The Conference That Recharged Everyone: What EDPA Access 2025 Got Right

"You can't see eye to eye without being face to face." —Warren Buffett

EDPA Access 2025 proved this in the most unexpected way: with 32-gallon buckets, volleyballs, and what can only be described as "giant beer pong."

354 attendees showed up. But the real story wasn't the headcount. It was what happened when experience builders stopped building and started connecting.

Three Days Changes Everything

The first day is for hellos. The second day is for business. The third day is for relationships.

By day three, we weren't just exchanging pleasantries at breakfast. We were deep in strategy sessions, solving real problems, and yes, smack-talking over oversized red solo cups during the Chapter Challenge. When you see industry leaders competing in cornhole tournaments, the barriers come down fast.

That depth is impossible to replicate in a single cocktail hour or a ten-minute Zoom call. Three days gave us time to move past the elevator pitches and into the conversations that actually matter.

Building a Village, Not Just a Network

Liz Bohannan's keynote set the tone for the entire event. She told the story of moving to Uganda with no business plan to make sandals and ending up building a literal village with her neighbors. Shared backyards. Shared struggles. A shared safety net.

She called it the "Community Quotient." And she challenged us: How do we bring that same village mentality to our workplaces?

"It's not about forced fun. It's about creating a safety net where people feel brave enough to innovate."

At CrewXP, we believe that if you can dream it, we can build it. But Liz reminded us that you can't build it alone. Access created a temporary village where unplanned value could emerge. The event structure forced us into the same rooms repeatedly, turning strangers into collaborators.

The Numbers That Matter

Here's what three days of intentional connection delivered:

• 15 substantive meetings (not badge scans)
• 39 actionable follow-ups (not "let's stay in touch")
• 4 game-changing relationships for 2026

And then there was the silent auction.

The industry raised $122,000 in a single night for the EDPA Foundation. We got a little too enthusiastic during a bidding war and, through some master negotiation by the auctioneer, accidentally donated both a vacation week and the bid proceeds.

"So, I'm giving up a week, but I keep the money, right?" "No, you're giving the money to the foundation too."

It was an expensive misunderstanding. But knowing that money goes to scholarships and grants for families in our industry? We'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Three Things You Can Steal

If you're planning an event, here's what EDPA Access got right:

1. Design for repeat collisions. Schedule breakfasts, breakout sessions, and dinners to provide multiple opportunities for people to meet. One interaction isn't enough.
   
2. Make meals intentional. Don't leave seating to chance. Use meals as a tool to mix people up and spark unexpected conversations.
   
3. Protect the hallway track. Content is great, but the magic happens between sessions. Don't overstuff the agenda so much that people can't actually talk.
   

What's Your Move?

We left Naples energized and ready for what's next. The question isn't whether face-to-face events still matter. They do. The question is: How are you designing yours to create a real connection?

Hear the breakdown of the event, the stats, and the stories (including the full auction saga) on The Experience Builders Podcast:

🎧 Listen here: Episode 063 - Inside EDPA Access 2025: Strengthening Ties and Sparking Change