--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conferences are really like parties, and…" description: "\"Conferences are really like parties, and an A-list party is one where A-list people are in attendance. You figure out who are the really important peop..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/tim-o-reilly-7147_attendance_conferences-are-really-like-parties-and_2349711.png" --- # Conferences are really like parties, and an A-list party… ![“Conferences are really like parties, and an A-list party is one where A-list people are in attendance. You figure out who are the really important people to invite and get them to show up as speakers or as guests. Then everybody wants to be there. If you don't know who the important people are…” quote by Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/tim-o-reilly-7147_attendance_conferences-are-really-like-parties-and_2349711.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/tim-o-reilly-7147_attendance_conferences-are-really-like-parties-and_2349711.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/tim-o-reilly-7147_attendance_conferences-are-really-like-parties-and_2349711.png) > “Conferences are really like parties, and an A-list party is one where A-list people are in attendance. You figure out who are the really important people to invite and get them to show up as speakers or as guests. Then everybody wants to be there. If you don't know who the important people are, you shouldn't be doing a conference.” [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful events focus on attracting truly influential participants, not just numbers. **In simple terms:** Invite the right people, not many. Key Takeaway Identify and engage key contributors for impact. Themes networking leadership event design Mood strategic analytical Type business professional When to use this quote - conference organization - industry summit - academic symposium Key Concepts influence strategic planning audience curation Questions to Reflect On - Who are the unsung experts you should invite? - How can you balance prestige with inclusivity? A Different Perspective Too much emphasis on status can exclude diverse voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Important people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-people/) [Parties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parties/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Making out an invitation list for a party brings out the worst in everyone. It is then that our most ruthless estimates of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/making-out-an-invitation-list-for-a-party-brings-out-the-worst-in/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [It's often the case that successful people invite criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gove/it-s-often-the-case-that-successful-people-invite-criticism/) [Michael Gove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gove/) > [At O'Reilly, the way we think about our business is that we're not a publisher; we're not a conference producer; we're a company that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/at-o-reilly-the-way-we-think-about-our-business-is-that-we-re-not-a/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [People will invite you and seek you constantly if you learn how to give them the extreme pleasure of being clever. People adore the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-wilson/people-will-invite-you-and-seek-you-constantly-if-you-learn-how-to/) [Margery Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-wilson/) > [People invite you on facebook and they just say nothing: and you complain and say: what is the use of being invited by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dumi/people-invite-you-on-facebook-and-they-just-say-nothing-and-you/) [Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dumi/) > [A collection is like a dinner party. It is made up of the people you invite, but also the people you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-berge/a-collection-is-like-a-dinner-party-it-is-made-up-of-the-people-you/) [Pierre Berge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-berge/) > [The cricket World Cup opened a lot of doors for me. People invite me to host shows and events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandira-bedi/the-cricket-world-cup-opened-a-lot-of-doors-for-me-people-invite-me/) [Mandira Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandira-bedi/) > [When I signed up for Google Plus, it recommended 500 people for me to invite. You know, and once I invited those 500 people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/when-i-signed-up-for-google-plus-it-recommended-500-people-for-me-to/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [I think we have to be more proactive in the people we invite to come and speak in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-schlissel/i-think-we-have-to-be-more-proactive-in-the-people-we-invite-to-come/) Mark Schlissel > [In the world of online invitations, nothing is sacred. People will invite all 500 of their 'closest' friends to their birthday party - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/in-the-world-of-online-invitations-nothing-is-sacred-people-will/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [People who work with me think I should cut my hair. They say casting directors are less likely to hire me with long hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-culkin/people-who-work-with-me-think-i-should-cut-my-hair-they-say-casting/) [Rory Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-culkin/) > [Typing with your fingers or thumbs is sooooo 2012. I tweeted that earlier in the year. I type with my eyes. Not only that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/typing-with-your-fingers-or-thumbs-is-sooooo-2012-i-tweeted-that/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Have you ever watched someone become American? Last week, at a national citizenship conference I organize, thirty immigrants from 17 countries swore an oath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liu/have-you-ever-watched-someone-become-american-last-week-at-a-national/) [Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/) > [I feel blessed that I had an opportunity to be in the Big Ten for four years as a player and be in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-alford/i-feel-blessed-that-i-had-an-opportunity-to-be-in-the-big-ten-for/) [Steve Alford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-alford/) > [If you go through the regular process of the House and Senate passing companion bills and then try and work out differences in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-scott/if-you-go-through-the-regular-process-of-the-house-and-senate-passing/) [Austin Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-scott/) ## More by Tim O'Reilly > [Empowerment of individuals is a key part of what makes open source work, since in the end, innovations tend to come from small groups,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/empowerment-of-individuals-is-a-key-part-of-what-makes-open-source/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [In social networks, you gain and bestow status through those you associate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/in-social-networks-you-gain-and-bestow-status-through-those-you/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Programming is how we talk to the machines that are increasingly woven into our lives. If you aren't a programmer, you're like one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/programming-is-how-we-talk-to-the-machines-that-are-increasingly/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [When you have to prove the value of your ideas by persuading other people to pay for them, it clears out an awful lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/when-you-have-to-prove-the-value-of-your-ideas-by-persuading-other/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Anyone who puts a small gloss on a fundamental technology, calls it proprietary, and then tries to keep others from building on it, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/anyone-who-puts-a-small-gloss-on-a-fundamental-technology-calls-it/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [We often get blinded by the forms in which content is produced, rather than the job that the content does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/we-often-get-blinded-by-the-forms-in-which-content-is-produced-rather/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [It's hard to make something as large as a government change. It's a little bit like building the transcontinental railroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/it-s-hard-to-make-something-as-large-as-a-government-change-it-s-a/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [The problem for most artists isn't piracy, it's obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-problem-for-most-artists-isn-t-piracy-it-s-obscurity/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [We were the first people to do advertising on the Web. I actually saw in 1993 that the ad could be the content, the destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/we-were-the-first-people-to-do-advertising-on-the-web-i-actually-saw/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/obscurity-is-a-far-greater-threat-to-authors-and-creative-artists/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [You have to pay attention to money, but it shouldn't be about the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/you-have-to-pay-attention-to-money-but-it-shouldn-t-be-about-the-money/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [The thing we should all be looking for are people who want to make a difference. I'm a big believer in the Silicon Valley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-thing-we-should-all-be-looking-for-are-people-who-want-to-make-a/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Amazon is now the definitive source for data about whole sets of products - fungible consumer products. EBay is the authoritative source for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/amazon-is-now-the-definitive-source-for-data-about-whole-sets-of/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Everybody's enamored of the iPhone, the Google phone. But the applications are going to change. You know, we're going to start using our phones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/everybody-s-enamored-of-the-iphone-the-google-phone-but-the/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Being too early is indistinguishable from being wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/being-too-early-is-indistinguishable-from-being-wrong/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) [Explore all 94 Tim O'Reilly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) ## More Attendance quotes > [To a large extent, the American church has become merged with the world. It has adopted so many of the world's ideals and standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/to-a-large-extent-the-american-church-has-become-merged-with-the/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Our large trading cities bear to me very nearly the aspect of monastic establishments in which the roar of the mill-wheel and the crane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/our-large-trading-cities-bear-to-me-very-nearly-the-aspect-of/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [While attendance at traditional churches has been declining for decades... the evangelical movement is growing, and it is changing the way America worships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/while-attendance-at-traditional-churches-has-been-declining-for/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [My mother attended the local church, Saint Nicolas, and consequently, I attended that church and its Sunday School. My only prizes from the Sunday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-smith/my-mother-attended-the-local-church-saint-nicolas-and-consequently-i/) [Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-smith/) > [Upon arriving, meeting their teachers and signing up for classes, these students began to realize that their attendance at Delaware State University was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-n-castle/upon-arriving-meeting-their-teachers-and-signing-up-for-classes-these/) [Michael N. Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-n-castle/) > [What is the biggest benefit of having a Girlfriend or Boyfriend in the same school where you study? - '100 PERCENT ATTENDANCE'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/what-is-the-biggest-benefit-of-having-a-girlfriend-or-boyfriend-in/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [A lovely nook of forest scenery, or a grand rock, like a beautiful woman, depends for much of its attractiveness upon the attendance sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/a-lovely-nook-of-forest-scenery-or-a-grand-rock-like-a-beautiful/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) > [If Facebook was school I swear I'd have perfect attendance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-facebook-was-school-i-swear-i-d-have-perfect-attendance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [After a child has arrived at the legal age for attending school,-whether he be the child of noble or of peasant,-the only two absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/after-a-child-has-arrived-at-the-legal-age-for-attending-school/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [It's great to see the World Rowing Championships returning to U.S. soil for the first time in 25 years. I am even more excited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-young/it-s-great-to-see-the-world-rowing-championships-returning-to-u-s/) [Stephen Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-young/) > [Broadway shows in New York draw two times the attendance of all New York sports teams put together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lahr/broadway-shows-in-new-york-draw-two-times-the-attendance-of-all-new/) [John Lahr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lahr/) > [The number of opera houses around the world and the high attendance rates show that opera an art form that is more popular than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beresford/the-number-of-opera-houses-around-the-world-and-the-high-attendance/) [Bruce Beresford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beresford/) > [But there were some things I believed in. Some things I had faith in. And faith isn't about perfect attendance to services, or how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-there-were-some-things-i-believed-in-some-things-i-had-faith-in/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [My attendance in school was 30 per cent. I was always travelling with my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janhvi-kapoor/my-attendance-in-school-was-30-per-cent-i-was-always-travelling-with/) [Janhvi Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janhvi-kapoor/) > [The great proliferation of museums in the nineteenth century was a product of the marriage of the exhibition as a way of awakening intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fortey/the-great-proliferation-of-museums-in-the-nineteenth-century-was-a/) [Richard Fortey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fortey/) Browse all 116 Attendance quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conferences are really like parties, and an A-list party is one where A-list people are in attendance. You figure out who are the really important people to invite and get them to show up as speakers or as guests. Then everybody wants to be there. 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