I am still feeling the jet lag but back in the swing of things and have finally had some time to reflect on the whirlwind that was JPM Week in San Francisco.

1.        You don’t have to be one of the “cool kids.”

In high school, I always felt like I was just on the edge of popular. People liked me. I had friends. But I was never one of “those” kids. In fact, I was asked to pose for the yearbook holding my calculus book in the library with a pencil up my nose. Yes, it’s true. Here you go:

Lara, age 17 with a pencil in her nose

So, really not one of “those” kids. When Thang Vo-Ta and I were thinking of going to JPM week, there was a lot of hesitation because neither of us could get anywhere near the actual conference. Turns out you don’t need to. There was plenty to do in the many, many side events. In between the British Consulate-General in San Francisco ‘s DBT event, Organon Pharmaceuticals, Springboard Enterprises , my KPMG pal Ryan Breen and lunch with my team, I didn’t get much downtime. And that was just in 36 hours.

2.        Reconnecting with old friends, i.e. sofa surfing it’s a “start up house”

When my pal, the amazing Adam Brown, MD MBA told me that hotels were stupid expensive that week, I didn’t believe him. Until I checked. And emailed my Marriott Bonvoy representative. 15K for 2 nights at the W? 1500 bucks a night for a Residence Inn? You’ve got to be kidding me. But there was lemonade to be made, as I, along with almost everyone else I know, found it an opportunity to connect with old friends. I’m not much of a sofa-surfer, but my friend and CLCC supporter, Leah Harrison, gave me shelter, wine and egg salad. And quite a few good laughs.

3.        People genuinely want to help.

I’ve now been to my share of conferences and they really can be a mixed bag. One of the problems in start-up life that bugs me is the power dynamic between investors and founders. Or at least many investors and many founders. I’m not always sure what human factors are at play there, if you can read between the lines. But at JPM I was constantly surrounded by people who were a) genuinely interested in what CLCC is doing, b) wanting to help and c) offering me a card, a call, an email or an introduction.

In addition to all the professional love I received, I got to see the big hearted Thang Vo-Ta in action as he coordinated the delivery of some very precious hamster food from my sister’s house to the city in time for his flight home (I left early) to help my daughter grow her small animal care social media presence. Age 15 and she’s got fully grown adults chasing each other around Northern California in the name of healthy dentition. The girl is going places!

4.        There are a lot of really innovative people out there

Like, I’m not the only one with good ideas. I was a little humbled to be sitting at the Springboard showcase morning listening to the likes of Cheri Ackerman talk about the future of healthcare. From AI to microbes to disease prevention altogether, some crazy stuff is happening out there. It’s not just the vagina that is rockin, my friends.

5.        Waymos are way cool

Back to the Cheri Ackerman who called me a Waymo and insisted I try it. It’s freaky. But it’s kind of awesome. San Francisco really is a city that celebrates innovation. What a perfect place for JPM week. I’ll be back!