All in-person events

In-person events are brilliant. I've met so many people through them, despite always finding it a bit daunting to walk up and talk to strangers. The funny thing is that, over time, those strangers become familiar faces. You start seeing the same people at different events across the industry, and before long you've built a network of people you know and trust, meaning there are far fewer strangers to talk to.

That network has been invaluable throughout my career. I've reached out to people for advice, support, introductions, and even job recommendations. What I've found remarkable is how welcoming and generous the community is. There seems to be a shared understanding that we're all here to help one another. Asking for help isn't seen as a weakness, and offering support is actively encouraged. A great example of this came when I stepped into my first Quality Lead role. I was tasked with building a quality function while also helping to embed a quality mindset across the entire engineering organisation. 

To be honest, I had no idea where to start. I remembered hearing Stu Day speak a few times, and I'd had a handful of brief conversations with him at industry events. We didn't really know each other, but I decided to take the interpersonal risk and reach out anyway. To my surprise, he generously gave up his time to mentor me, sharing his experience and helping me work out where to begin. That experience reinforced something I've seen time and time again in the tech community: the relationships you build at in-person events can have a lasting impact.

Sometimes all it takes is a quick conversation, a shared interest, or the courage to ask for help.