What Really Happened at Web Summit (Hint: 100 Signed Books + a Podcast Sprint)
Interviews with Jack Newton, Neil Patel, and the unplanned book launch that turned heads.
Sometimes, a trip becomes more than a trip.
Last week, I flew into Vancouver for Web Summit with a clear mission:
Produce a mini-series.
Connect with innovators.
Bring the Future Narrator story to life—on the ground, in real-time.
And what unfolded? It was part podcast sprint, part global reunion, part movement in motion.
I sat down with brilliant minds like:
Jack Newton, founder of Clio, who’s not just leading legal tech—he’s rewriting the rulebook with vision and clarity.
Elia Wallen of Engine, whose team is solving for a massive, overlooked gap in business travel—right where consumer ends and corporate begins.
And Neil Patel, someone I’ve quietly learned from for years. Sitting across from him didn’t just feel full-circle—it felt like a handoff from one era to the next.
Between interview sessions, meetings, and late-night catchups, I connected with founders, investors, and community builders from Austria, Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, the U.S., and Canada.
So many people, from so many corners of the world—all converging in Vancouver to shape what’s next.
And in the middle of that momentum, something unexpected happened.
We launched the book.
There was no formal announcement.
Just a backpack full of early copies, a Sharpie, and a feeling that the moment was right.
We gave out over 100 signed books—to collaborators, new friends, and the kind of builders who are already shaping the next chapter.
Signed. Selfies. Smiles.
It wasn’t scripted. But it was true.
And that truth extended behind the scenes too.
We were in flow, fully immersed—and had lined up a chance to interview Paddy Cosgrave, the founder of Web Summit, and Casey Lau, the co-host of the Vancouver edition.
But sometimes, the spotlight reshuffles priorities.
Paddy, balancing the weight of global media scrutiny, had to postpone.
Casey was still game—but we wanted to do it right.
So we requested a new location.
And ended up landing something special: the official Press Conference Room.
That space—quiet, focused, high energy—became the perfect setting to keep the series alive.
Because that’s what this work is about:
Adapting in real time.
Making the most of the moment.
Turning press rooms into podcast studios—and conferences into launchpads.
Web Summit wasn’t just another event.
It was a real-world rehearsal for everything we believe in:
Thought leadership in motion.
Movements born through presence.
And legacy work launched, one conversation at a time.
You don’t have to wait until everything is perfect.
You just need your work, your voice—and a willingness to say:
“Let’s go now.”
Gratefully,
Edwin
P.S. If you missed Web Summit—and want a signed copy of the book—I’ve got something for you:
50% off a yearly subscription to my Substack + a signed copy of the book, shipped to your door.
Offer ends June 30. Only applies to yearly subscriptions.