Contributed by Ethan King, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member who has served in many leadership roles within EO, including chapter president of EO Atlanta. He is a bestselling author, keynote speaker and co-founder of Zeus’ Closet, in addition to running businesses in apparel, fitness, e-commerce and real estate. As a GLC Influencer, Ethan shared his GLC 2022 experience in real-time on EO’s Instagram during the Washington, DC portion of the event. We asked him to share his top GLC moments:

Last week, I attended the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Global Leadership Conference (GLC) in Washington, DC. This was my eighth GLC event. As a 20-year entrepreneur who attends lots of conferences, GLC continues to deliver the most transformative experience every year. With so much happening, it can be tough to document every single aha moment, but here are my top ten from GLC 2022:

1. How to improve your memory

One of EO’s core values is “thirst for learning.” Jim Kwik taught us actionable ways to learn and retain more information. For example, use the acronym MOM to help you remember names:

• Motivation—Ask yourself, “Why is it important that I remember this person’s name?”
• Observation—Be silent; pay attention to what the person is saying.
• Methods—Upgrade your brain by eating brain foods, getting proper sleep, exercising and managing stress.

2. How to become a supermodel

Miranda Naiman from EO Tanzania interviewed Tyra Banks. One of the questions that resonated with me the most was, “How do you go from being a model to a supermodel?” Tyra’s answer surprised me. The ‘super’ in “supermodel” comes not from luck and good genes, but rather from a deliberate business strategy. Start with the end in mind. Tyra’s mother observed that a traditional modeling career has an expiration date, so she encouraged Tyra to broaden her personal brand influence through movies, television, her talk show and business ventures. Now Tyra is respected as a business and thought leader first, transcending the stigma of being only known as a model.

3. Regrets are actually good for you

I’ll be the first to admit that “no regrets” is a mantra that I live by. When Dan Pink challenged this notion, I was a bit skeptical at first. But by the end of his powerful keynote, I learned that there are four core regrets and that our regrets show us our true values.

1. Foundation regrets: “If only I’d done the work”
2. Boldness regrets: “If only I’d taken the chance.”
3. Moral regrets: “If only I’d done the right thing.”
4. Connection regrets: “If only I’d reached out.”

Think of these as film negatives through which to look at your life and perhaps make different choices. We may also empower others by being transparent about our regrets.

4. How to throw a great party

EO is known for producing top-notch, once-in-a-lifetime social experiences, and GLC 2022 did not disappoint. As an eight-year member who attends many global events, I’ve noticed one of EO’s signature moves is to take over an entire venue and transform it into an immersive environment, exclusively for EO members and guests. For GLC 2022, we took over the entire National Portrait Gallery with open bars, buffets, live music and beautiful art on every level.

5. It costs a lot less to change the world than you think

Mick Ebeling, founder and CEO of Not Impossible, shared his heart-driven mission to change the world one person at a time. In one of his many heartfelt stories, his team built a fully functioning prosthetic arm for a boy who had lost his arms from a bomb blast –for just US$100. How? When you are determined, you will make a way. Commit and then figure it out.

6. You can’t start a billion-dollar brand

Or, as UGG Australia co-founder Brian Smith puts it, “You can’t give birth to adults.” Smith took us on the rollercoaster ride of his entrepreneurial journey from being a broke surfer selling boots on the beach, to making UGG a billion-dollar-a-year business—and all of the near-death experiences along the way. Smith says your brand becomes that big by aligning with a societal shift. You can’t predict it, but you can be ready for it.

7. We need human touch and connection 

This was the first in-person GLC since 2019. After three years, I almost forgot how good it feels to shake hands and hug old friends and new. Because I had grown accustomed to meeting people through tiny Zoom windows for so long, seeing people face-to-face felt larger than life.

8. How to grow your business by speaking on more stages

Pete Vargas from Advance Your Reach taught us the power of telling our story on other people’s digital and physical stages, to maximize both income and impact. While some may be intimidated by public speaking, there is a system to develop a signature talk, and EO members can learn this process through a five-day immersive training called Global Speakers Academy. Vargas also gave us an invaluable free resource that lists hundreds of stages you can speak from, organized by subject matter expertise: EOstages.com.

9. How to create a metaverse strategy for your business

I’ll be the first to admit that I found the world of Web3, NFTs, crypto, smart contracts, and the blockchain all very mysterious, and had been thinking to myself, “How does this apply to my business?” Lisa Andrews, an EO Sydney member, led a breakout session walking us step-by-step through creating a metaverse strategy, and judging from the packed room, I wasn’t the only one scratching my head at first. But Andrews broke everything down in a way that was fun and easy to understand. I left with ideas of how to create social status, identity and membership, personal meaning, and utility for my clients using tokenized assets. If you’re new to this like me, start by exploring OpenSea, then create your digital wallet using Coinbase or Metamask, then implement your strategy using OpenSea or Chainlink.

10. Entrepreneurs are a force for good

I was deeply touched to see videos of EO leaders on the ground in Poland and Romania, helping Ukrainian refugees get back on their feet. Not only that, but EO members around the world have raised millions of dollars to help pay for refugees’ food, lodging, clothing, medicine, teachers’ salaries and more. This is in perfect alignment with EO’s new purpose statement: Moving the world forward by unlocking the power of entrepreneurship.

GLC 2022 was a magical event. I could go on for days about the impactful connections and conversations I had with other attendees. I hope to meet you at the next GLC, or at another EO event someday. Stop by, say “hi” and let’s take a selfie together!

Ethan King is a dynamic speaker who shares his journey from starving artist to CEO of multiple seven-figure brands. Ethan’s work has appeared on Oprah, and he has been featured on the cover of Best Self magazine. He specializes in coaching high-performance professionals around the world. Ethan authored the No.1 international bestselling book, Wealth Beyond Money: Unlocking The 6 Dimensions of Success for Richness in Every Area of Your Life, and he is passionate about you truly having it all.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.