DC Mexico 2024 Recap: Pics, Slides, Memories, and More
This was our biggest Spring event yet. We had 201 attendees, 20 presentations, 60 meet-ups, and countless conversations. The goal was to create more connections between attendees.
Playa and the Hyatt were successful locations despite being first-time hosts to a major DC event.
Here’s a 2-Minute Video on What We Were Up To:
Here's What Members Had to Say:
“The event will be a highlight of my year. Exotic beach, 5-star hotel, interesting, kind, and fun people, and tons of business value. I had an amazing time and feel very lucky to be a part of this community and be able to attend and take part in these events.” Frankie Thorogood
“It exceeded expectations! I’m so glad I went, and I am eager to go to future events. Everyone is warm, welcoming, and wired the same way, so the energy is phenomenal. Great job curating the right people.” Kelly Phenicie
A Little DC Mexico History
The first major DC spring event was in Austin in April 2018. By April 2019, DC Austin was gaining momentum. When 2020 rolled around, COVID stopped that event (many refunds had to be issued!). Due to the pandemic, other cities were considered for a Spring event. In 2021, the event was moved to Mexico City, and ‘DCMEX’ was born. In 2022, we did DC Playa Del Carmen, then in 2023, we repeated DCMEX in Mexico City.
For 2024, we wanted something new, tropical, and had beach vibes. That’s why Playa Del Carmen was chosen for DC Mexico.
It was fun experimenting with different locations, as they significantly alter the event atmosphere. We’ve now found a home for our Spring event in Playa Del Carmen.
Why Playa Del Carmen?
As Dan and Ian like to say on the pod, the city has an amazing ‘UI.’ Everything you need is within 15 minutes of walking distance: restaurants, gyms, pools, and the beach.
Maybe the most important factor is the community here. There are incredible DCers living in Playa who welcome DCers to their homes, making the city better. These DCers were extremely helpful in hosting meet-ups, providing advice, and making us feel at home.
Shoutout to Jordan Carroll, Serge Zhevelyuk, Kristen Zalatan, Karla Singson, Alex Jimenez, Aurika Savickaite, David Lukauskas, and Jason Long.
DC Mexico 2024 Highlights
Quick highlights:
200 attendees
20 presentations from the stage
60 member-organized meet-ups
Every party was within walking distance
Useful swag (beach bag, lip balm, and sunscreen)
50% of attendees joined pre-event Coffee Calls
Structure networking: DCMex Mixer, Member Meets, and Masterminds
Families turned it into a vacation. DCers brought the whole family and they were busy going on day trips and hanging by the pool.
Our Hotel Partner is the Hyatt. Everyone was pleasantly surprised by its beauty and perfect downtown location.
Pool Time. I’ve never seen so many pics of DCers in a pool. We’ve had pool parties at other events, but I think this event has the record for the most time in the pool.
We started early. We started at 9:30 and ended earlier each day. The sun and ocean breeze woke us up and got us moving. This gave us more time to hang out in the afternoon.
‘Healthy’ is trending. There were more morning workouts, pool hangs, and breakfast meetings than in previous events. Meanwhile, there fewer late nights.
Structured Networking. The goal was to give you more connections, and that was achieved with the DCMex Mixer, Member Meets, and Masterminds.
A Truly Tropical Event. I’ve never seen so many barefooted DCers enjoying the sand and taking in the tropical vibe.
Pre-Event Connections
Coffee Calls
50% of attendees participated in Coffee Calls before the event. This was a way for participants to meet other DCers in quick one-on-one conversations.
During the event, attendees recognized each other from the virtual calls and walked into the event with new friends.
Bios of Attendees
DCers shared short bios and listed what they were working on and business owners they wanted to meet.
This was one of our most viewed forum posts in March and April, as attendees read bios and reached out to meet attendees.
The Two Scholarship Winners
Since 2017, our community members have paid to send thirteen entrepreneurs to DC events in Bangkok, Austin, London, and Mexico City.
This has happened thanks to the ‘Event Scholarship’ tradition. Before each major event, members rally resources and help pay for the trip expenses of deserving members.
The tradition started in 2017, thanks to Greg Gerber (Gerbz). He was struck by the value of in-person connections at DC events and wanted to help more members experience the magic for themselves.
This year we hosted two scholarships:
Scholarship for DC Members
Scholarship for the TMBA
Here were the winners:
Rob Sanchez - DC Scholarship
Thomas Griswold - TMBA Scholarship
These DCers had the chance to experience a DC event in person for the first time.
This happened thanks to the generosity of Greg Gerber and Allen Walton, who sponsored the scholarships
The Grand Hyatt Hotel & Playa Del Carmen
There was lots of love for PDC and the Hyatt. The Hyatt quickly won over the community, with it’s ocean breezes, stunning views, and plenty of areas to hang out.
In downtown Playa Del Carmen, no taxis were necessary. Everything is a 10-15 minute walk. Most of the attendees stayed at the Hyatt, but those who didn’t could easily participate and walk to the venue quickly.
Ther are more food and bar options within a stone’s throw than any other venue we’ve chosen. With all the walking around the streets felt like hotel hallways and DCers were bumping into each other everywhere.
60+ Meet-Ups
Members frequently ask, “When should I arrive before the event?” It’s safe to say you can arrive one week before and there’ll be plenty of things going on. There were 60 meet-ups led by DCers that were published in event app, and even more were organized in the WhatsApp group. Two weeks after the event, DCers were still organizing meet-ups in the chat.
Here were some of the meet-ups:
Tours and Food Experiences
Taco Tour
Coffee Tour
Chichen Itza
Couples Night
Filipino Cooking Class
Dinner and Art Gallery
Cozumel Snorkling
DC Stand Up Comedy Night
Playacar Pool Party
Tulum Day Trip
Cenote Trip
Prviate Yacht with Open Bar & Food
Activities and Sport
Golf Day
Boxing
Coco Bongo
Karoake
Spin Class
Xcarat Adventure Park
Game Night!
Morning Runs
Pick-Up Basketball
Open Water Swimming
Morning Workouts
Hydrotherapy Circuit
Sunset Paddle Boarding
Ice Bath and Breathwork on the Beach
Learnings and Networking
DC Flail
Crypto 2024
DCMex Mixer
DC Coworking
How are you using AI?
Overcoming Burnout
Content Creators Meet-Up
Hiring and Remote Team Culture
VC Fundraising and Angel Investing
Fun for the Whole Family
Even though event is only for attendees, families were keeping busy throughout the whole event. One DCer told me “My family has seen more of Mexico than I have!”
The ‘DC Families’ were connected in a WhatsApp group. They were able to make plans and coordinate activities together. DC Families enjoyed:
Walking tours
Cenote trip
Tulum trip
Chicen Itza tour
Lunches and dinners together
They were also hanging out by the pool and the kids were active in the free activities offered by the Hyatt. Some local members even invited families over to their pools. I hope the families are excited to come back next year!
Pre-Event: Sunday, May 5th, 2024
DC Mex Mixer
The night before the event, we hosted the ‘DC Mex Mixer,’ where DCers had a chance to make new friends in a structured way.
The activities were led by Noel Andrews and Seonaid Beckwith, who provided the structure and the questions for attendees to ask each other. This was a successful event function that we hope to repeat at future events.
DC Black Cocktail Party
The DC Black members got together after the DC Mex Mixer on the beachfront patio at the Hyatt. There was good food, drink, and conversations, and many of the members were anxious to meet each other for the first time.
Day 1: Monday, May 6th | Masterminds, Meet-Ups, and DC Black Day
Women’s Breakfast
The women of the DC got together for breakfast and structured conversations. They had a chance to get to know each other some more.
Masterminds
81% of attendees participated in masterminds; this is an all-time high. Our events usually average a 75% participation rate. The last two events have had some changes that have led to the increase. One major improvement is the masterminds are hosted in smaller, quieter rooms for an intimate experience.
Member-Led Meet-Ups
Since we started at 9:30, the Masterminds were able to finish at 2:30 PM. This gave us a full afternoon for meet-ups.
Here were the Monday Meet-Ups:
DC Flails: Founders Breaking Through $250k Annual Revenue with Robin Stift
Remote Hiring & Team Culture with Noel Andrews & Greg Valentine
Coaches and Consultants with Tom Rogers
ADHD Discussion with Eagan Heath
How are you using AI today? with Frank Jones
Content Creators: Video Creators, Podcasters & Writers with Seonaid Beckwith and Gabriel Gelman
Crypto 2024 with Greg Gerber
‘DC Black Day’
On Monday, instead of the traditional ‘Mastermind Day,’ 35 DC Black members participated in a different experince. There were presentations, discussions of ‘shiny objects’, and special guests Noah Kagan and Ayman Al Abdullah.
The day kicked off with a presentation from Pete Schuh who shared the story and learnings from his recent exit. It was an epic story with some helpful, tactical takeaways.
Next, Alex Pantich, Ryan Carrigan, and Pat Doyle gave awesome lightning talks, each offering a unique perspective on entrepreneurial success:
Optimizing an Old-School Business by Alex Pantich
How to use affiliate marketing to take a brand from $0 to $20 million in under 2 years by Ryan Carrigan
Bootstrapped to Private Equity by Pat Doyle
Mid-day, they had a sushi lunch at the Hyatt. After lunch, they broke into small groups to discuss peer’s shiny objects.
The day wrapped up with Noah Kagan and Ayman Al Abdullah who shared insights on how they escalated from 4.5M to 80MM in annual revenue. It was interesting to hear from both of their perspectives how the partnership evolved as they grew.
Opening Party Tropical Party
Sticking with DC tradition, the opening party had tropical vibes with attendees bringing out their best floral attire.
Founder Feud
The day began with an interactive game called Founder Feud. Our emcee, Adam Palmeter, pitted audience members against each other in guessing different ‘DC Business' questions. All of the data came from your answers, so thank you for participating!
Mainstage Presentations
The day started presentation in the Grand Ballroom. We heard from:
Ray Blakney - From ‘Set for Life’ to Calls with Bankruptcy Lawyers in One Week
Rob te Braake - How Being a Bad Manager Makes a Great Team
Freddy Lansky - My Biggest Win of 2021: Failing at Buying a Business
Karla Singson - What I Learned from Starting All Over Again, Many
Times in My Life
Emil Barr - Lessons from Running a $2M Agency While Being a Full-Time College Student
(All presention slides available to Dynamite Circle member in the forum)
[New Activity] Member Meets
After lunch, we tried out a new activity called ‘Member Meets.’ DCers were placed in random groups and asked to share their ideas on marketing and operational topics.
Attendees enjoyed the chance to speak with DCers they had never met, and have deeper conversations with friends.
Meet-Ups
After the Member Meets, the finished with more member led meet-ups. Here were the Tuesday meet-ups:
Angel Investing and VC in the DC with Derek Rodriguez and Bob Sheard
SaaS Founders Meet-up with Amar Ghose
Business Acquisition Meet-Up
Course Creators Met-up with John Ainsworth
Real Estate Meet-up with Jeff Fruhwirth
Overcoming Burnout with Jamie Toyne
Party at Zitla
Our Tuesday Party was a casual hang at the Zitla bar. Members continued their conversations from earlier over some good food and drink.
Day 3: Wednesday, May 8th, 2024
Mainstage Presentations
We spent the final day together in the Grand Ballroom, hearing stories and tactics from fellow DCers. Here’s who presented on Wendesday:
DC Black Panel - 5 Insights From Working with 100 7&8 Figure Founders
John Doherty - A Journey to Happiness
Max Sinclair - Surviving the Start-Up Apocalypse
Pamela Wagner - Hustle Less and Live More
Crystal Stranger - The simple hack I used to make $10,000 in the first week of my new venture on LinkedIn
Jeff Sauer - Million Dollar Merger: How a Merger and Swallowing Your Pride Might be the Boost You Need
Ayman Al Abdullah - The 5 Things a CEO Can't Delegate
Timothy Moser - How a Rebrand Took Us from Layoffs to Seven Figures
Khai Nguyen - Acquiring Businesses (Your Way)
Jenna Clark - The Art of Looking Better and Bigger Than You Are
Jeff Fruhwirth - Maybe Just Be Better
Jason Long - Top Tools Every CEO Needs
Sam Hill - Fractional HR Lessons
Cathryn Lavery - From Exit to Entry
Closing Party (with Fire Dancers!)
The Closing Party on the beach kept the tropical theme strong. Since the party was on the sandy beach, DCers kicked off their shoes and settled right into the good times. One of the surprises of the night was the fire show.
The Whova Contest Winner
We ran a contest to see who could win the most points in Whova. The competition was heated, and everyone who participated gave a valient effort. Congratulations to our winner, Jordan Carroll!
Shoutout to everyone else who made the top ten:
Frank Jones
Jonathan B. Strong
Jeff Fruhwirth
Khai Nguyen
Serge Zhevelyuk
Alex Salinsky
Patty Castaneda
Alexandra Jimenez
Nattha Wannissorn
Looking Ahead to DC Mexico 2025
Next Spring, we’re planning on coming back to the Hyatt and Playa Del Carmen. There’s a lot of excitement around the venue, the location, the sunshine, and the tropical vibes. We’re excited to play it again next year.
Many DCers have signed on to join us again next year. Shoutout to the DCers who bought the first five tickets for DC Mexico 2025 and earned themselves a rare ‘Stone Face Ian Selfie’:
Noel Andrews
Andy Morgan
Davis Nguyen
Kevin Miller
Peter Schuh
Want to join us next year? Grab your DC Mexico 2025 ticket.
Tickets are available and prices will be increasing incrementally as we approach the event. We have a generous refund policy, so reserve early.
Thank You, Sponsors!
Of course, this event couldn’t have happened without our sponsors. These are companies from the DC, excited to support their fellow entrepreneurs.
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Remote First Recruiting - Hire Your Next Team Member in 30 Days or Less
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Thank you for checking out this post and sharing the excitement!
Some of the best ‘DC Magic’ occurs at DC events. Here are the upcoming events:
July 11-14 - DCX London
July 30-Aug. 1 - DC Black: Barcelona
Sept. 19 - DCA & DCB in Austin, Texas
Oct. 17-20 - DCBKK (Tickets Re-Open June 17th)
Dec. 6-8 - DC Black: NYC
May 2025 - DC Mexico
All of our events are only for members of the Dynamite Circle.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at some of them!
Thank you,
Alex and the DC Team
