Recap of FinCon 2025 – Epic Financial Journey

We did it!

We successfully survived our very first FinCon and boy do we have some thoughts to share.

Although neither of us really knew what to expect ahead of time since it was our first time attending, it’s safe to say that things turned out even more differently than either of us anticipated.

Scout

When all was said and done, FinCon 2025 ended up being a memorable & worthwhile experience and I’m very glad that I attended. This isn’t to say that there weren’t any ups & downs along the way though, along with some very interesting observations.

High High Hopes

Ever since buying my ticket a year ago, I’ve been beyond excited to attend my first FinCon. I had been hearing about this conference for years and always held it in high esteem as THE personal finance event to attend, in fact even considering it the granddaddy of all personal finance events. It seemed like THE place to be.

From my past experience attending numerous FI events I anticipated a strong sense of community, camaraderie, and bonding due to everyone’s shared experiences & interests with money. Even knowing that most people in attendance wouldn’t necessarily be into Financial Independence like I was, at the end of the day we were all still money nerds, right? And how can you ever go wrong with that?

A secondary motivation for attending was that instead of considering myself simply another generic attendee (some might even say a “FI groupie”) as I would’ve been in the past, I’m now actually an official member of the content creator community. I really wanted to connect with others in the blogging space to not only learn about their backgrounds, but to also learn from their experiences and get their opinions on the future of blogging as a whole. Since The Squire and I have been primarily working on Epic Financial Journey alone, I thought FinCon would be a great opportunity to interact with others.

Even Higher Expectations

Everything started out fine, except for the fact that I spilled coffee all over myself in the car on the drive down and promptly remembered that I had only packed one pair of pants. I mean, who would’ve thought that I’d require multiple pants for such a short, 3-day event? But I digress, that’s a whole different story and a completely different adventure… (If you ever meet me in person though, feel free to ask for more details and I’d be happy to share)

Getting back on track… the evening before the conference officially kicked-off The Squire and I attended a meetup at a local brewery hosted by Joe Saul-Sehy from Stacking Benjamins, Jesse Cramer from The Best Interest and some members of the Catching Up To FI crew. Since this meetup was focused on the Financial Independence space there were many familiar faces and it was great to catch up with everyone. This experience built up my expectations for what I thought FinCon itself might be like; a whole bunch of cool people casually hanging out talking about money, perhaps with just an occasional mention of the business-side of content creation.

I left the gathering that evening with even higher hopes of what was to come. But of course there’s usually quite a difference between hopes & reality and unfortunately that’s not quite how things played out….

Do I Even Belong Here?

The initial hint that something was awry came immediately during the very first session of FinCon we attended which happened to be a first timer’s orientation for what all of us noobs could expect during the conference. When I heard the phrases “if you’re not talking to someone at all times” and “if you’re eating lunch by yourself then you’re wasting an opportunity”, I immediately knew that FinCon was going to be way different than what I had ever previously experienced at a FI event. In addition there was further encouragement to “get out there and start seeing what the brands had to offer us creators”.

Strike 1. I had wanted to meet people and build relationships & friendships based on our shared interests (of money), not based solely on quid pro quo in a purely business sense. It felt like this event was meant to be strictly transactional in nature only – not at all what I was into.

(For those not familiar with FinCon, this conference has dual purposes – primarily as a way for financial content creators to come together, but secondarily as a platform for creators and companies to form partnerships for advertising & brand awareness).

The next shot across the bow came almost immediately when a well-known speaker adamantly declared in front of a packed audience of hundreds of people, “long-form content is dead and the future is short-form (video clips)”.

But wait a second, isn’t blogging a type of “long-form” content? Indeed it is… Yikes!

Strike 2. Although The Squire and I were super excited about Epic Financial Journey and really just starting to get into blogging ourselves, an “expert” had told us point blank that we were instantly irrelevant.

With morale quickly fading I checked the rest of the conference schedule to see what sort of upcoming content I could potentially learn about and participate in. To my dismay, although there were a ton of options to choose from, as far as my eye could see it was all dominated by 2 very distinct themes – YouTube and Artificial Intelligence.

Strike 3. Both of these topics were ones that I had little interest in and didn’t feel were even relevant for me to learn about (in terms of being applicable to Epic Financial Journey itself or blogging as a whole).

This seemed to be the nail in the coffin.

What was I even doing at FinCon?

Did I even belong here?

Let’s Get Out Of Here

With my confidence & hopes in the dumpster and questioning why I was even here in the first place (all before lunch on the first day mind you), a crazy thought briefly crossed my mind…

Why don’t we just leave? With hundreds of attendees surely nobody would notice. But even if someone did notice, would it matter and would anyone even care?

Of course it was absurd to even have this thought, but my mind quickly tried to justify it – acknowledging the value of time, one of the only unrenewable resources, I wondered why I should purposely spend time at a conference that I wouldn’t get anything out of. Although The Squire and I had already paid for tickets, booked a hotel, and planned to be away from our families for a couple days longer, surely we could find more valuable ways to spend that time (even if it was just hanging around the Portland area checking out the local sights).

I tried to justify this potential decision even further by defiantly stating that I shouldn’t fall prey to Sunk Cost Fallacy, which is the natural tendency to keep doing something that we’ve already invested heavily in (through time, money, effort, etc) even when giving up is clearly a better idea. In my mind, perhaps the “better idea” was giving up on FinCon.

Even going as far as checking The Squire’s pulse to see if he’d buy into this harebrained idea, I ultimately decided to stick it out.

So what if our content platform was deemed irrelevant? Blogging was our chosen medium for a reason because we felt more comfortable with the written word over other options such as audio or video.
So what if most conference attendees were only there to meet others in an effort to further their businesses? I had a feeling that there still had to be some people attending with different motives, even if it were just a tiny few.
So what if almost all the sessions and learning opportunities were focused on YouTube and AI? Surely there were some little nuggets of knowledge that I could glean from these sessions and apply to blogging. At the very least, it would be interesting to learn more about other content mediums and stay up-to-date with the latest financial trends.

So in the end, “we” or perhaps just “I” (since I don’t think The Squire ever had these strong, strange thoughts) decided to stick around and give things a chance.

And spoiler alert, things did get better…

Turning Things Around

Over the course of the next few days I tried to keep an open mind while also admittedly keeping expectations low, so that l wouldn’t be let down again.

While most of the sessions did turn out to be largely irrelevant (in terms of applicability to blogging), I did admittedly pick up little bits & pieces of helpful information along the way. For example, how AI can be a useful tool for not only content creation but also in everyday life if harnessed and implemented correctly. In addition, I picked up good information and insight for how other content creators interact with their communities, with a particular focus on how they can best help.
Although most attendees were indeed at FinCon to focus on growing their content platforms, I found out that this didn’t preclude most of them from also being genuinely nice people who still were interested in building personal relationships. Not only was I able to continue hanging out with old friends, but I was also able to turn previously casual acquaintances into real friends as well as meeting so many completely new people.
I was comforted to learn that blogging wasn’t completely dead after all. Yes, the medium itself, along with other types of long-form content, is admittedly on the decline (which I was already aware of), but I was given so much encouragement that there was still an audience out there and that I could still make an impact in people’s lives. Shout out to Doug Nordman (Military Financial Independence) and Jesse Cramer in particular for their kind words of support.

See Ya Next Year?

While FinCon 2025 turned out well in the end, I’m honestly not sure if I’ll be heading back to another one in the future. Although the conference proved to be less transactional than I had originally felt on that first morning, it still felt transactional nonetheless (at least compared to FI-specific events like EconoMe, CampFI, or Camp Mustache). I did learn a lot as well, but these days there is so much information & knowledge available everywhere that engaging with others in-person is no longer a vital necessity.

But never say never… After all, who can turn down an opportunity to hang out with fellow money nerds and talk (personal) finance non-stop for a few days in a row?

So perhaps I may see some of you in Palm Springs next year for FinCon 2026…

We shall see…

Bonus TidBits & Realizations

Here are some of the additional, miscellaneous thoughts that entered my mind while attending FinCon based on my personal experiences throughout the event.

Financial Independence is even more niche than I thought. I’ve always intellectually known that FIRE is such a tiny subset of people, but at the same time I don’t always sense it, perhaps because most of the time I tend to live in a FI bubble myself. However, attending FinCon (which is ironically a niche in itself amongst the backdrop of a much larger finance/investing category) made me realize just how small the FI community actually is. When other attendees asked what area of personal finance I created content for, I received many bemused and/or interested looks when I said “Financial Independence”. My absolute favorite looks were the ones where I could easily infer someone thinking to themselves, “FI… Oh, that’s so cute, but is anyone even into that?”
We all have different voices and people we relate to. Not that I ever really felt like FinCon was a conference full of competitors looking to ruthlessly attract an audience at the expense of others, but attending in-person made me fully realize that it wasn’t a zero-sum game where one side needs to lose in order for the other side to gain. In fact, I actually came away feeling more like all of us are in this together, whether that’s specifically as financial content creators or more generally as members of a finance community. Everyone has a unique voice based on their own life-experiences and circumstances. Because of this, someone may be more naturally attracted to one person over others and that’s perfectly fine. We all just need to find those we can relate to because in most cases they will have the biggest impact on our lives. I personally hope that my voice and my own experiences are relatable to others and that I can somehow provide help to others on their financial journeys.
Everyone is so nice. Speaking of all the different content creators in attendance and all of their unique voices, absolutely everyone I met was so nice, friendly, and helpful. I experienced the same thing at previous FI events that I’ve attended, so I wasn’t too surprised to come across the same phenomenon at FinCon. There was a good mix of veterans right alongside noobs with information & helpful tips flowing back & forth. It was truly a collaborative environment for all. And not that it was my main intention for attending, but on a personal level I was able to meet some of the creators (mostly podcasters) that I looked up to over the years. In particular, I finally had the opportunity to meet Paula Pant from Afford Anything and chat with her for a few minutes. Completely unbeknownst to her, Paula has been such a huge influence in my life, by not only providing relevant financial content over the years, but also because it was through her that I was first introduced to the FIRE movement back in 2018. Epic Financial Journey and perhaps my own motivation to retire early may never have existed if it weren’t for Paula. I’m so thankful that at last I had a chance to express my gratitude directly to her face-to-face.
Perhaps I have a bigger frugal problem than I thought. I’ve shared the Ridiculously Over-the-Top Frugal Habits that I have, so most of y’all should already be aware. (Just so you know, I’m not ashamed at all and I think it’s funny, so don’t ever be afraid to call me out on it.) Simultaneously, since these habits have been so ingrained in me, I never thought too much about them and perhaps even had the misperception that “everyone” in the FI community was like this. But reality hit me square in the face as The Squire & I were checking out of the hotel and I asked out loud which one of us should take home the travel-size shampoo and spare toilet paper. Ready for a friendly brawl to see who got what, instead he gave me a confused look and simply said “go for it, I haven’t done that since college” (which was over 22 years ago). Yikes. Shots fired. For a split-second I started to question all my life-decisions and wondered if I was doing something wrong… but then just as quickly I snapped out of it and threw the shampoo & toilet paper happily into my backpack! Both items were all mine… Booyah!
Time is a scarce resource; we need to prioritize how it’s spent. Whether we’re working full-time in a career, we’re already retired, we’re creating money content or whatever else it may be, all of us are busy. It’s hard to find time to do those things we love, so in most cases we don’t even get around to doing them. But it’s important to intentionally carve out time for what we value, particularly when it comes to relationships. The Squire & I live relatively close to each other, but still just far enough away that we rarely get to see each other in-person. In addition to distance, each of us has a busy schedule and we each have families with kids. So hanging out at FinCon together for a few days was a rare opportunity that each of us relished. It also made us realize that we don’t get to do it nearly enough. I’m not 100% sure if we’ll actually follow-through with it, but we’ve discussed deliberately attending a single FI event together each year in an effort to create more of these opportunities that we both value.

The Squire

FinCon 2025 was such an interesting experience!

Yes, I knew that not only would there be a lot of people in the finance world, but I would get a chance to attend with my good friend Scout. This was going to be a win-win situation no matter what.

I also knew that a lot of people would be looking to find ways to learn and collaborate with other content creators. How that would play out was different than I anticipated.

Having done almost no research and wanting to experience the whole conference as an outsider dipping my toes into this world, I found it a little overwhelming at times, but was able to eventually settle in.

Content Creators Share Their Tips

The conference sessions were full of generous creators sharing processes and tips they’ve found along the way through creating their financial videos, books, websites, coaching, tools, platforms, and so much more.

Of course people were proud of their products and purpose, but I was especially impressed with their passions. Many of the attendees had left previous jobs to pursue their real interest in finance, and so many of them were just starting out. It was great to hear their stories and endeavors along the way. I talked to quite a few people who are just getting a feel for the industry and still deciding how they want to develop their content.

I had anticipated many more large companies being represented with just sales people. Don’t get me wrong, there were some bigger companies, but the vast majority were small, most of the people there being the creators themselves, looking to learn (and share) actionable steps to better serve their audience.

Branding, influencers, and sponsors are seemingly becoming a much bigger part of the financial creators’ repertoire, and these parts of the industry were showcased and represented at FinCon. This had not been as apparent to me in my everyday interactions with the personal finance content I typically consume.

Short Form Is In

A number of sessions highlighted the move to short videos and clips. This surprised me a bit, because podcasts and blogs have been my go-to in personal finance for so long, that I didn’t realize the amount of people who learn through short form.

It makes sense though. Typically people don’t have a lot of time to look at their finances, and getting little nuggets of information can really add up over time.

I learned that this form of content creation isn’t easy to do, and success is very dependent on whether people’s video feeds include theirs, so regularly going viral is key here, bringing people to their other content.

Blogs

Although there was a lot of talk about blogs being outdated, there were a number of people excited to share about their successful, new, and upcoming blogs. The representation at the mainstage was not there, and there may have only been a single session about blogs, but there was no doubt that the bloggers I met were still passionate and excited to publish great, in-depth content that they could share on their own websites.

Financial Independence

I recognized a number of people who contribute content in the Financial Independence space, and was super excited to see them! I had met some attendees at the EconoMe conference in 2024, and several of them even recognized me. There were even some breakout groups dedicated to talking about FI, and it was so much fun to talk with my people!

The funny thing, at least for me, is how these FI people tended to talk less about products they were selling and more about their financial journeys and passions. Unfortunately, these breakout sessions were on the last day, and there wasn’t a lot of time left to chat much further beyond the allotted time.

I was very curious going into the conference what percentage of the people were going to be a part of the Financial Independence space, and I’d say it was less than I had expected! I was surprised how many people weren’t familiar with FI.

Overall Assessment

The number of people at FinCon interested in blogs and Financial Independence was much lower than I had anticipated! Although this did bum me out a bit, I really did develop an appreciation for the amount of passion and collaboration that people were excited to share.

I learned a lot about the world of financial contributors that I’m now a part of, and I was really excited and motivated to learn about others’ stories and contributions to the community.

I really enjoyed being there with Scout, and it was great to be able to check-in throughout the conference and bounce new ideas and information off each other. The fact that this event wasn’t far away from home was fantastic for timing and cost. There was great insight and information I learned that hopefully I will be able to use for this blog and my personal life.

I’m very glad I attended. However, I don’t think this is the type of conference I would anticipate attending every year. I’m sure in the coming months and years I might shift my thinking, and may want to reach back to this community for more inspiration and actionable steps as we navigate through the personal finance contributor world.

Links/Resources

Reader Questions

Have you attended FinCon (or any other in-person personal finance/FI event)? If so, what was your experience like and what are you looking forward to at future events?

Leave your answers or comments below – or email us directly at info@epicfinancialjourney.com