Digital Impact Conference 2026 Recap: Richmond's Creatives Get a Roadmap for the Digital Age
From industry veterans to first-time entrepreneurs, NM Legaci Marketing's Digital Impact Conference offered a roadmap for ownership, authenticity, and sustainable growth in the digital age.
by E. Jackson
Friday, May 29, 2026 | 7:00PM
RICHMOND, Va. — Last weekend, when most people were winding down, a different kind of energy was building inside Stoney Point Fashion Park. NM Legaci Marketing hosted its 2nd Annual Digital Impact Conference, a three-day conference that brought together career professionals in digital marketing and social media to help creatives and small business owners do one thing: stop leaving opportunity on the table.
Hosted by Coach T, the conference drew an audience as eclectic as Richmond itself, farmers and juice makers, social media managers and children's book authors, all having some sort of tension with navigating business in this digital age.
Day One: The Industry Speaks
The conference opened with panel discussions — the first moderated by AWOL Beatz, spotlighted special guest Wayno, a music executive whose résumé includes collaborations with Roc Nation, Complex, and Dreamville. His entry into the industry wasn't calculated. He stumbled in at 17, by chance, and rode that accident into a career.
Reflecting on those early years, Wayno explained, “I just had to figure out a way I could make something out of myself,” he says. “Without having to be dependent upon someone else.”
Key Takeaways from Wayno
“I don’t want to be dependent. I don’t wanna wait for somebody to do a show, so I can get paid.”
'“We think the only way to own something is to own it all in totality. I rather have 10% of a watermelon, than a 100% of a grape.”
“I’m not underrated because I come from the ghetto of America. I had every odd stacked against me, I made it to a postition to teach others — so through that, I could never be underrated.”
“I don’t call it luck, I call it preparation. I’m prepared for every situation I’m in.”
“If you want to grow a specific show, then you have to be putting in 7 days a week.”
That type of mindset of self-determination carried into the conference's main panel, moderated by Urban One's Brittany Jackson, brought together Micah "Mow" Wormley, Wayno, Jess Snyder, and AWOL Beatz for a conversation that refused to stay surface-level. They tackled the realities of building a digital audience, how often to post as algorithms shift, how advertising intersects with social change, and what staying consistent actually looks like when outside.
Accordingly to NM Legaci, one moment in particular cut through the noise. Wayno, speaking directly to the small business owners in the room:
Just get out of your head and don’t wait to do what you need to do.
"A lot of our clients, especially our small business owners, sometimes get stuck in their heads and stall their productivity," said NM Legaci. "That was a great reminder to both our creative professionals and entrepreneurs in attendance."
From Left to Right: Micah “Mow” Wormley, Waynon Jess Snyder, AWOL Beatz
Questions of how to stay authentic, inspired Snyder to respond, “Authenticity is not synonymous with oversharing. You can be authentic, you can be real and still not overshare.” She continued, “To keep yourself, share what you need to share and share what you know.”
And when you think about Wayno’s advice on how often to publish a brand content, when you share just the right amount, oversharing becomes the right amount.
Day Two: The Work
Saturday shifted from conversation to application. Workshops covered the practical architecture of a sustainable digital presence, artificial intelligence as a tool, not a threat. The importance of owning a website; and the discipline of showing up consistently, especially when things get hard.
Jess Snyder put it plainly in her session, “Own your content. Don't let it live and die on someone else's platform.”
"Make sure you build a website, or take it up a notch and start a podcast and stream it," Snyder advised. "So when these platforms change, your work doesn't disappear."
Jeremy Haskins
Jeremy Haskins, owner of HMG Data Services, echoed these sentiments in his session, weighing the flexible power of a website, owned media, as opposed to rented or social media, noting that the platforms do not belong to us.
Web strategist MonicaFaye offered a complementary lesson from the SEO side of the equation: clarity converts. "Google doesn't pick up fluff," she said. "It picks up clear, simple wording." On social media, curiosity and emotion drive the scroll. But on your website, the place you actually own, the goal is trust, and trust is built through consistency and directness.
Navi (l) and Markia (r) of NM Legaci Marketing
Day Three: The Social Wrap Up
Although The Richmond Seen was not in attendance for the final day, it was dedicated entirely to networking among attendees.
The entire conference served as a roadmap on managing a business in today’s digital landscape, offering best practices from industry professionals on social media trends and most importantly, the trend of being yourself. As the seconds move, so does our world, and though we are not required to fall in line with the ever changing pace, it is of high notion to be aware and adapting where it makes sense..
The future of NM Legaci Marketing appears just as ambitious. When asked what attendees can expect next, NM Legaci shared, "Absolutely, more events and workshops are coming soon! We're also open to collaborating on workshops and speaking engagements with other brands and organizations, so don't hesitate to reach out to us!"
To keep up with NM Legaci Marketing and future events, follow them here.
Contact them at team@nmlegacimarketing.com or visit their website www.nmlegacimarketing.com.
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