Portland Summer EveningSo tomorrow it’s happening! Shauna and I  are heading up to Portland, Oregon for the 4th Annual World Domination Summit. If you don’t know what that is, check it out. It’s an unusual gathering of entrepreneurs and creative thinkers with an impressive list of speakers. I’m going because I’m a big fan of Chris Guillebeau and his movement.

I stumbled on Chris Guillebeau’s blog, The Art of Nonconformity, back in 2011. Soon after his book, The $100 Startup, was published and I picked it up right away and read a good chunk of it in the bookstore. I loved the stories of successful entrepreneurs making their dreams happen on a shoestring budget because that’s exactly what I wanted to do. Chris was speaking to me, he was letting me know that what I wanted was possible if I just had a good idea and the courage to go for it. I had been writing my business plan for months when I got his book. Looking back, I realize that part of the reason it was taking so long was because when the plan was done, I’d have to get started and that was scary. The one-page business plan that Chris shared in his book was a major breakthrough for me. I wrote out my plan in about 30 minutes and just like that the getting ready shifted to getting started.

I’m going because Chris inspired me at a time when I was looking not just to start a business but to connect with other people that were making things up as they went along and in the process living their dreams. Now that it’s here I’m as excited for a weekend away with one of my best friends in a city I’ve never been to as I am to attend WDS 2014.

What do I hope to get out of it? Connections to other people that are doing interesting work in the world. Loads of creativity, I want to soak it all in and infuse that energy into my business. I want to be totally present and open to the experience. And of course have a whole lot of fun, which truthfully, is never a problem for us. WDS here we come!