Nic vs ecap , 8panel
Cartoon · Edition 06 p.04 · Nic vs ecap , 8panel

THE GOOD

  1. "Honestly depends on the conference. NIC and ECAP I feel are hishtadlus because there are brokers and lenders there which can potentially help get you deals and the loans needed. For vendors going to conferences I would assume it is a hishtadlus to meet potential new clients and maintain relationships with existing ones."
  1. "Overall, I think healthcare conferences are valuable , but only if you're intentional about which ones you attend. NIC is one of the strongest conferences out there from an operator standpoint, but it's also extremely hard to navigate. With preset meetings and packed schedules, it really requires a clear game plan going in to be effective. Shared meals, activities, and experiences outside of a traditional exhibit hall help people feel comfortable and lead to more meaningful conversations. Less chasing, more connection. The goal should be to break the ice early, make people feel at ease, and create space for organic relationships to form."
  1. "I go to ECAP and Zimmet. I find them valuable for both operators and vendors. There's nothing wrong with them and they help the industry. People who like to find problems with everything find problems with this too. As the saying goes, 'there are more Aveiros being committed by non-attendees fantasizing about what is taking place, than actual Aveiros taking place.'"
  1. "Overall I think the conferences are great for business. Out of sight out of mind is very relevant so being in front of people a few times a year is important. You never know where a deal/new client/opportunity will come from and you have to be in the room in order for that to possibly happen. At the end of the day, whether a conference is enjoyable or convenient or neither, I look at it as doing our Hishtadlus by going and putting in the effort. Whether something comes out of it or not is all up to Hashem. I'm not trying to sound like a Tzaddik at all. I just think this is the attitude a lot of people have as it can be tiring going to these conferences and for some a bit overwhelming. So having the right mindset is so important going into it."
  1. "I can only really speak about eCap South as I've never been to eCap West. Although, I hear that eCap West is a much quieter and relaxed environment than Miami. Overall I think eCap created a great event where now it's so much easier to get in front of the right people and all in one place, without getting stopped by the gatekeeper. A great idea that eCap launched this year was the new 'Shark Tank' aspect of the conference where companies got to pitch their new startups/products. I think that's a great idea and a win for everyone involved. Again, being able to pitch something to a large group of owners/decision makers in one room is a game changer for how companies can get to the right people. This is definitely a huge value add that eCap is providing to these companies. Overall, I think it's a great conference and there is a lot of business to get done so long as someone is focused on their goals and disciplined in their approach going into the conference."
  1. "The NIC is great too. It definitely has a different vibe than eCap. However, I think it's similar in the sense that you have a large group of owners/decision makers under one roof and you can get to them a lot easier than if you tried reaching out randomly during the year. I do think that more owners are interested in real conversations at NIC than at eCap as there are some who go to eCap just to get away, not that there's anything wrong with that, and it's not necessarily a lot of them. I don't want this to sound like I'm knocking eCap at all. I understand that 70 degree weather and a fun conference in the middle of the frigid winter is very appealing and at the end of the day I don't think that anyone is really only there for the chill. However, I feel that just about everyone going to NIC is there to get deals done and do have very specific reasons for being there, regardless of the location and time of year."
  1. "I think there are positive aspects to them. I get to learn about new ideas or possibilities and make connections which I need for parnassa."
  1. "I'm a big fan of conferences for the networking and industry insights. However, I think there's room to improve how attendees view vendors. Since our sponsorships keep prices down, I'd love to see organizers find ways to encourage more natural engagement so attendees see us as partners in the industry rather than a distraction. There should also be a clearer way to identify the different attendee types at each conference like the NIC does with different color necklaces. This makes for a more targeted approach and cuts down on wasted time."

THE BAD

  1. "I personally don't think there's a lot of gain for someone to go unless they're starting out in the industry and get to meet new people that can maybe further them in their career, but at this point the conferences seem like the same people coming to all. 2 cents lol…"
  1. "There are too many, and only a handful are actually valuable."
  1. "Curious how they stack up to the wedding Yoeli Landau made yesterday. Problem is the ratio of important to non-important people you end up meeting. Don't mean to say it in a mean way but just being realistic in terms of the cost to get there and stay and fly in and of course time cost. Would also probably be much better if they were located in the Northeast instead of all over the country for the Lakewood, NYC, BK and 5T crowds."
  1. "They've gotten a little out of hand with how much vendors pay to gain operator attention. Every dollar spent on marketing means increased costs for products. I may be in the minority, but I'd prefer a vendor that provides timely communication and good service without all the bells, whistles, meatboards, swag, etc."
  1. "The cost of the conferences are getting out of control and it is getting harder and harder to justify spending that money."
  1. "What is the real ROI to spend 10k to 25k on a conference? Would it be better to provide a new client a discount instead?"
  1. "Expensive and you pay and you can't talk because the music is too loud."
  1. "I like them, but I wish there was a way to connect with customers (owners) who are actually interested in what I'm selling rather than me having to chase them/beg for attention."
  1. "I'll be candid. I generally dislike conferences. As someone who is purely focused on acquisitions, I have found that most conferences are a poor use of time. I recognize that I may be an outlier, but my deal appetite is extremely specific. I am not looking for broadly marketed, fully priced assets. I am looking for deals with enough complexity and friction that our particular strengths actually matter. Our ability to bring significant cash to the table, without outside investors or private equity, and to move quickly as an owner operator is what makes us competitive. We are not deploying other people's money, and we are not relying on financial engineering or management fees to justify a deal."

THE OY VEY

  1. "Complete waste of time."
  1. "There are two conferences I go to. ECAP and the NIC. That's it. I have PTSD from when I was a vendor and was sent to the North Dakota healthcare conference in the dead of the winter and had to stand at a booth like a total shmuck selling nonsense. If you can get over some of the operators and owners at ECAP acting like total assholes then it's a really good show and who doesn't like Miami in February. ECAP and the NIC have the most tachlis from any of the shows out there because you have actual decision makers. State shows - fat DONs and CNAs walking around just collecting chochkilach from the various booths."
  1. "One final thought, it's insane that conferences allow other operators to set up booths under some pretense when all they're actually doing is marketing to my director of nursing to go join their company. It would be nice if all operators would agree to play fairly in these forums so that I don't have to boycott certain conferences and not send my directors for fear of poaching."
  1. "Comment on the Tznius issue and how operators are there to party not work and how it's the same chevra repeatedly."
  1. "I also think some of them have way too much gashmius and worse. Apparently you can successfully take the boy out of Yeshiva. I do think it is sad that things get out of hand for some."

THE MUSSAR MOMENT

  1. "Another thing that comes to mind, which is not criticism but just something that I think more owners/decision makers should/could think about, is the fact that everyone who is trying to set up a meeting with them/pitching them something/schmoozing them up at these conferences is just trying to feed their families and are just doing their Hishtadlus. They aren't trying to 'annoy' you for no reason and many are trying to get their careers going just like the owners/decision makers did at the beginning of their careers. Obviously it's impossible to accept every meeting request or to talk to every last person at a conference. Also, an owner/decision maker may already have a need filled that someone is trying to pitch them on. However, trying to at least give people even a few minutes or at least explain in a really nice way why that need is filled but maybe come back at some point in the future will really help the up and coming players to feel good about themselves at these conferences and know that people acknowledge that the hustle is necessary, not annoying and what they are doing is just as important as anybody else."
  1. "We have the ability to help so many people if we just took the time to keep in mind the friends that we know who are looking for a job in this industry but don't necessarily know the right people. A random conversation can lead to someone getting a job just because you happened to talk to such and such owner/decision maker who needed that role filled but didn't know the right person for the job and you did."
  1. "Love this conversation. I've always wanted to find a way to bridge the gap between operators and vendors. I don't think the relationship is as healthy as it could be right now. And the gripes from both parties are legitimate. Operators trying to sneak in a quick bite of dinner after a long day of meetings don't want to be accosted by Moish, whom, aside from being THE most charismatic guy, now also comes armed with sales tips from a YouTube short featuring Harvey Specter. And vendors who approach operators at the right time, and in a respectful and informative way, want it to be understood that they are just doing their jobs. And it's ok to tell us that our service isn't of need but at least hear it out, and maybe even provide feedback for why it isn't a current need, so we have a roadmap to potentially reach out in a professional manner in the future."