Last week, I headed to San Francisco for Rippling’s 2025 Partner Advisory Board summit. And while I’m definitely not mad about the welcome reception, Giants game, or dinner at Mister Jiu’s, that’s not what makes this trip important. What matters most to me is being in the room where conversations happen before decisions are made.
In a business world that’s leaning harder than ever into automation, delegation, and async everything, it’s easy to underestimate the power of physically showing up. But I’ve learned that some of the biggest shifts in business don’t happen in a Zoom call or an email thread. They happen face-to-face, over honest conversations with people who are actually building the tools we use every day. That’s what this is about. Not just showing up for a vendor meeting, but sitting at a selective table with Rippling’s top product leaders, sales execs, and a handful of carefully chosen partners to talk honestly about what’s working, what’s not, and where we go next.
I wasn’t invited here to nod along. I was invited to bring real feedback from the field- what’s happening with our clients, where the friction still exists, and how the tools need to evolve if we’re serious about supporting fast-growing businesses. I’m not here for a photo op. I’m here because I’ve built efficient, tech-driven firms that rely on these systems, and I want to make them better. And let’s be real, this isn’t just about talking to Rippling. It’s also about connecting with the other partners and advisors in the room- people who are solving the same challenges, navigating the same growth pain, and pushing their teams just as hard toward scale and sustainability.
What I appreciate most about this kind of gathering is that it’s not open to just anyone. The Rippling Partner Advisory Board is a curated group of professionals who’ve been selected because we’re already doing the work, already operating at a certain level. That exclusivity means the conversations are sharper, the feedback is more actionable, and the collaboration has real weight behind it. This isn’t surface-level networking. This is real-time problem-solving with people who actually get it.
And here’s the part I’m really proud of: I’m not bringing my laptop. I’m not juggling client calls between sessions or trying to sneak in emails during lunch. I’m showing up fully present because I’ve built my firms to run without me needing to be in the weeds. My systems, my team, and my automation do their thing so I can do mine, which this week, is to think bigger, contribute honestly, and engage fully in the moment. That’s the whole point of working on your business instead of in it. This is what that looks like in practice.
So no, I’m not attending RPAB 2025 just to collect some swag and check a box. I’m showing up because I care about how this platform evolves. I care about how it impacts the businesses I support and the team I lead. And I believe in having a voice in the conversations that shape the future. I’ll share my takeaways when I’m back, but for now, I’ll just say this: some of the most important things you’ll ever do for your business don’t happen behind your desk. They happen in the rooms you make the effort to be in.
