Are you considering heading to the Silicon Forest to check out Forcelandia? I’ve been to Portland before, but I’ve never been to Forcelandia. Here’s why I have decided to go.
Portland is the kind of city that can easily capture part of your heart. I’ve been there a few times before and look forward to returning. A delightfully weird, culture-rich metropolis settled amongst beautiful trees and rivers is worth visiting all by itself.
So far this year I’ve been to Tahoe Dreamin’ in Lake Tahoe, CA, Snowforce in Salt Lake City, UT, and TrailheaDX in San Francisco. Each conference brought its own unique grab bag of goodness. I wasn’t sure what exactly I would be getting out of these conferences, but the surprise was part of the fun! I’m so happy I went to all of these conferences and would go to any of them again. Running into an engineer who can answer something you’ve been perplexed with is super satisfying. Getting to see people in person for the first time who you’ve only interacted with online is magical. The opportunity to hang out with like-minded people to talk shop, but also to just have fun outside of work is invaluable. The ideas and connections you take back to work with you will pay off in spades down the road.
An aspect I enjoy about going to these community events is that you get to learn about the tech industry in that area. For example when I went to Snowforce I got to talk to many of the local Salt Lake City Salesforce shops to hear about what they were up to. It’s really great to get a flavor for what industries are in each area you visit. It gives you a much greater understanding of the Salesforce ecosystem and how the different regions tie into it.
I am honored to be selected as a speaker this year at Forcelandia. I am among an amazing group of other speakers, and will be stepping up my game to deliver a great presentation to be worthy of such company! Speaking at a conference gives you the great feeling of being part of it, and giving back to the community. If you haven’t done it before, I recommend adding it to your bucket list. Speaking gets easier and easier the more you do it!
So if you are considering going to Forcelandia, or have already decided to go, I look forward to meeting you and learning more about the people and companies that are distinctly Portland with you. I’m counting the days and hope to see you there!