A few weeks ago I reviewed Mike Rohde’s The Sketchnote Handbook. This week Tuesday, as Jon and I were sitting inside Greenville’s Peace Center, eagerly anticipating the start of Brains on Fire’s 2013 F.I.R.E. Sessions, I picked up the blank Moleskine sketchbook (compliments of the Brains on Fire folks) that sat on the table in front of me and said to Jon, “I think I’m going to sketchnote this.”

What followed was an amazing day full of insights. From the author Jackie Huba we got a sneek peek into the world of Monster Loyalty. Then Brains on Fire’s own Geno Church delivered a compelling talk on creating authentic community interaction. Then we walked down Greenville’s sunny Main Street to a delicious shrimp and grits lunch at Devereaux’s. We returned for the afternoon session, kicked off by author Jonah Berger’s presentation on how things become contagious. Closing the day was Love146′s Rob Morris, a living, breathing definition of the word ‘passionate’. The common thread throughout F.I.R.E. Sessions was one thing: people. This event served as a clear underscoring of what Brains on Fire is all about, and we were honored to be there to share in the conversation. My personal take-away is this: put people at the center of your business, always.

For an even more in-depth re-cap of the event, check out John Moore’s blog post. To all of you at Brains on Fire: thank you!

Check out my sketchnotes from the two morning sessions below, but please withhold your criticisms—I will confess I’m an amateur. Be sure to keep an eye on the Brains on Fire folks in 2013. Since we’re book people and you probably are too, I’ll simply say that there is a new book on the way and it’s going to be good. If you can’t wait for the new one, make sure you’ve taken some time with the original Brains on Fire.