Future Proof: Finding Ways to Lean In If You Missed Out

Dave Nadig, President and Director of Research here at ETF.com, did a great interview with Bob Pisani, former CNBC Senior Markets Correspondent, at Future Proof a couple of weeks ago. You can watch the video, and you should. What I’ll be discussing is based on some of what they chatted about regarding vibes, connection, and community. 

But the reality is that I wasn’t there. I started at ETF.com after Future Proof was already underway in Huntington Beach, CA. Instead, I’ve been immersed in hours and hours of footage of advisors, issuers, and media folks, all talking about why they were there. And wow, do I feel like I missed out.

Bob’s interview really nails why Future Proof hits different and why it matters. It also highlights why what we’re going to be building here at ETF.com matters now more than ever. Seriously, don’t skip the video; there are some great industry insights that I’ll talk about another time. But for now, I want to focus on connection and community and what to do if, like me, you missed out on attending Future Proof this month.

If you're wanting just the video and transcript, you can find that here. 

Acknowledging the Backdrop

None of us exist in a bubble. It would be great to roll into a job every day and only have to worry about what’s directly in front of you. I have some friends who are really phenomenal at this kind of compartmentalization, and there are some jobs that lend themselves to this type of flow state. Finance, inherently, isn’t one of those jobs. It requires staying at least somewhat immersed and aware of what’s going on locally, regionally, and globally. And that kind of immersion seems increasingly heavy to engage with.

Current existence also feels like a very liminal space. The old playbooks haven’t just been thrown out the window; they’ve been torched in many cases. As for the new playbooks, well, that seems unclear. If there were a buzzword for the last 18 months, and for this year in particular, it would easily be “uncertainty.”

And existing with uncertainty day in and day out, particularly when you must be a ballast for clients, family, and friends overwhelmed by how much everything is right now, takes a toll. Throw into the mix that the digital arena is increasingly trustless, with AI mimicry and fabrication making it difficult to discern fact from fiction, and finding anything authentic feels so incredibly fraught.

“We don’t know what’s real or not online anymore—there’s so much AI fakery,” Pisani lamented. “Here [at Future Proof], there’s a sense of authenticity. Unless you’re a really good robot, you’re definitely Dave Nadig. You’re definitely here, and that’s very reassuring, I think.”

The Magic of Shared Interests and Experiences in Physical Spaces

So how do you build something that is both meaningful and matters these days, particularly in finance? You do it in person when possible, you focus on the human, and you foster community. Events like Future Proof, and chances to build community, matter now more than ever.

And what do you do if, like me, you missed out on Future Proof? You take this formula and start threading it into your day-to-day, stringing the bright lights of connection across the uncertainty of the now to build to something bigger—to create community in all the spaces you inhabit.

Connection used to come easier, before the aggressively digital version of reality we live in, rife with parasocial relationships. Pisani talked about forging new connections with 4,000 others working on the New York Stock Exchange in the ‘90s, through shared interests in music and sports. Sharing lived daily experiences frequently punctuated by the larger-than-life didn’t hurt, either.

“What would you give to meet all of your heroes? Every rock star, every queen and king you’ve ever wanted to meet—15,000 bell ringings in 30 years, you meet everybody,” shared Pisani. “It creates this sense of belonging on the floor.”

That same kind of connection these days must be intentionally curated. We live in a culture increasingly dominated by the digital attention economy. It’s so easy to lose chunks of time scrolling any kind of social media, getting caught up in constant refreshes of the news cycle, and feeling the immediacy and demand of perpetually accessible digital communication. It’s easy to partially tune out of, well, everything.

Future Proof demands presence, physically and mentally. It engages attendees with music, activities like surfing and yoga, food trucks, and thousands of conversations shared under the sunny skies of California. There’s great content, but there are even better opportunities to forge new connections with Breakthru meetings.

The Future Proof videos I’ve been immersed in are populated by smiling faces—genuinely energized and present individuals from all walks of the finance life, delighted by the shared experience that is Future Proof. I’m bummed I couldn’t make it, but I’m using it as inspiration in my own life.

I’m prioritizing the time I get with people in person when possible, silencing my phone, and being present. I’m also leaning into the shared interests of the people around me. One friend lends me comics, and we talk about the cultural grounding of stories and characters. I engage in shared storytelling with my friend group that plays weekly D&D, and take my kids to events at our local library. I’m taking the extra 10 minutes to chat with my neighbors about what’s big in their lives. I’m showing up instead of checking out.

In all these ways, I’m shoring up connections and creating a sense of belonging for myself. It’s not difficult, but it takes intentionality to make the space, time, and presence for those around you. It’s meeting a client over lunch as opposed to just taking a phone call. It’s going out for dinner and playing trivia with colleagues, or chatting in the elevator about how great the soundtrack for K-Pop Demon Hunters is.

The rewards are worth it, and you’ll be surprised by the shape and size of the community you can build, one intentional connection at a time. Oh, and stay tuned, because we’re going to be building some really exciting things here at ETF.com in the coming months as we take our own advice and lean big into community.