Last year I attended CardCon 2017 in Dallas, and I found it to be an excellent opportunity to connect with industry veterans, top bloggers, and people who love credit card rewards. Based on last year’s successful turnout, CardCon 2018 has expanded and is spread across 2 days providing even more education, networking, and insider knowledge of the latest trends in credit card rewards. I’ll be there. Will you?
In This Post
What is CardCon 2018?
CardCon was founded by Jason Steele, a freelance journalist who specializes in writing about credit card rewards for many popular sites. Jason started CardCon to create a meeting place for writers interested in credit cards to learn from the best and network with like-minded people.
The conference itself is geared towards bloggers and freelance writers. However, if you love credit card rewards, you may want to attend so you can hear about the latest innovations in rewards before the bloggers even get a chance to write about them.
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How much is CardCon 2018?
Like most conferences, CardCon 2018 prices increase the closer you get to the event. Currently, it is $150 if you are a freelance writer or blogger and $250 if you own or work at a publication.
However, Capital One just announced that you can get a scholarship to attend CardCon 2018 for free. Simply register for CardCon 2018 and apply for the scholarship.
I was the first person to register for CardCon 2018, and Jason Steele promised something cool to whoever was the first. We’re still working that out. So far, I’m happy just having the bragging rights. HAHA
Who will be speaking at CardCon 2018?
The full speaker line-up for CardCon 2018 hasn’t been released yet, but you know it will feature some intriguing personalities.
Recently, it was announced that the Keynote Speaker for CardCon 2018 is Clark Howard. He’s a well-known consumer advocate and personal finance savant. I know he’ll have some amazing information to share with us.
Here are some of the speakers from CardCon 2017:
- Brian Kelly of The Points Guy
- Nicole Dye Anderson of Barclaycard
- Gary Leff of View From The Wing
- Holly Johnson of Club Thrifty
Where is CardCon 2018 held?
The CardCon 2018 conference is being held at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida. As the date of publication, I’m seeing rates for the Rosen Centre at $239 a night on TripAdvisor.
Using the FinCon group code, rates for the Rosen Centre Hotel are only $159 a night.
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What is the CardCon 2018 agenda?
Thanks for the support of all attendees and some fabulous sponsors, CardCon 2018 has expanded from a one-day event. It is now a 1 1/2 day event chock-full of knowledge, networking, and excellent speakers.
The first day of CardCon 2018 is Tuesday, September 25, 2018, with the following agenda:
- 7:30 – Registration
- 8:30 – Keynote by Clark Howard
- 9:00 – How Credit Cards are Made, moderated by Gary Leff of View From The Wing
- 9:45 – Break, sponsored by Bulldog Media
- 10:15 – Trends in Credit Card Affiliate Marketing, moderated by Stephanie Harris of Partner Centric
- 11:00 – Lunch, sponsored by Barclays
- 1:00 – The Credit Crystal Ball: What does creditworthy look like in the future?, moderated by Jeff Richardson of VantageScore
- 3:00 – Networking break, sponsored by Webpals
- 3:30 – Round Table Discussions
- 4:40 – Closing Keynote
- 7:00 – Evening Reception
And the second day of CardCon 2018 is Wednesday, September 26, 2018. The second day only runs through lunchtime so that attendees who are also registered for FinCon don’t miss any of that conference’s calendar.
- 7:30 – Networking Breakfast
- 8:30 – How New Regulations Are Forever Changing the Face of Credit Reporting
- 9:00 – Facilitated Networking, sponsored by Webpals
- 10:00 – Break, sponsored by Partnercentric
- 10:30 – Facilitated Networking
If you’re interested in registering for FinCon 2018, current prices start at $399.
6 reasons why you need to attend CardCon 2018
There are possibly countless reasons to attend CardCon 2018, but here are my 6 favorite reasons why you should consider registering.
Get to meet Clark Howard
Clark Howard is one of the most well-known personal finance personalities. His face is everywhere – radio show, podcast, blog, and even TV. Clark is able to distill complicated personal finances topics into language that is easily understood. And he does it all with an “aww shucks” personality that you just gotta love.
Intimate Setting
One thing I hate about most conferences is that there are so many people attending that you cannot interact with the speakers one-on-one. With CardCon, it is an intimate setting that encourages networking. In 2017, there were about 100 in attendance. Even if that number doubles or triples in 2018, it will still be small enough to provide ample opportunity to meet everyone there.
Meet Your Favorite Writers
With the intimate setting, you’ll be able to meet many of the writers you read on the Internet. You’ll have the opportunity to meet brand-name bloggers like Brian Kelly or Gary Leff (who both attended last year) or other prolific writers such as Jason Steele, Ben Luthi, and Holly Johnson who post on your favorite sites.
Now, when you read their stories and comment, you’ll have a personal connection with the writer. How cool is that?
Learn Inside Info From Banks
The sponsors for CardCon 2018 haven’t been announced yet, but last year there were high-level representatives from banks like Barclays and PennFed that shared information about upcoming cards and benefits. They shared their insights and gave us a peek into their thought process as they develop the travel rewards cards we love so much.
And the conversation isn’t a one-way street because there are opportunities to ask questions from the audience.
Be The First To Know About Upcoming Trends
Writers and bloggers attend conferences like this to find out the latest trends in credit cards and loyalty programs. Instead of waiting for them to write about it and put their own slant on the facts, wouldn’t it be cool to hear it straight from the source? I think so. That’s one of the primary reasons I’ll be attending CardCon 2018.
Hang Out With Me!
Ok, some people may not care about this one, but some of you will. I’ll be in Orlando in September for both CardCon and FinCon. It’s one of my favorite times of the year, and I get to spend the week with some pretty amazing and inspiring people.
If you attend CardCon 2018, it would be great to meet and get to know you while learning about the latest trends in credit cards rewards. Who knows, I may even buy you a drink?
The Bald Thoughts
If you’re interested in a short 2-day conference where you can discuss travel rewards with some of the smartest people on the Internet, then CardCon 2018 is for you. It is geared towards bloggers and freelance writers, but fans of travel rewards are welcome to attend as well. I had such a great time at CardCon 2017, that I literally was the first person to sign up for CardCon 2018!
Now, it’s your turn to register for CardCon 2018 (and FinCon if you’re into money).
Will I see you there?
