Hey Fintech Nerds 👋
Before you come to NerdCon, I want you to do some homework.
Pick the thing at work that’s doing your head in. And bring that with you to San Diego.
That gnarly flow of funds you can’t find the partner for. The weird payments return message that’s ruining your attach rates. That one hire you need but can’t find.
Somewhere, someone has already spent a painful amount of time figuring out something very similar, and chances are they’re coming to San Diego.
Joy, Colton and I are trying to get as many of those people as possible into one place. Then give you the time and space to get into the details together.
That’s what we’re building NerdCon around. Nerds.
I’m ridiculously excited about the depth of talent coming this year. Nubank CTO Eric Young. Plaid CTO Will Robinson. Gusto co-founder and Head of Technology Edward Kim. Chime co-founder Ryan King. People who’ve had to make decisions where getting it wrong has consequences for millions of customers.
And I want you to have somewhere to take those ideas while they’re still fresh.
So bring your laptop.
We’ve got a Builder Lab, with whiteboards and space to work through problems together. Grab a couple of people, sketch the thing out, and get into the bit that’s hard to explain on a slide.
The workshops and bootcamps give you time to go deeper in small groups, with laptops open. The AI Command Center brings demos and hands-on sessions into the mix. If something makes you think “could we do that?”, you can start working through how.
Then take the awkward risk questions to the Compliance Nerd Corner. You know, the questions that emerge approximately five minutes after everyone gets excited about the demo.
There are Office Hours for time with operators and investors, too. Go in with the specific decision you’re wrestling with. Give someone enough detail to be useful.
We’ve thought about the work you still need to get done while you’re there, too.
The Multi-Player Lounge gives you somewhere to sit down and keep a conversation going.
The Single-Player Lounge gives you somewhere quieter to clear your inbox and collect your thoughts. (Very zen)
Because yes, you came to a conference. Your Slack apparently did not get the memo.
What I hope you leave with is a clearer answer to something that mattered before you arrived. A person you can call when you get stuck again. Maybe an idea you’ve already started working on.
That’s why the people, the workshops, and the spaces all matter. A useful conversation needs somewhere to go.
San Diego. November 18–20. Bring the thing you’re stuck on.
ST.
P.S. What’s the thing? 👀 Hit reply and tell me what you’re trying to figure out. I’d love to know what you’re bringing.
PPS. Yes, there will be a handful of PS5s for those of you itching to play that on GTA launch day, and we’ll keep the place open late so you can get a few hours in. 🎮
