Highlights From THAT Conference WI 2024
Michael Larocca
This article highlights THAT Conference WI 2024! Discover keynotes, interviews, and personal experiences that offer insights into tech trends, career advice, and the power of community and well-being!
What is THAT?
THAT Conference, founded by Clark Sell, is a unique, family-friendly tech event with a camping theme, held annually in Texas and Wisconsin. It offers a blend of professional and family tracks, providing valuable networking opportunities, educational workshops, and a supportive community. Attendees can participate in sessions, open spaces, family events, and networking activities designed to foster personal and professional growth. THAT Conference emphasizes a welcoming atmosphere, making it easy to connect with others, and remains active year-round through its community, ensuring continuous engagement and support.
About This Article
This article provides an in-depth look at the highlights from THAT Conference WI 2024, capturing the essence of the event through detailed summaries of keynote presentations, interviews, and personal experiences. It aims to offer you valuable insights into the tech industry's latest trends, career advice, and the importance of community and personal well-being. Whether you attended the conference, watched the Livestreams, or are simply interested in the topics discussed, this article provides a comprehensive guide to the key takeaways and memorable moments from the event!
Kent Dodds
How to be an Epic Web dev
It takes an epic dev to know an epic dev, and Kent Dodds's keynote presentation teaches you how to become one! Kent shares advice from his life experiences that enabled him to achieve extraordinary industry impact and success and now guides you so that you can achieve similar results.
Kent C. Dodds is a JavaScript software engineer, renowned speaker, and open-source contributor. His valuable advice stems from his extensive experience in the field, active involvement in the community, and dedication to teaching and sharing knowledge.
Kent's first step of advice is to be applied when you first start your job, understanding the company's mission. He emphasizes the importance of this understanding, as it allows you to set clear goals for your desired job position so that you can work towards getting that role within the organization.
To be an epic developer, Kent advises you to always do more than what is expected of you, regardless of your job role. However, your extra efforts must not go unnoticed to gain the acknowledgment you deserve! Make sure management is aware of the additional work you put in. To achieve this, Kent advises using a kudos system, where you give your coworkers credit when it is due by highlighting their work to management, and they do the same for you in return.
Regardless of your talent, your soft skills are crucial for long-term career success. Kent advises you to be the person you want to work with. You will not get a job you are qualified for if no one wants to work with you!
When you succeed in becoming someone others want to work with, you must keep all of your commitments to earn their trust. Remember, you are only as good as your word! Kent also shares from his experience that if you want to achieve big things, you will have to commit to big things. So do not shy away from big projects, side hustles, creating SaaS products, or anything that will help you stand out and advance your career. Most importantly, prioritize commitments to your family over career commitments. After all, any career success will not be worth the effort if it strains your relationship with your family!
During his presentation, Kent made a profound statement that challenges the old saying, "It's not what you know; it's who you know!"
Kent's newly coined term is, "It's not what you know or who you know. It's who knows you and what they know about you."
Let's take time to unpack that profound statement. To effectively bring career-advancing opportunities directly to you, you must build your reputation so that when you walk into a room, people already know you and what you're capable of. When you achieve this reputation, when job opportunities become available, people will know you are an excellent fit for the job role; they will reach out directly to you, which extends your luck!
Photo taken by Kevin Powell at THAT Conference, WI 2024.
Kent advises attending in-person events to fully leverage your newly achieved reputation. Having others already know who you are and then spot you at live events is a great icebreaker! Kent also illustrates the importance of building your network before you need it. Even if you have a secure job, doing so ensures you have support for times of unstable job markets.
Finally, Kent encourages you to seize opportunities when they arise. Don't shy away from those who reach out with job offers, even if they seem small, as they can lead to more significant opportunities. And don't be afraid to boldly present yourself as an excellent fit for roles that may intimidate you. Now that you have become an epic developer, you will achieve extraordinary success and leave your mark on the industry!
Keynote Takeaways:
Understand the Company's Mission: Start by understanding your company's mission to set clear goals for your desired job position.
Exceed Expectations: Always do more than what is expected of you, regardless of your job role. Ensure your extra efforts are noticed by management using a kudos system.
Develop Soft Skills: Be the person you want to work with; soft skills are crucial for long-term career success.
Keep Commitments: Keep all your commitments to earn trust. Remember, you are only as good as your word.
Take on Big Projects: Commit to big things like side hustles or creating SaaS products to stand out and advance your career. Prioritize family commitments over career commitments.
Build Your Reputation: Build your reputation so people know you and what you're capable of. Attend in-person events to leverage your reputation and build your network before you need it.
Seize Opportunities: Seize opportunities when they arise, even if they seem small, as they can lead to bigger opportunities. Boldly present yourself as a great fit for roles that may intimidate you.
Key Insight: "It's who knows you and what they know about you!"
Mark Thompson
Living with Intention: A Framework for a Meaningful Life
Mark Thompson's keynote is an eye-opener to how precious life is. We often take our time on this earth for granted, being so busy with our work lives that we don't set time aside for doing what matters to us and for spending time with the people who matter to us.
Mark Thompson (a.k.a. Techson), Sr. Developer Relations Engineer at Google, is an award-winning university instructor and engineer. His valuable advice stems from his extensive experience in coding and his passion for teaching, making him an influential figure in Google’s Angular team.
Mark tells us that life comes at you fast and hard. You might think you have everything figured out, but unexpected life-changing events can shift your perspective and priorities. In Mark's personal life, he developed a heart condition and needed surgery to replace a valve. This medical issue was particularly hard on him, as he was once an award-winning bodybuilder who could no longer do simple tasks.
This health issue topic hit much closer to home, as THAT Conference's founder, Clark Sell, had to be rushed to the hospital for a heart condition on the opening day of the 2023 WI Conference! Clark shares that during his hospital stay, Mark reached out to support him in his time of need, demonstrating true community spirit as they faced similar challenges. In fact, Mark's support for Clark and his personal story was originally meant to stay on the low, but it was felt that it was time to reveal this, and it transformed into this keynote speech!
In his keynote, Mark highlights fellow conference speaker Jason Torres's "Community Is Currency" presentation, citing that relationships matter! Relationships go beyond networking for careers, and it impacts our mental health. It does not matter the size of your community circle; what matters is the quality of it! To further illustrate the importance of relationships, Mark shared this quote from Berkeley:
"Our relationships impact all dimensions of our well-being, including physical and mental health and our ability to flourish at work and in every other facet of life."
Berkeley ExecEd
Mark implores you to ask yourself, what do you truly want to do with your remaining time on this earth? He tells us that your core values and what matters to you do not have to revolve around one topic. You get to choose the "pillar" that makes sense for you. So, prioritize doing what you love and spending time with the people you care about because we never know how much time we have!
With his remaining time on earth, Mark wants to improve his guitar skills to express himself better through music. As a welcome surprise to the conference audience, Mark made a debut performance, taking out his guitar on stage and performing a hit Lenny Kravitz song!
So, I'll end by appropriately remixing the lyrics of Lenny Kravitz's Are You Gonna Go My Way, "But what I really want to know is... are you going to go Mark Thompson's way?"
Mark Thompson's Way:
"Do what matters with who matters while it matters."
Mark Thompson
Keynote Takeaways:
Life's Unpredictability: Life can change unexpectedly, shifting your perspective and priorities.
Health and Personal Challenges: Mark's personal experience with a heart condition highlights the importance of health and resilience.
Community Support: Relationships matter beyond networking; they impact mental health and overall well-being. Quality of relationships is more important than quantity.
Core Values and Priorities: Reflect on what truly matters to you and prioritize those aspects in your life. Your core values don't have to revolve around one topic; choose what makes sense for you.
Pursuing Passions: Dedicate time to activities you love and spend time with people who matter to you.
Inspirational Quote: "Do what matters with who matters while it matters." - Mark Thompson
June Syndesi Kramer
Beyond the Glitches: Navigating Imperfections on the Road to Living Fully
On the third day, Clark took the main stage to set the tone for the final keynote presentation. He displayed a slide stating, "We all have a world outside of our keyboards," and elaborated that when we are good in our minds and hearts, we are better at doing our jobs. He then invited June to take the stage to teach us how to achieve this.
June Syndesi Kramer, a Mental Health Educator and Trauma-informed Wellness Counselor, has been honored at the United Nations for her work in the U.S. and New Zealand. Her valuable advice stems from over 30,000 hours of experience, extensive humanitarian work with refugees, and global healthcare research. She mentors women to become Mental Health Advocates and works with a diverse clientele, including award-winning professionals and community leaders.
June explained that nobody "has it all together," relieving us of any worry. She has visited over 30 countries, 15 different tribes, and many spiritual leaders, scientists, and elite teachers, and she has found out with certainty that there is not one perfect person. So don't feel insecure about any shortcomings, habits, or personal problems; don't let them hinder your career success.
June learned in her journey that some people use their vulnerabilities as springboards for growth and to help others, effectively turning their challenges into strengths, while others let their vulnerabilities become a living sentence. So, know that you can turn your challenges into opportunities for personal growth and positive impact.
June also reveals that the tech industry has a higher percentage rate of imposter syndrome and burnout than others. To overcome these challenges, June advises changing your mindset from a follower to a creator mindset. You must take the driver's seat for your life to achieve this! The problem is that many people do not take the driver's seat because they let shame rule them. In this sense, shame is the result of fear of disconnection from love and belonging.
June teaches us that the lack of connection and support drives us to disconnect; what we crave is to feel warmth and support. To help reconnect and feel support, with audience participation, June had people pair up and perform mental health exercises. Some exercises had physical touch to assist in regaining a sense of connection, warmth, and support, while others focused on mental imaging.
June concluded her keynote, urging everyone to take proactive steps toward better mental health and personal growth: Talk to a professional. She emphasized practicing nervous system regulation to improve emotional regulation, relationship health, and performance. She reminded everyone to strive for a life filled with purpose and self-respect, embracing vulnerabilities and turning challenges into growth opportunities. Doing so allows us to navigate our imperfections and live more fulfilling lives.
Keynote Takeaways:
Acknowledge Imperfections: Understand that nobody "has it all together," and don't let insecurities hinder your career success.
Turn Vulnerabilities into Strengths: Use your challenges as opportunities for personal growth and to help others.
Overcome Imposter Syndrome and Burnout: Change your mindset from a follower to a creator. Take control of your life, and don't let shame rule you.
Seek Connection and Support: Lack of connection drives disconnection. Crave and seek warmth and support to reconnect.
Engage in Mental Health Exercises: Participate in exercises that promote connection, warmth, and support, such as physical touch and mental imaging.
Proactive Mental Health Steps: Talk to a professional and practice nervous system regulation to improve emotional regulation, relationship health, and performance.
Strive for Purpose and Self-Respect: Embrace vulnerabilities and turn challenges into growth opportunities to live a more fulfilling life.
Hosts Andrew MacLean and PJ Metz
After the keynote talks, Andrew MacLean and PJ Metz took the stage to conduct entertaining interviews with conference speakers, attendees, and sponsors. Their comical wit entertained the audience and encouraged a fun and light-hearted atmosphere. One interview even led to a hilarious sharing session, during which others shared their worst computer bug experiences in a "Code Confessions" segment! The duo also hosted fun games like Kahoot and Mad Libs, and Andrew also conducted a live code-along session of Battlesnake, adding to the enjoyable aspects of the conference.
Andrew and PJ also participated in a mental health exercise led by keynote speaker June Syndesi Kramer, which aimed to foster reconnection. In this activity, participants must stand back-to-back with a partner, performing synchronized motions, including breathing and swaying.
June's exercise seemed to have a lasting impact on Andrew and PJ. Throughout the rest of the conference, they continued to do everything in pairs, even though Clark reminded them, "Not everything is a two-man job!"
Picture collage created by Roxana Rodbeck's video footage
Will this entertaining duo return to co-host on the main THAT Conference stage again? I certainly hope so!
James Quick Interviews
During the Livestreams, James Quick interviewed conference speakers and attendees. Here are some of the highlights, which include valuable career-advancing advice!
Ellie, who recently became a developer advocate for Pieces, shares advice on how to land your first job in tech, as she did. Ellie explains that you do not have to apply for roles directly; instead, you can showcase your expertise by blogging. Writing a technical article that includes code blocks and articulate descriptions of what the code blocks do showcases your skills as a programmer and a writer.
If you have been following my self-taught programming journey, you know my story proves that Ellie's method of breaking into tech through blogging works!
Joshua Berrios shares advice from his presentation by explaining that our past work experience is a transferable skill in the tech industry, so we should not discredit it. Everyone is a leader in something, and your previous roles have equipped you with valuable skills that you can apply in new contexts. You are bringing your expertise, confidence, and humility.
Joshua Berrios's presentation, "Leadership THAT Doesn't Require a Title," challenges the notion that leadership is confined to high-ranking positions. Through his personal experience in the military, Joshua illustrates that leadership is rooted in expertise, confidence, and humility rather than titles. He shares how he transitioned from a truck driver to a respected leader in IT within his unit, emphasizing that leadership is about the knowledge you possess and the impact you make. Key takeaways include recognizing that everyone is a leader in something, delivering expertise with confidence, and understanding that a good leader acknowledges their flaws and learns from others.
Jim Bennett from Pieces explains that its focus on the developer community sets THAT Conference apart from other conferences. Attendees come to the Conference to meet in person, learn together, and grow by expanding their network.
Jim has been attending conferences for over a decade, but for the first time, his family joined him, thanks to THAT Conference's family-friendly structure, which allowed them to see what he does for a living.
So attending THAT Conference will help you gain valuable career-advancing advice and expand your professional network. You can also turn it into a family vacation, with the bonus of potentially inspiring your children to pursue a tech career!
Jason Torres
Community as Currency: Fill your account
Jason Torres, a well-known figure in the tech community, gave his debut presentation at THAT Conference, teaching attendees how to leverage the community "the right way" for career success. According to Jason, there's no way around it—you must interact with people, so developing your soft skills is essential.
Jason excels at soft skills, which has helped him build a strong reputation in the tech industry. If your goal is to change careers into tech, be sure to follow along with Jason's journey! He is seeking his first tech role after transitioning from the film industry. So far, Jason has become an Appwrite hero—an exclusive group of developers who are experts in Appwrite—a developer advocate, community manager, and frequent Livestream guest and host, leading up to his role as a conference speaker. A famous Star Wars quote comes to mind, "We will watch your career with great interest!" Jason is just getting started!
In addition to his various roles, Jason co-hosts the Tech Commute Twitter Space alongside Jacob Ashley. He heroically demonstrated the concept of "community as currency" in the literal sense by organizing a successful fundraiser, raising over $11,000 for Jacob's wife, Leah, who was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. The event, titled Journey's, took place from April 26th to April 28th, 2024, and featured three days of never-before-heard stories and talks from some of the most recognizable names in tech, including freeCodeCamp Founder Quincy Larson, each sharing their personal journeys and engaging in Q&A sessions.
To help jumpstart the conference attendees' networking, Jason gave them "community wallets," small books where new friends could exchange and share their contact information. One of those brilliant ideas makes you question yourself, "Why didn't I think of that?"
To learn more about effectively leveraging the community for career success, check out Jason's interview with Sophia from Beacamp HQ, "Building Your Online Presence and Networking."
So, when you engage with the community and want to leverage it effectively, take to heart Jason's motto: "Remember, it's nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice!"
NY Code and Coffee
At the end of the conference, THAT Conference founder Clark Sell invited guests to promote local meetup groups. Steven Troy Gittens, one of the organizers of the New York City Code & Coffee meetup group, took the mic to invite you to join if you are in the area. This group stood out to me because it's in my local area!
The New York City Code and Coffee group is an informal meetup for software engineers of all experience levels, including non-traditional tech enthusiasts like self-taught hackers, career-switchers, and bootcamp graduates. The group meets bi-weekly to foster a supportive community where members can collaborate on projects, share knowledge, and network. Events typically feature an introduction circle, coding sessions, and opportunities for job referrals. The group emphasizes belonging, safety, and trust, adhering to a strict Code of Conduct to ensure a harassment-free environment.
THAT Conference goer Richard Choi attended the NY Code and Coffee Meetup just a few days after the conference!
Not in New York? No worries! Code and Coffee has many meetups opening throughout the states! Check out https://codeandcoffee.org/ for more details!
Various conference speakers
Although there are many speakers at THAT Conference events, all of the YouTube presentations are not available on the official conference website. So, I wrote a Twitter/X post asking speakers who recorded their presentations to share them.
So, without further ado, here is a curated list of the exclusive presentations shared by the speakers who recorded them:
- Brian Morrison: Demystifying Deployments as a Service v2
- Shashi Lo: Data Driven UX Decisions
- Bree Hall: Frontend Techniques in the Realm of Hyrule with React
Also, check out Ryan Furrer's website, thathub.club, for a curated list of THAT Conference speaker presentations!
THAT Conference Sponsors
All additional sponsors: thatconference.com/wi/2024/sponsors/
The Hallway Track
Clark started a live stream called The Hallway Track on THAT Conference's YouTube channel. The stream aims to capture the vibe of meeting people in the hallway during a conference and striking up a casual conversation. Be sure to check it out!
THAT Conference links
Be sure to listen to the Podcast episode!
🎙 What is THAT Conference w/ Clark Sell
Be sure to check out HTML All The Things on socials!
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My other related articles
AI and Developer Experience: Insights from James Quick at That Conference
From Skillset to Networking: Tactics for Standing Out in a Challenging Job Market
Thriving in Tech: Securing Your First Job, Leveraging Side Hustles, and Overcoming Layoffs
How to Transition from JR Dev to an In-Demand Developer: Your Path to Getting Hired
Conclusion
When it comes to family-friendly networking events, nothing beats THAT! It offers a perfect blend of educational workshops, networking activities, and family events to support personal and professional growth. I want to thank founder Clark Sell for livestreaming the event, which allowed everyone to attend and learn!
The three keynotes at THAT Conference WI 2024 covered essential topics: Kent Dodds shared career tips, Mark Thompson emphasized mental health and life awareness, and June Syndesi Kramer focused on overcoming challenges and fostering resilience. Together, they highlighted the importance of career development, mental well-being, and balancing life and family commitments.
Beyond the keynotes, the conference featured events like board game night, a pig roast, a water park party, and more. The open spaces, hallway meets, sponsors' tables, and after-parties made THAT Conference excellent for networking, potentially paving the way for career advancement.
At the end of THAT Conference, Clark asked attendees what they had learned throughout the experience as a microphone was passed around. The overall consensus was that the event provided invaluable career insights, fostered a strong sense of community, and emphasized the importance of balancing professional growth with personal well-being. However, one person stood out, offering fantastic ethical advice for all programmers. A young girl who reminded me of my daughter ignited the audience with applause when she aptly said:
"I learned that most people in tech are really nice, and if you need help, you can just ask them! And if they are not nice, then they shouldn't be in tech!"
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Written by
Michael Larocca
Michael Larocca
Hello, I'm Michael. Like many people, I am an aspiring self-taught web developer. My goal for this blog is to document and share the progress of my self-taught coding journey.