Anyone familiar with me or the founding story of Future Proof will appreciate this post.
Yesterday, we proudly announced that the latest Future Proof Festival achieved a remarkable Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 71, based on feedback from thousands of attendees. When Nyle Bayer shared this analysis with me on Slack, he said, “70-100 … this is the Holy Grail of NPS, and rarely attainable. A company with a score in this range is considered among the absolute best in their industry.”
In the B2B events industry, this is truly exceptional. Most large-scale business events typically have an NPS between -30 and 30. Even the top events in the industry rarely exceed an NPS of 40-45. These events are not lacking in quality; they represent the top 10% of a $550 billion global corporate event market projected to double in size over the next five years.
Meeting the expectations of thousands from diverse backgrounds and interests is challenging.
Many event businesses focus on incremental improvements rather than transformative experiences. Their success is measured by being slightly better than their competitors. Throughout my career, I’ve been in meetings where leaders focus more on competitors than on their audience’s needs. There’s little incentive to think differently or challenge established norms. The prevailing mindset is often, “We’re already the leading event in our industry. Attendees will keep coming, and sponsors will keep paying.” I’ve heard, “Matt, I appreciate your feedback from clients and attendees, but let’s focus on building a successful events business.” This often means maintaining the status quo while maximizing profits.
The idea for Future Proof Festival emerged from my experience with traditional events where attendees found little joy beyond their hotel pillows at night. During the COVID era, when virtual or hybrid events were touted as the future, I disagreed. You can’t replicate the magic of a live experience through Zoom.
An idea alone isn’t enough.
The Future Proof Festival became a reality in 2022, driven by feedback about what was broken with financial services events. Initially, when I shared my concept—even with industry friends—many were skeptical. Some laughed at the idea of a wealth management festival. Today, those same people attend or sponsor Future Proof events. They now say, “Hey Matt, remember when you first pitched this idea? I always knew it would be successful.” I smile and nod, holding no grudges. They reacted then based on their previous event experiences.
I share this not as an “I told you so,” but as a lesson learned over the past few years: to build something valuable, you must (1) know and listen to your audience, (2) understand that your audience doesn’t know what they don’t know, and (3) always trust your gut.
Had I followed initial feedback from 250 meetings, Future Proof would be another event in a generic ballroom in Vegas or a convention center in Orlando with an NPS of 30.
Instead, Future Proof Festival is now the premier event for anyone within the RIA and wealth management ecosystem. But don’t just take my word for it—4,200+ attendees have spoken. Thank you to all attendees, sponsors, speakers, media, and my team for your invaluable feedback, support, and work in building this amazing community. You are why our NPS rating is world-class.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue innovating and creating unforgettable experiences at our newest event in Miami Beach – Future Proof Citywide.
Future Proof Citywide is our latest attempt at pioneering an entirely new event format for the financial services ecosystem. It’s everything you’ve learned to love about the Future Proof Festival—the vibrant outdoor setting, casual format, and productive networking—just more expansive. Thousands of the best humans across wealth management, technology, alternative investment, and private capital industries will come together with influencers in financial media and more. Together, we’ll break down silos, foster innovation, and unlock new opportunities across the entire financial services ecosystem.
Join us at Future Proof Citywide to shape the next chapter of our industry.
Until next time,
Matt Middleton
Founder & CEO
Future Proof
