Hi there,

I am just now recovering from an awesome weekend hosting the No Excuses Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada.  I am exhausted, tired, lost my voice, and sleep deprived (still) but I feel soooo good and am so proud of how this event went.

Initial Reaction… to an “Empty” Room

I got in Wednesday to help oversee the whole operation during setup and the layout.  I walked into the ballroom where the event was to be held and couldn’t believe how big (and empty) the room looked.  They haven’t setup the chairs and the tables yet… so in my head, I was thinking, “Wow, when we start, will there be a lot of empty spaces?  That’d suck…”

A few hours before the event started, Fernando and I did a quick intro video recording and as we walked into the room, I saw the sea of chairs and tables and again, I felt a bit nervous and uneasy.  You see, having good energy is sooo important to a live event and the last thing we wanted was for the room to have so much “empty space” that it drains the energy and good vibes we wanted.

Then 3:00 PM hit and registration opened.  Folks were hustling and bustling getting their nametags.  I still didn’t know what to expect.  Did we give people enough time to register?  Would everyone get their nametags in time for the opening which happens at 5:00 PM?  Hmm…

Feeling the Energy!

Well, whatever the case, it was time for the show to start.  I asked Joseph O’Day, one of my good friends and also a speaker (from Link Networker) to guard the main door and open it when it was go time.  He told me later that he was busting a sweat just standing there because so many people were packing the entrance waiting to get in that the body heat was just unreal.  Heck, a lady was waiting in line since noon!

I stood up towards the front of the room, off to the side of the stage, and gave the cue to open the door, with rockin’ music blaring.

I knew we’d do “alright” as soon as I saw people literally SPRINTING to the front to get good seats.  And they just kept in coming in.  My nervousness melted away.

The audience brought SOOO much energy with them it was contagious.  Even writing this now I am getting goose-bumps all over again thinking about these attendee’s smiles, amazing energy, and positive attitude as they stormed the room.  The feeling was absolutely fabulous and so very rewarding.

And we were just getting started!

Running the Show

For the next 2.5 days we packed the house.  I couldn’t believe that a room that seemed so big, empty, and intimidating only merely house before we opened the door became so packed – bustling and hustling with so many excited network marketers.  We had some of the industry’s top leaders take the stage and deliver their absolute best right there in front of this sea of entrepreneurs.  It was absolutely amazing.  I was constantly running back and forth checking in on the speakers, coordinating with the MC, the production crew, our registration team, and our assistant.

And every minute, I would take a pulse of the event to see how everyone is doing and not once was I disappointed.  The energy and the vibe in that room kept me going – I drew strength from all the attendees and speakers in the room.  It’s amazing what happens when 900~1,000 people align all of their intentions – the energy it output is so empowering.  Everyone in that room was determined to make the very best out of the event AND to make the event the very best.

Heck, one of my favorite moments was when a group of people just started dancing at the front of the room while we were waiting to get started Sunday morning (we invited them on stage and everyone loved it).

The speakers were spot on – they all adapted to the same philosophy, which is to deliver the absolute best content they can and “woo-and-wow” the crowd.

Take Away

By Sunday night, I expected some of the people to have already left – after all, some folks have family to attend to and well, jobs the next day (Monday).  We expected about 40% of the people to have gone by the time Fernando and I took the stage as SEO Networker.

That was not so.

The room was STILL packed and the energy was still high.  I LOVED IT!

Even the breakout sessions were hopping with enthusiastic and eager folks.

After all is said and done… I had an amazing time.  I am so so so proud of everyone that was a part of this event – all the speakers for their contribution, genuineness, and their willingness to just “give”, and all the attendees for just being so attentive, friendly, energetic, and passionate.

I believe this event was a great event because when folks came up to me to tell me their thoughts on this event, they didn’t just say, “Oh yeah, I learned some cool marketing stuff…”

No, they told me how it’s changed their lives, altered their mindset, and got them that much more passionate about building their businesses and pursuing their dreams.  And that’s what we as leaders really outta be doing – not just teach marketing, but to impact and to motivate… and to, well LEAD.

Special thanks to Fernando Ceballos, Shawn Royster and his production team, Audrey Hagen and her team, Jimmy Davis as the MC, Ramiro Ceballos as one of our team members, and all the speakers for making this possible.

So now I gotta ask the Magic 8-Ball,
“No Excuses Summit II?”

Hmm… maybe, just maybe

Raymond Fong