Clayton Dorge

Aiming for simple, not easy - in work, life, and life’s work.

🛠️ @MainStSummit + ⛺️ @CapitalCamp + 🏡 @aPatternToLearn

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

Thankful Wendell wrote his words down so we can forever be reminded, encouraged, challenged, and entertained.

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@davidsenra @jeremygiffon @nickcammarata 👀 🍿

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@Jeffreyw5000 @MarcusMilione it's sooooo good and well done.

[Eric Jorgenson 📚 ☀️ @EricJorgenson]

The best stories are real life.

This is true of Ben's work, David's support of Ben, and Ben's life.

This conversation will stick with you longer than any other podcast you listen to this year, I promise you.

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@lukeburgis @brookeleblanc Agreed, Luke, huge Sheehan fan here!

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@Bleadorn I'm free. Let's ride.

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@tojulius Option 3 is the way.

[Isaac French @isaacfrench_]

Posted this quick little walkthrough on IG, and already at 1 million views in a couple hours.

These guys came up to me at @MainStSummit a few days ago. They offered to give me a tour. Wow.

I think we’re about to see a huge surge in these types of business models as AI continues to disrupt the economy and makes us reevaluate the meaning of work, and working with our hands.

What other crafts and activities could you build a membership experience around?

- blacksmithing
- garment making
- 3d printing
- greenhouses
- kitchen
- pottery

a few ideas…

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@christineist Here and @apatterntolearn especially here

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@keeper_orchard Big Bernd fan here. Originally found him via his writing on running. Stuck around for the wonderful nature tales and insights.

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

It's been a fun (i.e wild, surprising, hard, unexpected, and silly) ride!

[Emily Holdman @emilyleldridge]

It's been a joy to welcome thousands of operators and investors to our town of Columbia, Missouri over the past 8 years for @MainStSummit and @capitalcamp. Each year has offered both a whirlwind adventure all its own* and a familiar gathering of friends.

@BrentBeshore first shared the rough idea with me almost a decade ago. And if you know Brent, you know he has lots of ideas. I'll admit I was skeptical about this one. But he's never deterred by the hard work and heart required to carefully build something different and special. These gatherings have been no exception.

@Clayton_dorge and the events team** have executed flawlessly every year, through severe weather, last minute speaker changes, and even some who-would-think-of-that attendee requests. The welcoming environment so many people have remarked on is a direct reflection of their passion and commitment.

With this week marking the final MSS/CC, many people shared with me that there will be a hole in their calendar next year. I thought Steven Garber put it beautifully yesterday: "The Main Street Summit is a signpost... of what is real and true and right. It's a signpost of what could be and should be... There's no way we get it all right, but that's just true, isn't it?"

While I do look forward to seeing what other gatherings are created over time, community doesn't require a date on the calendar. Do things you care about with people you care about. Stay friends, and continue making new ones. Keep having fun.

Thanks to everyone who has made the journey to Missouri over the years. Thanks to Brent for believing it would be worthwhile. Based on the stories so many of you have shared, it certainly has been.

[Shane Parrish @shaneparrish]

From hard moments to the main stage, celebrating more than a decade of life and friendship with @BrentBeshore

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@GrahamSibley2 @MainStSummit @BrentBeshore @PermanentEquity Bummed to miss ya in passing this year, Graham! Glad you were there.

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@km @BrentBeshore Grateful for you, Kanyi!

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

Storytelling, copywriting, and interesting offline projects.

@nathanbarry and @isaacfrench_ chopping it up in The Trenches at @MainStSummit

[Emily Holdman @emilyleldridge]

Countdown for @MainStSummit has begun!

Safe travels into town. And apologies in advance for the I-70 construction…

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@stephenolmon @BrentBeshore @emilyleldridge @MainStSummit I'll give ya 10/10, thanks for the kind words Stephen - bummed to miss you this year!

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

@jwmares woah, this is fascinating.

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

Trading bandwidth for efficiency is not always worth it. The most impactful relationships and opportunities still require showing up.

~ 500 MB of data is transferred between people on a Zoom call vs. Many terabytes of data (body language, expressions, energy, tone, etc.) that transfer during an in-person conversation.

Mentioned by @kristianindy casually, this metaphor has stuck with me.

[Clayton Dorge @Clayton_Dorge]

Awesome series and fun project to see. The best collection of event/hosting lessons learned I've seen recently and proving there's always room for quality, creativity, and intentionality.

[Zelda @zeldapoem]

Launching The Art of Hosting: 10 interviews with hosts from all over the world, in partnership with @LumaHQ

Now that the internet is building itself with AI, the skills valued in the workplace are shifting, just as our desire for human connection is growing. Great hosts, people who can foster trust, friendship, learning, and creative collaboration, will become some of the most sought-after professionals.

Part of the reason we don't value hosting more today is that we haven't done a very good job of understanding the craft. When an event works, we tend to call it vibes. We notice the outcome, but not the decisions that produced it.

That's why we made The Art of Hosting. We wanted to make the backstage visible: the thinking, judgment, preparation, and craftsmanship that go into creating a room where people connect.

I spent the last few months interviewing some of my favorite hosts for Luma on how they think about curating a guest list, designing a space, creating intimacy between strangers, scaling a community, and building gatherings people want to return to.

Hosting is a love language. But it is also a craft, a technology, and increasingly, a very important job.

Read here: https://t.co/Cv4Mm11Ipx