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FinTech Confidential host and Voalyre CEO Tedd Huff sits down with John Newton, Officer at the Western States Acquirers Association (WSAA), to explore the critical skills that separate successful conference attendees from those who leave empty-handed.

Conference attendance isn’t just about showing up and collecting business cards. The most successful professionals treat these events as strategic opportunities that require the same level of planning you’d give to launching a new product or closing a major deal. The difference between walking away with valuable connections versus a stack of forgotten cards comes down to preparation and execution.

Planning becomes your competitive advantage before you even arrive. Smart attendees schedule their key meetings in advance, creating a framework that prevents them from getting pulled into every random conversation. This approach doesn’t eliminate spontaneous interactions; it creates space for meaningful ones. The professionals who maximize their conference ROI understand that buffer time between scheduled meetings often produces the most valuable connections.

Technology can streamline your conference experience, but only when balanced with genuine human interaction. Voice notes capture important details between meetings without requiring you to stop and type lengthy summaries. Apps provide quick access to agendas without keeping your face buried in your phone during conversations. The goal is efficiency that enhances rather than replaces personal connection.

Follow-up separates the serious networkers from the casual participants. Taking a few minutes each evening to document who you met and what you discussed creates a foundation for meaningful post-conference outreach. This practice transforms a brief handshake into a potential long-term business relationship. Most people skip this step, which is exactly why doing it gives you such a significant advantage.

Educational content at conferences serves a dual purpose beyond just learning. The sessions you choose to attend signal your interests and expertise to potential collaborators. Smart attendees select sessions based on both learning objectives and networking opportunities. The conversations that happen during coffee breaks between educational sessions often prove more valuable than the presentations themselves.

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Regional associations like WSAA face unique challenges as they grow. Maintaining the intimate atmosphere that makes smaller events special while accommodating larger audiences requires careful balance. The most successful conferences preserve their personal touch through intentional design choices that encourage connection rather than overwhelm.

Growth brings both opportunities and complications. What works for a 200-person event doesn’t automatically scale to 500 or 1,000 attendees. Event organizers must constantly evaluate which elements create value for participants versus which ones exist simply because they’ve always been done that way. The best conferences evolve their format based on attendee feedback rather than assumptions about what people want.

The acquiring industry continues to consolidate, creating new dynamics for how professionals connect and collaborate. Understanding these shifts helps you identify which relationships will become more valuable over time. The conversations happening at today’s conferences are shaping tomorrow’s business partnerships.

First-time conference attendees often make predictable mistakes that limit their success. Walking in without a plan leads to scattered conversations and missed opportunities. Focusing only on collecting contacts without building relationships results in business cards that never turn into business. Skipping follow-up means even great initial conversations fade into forgotten encounters.

Veteran attendees have learned that conference success isn’t measured by the number of people you meet, but by the quality of connections you build. One meaningful conversation with the right person often proves more valuable than a dozen superficial interactions. This mindset shift changes how you approach every conference interaction.

The payments industry’s rapid pace of change makes staying connected with peers essential for career success. Conferences provide concentrated opportunities to understand market shifts, learn about new technologies, and identify emerging trends before they become obvious to everyone else. The insights you gain from informal conversations often prove more actionable than formal presentations.

Smart professionals use conferences to position themselves as resources rather than just seekers of information. Sharing your expertise during conversations creates reciprocal value that strengthens new relationships. People remember those who offered helpful insights more than those who only asked questions.

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Conference attendance has become a leadership skill that requires development and practice. The professionals who master this skill gain access to opportunities, partnerships, and insights that fuel their career growth. Those who treat conferences as optional networking events miss the strategic advantage that comes from intentional participation.

The most successful conference strategies focus on building authentic relationships rather than accumulating contacts. This approach takes more effort but produces far better long-term results. Quality always beats quantity when it comes to professional networking.

TLDR:

FinTech Confidential host and Voalyre CEO Tedd Huff explores proven conference strategies with Western States Acquirers Association Officer John Newton, revealing why most professionals waste entire events collecting useless business cards instead of building career-changing relationships. The difference between success and failure comes down to strategic preparation: planning key meetings ahead of time, using voice notes to capture important details, and building buffer time for spontaneous interactions.

The secret lies in positioning yourself as a resource rather than just another person seeking information. Quality connections beat quantity every time, and proper follow-up separates successful networkers from everyone else. Conference attendance has evolved into a leadership skill that accelerates career growth for those who master these proven strategies.

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Key Highlights:

Conference Planning Kills Careers

Walking into conferences without a clear plan destroys your ability to make meaningful connections. Most professionals waste entire events getting pulled into random conversations instead of targeting the relationships that could actually advance their careers. Smart attendees schedule key meetings beforehand and create frameworks that prevent them from becoming overwhelmed by every person who wants to chat.

Voice Notes Beat Business Cards

Recording quick voice memos between meetings captures crucial details that business cards never will. While others frantically scribble notes or try to remember important conversations, savvy networkers use their phone to document who they met, what they discussed, and specific follow-up actions needed. This simple habit transforms casual encounters into concrete business opportunities.

Buffer Time Creates Magic Moments

The most valuable conference connections happen in the spaces between scheduled meetings. Professionals who pack their calendars too tightly miss the spontaneous conversations that often prove more valuable than formal presentations. Building in extra time allows for those unexpected encounters that can change the direction of your business.

Follow-Up Separates Winners From Losers

Taking five minutes each evening to write down your conference interactions creates the foundation for lasting business relationships. Most people collect business cards and never contact anyone again, which is exactly why doing proper follow-up gives you such a massive competitive advantage. One meaningful follow-up conversation beats a hundred forgotten handshakes.

Educational Sessions Signal Your Expertise

The conference sessions you choose to attend communicate your interests and knowledge level to potential collaborators. Strategic attendees select educational content based on both learning goals and networking opportunities, understanding that the people in those rooms are likely prospects for future partnerships.

Regional Events Face Growth Challenges

Smaller conferences struggle to maintain their intimate atmosphere while accommodating larger audiences year after year. Event organizers must constantly balance the personal touch that makes regional events special with the operational demands of managing hundreds or thousands of participants without losing what made them successful initially.

Quality Beats Quantity Every Time

One meaningful conversation with the right person delivers more value than dozens of superficial interactions. Veteran conference attendees have learned to focus on building authentic relationships rather than accumulating the maximum number of business cards possible. This mindset shift completely changes how you approach every conference interaction.

Technology Enhances Human Connection

Apps and tools can streamline your conference experience when used correctly, but they should enhance rather than replace personal interactions. Quick access to agendas prevents you from staring at your phone during conversations, while efficient organization systems help you stay focused on the people in front of you.

First-Timer Mistakes Cost Opportunities

New conference attendees make predictable errors that limit their success before they even realize what they’re missing. Walking in without preparation, focusing only on collecting contacts instead of building relationships, and skipping follow-up conversations means even great initial meetings fade into forgotten encounters.

Conference Skills Fuel Career Growth

Treating conference attendance as a learnable leadership skill opens doors to opportunities, partnerships, and insights that accelerate professional development. The professionals who master strategic conference participation gain access to information and relationships that remain invisible to those who treat these events as optional networking activities.

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Takeaways:

1️⃣ Position Yourself As Resource

Stop asking questions and start sharing your expertise during conference conversations. When you offer valuable insights and solutions to others’ challenges, people remember you as someone who adds value rather than just another person seeking information. This approach creates reciprocal relationships that last beyond the event.

2️⃣ Respect Creates Lasting Connections

Treat every person you meet with genuine respect, regardless of their title or company size. The assistant at a small company today could be running a major organization tomorrow. Building authentic relationships based on mutual respect rather than perceived status creates a network that grows stronger over time.

3️⃣ Educational Content Beats Sales Pitches

Choose sessions focused on learning rather than vendor presentations when planning your conference schedule. Educational content attracts serious professionals who are there to grow their expertise, making these sessions prime networking opportunities. The people in learning-focused rooms are typically more engaged and valuable connections.

4️⃣ Consolidation Awareness Shapes Strategy

Stay informed about industry consolidation trends because they directly impact which relationships become more valuable. Understanding who’s acquiring whom and which companies are growing helps you prioritize which connections to pursue and maintain. This knowledge positions you ahead of market shifts.

5️⃣ Hard-Headed Learning Costs Time

Accept advice from experienced professionals instead of insisting on learning everything through personal mistakes. Most conference strategies have been tested by others who can save you years of trial and error. Listening to proven approaches lets you skip common pitfalls and accelerate your networking success.

Links:

John Newton

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-newton-ab72444

WSAA (Western States Acquiring Association)

Website: http://www.westernstatesacquirers.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westernstatesacquirersassociation/

Fintech Confidential

YouTube: https://fintechconfidential.com/watch

Podcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listen

Notifications: https://fintechconfidential.com/access

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidential

X: https://X.com/FTconfidential

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidential

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidential

Time Stamps:

Transform Your Merchant Applications with Under. The Under platform revolutionizes how you handle merchant applications, offering a seamless transition to digital forms. Say goodbye to outdated processes and hello to efficiency. Discover the future of financial applications at https://under.io/ftc 

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About The Guest:

John Newton

John Newton is Vice President of Sales at Aperia Compliance and an Officer of Western States Acquirers Association. With more than twenty years in payments, he builds strategic partnerships, drives merchant services growth, and guides industry peers through education and networking.

WSAA (Western States Acquiring Association)

The Western States Acquirers Association is a regional nonprofit that hosts the largest acquiring show in the western United States. Its mission is to provide education, tactical insight, and peer networking for ISOs, agents, ISVs, processors, and banks seeking practical ways to boost payment performance.

About the Host:

Tedd Huff: 

Tedd Huff is the Founder of Voalyre, a professional services advisory firm focused on global payments and DD3 Media.

Over the past 26 years, he has contributed to FinTech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer, providing strategic and tactical direction for Global Payments OpenEdge, Heartland Payments, Nuvei, and TSYS, among others, focusing on growth while delivering innovation, process improvements and user experience-driven value to simplify the complexity of payments.

DD3, Media: 

DD3 Media is a media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging content globally

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