So, the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit is coming up in a couple weeks and I thought I’d share with you, my 5 reasons to attend the NWA Tech Summit.
It seems like we all have crazy busy schedules at work and somehow every year, we miss that section of our work goals that include “learning and professional development.” Unless there is a designated budget for conferences or we have something we go to annually, it’s just hard to get away from the office and see a full day conference as value. But, I’ve attended this conference for 5 or more years and it is one I always make sure is on my professional goals for the year by name. I feel like the content and topics are so valuable, that I made sure my boss was in the room with me last year.
But, still attending a conference, is a big commitment. You have to plan ahead, clear your calendar, potentially eliminate a week of travel or add it in, if you are out of town. It’s just hard. But, let me tell you, if you are a small business owner, technologist of any sort, social media influencer, web developer, or coder, this is the place you need to be. Topics that are tackled include:
- What role do women have in the technology space?
- What does diversity look like in the world of technology?
- What is coming next in the technology sphere?
But, if you need more convincing, here are 5 reasons that make the NWA Tech Summit a valuable conference to attend.
- Meeting New People and Making Connections
- Making new connections never gets old. Its way more than going home with a pocket full of business cards, its the people behind those names. Its the people at the table where you shared a cup of coffee or lunch. Its the person you sat next to in the breakout session and started up a conversation. It’s the business you talked to in the booth space who might just offer the solution to the problem you’ve been trying to cure. Its the ideas in Startup Alley or the Tinker room. These connections are valuable tools and resources you walk away with and then continue the bridge as you move forward in your career.
- I’ve seen or even heard myself, that the boss doesn’t like you to go to these things because they are plucking ground for new talent. And, heck, that might be the case, but fear never helped anyone move forward. So, you might need to get out of that kind of toxic environment anyway if that’s the kind of response you get (been there, done that).
- Also, sometimes this is the way to meet up with or run into someone you have been trying to contact. Whether its a vendor who you need to nail down or get the scoop from or a well known professional in your field at a conference, you are all in the same space for the same time. I mean, it might be hard to track down the keynote speaker for a selfie depending on their agenda for the day, but otherwise, breakout speakers and event leadership are walking the same hallways and soaking in the same information. Brush a shoulder or two… just don’t make it awkward!
- A Chance to Get Out of the Office and Think
- Let’s be honest. Most days, and weeks, and months the 4 walls that form your office, cubicle, or think space often feel like they are caving in on you. As I’m writing this, I’m sitting at my kitchen counter on a Monday morning. Yes, that feels like a bit of freedom, but even the four walls that make up my home cave in and I need to get out of here sometimes. We all need a change of scenery and to surround ourselves with an environment that promotes growth and change.
- Coming Home with New Ideas for your Whole Team
- I need to admit something, I’m a paper note taker, even at a tech conference. I always feel like the oddball (let that one settle in on you for a minute, the “oddball” in a room full of self-proclaimed nerds) when I have my yellow lined notepad out, but I learn by writing. So, I write.
- But, I also have this technique that I use on myself, where I draw a star and circle it for my first action steps when I leave a conference and I write a question mark and circle it for things I want to group people around or follow up on when I get home. Both of these tactics have proven successful ways for me to follow up and make quick application to the things I learned or at least start a to-do list and schedule some meetings for thought and brainstorming sessions. And, sometimes, that means scheduling some time with myself for research, a webinar, or just more time to flesh out an idea.
- Being Better Than the Day Before you Attended
- I always find when I go to conferences, whether I meet up with people I know or new people, I realize that I really don’t have it that bad. Whether that’s a crazy situation at work or an issue we are dealing with. Whether its understanding that the aches and pains are just part of the trade. Whether its understanding that my crazy is shared by others. Whatever it is, there is something to sitting in the room with people in a shared profession and finding a common issue/topic/theme usually rises throughout the day. It’s the unplanned topic that seems to be coming up.
- For me, that topic does two things – it validates what I”m feeling and helps me move over the hump and distraction that it’s been playing. And second, it usually puts my issues in perspective and that new viewpoint helps me be thankful for the situation I’m in because I can control and change that one and it is usually not nearly as bad as another situation someone in the room shared.
- An added bonus of these types of days often comes when you get to go to these types of things with your co-workers. You get to know them better, you get to talk about new topics. You start sharing ideas you didn’t have before or you didn’t know how to articulate. And, now you have a shared experience that usually makes you a stronger team and advocate for each other. Everyone wins!
- Finding a way to Volunteer and Get Involved in your Industry’s Organizations
- While this doesn’t directly benefit your boss, his team will always be better when the people on it are better, more connected and learning more. One of the great things about a conference is that it is usually hosted by the organization or an organization that is leading and charging change for your industry. It is usally put on by the organization or volunteer group that is making a difference and those kinds of places always have an extra seat at the table. Whether its a back fill to a leadership succession plan, need for new voices and more hands at the table, or mostly just a place to start expanding your sphere of influence, conferences open up an easy approach for you to stop organizational leadership in the hallway or after a general session and introduce yourself, break the ice and find a way to set up a next step of connection.
- In the case of the NWA Tech Summit, its hosted by the NWA Tech Council, a group of individuals who meet monthly and work towards changing the technology scene in NWA. But, it’s also a group of people who are paving the way for technology across the nation and world. It’s pretty amazing when you start hearing this team talk and seeing what kind of exposure and experience gather around the table. It is an incredible group of professionals who are making a big difference.
A few quick facts that may help you get a seat in the room:
- NWA Tech Summit is October 23, 2018 in Rogers, Arkansas at the John Q Hammons Convention Center.
- Tickets can be purched through the event website.
- NWA Tech Summit is hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce (Arkansas) and the NWA Tech Council.
- This year, the NWA Tech Summit will be preceeded by a couple events – PitchFest, NWA Women in Technology Conference, MedTech Conference. These events begin October 19-22
All I can say is to make plans to be in the room and be part of the conversation that day and the one that will follow.Step up and invite yourself to the table!
