Your Complete Guide to XYPN16

There's no shortage of things to look forward to at this year's XY Planning Network National Conference, XYPN LIVE 2016. And with so much going on, it's easy to feel like you might be missing something.

That's why we compiled this guide to walk you through all things conference content, parties, receptions, events, contests, and more!

Get the Basics

Here are some of our frequently asked questions and the improtant information you need to feel confident before arriving at XYPN LIVE 2016.

Where is everything happening? We'll be at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Most conference events will take place on site, whether inside or on the grounds. San Diego means lots of opportunity to use the outdoor space we have!

Do I need to arrange a shuttle from the airport to the hotel? You don't need a shuttle, taxi, or Uber if you fly in. You can walk from the airport!

What should I wear? Whatever you want. This isn't your typical, stuffy conference -- and in fact, you may be more out of place if you wear a suit than you would be if you wore shorts and flip flops. Come as you are and dress the way that makes you comfortable and confident.

How should I meet up with people? If you're part of one of our communities, either as an XYPN member or an XYPN Radio VIP, drop a line in the forums or the Facebook group. That's a great way to coordinate meetups. But it's not necessary -- we have a lot of opportunities lined up to mix and mingle, network, and hang out with fellow attendees. (See below for what's going on!)

What should I expect, in general? What's the vibe like? Think more informal than formal, more casual than strictly professional. Everyone is friendly, approachable, and open -- and most importantly, we're here to help each other. Don't hesitate to walk up to folks, start conversations, ask questions, and make new friends.

What if I need help at the conference? The entire XYPN Team will be on site and available to help you should you need anything. We'll also be highly active on Twitter, so this is a great way to reach us if you can't track a human in an XYPN tee down. Tweet @XYPlanning and use the hashtag XYPN LIVE 2016.

Know Which Sessions Are Right for You

XYPN LIVE 2016 will feature 4 main content tracks. We've divided sessions and speakers into these categories so you can easily determine which presentations you'll get the most value out of.

Hear from experts in each of the following tracks:

• Practice Management: featuring panel discussions from industry leaders and top financial advisors
• Continuing Education: get CE credit and the information you need to perform better as an advisor and RIA owner
• Sales & Marketing: hear from the pros on how to gain visibility and generate more leads so your firm can scale and grow
• Start My Firm: this is the content track for you if you're looking to launch or are in the process of starting your own RIA

In addition to our content tracks, the conference features 5 keynote presentations:

• Presentations from Alan Moore and Michael Kitces, co-founders of XY Planning Network
• Keynote session from Heather Jarvis, student loan expert of AskHeatherJarvis.com
• Keynote session from Pat Flynn, online entrepreneur, blogger, and podcaster from Smart Passive Income
• Keynote presentation from Clark Howard on the importance of fee-only financial planning for consumers

To see all the sessions and speakers, head to the XYPN16 Agenda.

Check Out Breakouts, Roundtables, and More

Our expo hall will be rockin' on Monday. Meet up with vendors and conference sponsors, grab some swag, and catch the tech demos that will happen throughout the day.

And our excellent vendors aren't the only things to see and do in the expo hall on Monday. You can also enjoy a number of roundtable workshops, including:

• Influencing, Not Selling, Millennials
• Socially Responsible Investing
• Writing Business and Operation Task Lists
• Transitioning from the BD World to the Fee-Only World
• Using Betterment in Your Practice
• Divorce Planning
• XYPN Radio VIP Roundtable Meetup
• and more!

Plus, we'll have a special area set up in the expo hall where you can meet up with other attendees and members of Team XYPN. Look for the XYPN Chill Zone (and note that this is where you can also get super early bird tickets on next's year's event -- and sponsors can grab their space at a discount, too!)

Feel free to network with your fellow finanical advisors and conference attendees in the Chill Zone or just hang out and, you know, chill.

Don't forget to make plans each morning to attend one of our group workout sessions, too! We'll have members and attendees leading a Zumba class one morning and yoga the next.

Many of our attendees will also be bringing their families and small children with them. We'll have a designated room set up for parents and children to go as needed for nursing and other needs throughout the day. (Please note the conference does not provide any adult supervision; parents should accompany children throughout the venue.)

Check out the full schedule to get the lineup of tech demos, roundtable workshops, and more.

Don't Miss the Inaugural FinTech Competition

We’re hosting our inaugural FinTech Competition to find and showcase new players in the industry who are creating tech solutions to help financial advisors provide better financial planning to Gen X and Gen Y clients.

The competition will showcase 6 companies that offer software solutions and tech tools to financial advisors serving Gen X and Gen Y, in an effort to get them in a marketplace where they’re desperately needed.

Finalists were chosen for a combination of what we thought was relevant and useful tech for the advisor, and how differentiated the product was from existing solutions.

Get ready to see these finalists compete for the grand prize at XYPN LIVE 2016:

• Ambitient
• College Affordability
• Data Points
• RightCapital
• Snappy Kraken
• Totum Wealth

These companies will be judged by Michael Kitces, Tom Kimberly of Betterment Institutional, and Ben Welch of TD Ameritrade Institutional. Bill Winterberg of FPPad will host the competition.

Party On with Your Favorite Financial Pros

We're excited to host a number of parties, get-togethers, receptions and networking opportunities for our conference attendees this year. Here's where we'll be hanging out each day:

• September 18, Sunday Night: Join us for our opening reception at 7pm on the Garden Terrace
• September 18, Sunday Night: Keep the party going from 9pm to midnight in the Sunrise and Sunset Suites
• September 19, Monday: Enjoy a food truck lunch, San Diego style, from 11:30am to 1pm
• September 19, Monday Night: Participate in our pizza party in Habor Island Park starting at 6pm
• September 19, Monday Night: Sunrise and Sunset Suites will be open again from 9pm to midnight
• September 20, Tuesday Night: Don't miss our closing party at Parq starting at 8pm. This will be a private event just for XYPN attendees. Join us in the Sunrise and Sunset Suites again until midnight, too
• September 21, Wednesday Afternoon: Help us close out the conference and gear up for FinCon at the PB Ale House XYPN LIVE 2016 Afterparty!

Play and Win at XYPN LIVE 2016!

If all the events, parties, networking opportunities, and conference content isn't exciting enough, maybe a chance to win a prize or two will help you perk up.

On Monday, you can be entered to win 1 of 3 iPads we're giving away! All you need to do to earn your entry is visit each expo hall booth. Winners will be announced Monday afternoon.

You can also engage with us and join the fun on social media. Here's a list of the contests we'll run and how you can get involved:

XYPN LIVE 2016 Superlatives: On Sunday before the conference starts, we'll be checking Twitter to see who we can crown "Most Pumped Up for XYPN LIVE 2016"! Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card

Share your takeaway from Heather Jarvis' pre-conference workshop on Twitter with the hashtag XYPN LIVE 2016. Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card

On Monday, tweet us your favorite photo with an exhibitor. We'll choose the best (think: funniest, most creative) and our photo prize winner will score a new FitBit!

We also want to know what conference content you're most excited about. On Monday, share the session you’re most excited to see and why. Use the hashtag XYPN LIVE 2016. The winner will receive a free pass to XYPN LIVE 2017!

And finally, our big social media contest and grand prize... We'll have a scavenger hunt on Monday. The first person to tweet us all of the following with the hashtag XYPN LIVE 2016 will win a new GOPRO camera! Here's what you need to find and send in:

1. Photo with your favorite vendor in the expo hall
2. Photo of you hangin' in the XYPN Chill Zone
3. Photo from a roundtable session
4. Photo of someone in an XYPN tee (can be anyone, including yourself!)
5. Photo of your favorite expo hall swag and who it's from

The only rules for the above contests: you need to tweet all your entries to @XYPlanning and include the hashtag XYPN LIVE 2016. That's all you need to do to win!

Need Help or Have Questions? Here's Where to Go

Have specific questions? Make sure you visit our FAQ page to see if we've already answered them for you.

From there, you can check out the following resources and pages:

• See the Agenda for a detailed rundown of sessions and keynotes
• View the Schedule to catch dates and times
• Learn about the FinTech Competition, and meet judges and finalists

And of course, be sure to view who will be sponsoring XYPN LIVE 2016. Our sponsors make the conference possible, and we wouldn't be able to provide you with all of the above without them. Swing by their websites, social media, and of course their expo hall booths to say hello and check out what they have to offer attendees.

We can't wait to see you in San Diego!

About the Author

Alan Moore is the CEO and Co-Founder of XY Planning Network—a support ecosystem dedicated to helping fee-for-service advisors start, run, and grow their own financial planning firms and serve the clients they want. His favorite part about his job is dreaming about possibilities for what's next, knowing his stellar team will either tell him no or Get Sh*t Done to make it happen.