need of some sleep. Thanks again to all my partners who continue to make money as well as friendships.
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