They are saying Los Angeles is essentially the most photographed metropolis on the earth. Sitting on the iconic Home of Pies for the primary time, it feels acquainted — you’ve seen this plate earlier than. The hum of Los Angeles is distinct, and because the plates of fries and French Dips rattled out of the kitchen, it was a type of moments the place you are taking inventory of the sensory particulars, dwelling within the second with full consideration. And because the huge bowl of clam chowder and slice of key lime pie hit the desk, I couldn’t assist however ask: How did I get right here?
The brief reply? We threw a celebration: The Instagram Summit by Manychat. Usually, it’s on-line — and nonetheless is (save your spot right here) — however this yr, we went for it in particular person. We hoped for the perfect.
What “the perfect” grew to become far surpassed what we imagined.
Trials and Tribulations
It wasn’t with out its drama. Our unique venue, NeueHouse Hollywood, shut down two weeks earlier than the occasion. For a minute, we had been screwed. Every part our groups had labored so laborious for felt prefer it hung within the steadiness — however only for a second.
With luck (and just a little aspect quest alongside the way in which), we locked down the 1 Resort in West Hollywood, and the area couldn’t have been higher. Once you’re in LA, you need the entire package deal: rooftop bar, sharp-dressed attendees, skyline views. The 1 Resort gave us all of it, area to breathe with out being away from the motion. We might have packed all of it in and refunded the cash, but it surely occurred, and it went off with out a hitch.
Los Angeles buzzes 24/7, so it was the right backdrop for bringing folks collectively to creatively showcase the perfect of social media. That curveball with the venue become a lesson in resilience: the group hustled, tailored, and pulled it off like execs.
Standing in the course of a sold-out crowd, I had one thought: holy shit, we did this.
The occasion was every little thing we wish an expertise to be: definitely worth the time, cash, and energy to be there in particular person. Folks didn’t simply watch audio system; they related. They walked away with a telephone full of latest contacts and concepts that felt private, not prescriptive.
Instagram Summit IRL Takeaways
Environment issues, and this one clicked. Breakout rooms, courtyard tables, and corners that become hangouts gave the entire thing the texture of an enormous meetup, not a stiff, name-tagged conference. Folks dropped into conversations at random tables. Creators, behind-the-scenes operators, and entrepreneurs all talked like friends. That’s the distinction between a superb occasion and a forgettable one — when the group sees itself as a part of the present, not simply spectators.
And the stage? Stacked.
And if all of that’s not sufficient, Maya Carter of Meta, and our personal Mike Yan zoomed out on the massive image. The lineup wasn’t simply good; it was, as the youngsters say, “generational.”
What issues is that in such a transactional world, we’re all the time looking out each inside ourselves and the higher narrative: all of us wish to break by way of. In 2025, shifting into 2026, folks don’t desire a common gig; they wish to be alive with the world watching.
You Can’t Plan Connection, however you possibly can Foster it
I roamed the grounds interviewing individuals who made content material about private finance, drone footage, meals, comedy — no two creators had been the identical. Even higher? In that setting, I watched a meals creator notice the drone operator might clear up her greatest downside: getting these good overhead pictures for her restaurant evaluations. They had been exchanging numbers and planning shoots earlier than our dialog even ended.
Isn’t that what you need out of an occasion? A method for the customers of a product to work collectively to foster neighborhood, reasonably than simply be one other place the place you gather a bag of stuff you’ll throw away and hope the resort bar drinks are good. Standing on the high of the steps watching so many individuals laughing and smiling is telling.
That’s one thing you possibly can’t pressure in company America; it simply needs to be.
Throughout LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and in actual life, many individuals shouted Manychat out. We bought the love 100 instances over. Once you always hear, “that is the perfect occasion I’ve ever been to” after which examine your little get collectively to the likes of multinational huge firms, you’re feeling a way of pleasure that we did it — we made one thing stunning that’s not this bland, tucked-in polo shirt of an occasion.
As an alternative, we created one thing folks wish to attend once more. (Right here’s the place we plug the hyperlink to our Digital Summit, occurring October 22-23.)
Candy as Pie
What Manychat must be pleased with isn’t simply that we pulled it off — it’s that individuals flew in from internationally, left following strangers they met in line, and felt extra related than once they walked in.
For an occasion that began as an enormous danger, that’s one hell of a return.
I preserve enthusiastic about my meal at Home of Pies; that BLT was glorious. Possibly once we do it once more subsequent yr, I’ll need to make it a part of my pre-event ritual.
Till then, I’ll see you on-line in October.
