It is the 100th anniversary celebration, so let’s focus on how to continue to grow this amazing profession of ours to a new level. “How do we make connections to grow personally and professionally?” continues to be a question I get all the time from my students. The number one reason I attend FNCE® is the networking and how much I am filled up and energized by the people I meet there.  Let’s learn how to get the most out of this amazing conference!

Why attend FNCE®?

Honest talk really quick — FNCE® is an investment, and it pays to know why you are making the investment. As you click to register for FNCE®, have a very clear answer to why you are attending. This is important for a couple reasons:

1. There won’t be any buyer’s remorse. With a clear why, you are confident and calm about your purchase and know that the investment will serve your professional career and fill up your dietetic soul.
2. You are clear on how you plan to benefit from attending. Knowing how you will actually attain those benefits makes this investment seem like a no brainer. For example, if your reason to attend FNCE® is to network with fellow RDNs (totally my why) then plan how you will accomplish that. For me, it means making time in my schedule to have coffee with a few key people I have been meaning to connect with.

Mindset Shift — How Can I Grow?

As you are getting ready for FNCE®, try to shift your mindset from feeling overwhelmed to seeing a potential for growth. Growth can come in any form — learning new MNT procedures, connecting with RDNs from across the country or meeting the faces behind your favorite products. Each of these interactions forces us to grow, which in turn helps how we serve our patients and clients.

Take some time right now to think about how you want to grow while attending FNCE®.

• Do you want to get more plugged in to your DPG?
• Do you want to learn about cutting edge products for your patient population?
• Do you want to connect with dietitians you follow on social media to learn from them?
• Is there a session that you are dying to see and plan on connecting with the speakers after?

Thinking about this before you get to FNCE® will help you to feel more in the mindset of calm and growth.

Who Do You Want to Meet?

Have you checked out the expo list and all the sessions yet? If not, do that now! I am sure we all have a list of “rock star” dietitians or products we appreciate from afar. They might be doing amazing things you admire, or they’re in a totally different space than you. Make a list of them.

Why do this? Connection with others and exposure to new products helps you build your network. Having a larger pool of people you know helps you professionally when you are needing support. I can’t tell you how many times I needed the help of a dietitian in another state or needed to connect with a brand and, because I have taken the time to meet with people on a personal level, those conversations have been seamless.

When you do meet in person, be yourself and learn from them, and also think about how can you can help and be of service to them.

Be Prepared, Be Prepared, Be Prepared

It’s such an important tip, it bears repeating. Take time and ask yourself a few questions:

• Besides continuing education, what do I want to get out of this conference?
• Why am I going this year, as opposed to years when I have not attended?

Ask yourself now, because I guarantee there will be no time to think about intentions once you get there.

Make a Plan

At FNCE in 2015, I was up at 5 a.m. for breakfast meetings and would not make it back to my room until after 11:30 p.m.! Before you arrive, consult the daily session schedules and plan out what you want to attend. And don’t forget about the Expo floor, speakers, events and other meetings! One way to stay organized is using the FNCE® App. If you’re coming to Boston from another state, remember to put the times on Eastern time!

Pack Smart

It happens at every FNCE: on day one, everyone is super cute and dressed up; by the final day, everyone has opted for workout clothes and tennis shoes. When you pack for the trip, consider all of your events. Depending on what you have planned, you might need a daytime outfit and nighttime outfit. If you’re attending FNCE for five days, that equals 10 outfits and shoes! Think about how you can pare that down to mix and match to lessen your luggage burden.

Make Sessions Count

While I love social media, it’s a mistake to spend a whole session on Twitter. I know, I’ve done it — and walked out of a session having no idea what information was shared. Instead, go to the session with the intention to learn, take notes, ask appropriate questions and connect with fellow attendees. The people in the session are just as valuable as the material. Before and after the session, get to know the people around you and what made them come to the session. Then, after the session is over, get back on social media and connect with the people you just met in real life.

Network for Real

Do you really know how to network? If so, awesome! Skip this section because you don’t need any more contacts or social media followers. But if you could use help learning how to network, here’s the secret: be intentional, be kind, be you, be curious … and know meeting new people is hard! When someone comes up to you or you jump into a conversation of strangers, keep in mind a few questions to make talking to strangers easier. I always like to start with these: Where are you from? What brought you to FNCE this year? In which areas of nutrition do you practice? (Here’s the main point: Make the conversation about others and not the “me show.”)

Have FUN

For me, FNCE is right up there with Disneyland! It is a chance to see my favorite RDNs from around the country, make new friends, be surrounded by like-minded people who share my interests and totally nerd out on new nutrition information! By setting an intention for FNCE, you will help keep your mind in the right direction. What you put out there will come back to you.