The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way. - Dale Carnegie
FailCon is a one-day conference for technology entrepreneurs, investors, developers and designers to study their own and others' failures and prepare for success.
We all have founded, worked for or invested in startups that have failed. We're smart, we keep up with the latest in technology trends, but sometimes just don't go as planned. How can you predict what will work and what won't? Well, you can't.
But that doesn't mean you should stop trying. It just means you should start exchanging stories of what didn't work and how you pivoted, why you couldn't raise money, what the wrong hires were like, and when you decided it was time to let go. Entrepreneurs need to hear that from each other: that it's okay to fail, it doesn't mean you're worthless. You're just like the rest of us, learning from our making mistakes and building something bigger next time.
Our Story
FailCon begin its inception in 2009 in San Francisco, California and is now recognized internationally. We teach new lessons, focus on the best stories of the year, and continue helping founders build the strongest product they can, through FAILURE!
You aren’t a real entrepreneur until you’ve had to deal with failure, and recovering from it - financially, emotionally, and practically - can be challenging. Hear how major players in the industry have dealt with startup troubles while keeping a positive, tenacious, and energetic attitude through it all. We've been featured on NPR, in Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, the SF Chronicle, Wired Magazine, Convene Magazine, TechCrunch, and more!
We hope you'll join FailCon in Atlanta and add your unique story and experience to our own.
FailCon Atlanta Producers
Amber Saunders – Executive Producer
Originally from Atlanta, Amber graduated from Oakwood College with a B.A. in International Studies and French. While pursuing her J.D., Amber caught the startup bug and has since been a full-time entrepreneur for five years. Amber has produced events for 100 Urban Entrepreneurs and Failurebox, and serves as a mentor to the Morehouse Youth Entrepreneurs Club. Her first book will be published by Peterson's, a Nelnet Company, in 2014.
Minka Wiggins – Producer
Minka Wiggins is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and blogger. In addition to consulting with companies to help them integrate social media into their marketing strategy, she also coaches women on how to effectively navigate their career path. Minka has been involved with many diverse technology organizations in Atlanta and is currently on the board of the local chapter of the Social Media Club. She is a proponent of women in technology and entrepreneurship. As a native Atlantan, she is an avid supporter of her city and volunteers her time with the Atlanta Beltline.
Christine Walker – Producer
Christine’s humble beginnings began in the South, with her dad trying to persuade her to run through ice cold water being shot out of a super man sprinkler. Later in Upstate New York, as she was fully engaged in oversized flannel and grunge, she was given a super cool tour of an advertising firm and was told about all things creative. She was immediately hooked. After that, she spent well over a decade in marketing, advertising, and creative. In 2013, she followed her wanderlust heart to Cost Rica and then moved back to her sunny roots in the South. From there, Verse Brand Strategy was born out of her love of brand and entrepreneurship. In addition to FailCon, Christine is Executive Director for MatchAtlanta.
