I am so glad I went to this conference, and I definitely want to go to others like it. (Please share any suggestions you have!) Here are just a handful of the reasons I loved it:
Fellow freelancers. Everyone at this conference was a freelancer, so we had a lot in common. It felt like we all hit it off quite quickly and easily.
Superheroes. I have to give a huge, reverential, and deeply grateful shout-out to the woman who made this conference possible: Emily Leach. Somehow, she managed to make this conference free for attendees—and also extremely valuable: the highest possible ROI.
I'd also like to acknowledge one of the conference attendees/presenters who has worked tirelessly for the good of the freelance community: Billy Park. He created the group We the Freelancers to end the exploitation of freelancers by corporations like 99Designs, Thumbtack, and Upwork that ask freelancers to work "on spec"—in other words, without compensation. You can visit the We the Freelancers site here, but you'll need to become a member to get in. (This is where Billy would entreat you to join! Join! It's free! It's for the common good!)

Austin. This is my favorite part of Texas—funky, flavorful, and fun.
The chance to travel! I absolutely love going new places. And it's dawning on me that freelancing can afford me this opportunity. This trip really whetted my appetite, and a presentation at the conference by Alicia White called "Speak to Grow Your Business" is fueling a fantasy of mine to start speaking at various events.
So stay tuned, and we'll see where the freelance life takes me next!