Some people will write anything to get attention

I just got an email from Shawn Collins alerting me to a thread at ShoeMoney’s Blog posing the question “How long is it until someone is killed at Affiliate Summit?”

Jeremy Shoemaker, a “super affiliate” references some alleged threats and incidents that occured at past Summits and poses the question above.   A friend of mine, Carl from ChristianMySpaceLayouts.org jumped into the fray and brought up an incident that occured at ASE in Miami last year where a couple of apparently too -recent Frat Boys engaged in inappropriate behavior at the SAS Beach party.   I actually saw these  clowns myself when they got thrown off the bus going back to the show  hotel because they were drunk and stupid and shirtless.

I have been to all but 1 Affiliate Summit and I have to defend Shawn and Missy and the brand here.   To my experience, the show has been professionally done from day one.  Every official event I have been to has been disturbance free and everyone behaved as though they were at a business event.   The one issue that I referenced above happened at an off-site party and the idiots responsible were tossed from the event, tossed from the bus, and banned from Summit events forever when it was reported.

I thought that this most recent Summit was actually the best I have attended from the standpoint that the networking events were more controlled and more professional with an emphasis on networking and business.   Why?

I think the industry is growing up and a lot of people have figured out that the best way to get someone online as a business partner isn’t to get them wasted (like they’ll remember any discussions anyway)  but to engage the people that you want to work with in a relaxed, discussion encouraging environment.    Digital River, famous for their extravagant parties even backed off – offering a hostpitality suite and a really nicely executed invite only reception on the patio of their suite instead.  Why?   Because doing the big parties cost them a TON of money, branded them a bit, but generated little revenue.  Doubleclick/Performics had a private event at Bellagio, ThePartnerMaker had an intimate event at The  Wine Cellar,  and the entry to the SAS party was actually really restricted to invite holders only.   Heck – from what I hear,  last years Affiliate Summit Horizon Award Winner Todd Crawford,  was refused entrance for a while.

Like a lot of us, the industry is growing up.  I started doing this when I was 24 and recently married with no kids.  Yeah – when I travelled, I liked to get a bit torn up and have a good time.   Now, married 11 years, with 2 kids that I miss terribly when I travel and my tolerance for alcohol not what it used to be, my recovery time off the charts, and most importantly, some direction in life (thanks to Jesus Christ)  I’m just not up for the drinking all night and howling at the moon any more.  I go to shows to do business and catch up with a lot of old friends that I consider second family.   I think a lot of us that I hhave been around for a while are in the same boat.

I think Shoe’s post was sensationalist crap destined to get some reaction.. and now I have fed that by linking to the  clown.

I think Summit is still THE event to go to in the Affiliate industry and I will continue to go, and CAMA will continue to put on events that are inspirational and family friendly as long as we go.

Speaking of which… watch for a CAMA announcement on our Affiliate Summit Boston event next week.