Matthew Byrd & Phillip Ellering: 5 Years of R-CON, 2026, Community, Education, RCN Collective

Matthew Byrd and Phillip Ellering reflect on five transformative years of R-CON, the flagship conference of RCN, examining its remarkable growth from a single venue event at the Knitting Factory to a multi-venue conference attracting attendees from 17 countries. They discuss the organic evolution of the RCN community, the philosophy of people-first collaboration, and the pivotal moments that shaped the conference's identity. The conversation explores memorable presentations, the importance of authentic relationship-building, and how quality submissions make speakers stand out. Matthew and Phillip share insights on maintaining Boise as the conference home despite logistical challenges, the groundbreaking partnership with Boise State University that brought 165 students to the 2025 event, and the launch of the RCN Collective platform designed to foster year-round community engagement. Looking ahead to 2026, they reveal plans for a dramatic expansion to the Boise Center, projecting over 1,000 attendees and 70 exhibitors, while maintaining the intimate networking focus that has become R-CON's hallmark. Throughout the discussion, they emphasize the power of one—how a single connection, conversation, or attendee can create exponential impact—and share compelling stories of career transformations, business launches, and life-changing opportunities that have emerged from the R-CON community. 00:00 Five Years of R-CON: From the Knitting Factory to the Morrison Center 04:08 Early Vision and Organic Growth 08:03 Building Community Before the Conference 10:13 What Makes R-CON 2025 Different 16:28 Memorable Moments: Students, Speakers, and International Reach 23:37 The Art of Great Presentations and Quality Submissions 27:13 Boise as R-CON's Home and the BSU Partnership 35:42 The Power of One Professor: How University Collaboration Began 42:15 Launching the RCN Collective Platform 48:30 R-CON 2026: Moving to the Boise Center 54:20 The Reality Capture Industry's Exponential Growth 58:45 What You're Missing by Not Attending R-CON