Tech Conference Networking

Speaking Tech and Human: Why Every Team Needs a Communication Chameleon Ever been in a meeting where it feels like everyone's speaking a different language? Not in the literal sense, but in that "tech jargon vs. human speak" kind of way. It happens all the time, especially in cross-functional teams. Engineers, with our love of acronyms and complex terminology, can sometimes leave non-technical folks feeling lost in the weeds. I recently witnessed this firsthand. Picture a late-night meeting about an upcoming AI launch. The tension is high, the deadline is looming, and suddenly, someone asks a seemingly simple question: "So, what exactly is an IDE?" The engineer on the call launches into a detailed explanation, complete with references to command-line interfaces. It's like trying to explain astrophysics to someone who just learned the alphabet. This is where we TPMs (or anyone with a knack for both tech and "human speak") come in. We're the interpreters, the bridge-builders, ensuring everyone's on the same page. In that late-night meeting, I jumped in with a simple explanation: "An IDE is basically the tool where developers write and test their code. It's like a word processor for software." Problem solved! The question-asker got the gist, the engineer learned a valuable lesson about audience-focused communication, and we all got a little closer to hitting that launch button. Key takeaways for clearer tech communication: - Know your audience: Tailor your explanations to the listener's technical understanding. - Focus on the "why": Explain the impact and benefits, not just the technical details. - Keep it simple: Avoid jargon and acronyms whenever possible. - Use analogies (when appropriate): Relate complex concepts to everyday experiences. Effective communication isn't about showing off your technical expertise, it's about building a shared understanding and achieving goals together. And in a world where tech is increasingly intertwined with every aspect of our lives, the ability to translate "tech-speak" into "human-speak" is more important than ever. Have you ever witnessed a "lost in translation" moment in tech? Share your stories in the comments! 👇 #TPMlife #TechLeadership #Google #LifeAtGoogle

Sometime ago I was called to deliver a session on API Security, but my audience wasn’t technical. It was a sales team, and I knew that throwing in technical jargon would lose them fast. So, I asked myself: How can I make this simple, engaging, and relatable? When I finished the session, the feedback was heartwarming. They understood the concept clearly, and that, to me, was the real win. One of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity isn’t just technical expertise, it’s communication. Too often, we security professionals struggle to explain complex topics to non-technical audiences. But whether you’re working in security operations, governance, or risk management, being able to explain complex topics in a way that others understand is a key skill, and if you want to go far in your cybersecurity career, communication is just as important as technical skills. Here’s how I broke down API Security using an event scenario: • Backend = The kitchen staff (preparing the food ~ where all the work happens) • Frontend = The guests (who order and receive the food) ~ users who interact with the system • API = The ushers/waiters (who take orders and bring responses) ~ the link between front and back end. • API Security = The security team/measures for the waiters (to ensure nothing goes wrong) This might probably be an oversimplification, but it drives the point. If you work in cybersecurity, here’s a challenge: Next time you explain a concept, think - how can I make this easier to understand? In cybersecurity, your ability to communicate sets you apart. Do you have other ways of communicating security concepts, please share in the comments. Share this to your audience so they can learn too. #SimplifyingCybersecurity #Cybersecurity #APISecurity #CybersecurityCommunication #CybersecurityCareerGrowth

Everyone says "engage your audience" when you're speaking on stage. But nobody really tells you how to own that stage and make it yours. As someone who used to shake before every presentation, I've learned a few things the hard way. Things that turned that fear into something I could actually use. Here it is. Save this for your next presentation 👇🏻 1/ Ride on Shared Narratives → Find common ground fast. People don't connect with perfection. They connect with "me too" moments. 👉🏻 I like to open with a story about struggling with something my audience faces too. 👉🏻 Like feeling invisible in a crowded room or doubting whether anyone's listening. 2/ Keep the Energy Up → Your energy sets the room's energy. If you're flat, they're flat. If you're alive, they lean in. 👉🏻 I move around the stage, vary my tone, and throw in pauses. 👉🏻 It keeps people awake and engaged, even in long sessions. 3/ Speak with Them Before You Speak to Them → A little interaction beforehand goes a long way. I used to hide backstage. Now I walk the room early. 👉🏻 Before I present, I chat with a few people in the audience, ask about their day, their challenges. 👉🏻 So when I'm on stage, I'm speaking to familiar faces. 4/ Don't Skimp on Preparation → Being prepared is your best defense against nerves. I used to wing it. I paid for it every time. 👉🏻 I rehearse my opening and closing until I can say them in my sleep. 👉🏻 It gives me confidence even when my mind goes blank mid-speech. 5/ Learn Their World, Speak Their Language → Tailor your message to resonate. Generic talks don't land. Personalized ones do. 👉🏻 When I speak to financial advisors versus tech founders, I adjust my examples and references to match their daily reality. 👉🏻 Never use a one-size-fits-all script. 6/ Use Your Stories → Personal stories make your message unforgettable. Facts inform. Stories transform. 👉🏻 Instead of listing my credentials, I share how a kid who got bullied and avoided stages now trains leaders across Asia. 👉🏻 Story sticks more than any resume. 7/ Mirror What You Want to See → Project the confidence you want your audience to feel. If you're uncertain, they'll be uncertain. If you're grounded, they'll trust you. 👉🏻 If I want my audience to feel calm and confident, I start by being calm and confident myself 👉🏻 Even if I'm nervous inside. I'm not a natural speaker. I'm someone who learned through repetition, failure, and intention. If you apply even one of these, you'll already be ahead of most people on stage. You don't need perfect English. You don't need years of experience. You just need presence, preparation, and a message that matters. So. what strategy helps you most before speaking on stage? Let's learn from each other 💬 💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights. #publicspeaking #professionalgrowth #coaching #careerdevelopment #financialadvisor

Steal my Christmas Comms Strategy 🎄 (For Tech Teams who don’t want their programme to disappear into the mulled wine) Most tech programmes coast into December assuming “everyone’s too busy to care”. I'll be honest - That’s usually only half true. People are busy... but they’re also craving clarity, predictability and simplicity before the break. The gap between those two truths is exactly where smart comms can win. Here’s the strategy I use (and you’re welcome to steal): 1. Don’t go quiet in December. Teams often shut down their narrative in December, which creates anxiety and rumours. Instead, tighten your message: one priority, one status line, one action. Shorter comms land better when attention spans shrink. 2. Make usefulness your north star. Festive fluff is tempting but pointless. People actually don't love it, unless it includes a half day off, a pint or gift voucher. People want to know: a) What’s happening now b) What’s paused c) What’s coming up in January 3. Create a “Holiday Survival Pack” for your programme. This is where most programmes secretly fall over. Document the essentials in one place: ⤹ Key contacts (and who’s actually around) ⤹ Change freezes / release windows (add them as invites) ⤹ What to do if something breaks ⤹ The 5 FAQs you know you’ll get at 4:55pm HINT: Call it a “Survival Pack” and people actually read it. 4. Tell people explicitly what NOT to do. We like to fill voids with assumptions. Eliminate them. Examples being: “No environment changes will be made between X + Y.” or “Do not send requests to inbox X during the break... it won’t be monitored.” 5. Use the calm of early January deliberately. Most teams squander the first two weeks back. Use the lower meeting load to re-anchor people: ✦ Share a crisp “You’re back! So, here’s where we are” update. ✦ Re-state priorities ✦ Re-surface decisions made pre-break (because people forget 40% of them) This is where you regain momentum that others lose. 6. Pre-schedule content so your programme feels stable even when you’re offline. You don’t need to spam, but you do need continuity. A few well-timed nudges across the break create the sense of a programme that’s in control, not asleep. All good? If you want a comms strategy that actually works over Christmas, stop thinking in terms of “festive campaigns” and start thinking in terms of reducing the mental load. And don't be putting snowflakes on the PowerPoint template. 🤮 Feel free to steal, adapt, remix, or pretend you thought of all this yourself. 🎁 You're welcome.

I just got off a call with partners at South Summit about how to better support moderators on their major event stages. First, it is so cool that the event programming team cares about setting people up to succeed on their stages. In the past, they have created best practice videos with the amazing speaker coach Chris Roe, and now want to share things like AI tips to help take it a step further. If you’re hosting a fireside or panel soon, add these quick checks to your prep: > Issue: We research the person and forget the company context. Be sure to do a “Last 90 days" scan - on funding, partnerships, product launches, leadership changes, etc. (This is the info often not on the guest’s LinkedIn!) > Customer lens: who they sell to now and what pain they’re solving this quarter (press releases, case studies, product blog). > Signals from hiring: open roles = priorities; job postings reveal roadmaps and problems to ask about. > Competitive context: what a top competitor just shipped - and how your guest would respond. > Regulatory/market moves: any new rule, outage, or sector shock that changes the conversation today. > Changelog / release notes: find a real feature change you can anchor to (“Last week you shipped X - why now?”). > Recent interviews: find language you can quote to push for specifics. > Community/support threads: what users are celebrating or struggling with right now. The community voice can be extremely telling. Hot Tip: Create yourself a reusable LLM prompt to pull all of these inputs before every interview. And to those who are already pro level in moderation skills, I ask you: What’s one prep move you rely on that most people miss? -------------------------------------------- Booking into 2026. If you’re planning a tech/innovation event and want a host/moderator who keeps human connection at the center, I’d love to hear about it. DM me. #EventHosting #Moderation #TechEvents

Here are 10 ways to ensure your events next week stay focused on your audience and not your funnel. [because your booth, dinner, or coffee truck shouldn’t feel like just another Zoom meeting] 1. Start with your why → If your event prep with your team stays too focused on things like MQL goals, you’re setting your team up to interact that way. Lead with: “What experience do we want our audience to feel?” 2. Staff for hospitality, not speed → People remember how you interacted more than what you said. At a booth or coffee cart, lead with: “How’s your day going?” Not “Who are you with?” 3. Think of dinner like dining, not demoing → Don’t make them sit through 30 minutes of product intros before their first bite. That’s not a “VIP experience.” It’s a bait-and-switch. 4. Cut the meeting lingo from your event prep → This is not a pipeline call. Your CTA isn’t “next steps,” it’s “stay in touch” (if it feels right). 5. Don’t overcomplicate the experience → Offer something enjoyable (don’t over-index on whether or not it’s “unique”). It will be memorable if it’s enjoyable. 6. Remember: events aren’t meant to feel like transactions → If it feels transactional, it is. Forgot to scan a badge or take a photo with the person? Jot down what you remember to reach out later. In my experience, it’s more likely they’ll reach out on their own, as the conversation felt different from others who prioritized the transaction over the experience. 7. Treat your field team like storytellers, not SDRs → Arm them with conversation starters, not qualification questions. You’re IRL, not on a recorded Zoom call. Ditch the script. 8. Respect the space between interest and intent → Not everyone is ready to talk shop on the showroom floor. That’s okay. Events like these are designed for 6-month+ attribution. Small talk, shared interests, this is the talk-time average we need to lean heavy on. 9. Don’t overcomplicate dinner intros → Use place cards with titles and company logos. Let conversation unfold naturally. Please, no more round-the-horn sales pitches here. 10. Close out with gratitude, not a gated follow-up → A timely, thoughtful thank-you note that keeps all of the above in mind vs. a clearly veiled forced meeting request follow-up wins out 👏 every 👏 time. 

Exhibiting at events takes time and effort. Having been only on brand presence creation and storytelling coordination side with clients before, this time I was the exhibitor myself. And I can tell you, it’s a lot of work to put “a show” on 😊. But in the end, that effort pays off and you feel proud of the team and the work that went into it. So here are several things I learned from this experience: 1.    Get a speaking slot.  If the event offers that, definitely it. Builds authority and invites people to come talk to you after. 2.    Invest into stellar presence.   Do not show up with scrappy looking pull up banners. Create a clear simple message that makes people pause as they walk by.  And use clean visuals that represent your brand and makes people stop.   3.    Have your elevator pitch ready. Test different ways of delivering it and observe people’s reactions. This is a good way to see what resonates and what lands flat. 4.    Make engagement seamless.  Have QR code with your calendar, lead capture, well-designed flyers to pass around and drive traffic to the booth. It shows you are prepared. 5.    Know your goals. Decide on those before the event so you can easily measure ROI (be it brand awareness, sales, partnerships, etc). 6.    Prioritize quality conversations. Give your best swag to those who had meaningful talks with you, not just anybody walking by. (I did not always remember to do it and I regret).   7.    Handle the “freebie hunters” with humor. If visitors are stopping by with one goal – to load up their bags with giveaways from every booth they visit like it’s Christmas time, engage them with “Hello, how can I help you?” It will either spark a conversation or deter those who are not interested. 8.    Have listening ears and be inquisitive. Be intentional in asking questions to gauge what problems your potential clients are dealing with. This is direct market research for you. Grab people where they are. 9.    “Walk” the booth. It helps bring energy that there’s action happening and entices people to stop to talk. 10. Celebrate and debrief. Immediately after the event document what worked and what didn’t. This learning will inform next event decision-making. 3 things I wasted time on: 1.    Figuring out the activity for the booth. Not necessary unless you are selling a product. Otherwise, just having a conversation that's informative is sufficient. 2.    Big one - chasing perfection. Visitors rarely notice what you think went wrong. They remember your presence, your energy, your conversations. Not a misplaced giveaway item. 3.     Cold reaching out. Without knowing if the participants will be there in person, it’s much more difficult to grab their attention. Best to just walk around the exhibition and have conversations in person. What’s one thing you’ve learned from being on the exhibitor side? I’d love to compare notes.

Are you just attending events or actually connecting? The last few weeks I have been at conferences and events, trying to do one thing well: connect with people, not just collect badges. That is the real trade off: Busy vs present. Visible vs relationship builder. A few things become obvious: 1) Depth beats volume You do not need to meet everyone. You need to have a few real conversations that can continue after event. Ask: “What are you actually trying to solve this quarter?” Then listen. People remember who cared about their context, not their title. 2) Serendipity needs structure Yes, chance encounters matter. But you increase your luck by being intentional. Choose 2-3 sessions where your ideal peers will be. Arrive early. Stay a bit after. One good hallway conversation, tied to a shared session, is worth far more than 20 rushed introductions. 3)Follow up is the real event The conference is just the opening scene, not the whole story. Capture one specific detail from each conversation: a challenge, a book mentioned, a share interest. Use that as anchor when you reach out later. That is how you turn a fleeting chat into an ongoing relationship. Connection at events is not networking as performance. It’s is curiosity, focus, and continuity. P.S.: Next time you walk into an event, what one behavior will you change to move from “met many” to “really connect with a few”? #BusinessNetworking, #EventStrategy, #B2BMarketing, #RelationshipBuilding, #ProfessionalGrowth, #RefreshWithRyza André Miasake, Lenny Joseph, Mike Wilding, Krishan (Kris) Mehta, P.E.

Conferences like #KubeCon can be overwhelming. Hundreds of talks. Thousands of people. Infinite FOMO. If you try to do everything, you'll get very little out of it. Here's what's worked best for me: 1️⃣ Go in with intent • Don't treat the schedule like a buffet. • Pick 2–3 themes you care about (e.g., OpenTelemetry, platform engineering, AI SRE) and let everything else go. • Depth beats coverage. 2️⃣ Prioritize conversations over sessions Some of the best insights don't happen on stage. • Hallway conversations • Birds-of-a-feather sessions • After-talk questions • Impromptu whiteboard debates One great conversation can be more valuable than five talks. 3️⃣ Talk to people outside your role or company You already know how your org does things. Seek out: • Operators from different industries • People earlier in their careers • Maintainers and contributors • Folks who disagree with you That's where perspective comes from. 4️⃣ Capture ideas, not notes You won't remember everything. Write down: • Things that challenged your thinking • Problems you didn’t know you had • Ideas worth exploring when you’re back Slides fade. Insights stick. 5️⃣ Follow up while it’s fresh The real value often comes after the conference. • Connect on LinkedIn • Send a short "great to meet you" message • Share one takeaway with your team • Turn one idea into action Otherwise, it's just an expensive memory. 6️⃣ Leave space for serendipity Some of the best moments are unplanned. • Say yes to a coffee. • Join a last-minute dinner. • Wander the expo floor with curiosity. Not everything valuable is on the agenda. KubeCon isn't about consuming content. It's about expanding your thinking and your network. 💬 What's your best advice for making the most of a technical conference? #Conferences #OpenSource #EngineeringLeadership #CareerGrowth

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫. In virtual events, especially 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, the moderator is not filler between speakers. The moderator is the glue that holds the entire experience together. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. When they fail, audiences quietly blame the flow. That flow lives or dies with the moderator. After coaching executives, hosts, and moderators for 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐩 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, this is some of my best advice. You can be confident that a skilled moderator can elevate average content. A weak moderator can sabotage brilliant material. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝟑𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬. Your opening is not housekeeping. It is positioning. Instead of “Hello, glad you’re here” “𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.” 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛. You will learn. You will discover. You will better understand. 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. Next, speak to one person, not a crowd. After all, chances are they are alone in their office. Even when thousands are watching a product launch, the moderator should speak as if addressing one individual. Use 𝑦𝑜𝑢, not 𝑤𝑒 or 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒. When viewers feel personally addressed, engagement rises. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. Virtual audiences have no patience for vague language. Do not use the word “thing.”  One brilliant engineer said, “The are two things’ people love…” When I questioned, he changed it to 𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠. 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬. 𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.  𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭. Define your role. “I’m [Name], and in my role as your moderator, you can feel confident that every presenter will make this event worth your time and attention.” 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. In virtual product launches, the moderator is not support. The moderator is leadership. #presentationskillsexpert #keynotespeaker #publicspeaking #frippvt