INBOUND 2026 Call for Speakers is Open! Apply by February 18(opens in a new tab) to share your story, strategy, or lesson on the INBOUND stage.

Inbound

Love Notes from INBOUND: Why Professionals Attend

Love Notes from INBOUND: Why Professionals Attend
There’s a certain kind of energy you can’t manufacture. It happens when smart, curious, ambitious people gather in one place to share, challenge, and grow together. INBOUND, one of the leading marketing, sales, and AI conferences, brings together thousands of professionals each year to learn, connect, and grow.

Most of us got into our work because we love solving problems, we love building things, and we love turning ideas into impact. INBOUND has a way of amplifying that feeling. 

And when we asked attendees what they loved most about the event, their answers had everything to do with connection, clarity, and momentum.

These are the love notes from INBOUND.
INBOUND attendees networking
INBOUND: Loving the Community

“ There's so many people I've been able to connect with online, through LinkedIn, through webinars and other things, and to see them in person… I'm getting goosebumps right now, it means the world to me.” — Christopher N., IN25 Attendee

Let’s start here: INBOUND feels like a reunion because it brings together professionals who have connected online throughout the year.

It’s finally meeting the person you’ve collaborated with over LinkedIn threads and Slack groups. It’s recognizing a familiar name badge from a webinar chat. It’s sitting down next to someone who’s facing the exact same AI challenges, traffic drops, budget constraints, or scaling questions you are.

In a world that runs on Zoom links and DMs, in-person connection still hits differently and INBOUND reminds us that behind every strategy, dashboard, and campaign, there are actual people figuring it out together.

INBOUND attendees sitting in a session
INBOUND: Loving the Learning 

“There’s just really great speakers.” — Madison P., IN25 Attendee

“ Listening to all the people talk about how they use HubSpot and how their approach to AI has been really cool because it's just so different from how I see it.” — Mia J., IN25 Attendee

You can read about what’s changing in AI, marketing automation, demand generation, and growth strategy. Or, you can learn from someone who has been in your shoes, implemented AI in ways that delivered results or made their customers happier through a strategy shift.

Sometimes it feels easy to stay in your lane and keep to the status quo, but INBOUND makes you challenge that way of thinking. Hearing someone else break down a completely different approach to a similar problem can inspire, give direction, and show you a new perspective to solving your own roadblocks.

INBOUND attendees energized at a session
INBOUND: Loving the Momentum

“It gives you the motivation and energy to keep delivering… the future looks bright.”— Diego T.F., IN25 Attendee

The last few years haven’t exactly been calm: AI is dramatically changing search, buyer journeys look nothing like they did five years ago, budgets are tight, and the rules feel like they change weekly.

And yet. At INBOUND, the dominant emotion isn’t anxiety or stress, it’s momentum. There’s something powerful about being surrounded by people who are building inside of change, testing faster, and sharing what works with others. Instead of asking “What’s happening to us?” INBOUND attendees are saying “What are we going to do about it?” and that shared forward motion is contagious. 

Why Do People Attend INBOUND?

Professionals attend INBOUND for three main reasons:

  • To connect with marketers, founders, sales leaders, and operators facing similar challenges
  • To learn practical strategies for AI, customer experience, and modern marketing
  • To gain direction when growth demands new thinking

INBOUND means different things to different people. For some, it’s a reunion with peers they’ve collaborated with all year. For others, it’s a reset. But underneath it all is something consistent: meaningful connection, applied learning, and renewed direction.

If you’re ready to connect with industry leaders, learn practical AI and growth strategies, and build momentum for the year ahead, register for INBOUND today.

INBOUND Team

INBOUND Team

Providing year round news, trends and inspiration from the editorial desk of your favorite immersive experience.

Related Blog Posts

All Blog Posts
  • The featured image for this article.

    Inbound

    February 13, 2026

    Love Notes from INBOUND: Why Professionals Attend

    There’s a certain kind of energy you can’t manufacture. It happens when smart, curious, ambitious people gather in one place to share, challenge, and grow together. INBOUND, one of the leading marketing, sales, and AI conferences in the world, brings together thousands of professionals each year to learn, connect, and grow. Most of us got into our work because we love solving problems, we love building things, and we love turning ideas into impact. INBOUND has a way of amplifying that feeling. And when we asked attendees what they loved most about the event, their answers had everything to do with connection, clarity, and momentum. These are the love notes from INBOUND.

    Event Experience

  • Jay Schwedelson at INBOUND 2025

    Inbound

    February 3, 2026

    Best Practices Are Garbage: Jay Schwedelson’s Take on Marketing, AI, and Growth

    For years, marketers have been told there’s a “right way” to do things. Follow the best practices. Copy what worked before. Don’t deviate from the playbook. At INBOUND 2025, Jay Schwedelson shared why so much of the advice marketers rely on today is outdated, misleading, or actively holding teams back. In his session Best Practices Are Garbage: In Marketing and Life, he challenged career clichés, questioned how we measure marketing impact, and reframed common fears around AI. So how do we move past best practices and actually grow through change and constant pressure to perform? Read on for the top takeaways from Schwedelson’s INBOUND session.

    Session Recap

    Marketing

    Thought Leadership

  • INBOUND attendees

    Inbound

    January 28, 2026

    Beyond Acquisition: How to Turn New Users Into Engaged, Lifelong Customers

    Most marketers know that retention matters but few treat it like the growth engine it really is. At INBOUND 2025, Enrique Hoyos showed how his team at Pexels achieved a 3x increase in user retention in just two months by prioritizing what happens after sign-up. See how small changes to onboarding and activation led to massive retention gains and get some tips on how to apply the same thinking to your customer journey today.

    Customer & Retention Marketing

    Customer Experience

All Blog Posts
An image showing friendly, happy people at the Inbound conference.

Your Growth Moment is Here

Boston is calling. Join fellow change-makers for three high-impact days of powerful insights and real connections. Leave with proven tactics and strategies that drive results.
Register Now