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A customer buys once. A fan brings people with them.
Getting there takes months of showing up. Listening. Keeping promises. Giving people a reason to care when you are no longer in their feed.
This Ugly Talk gets into the work behind real fandom. The creator calls that went nowhere. The community plays that looked dead for months. The moment loyal customers pushed back & the brand had to answer.
No follower-count victory laps. Just the decisions, mistakes, & proof behind communities that stick.
Why you should be in this room.
Hear how consumer brands turn one-time buyers into people who recruit other buyers.
Learn which signals reveal loyalty before revenue catches up.
See how brands build with creators from the first idea through launch.
Learn what to keep doing when the community looks quiet.
Hear how leaders respond when their biggest supporters become their loudest critics.
What's on the table.
Building superfans at scale: What makes customers care enough to bring other people in.
Creators & co-creation: How brands share the build instead of buying a post at the end.
Measuring fandom: The numbers that matter after likes & reach stop telling the truth.
The slow build: What to do when months of work look like nothing is happening.
When fandom turns: What community pushback reveals about the trust you built.
Managing a crisis: How to respond fast, own the miss, & keep trust intact.
Who's hosting it.
Rob Fajardo - Founder, LeaveNormalBehind
Rob Fajardo is an entrepreneur, operator, & cultural architect whose work centers on a simple question: what does winning look like?
Early in his career, Rob helped drive the fidget spinner phenomenon by building & activating an influencer network across Instagram & Facebook, reaching over 150 million people. Since then, he has worked with brands including DoorDash, Lowe's, FedEx, Converse, Red Bull, & Wyndham Resort Group, & has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, & BuzzFeed.
Rob is the founder of Leave Normal Behind, a global network of purpose-driven leaders, creators, & investors built around meaningful connection, personal growth, & human flourishing. Over the past decade, he has brought together people across industries & generations through designed gatherings & strategic collaborations.
He also serves as Head of Operations for the School of Content at The School of Hard Knocks, one of the world's largest business media platforms with 26M+ followers, where he coaches business owners generating six to nine figures on go-to-market. In addition, he is a Strategic Advisor to The AI Collective, the world's largest AI community, with 70,000+ members across 25+ global chapters.
Who's getting in.
CPG & consumer-brand founders building a customer base that sticks.
Brand & community leaders responsible for loyalty & retention.
Creators building their own audience or working with consumer brands.
Marketers who care about advocacy, repeat purchases, & long-term growth.
About Ugly Talk
Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough "aha!" moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons & insights.
With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, & Miami, we've built a vibrant community of thousands of founders & industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
Official Website: UglyTalk.com
Important Notice for Ugly Talk Attendees
Admission & Confirmation
Attendance is by approval only. Approved guests will receive a confirmation email along with a calendar invite. Invitations are non-transferable. Additional event details will be shared as the event approaches.
Code of Conduct
By attending, you agree to:
Maintain respect & professionalism, adhering to all venue rules, policies, & applicable laws.
Refrain from harassment, discrimination, unwelcome sexual advances (verbal or physical), intimidation, or inappropriate photography/recording.
Report any violations to the event hosts immediately.
Violations may result in immediate removal from the event & exclusion from future invitations.
Liability & Risk
Participation is voluntary & at your own risk. The event organizers, hosts, sponsors, & venue are not liable for personal injury, lost or stolen belongings, or any other damages incurred during the event.
Media Consent
By attending, you grant the event organizers & affiliated entities the right to capture, use, & distribute photos, videos, & audio recordings of you for promotional, marketing, & other lawful purposes, including digital & print media, advertising, & social media. You waive any right to inspect or approve the final materials & release all claims related to their use.
Communications
By registering, you agree to receive marketing & promotional communications from Ugly Talk & its co-hosts, partners, & sponsors. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Agreement
If you do not agree to this Code of Conduct, please refrain from attending the event.
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