For years, my friends had been urging me to join them in Davos. They claimed I lived in a monovistic desert. I had only heard of Davos in passing and had formed a completely wrong impression from the news. Besides, there was the cost in terms of money and time to attend an event that wasn’t industry-focused. My clients were in the telecoms industry, and I believed I had already established the exposure and network I needed. Why travel to the mountains where I grew up to meet people when the relevant individuals I needed to connect with were already known to me and connected to my extended network? I mistakenly thought I’d be out of place, not working for a Fortune 100 company or possessing a Nobel Prize. In essence, I believed it was a gathering exclusively for the world’s most powerful players, either partying or being unapproachable. Oh, how wrong I was. Davos is something different.
Yes, the central figures are powerful, as they should be, but they are approachable and value meaningful communication. The atmosphere is not formal and rigid, with extravagant dinners in evening attire, as one might expect at the opening of La Scala or a state banquet. My initial impressions were completely misguided. So, here it is, my first Davos experience:
I arrived at my hotel, and received a warm welcome, just as if I had checked in on any other day. After settling in, I went down the hill to the promenade to meet my friends at an event venue. I learned they are called ‘Houses,’ not pavilions as at world fairs, and entered a small dining room where my friends were seated with CEOs, organizers, media personnel, and other team members. The conversation was relaxed and welcoming, filled with laughter. Everyone was unwinding before the start of the mega-marathon of Davos that would continue for four days. As the newbie, many of them added me to guest lists for their venues, which were all within a five-minute walk. I was often invited to accompany veterans , to visit different venues. I was amazed by the incredible work their teams had done at one venue, where they had elevated the floor over the church benches to protect the antique seats and create an open space.
After being passed from one person to another, I found myself back in the small dining room, where it was unanimously decided that fresh French fries and chicken wings were the order of the day.
This debunked my first misconception; it was all about camaraderie, not formality.
The next morning, I woke up early and headed to breakfast, a delightful Swiss buffet offering eggs, muesli, and fantastic Swiss croissants. I arrived at the venue where I intended to attend the first speech, but I had overestimated the time and arrived much too early. I grabbed a cup of coffee and, lit a cigarette outside. While standing in the snow, a well-known figure approached me and asked if I could spare a cigarette. We struck up a conversation, and he even gave me his number before we both moved on. Over the next six hours, my global network expanded to a level I had never imagined. I learned a multitude of things, many unrelated to my business—or so I initially thought.
As evening approached, many of the people I met suggested events I should attend. Messages poured in from all the contacts I had made, directing me to various places. I found myself at a party where the CEO gave me a pin for my jacket. I initially thought the pin was a corporate gift, unaware that it granted access to the party. So, every time I left the party, I would give my pin to someone who asked how I got it, only to receive a new one (I finally figured out that the pin was the entrance pass, so I stopped giving it away). At the party, I engaged in some fascinating conversations.
Upon returning to my hotel, I called my team in Los Angeles to catch up on what was happening in my company. It was then that I noticed the first influence of Davos. I saw our services and products in a completely different light, and many questions we had been discussing found clear solutions, with the inspiration for those solutions effectively communicated. This inspiration proved vital for us and resulted in new contracts that I could act on.
