Last year, with considerable trepidation, we held our first large-scale event: YBL (Your Best Life) in a wonderfully inspirational space in downtown Los Angeles. Honestly, we were terrified. Maybe no one would come? If they did, would they like what we produced? The reality was that when we started conceiving it, we had no idea how it would turn out.
The idea was to present a physical, in-real-life version of what AGEIST the digital magazine is. We knew from speaking with hundreds of people that so many of us feel completely unique because the way we are living is in such contradiction to the media images of how we are told most people our age are living or should be living. When our attendees entered the room that day, and I will never forget this, their faces lit up seeing, what may have been for the first time, a room of people just like them. It was remarkable, and at that moment, all the considerable drama and angst associated with making YBL 2019 evaporated.
That first event was sold out — we maxed fire code — the AGEIST team were left standing as there were no more chairs. We presented a program that represented the 360- ecosystem that is AGEIST, hitting a range of themes that were important to everyone. The speakers and programming, as memorable as it was, became only part of the experience for people. It was as we had suspected — all of you were thrilled to meet and see all the rest of you. It was such a moving experience for us to have manifest that day.
As Chip Conley said, “It was a big love fest for people our age.”
This year, our readership is considerably larger than last year, and although we have the larger ArcLight Cinema Dome this year, I am certain the event will once again sell out. We have a very powerful group of high profile speakers coming to provide information and inspiration for how to live our best lives at this age. I and the AGEIST team will also be presenting many of the things we learned this past year. We have an agenda that will maximize the opportunities for all of you to once again meet and connect.
This year is also a bit more expensive than last year, reflecting the expenses on our end to produce an event at this scale. For those of you who can make plans in advance, and we know not everyone can, until March 2nd we are offering special limited Earlybird pricing that holds the price at the same level as last year.
The conference will be on Monday, June 8th, at the ArcLight Cinema Dome in Los Angeles. Doors open at 8 am, the opening speaker will be at 9 am, there will be a wonderful lunch served on-site, programming ends at 5:30. If this sounds like something you would like to join us at, please reserve your ticket today.
