Episode 34: Organizing Conferences and Events with Kevin Lewis
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Key Points From This Episode

• What brought Kevin to the Vue ecosystem, after struggling with the “magic” of React.

• What Kevin’s day-to-day is like at Vonage when it comes to organizing events.

• Shifting to virtual conferences and events, and how Kevin’s team has gone on to help others.

• Some of the software Kevin has used for virtual conferences, like Remo and StreamYard.

• Women of React was the first remote conference Kevin organized, and he learned a lot!

• Event organizing versus remote conferencing – how Kevin started his career and what he thinks is lost when an event goes virtual.

• Typical things Kevin sees conference organizers get wrong, from access points and WiFi to food, networking, and plants in the audience.

• Scheduling – planning breaks, based on content of the conference, facilities, and buffer time.

• It’s your responsibility as an event organizer to make sure that speakers feel respected.

• When it comes to Q&A sessions, Kevin has some tips fro making sure it’s moderated well.

• Kevin asks the panel what makes an event good for them as attendees – Ari says the hallway track or time between talks is vital.

• Ben says he appreciates guidance for newer attendees on after parties and dinners, etc.

• Tessa’s feedback includes structured activities for attendees to mingle, like bowling.

• A firm structure for events and locations seems like a low barrier to entry, but it’s crucial.

• Over-communicating is critical! Your audience needs to know if things in the program change.

• Single-track versus multi-track conferences – it depends what you’re trying to achieve.

• Selecting speakers – Kevin reacts to Ben’s story of a conference with a blind CFP survey.

• Kevin talks about BarCamp London and the simple concept of an unconference.

• The CFP or talk selection process, and Kevin’s take on it for an event like You Got This.

• Keynote spots are a way to course-correct if your lineup isn’t diverse or goes off the rails.

• The value of a mentorship program for first-time speakers to encourage and support them.

Picks of the week:

• Tessa

• Emma) (Comic)

• 킹덤 (Kingdom)) (Kdrama)

• Ari

• Stateless) (Netflix)

• Kevin

• YouGotThis) (Conference)

• EventHandler) (Newsletter)

• Ben

• VueConf Toronto)

• Connect.Tech)

Resources mentioned:

• Vonage API Developer Platform)

• Women of React)

• VueConf US 2020)

• Adulting.Dev)

• DevConf)

• BarCamp London)

• humansconf)

• Remo)

• StreamYard)

• Kingdom of the Gods by Kim Eunhee & Yang Kyungil)

• Distant Sky by Yoon Inwan & Kim Sunhee)

Special Guest: Kevin Lewis.

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