Ask HN: Is going to conferences as a freelancer worth it? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Is going to conferences as a freelancer worth it?

1 pointgood-idea3 comments

Without an employer to sponsor a pass, the price of many conferences is fairly inhibiting. When I can watch the videos after the event, the idea of spending that kind of money to be there in-person doesn't really add up.

The networking aspect is attractive - but I imagine that these kind of connections would be more valuable to those in the startup / "salaried" landscape.

If you're a freelancer and have gone to a tech conference, what has your experience been like? Did you feel like it was it worth it?

In my case, I'm thinking about attending the GraphQL Summit later this year. My clients tend to be small businesses or early stage startups that are looking to put together an MVP - not necessarily the kind of people you'd meet while discussing the architecture of your API.

I would say it's worth it. It's an opportunity to learn and connect with the right people. The only tweak I suggest is introduce yourself as a business owner not a freelancer even if you are flying solo.

You can easily start an internet company within few days with stripe atlas: https://stripe.com/atlas

From personal experience I'd say it's 100% worth it for the networking alone (as long as you are open, willing, and able to actually do it authentically), not to mention the knowledge gained from the speakers.

Over the years I've earned easily 10x in contracts what I spent on tickets, airfare, and hotels/transportation/food across all events, not to mention gaining new friends, colleagues, and industry connections. I highly recommend finding the right conference(s) and hitting them as often as you can, even if it's just once every few years.

But don't limit yourself to just the big conferences, either. Finding the right Meetups and smaller venues and groups can be just as valuable. You'll get as much out of them as you put into them.

I've gone to conferences as a startup owner, where part of the cost was subsidized by government. They were fun but not very helpful. I've met a lot of people who were excited and wanted to close a deal, but kept dragging it out until I took it for a polite rejection.

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