Last month my company Designertech sponsored a major conference in Wellington. As sponsor, I got to say a few words to the conference dinner, which was also an awards event. The speech was very well received, so I thought I would post it here.
Any fan of the Dilbert cartoons knows that our jobs in marketing are one long round of parties and events like this. As it happens this is the second event of this kind that I have been to this week.
The NZIPP had their annual awards dinner on Monday and Elaine and I were privileged to attend.
At the opening NZIPP president Ollie Dale spoke about the importance of courage and vulnerability in the creative process. I was reminded of these words yesterday, when Ian Apperley said in his presentation that we what we do in tech is creative too.
Ollie went on to talk about the importance of having a strong community of peers to encourage people to perfect their craft and support them through the dark times.
And we learned from Jacqui Maguire and the others on the panel today just how dark things can get for so many of us.
So I was disappointed when somebody told me today that one of her peers sees events like this as a waste of time and money.
We do not take that view as a company and that is why we continue to support ITP and the other organizations whose people, many of them volunteers work tirelessly to provide us that supportive community.
And certainly we need courage try new things. Six years ago when I was ITP president we talked about the importance of having a national conference and how great it would be if we could bring different groups together.
That thinking resulted in the first ITx in Auckland in 2014 and look at what this has grown into. t's such a pleasure to be sponsoring this fantastic event.
This community is so important to achieving the vision of a vibrant NZ tech export sector that Minister Clare Curran spoke of at the opening of the conference.
So I will say to all here tonight: Don’t be afraid to show vulnerability and have the courage to try hard things.
Thanks to all who have shown us the love at our stand. My Fitbit step count remains classified, but thanks to those of you that have participated in our little competition and the results will be known before we leave tomorrow.
A special shoutout to the person who thinks I can do over 100,000 steps a day. I will say jut one thing to that person: Good luck
All good luck to all the award nominees tonight.
Have a great night everyone.