CultureCon West Brings Workplace Innovation to Sin City

CultureCon West is rolling into town with big plans to shake up how we think about work.

From its humble beginnings in snowy Madison, Wisconsin, where co-founders Zach Blumenfeld and Nick Lombardino were shocked to get 100 attendees in 2018, CultureCon has exploded into a phenomenon that now draws over 600 participants from ten countries. And now, after testing the waters in Southern California last year, they're betting big on Las Vegas as their West Coast home.

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"Las Vegas offers even greater accessibility with its abundance of direct flights and affordable accommodations," explains Lombardino, who's clearly mastered the art of practical thinking. But let's be honest—they probably didn't hate the idea of trading Wisconsin winters for our Nevada sunshine.

The workplace culture conference has come a long way from its early days, when, as Blumenfeld recalls with a laugh, "our most edgy topic was whether remote work would last." Now, they're diving into subjects like psychedelics in the workplace. (No, attendees won't be micro-dosing during breakout sessions—we checked.)

What makes CultureCon different from your typical yawn-inducing corporate conference? For starters, they're partnering with Zappos for the closing celebration—a match made in workplace culture heaven. Zappos, famous for its quirky corporate culture and "Delivering Wow" philosophy, embodies the kind of authentic, fun-loving spirit that CultureCon champions. It's like the workplace equivalent of finding your soulmate on The Bachelor, minus the drama and rose ceremonies.

[caption id="attachment_65293" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Photo Courtesy: CultureCon West 2024 / Hedi LaMarr Photography[/caption]

The conference draws an intriguingly diverse crowd. While HR professionals are well-represented, you'll find everyone from C-suite executives to individual contributors who just want to make their daily grind less, well, grinding. They call themselves "Culture Geeks," proving that even workplace enthusiasts can embrace their inner nerd.

And speaking of diversity, CultureCon has attracted speakers from major brands like Taco Bell, Cisco, Kickstarter, and Universal Music Group. They're particularly proud of maintaining a speaker lineup that brings varied perspectives across industry, company size, seniority level, and backgrounds. It's like the workplace version of Ocean's Eleven—minus the heist, plus actually useful skills.

What can Las Vegans expect? Lombardino says they're adapting the conference format to resonate with the West Coast's creative, flexible spirit. Think fewer PowerPoint presentations, more interactive experiences that take advantage of Vegas' unique energy. They're encouraging attendees to explore the city, proving that what happens in Vegas... might actually improve your workplace.

Looking ahead, Blumenfeld and Lombardino have big plans. They're developing industry-specific events and adapting their programming to reflect major trends like AI and economic uncertainty. They're also one of only 8,254 certified B Corporations in the world—joining the ranks of Ben & Jerry's and Patagonia in proving that doing good and doing well aren't mutually exclusive.

Fun fact: When Blumenfeld isn't revolutionizing workplace culture, he occasionally works as a TV show extra and stand-in. He even stood in for Emmy Award-winning actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach on The Bear. While we can't promise you'll leave CultureCon with an acting career, you might just learn how to make your workplace less of a drama series and more of a success story.

The conference has managed to strike that elusive balance between serious business impact and genuine human connection. As Lombardino puts it, "We want attendees to feel like they can relax, be themselves, and even embrace being silly with one another." In a city known for its larger-than-life personalities and endless entertainment, CultureCon West seems right at home.

So whether you're a seasoned executive looking to transform your company culture or just someone hoping to make your corner of the workplace a little more enjoyable, CultureCon West might be worth your chips. After all, in a city where people bet on everything from poker to prize fights, betting on better workplace culture seems like a pretty safe wager.

CultureCon West 2024 takes place Nov 13 - 14 at Planet Hollywood.