Take it ALL in at Techserve 2015 #getyourgeekon

Ahhh, to my readers - it's been way too long. I still owe you my thoughts on Staffing World. I've had a crazy travel schedule, so I am going to work backwards here and give you all the 411 on Techserve 2015. Let me warn you in advance - if you don't want to hear about the AMAZING #womenINstaffing movement and the overwhelming motivation that came from the female leadership at this years event...Read no further. It was HANDS DOWN my biggest take away. But, I know you readers come here for all the event content, and I promise I will deliver. So let's get to it:

Mark Roberts never disappoints in his openings at these events. He has a vision and a purpose for these conferences and he has a team to help him deliver. Shout out to Lori Fitzsimon for the best member service support available in this industry!  I think one of my favorite things about this conference is the consistency. The content is tough; IT/Engineering. How do you take that complex content and make it exciting and captivate an audience? The answer you ask? Great keynote speakers and break out topics!

Ok, up until Techserve I had not seen Moneyball. Of course I heard all the amazing reviews...Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, blah blah. But with two teenage girls, it quickly fell off my radar and was replaced with Pitch Perfect, Paper Towns, and anything remotely scary - sorry folks. That said, after Paul DePodesta spoke, I immediately added it to my KindleFire to watch on the flight home (and yes I watched it - I was totally missing out). Off topic observation though - Brad should have played Paul. Just sayin'. Paul was exciting and obsessed with the idea of doing things differently. He posed the question in a pretty straight forward way; "If we weren't already doing it this way, is this the way we'd start?" I'm not a fan of business cliche statements like "thinking outside the box" and the like...but he sure did twist the lid on my brain about how to approach business! And he's obviously doing something right - he's put together some winning teams! 

At this particular conference there is an OVER abundance of content and I am only one human being. I would encourage you to order all of the sessions online at www.techservealliance.org/recordings so you can cover more ground! 

Volt's very own Rhona Driggs, SVP was an expert panelist on Embracing the VMS/MSP Model: Best Practices for Delivering High-Volume, Low-Margin Engagements Profitably. THAT is a tall order - VMS/MSP profitable you ask? It CAN be done and we had the experts on hand to share a few of their secrets. 

• It's all about speed, you have to be fast to stay in the game
• It is not all about submittals, you have to dig deeper, your account simply may not make good business sense
• Do what you can to create relationships wherever you can
• Don't be afraid to communicate OR walk away

Then we have this amazing IMPACT line up:

• Objection Decision Making: Jay Cohen, CEO/President, Signature Consultants
• Differentiating Your Brand in an Era of Transparency: Eric Gregg, CEO, Inavero 
• Your Brain, Your Body, and Your Business: Trade Secrets from an Improviser: Carol Schindler, Carol Schindler Consulting

Here are my favorite morsels of greatness from these three (and it seems like a lot - but this was a first class line up folks):

• "Data, combined with a great company culture, will solve many of our problems." - Dr. Jay Cohen
• "Our brand is only as good as the stories people tell about it." - Eric Gregg
• "The way consumers make buying decisions is becoming the norm for business decision makers. Referrals, reviews & reference."  - Eric Gregg
• "A remarkable experience comes from those that care more and try harder." Eric Gregg
• "Keys to ensure delivery on brand promises 1) Information 2) Visibility 3) Accountability." Eric Gregg

• "Showing up is MORE than having your butt in the seat." Carol Schindler

•  

  "Showing up, listening, saying yes, being present = limitless possibilities." Carol Schindler

• "Being present will help you become a better leader." Carol Schindler

Now, I have saved the best for last. The Executive Women's Session. I think we should re-title this break out - to AMAZING, STUNNING, WILDLY INTELLIGENT, ACCOMPLISHED KICK BUTT WOMEN WHO RULE. But I don't think it would fit on the agenda. Leslie Vickrey, CEO & Founder, ClearEdge Marketing has put together a first class, best in class event. I was overwhelmed, honored, emotional, grateful, impressed to not only take part, but to be asked to BE a part of the whole event. WHOA. Color me humbled. A little resume on Leslie and her company to paint the picture of the level of talent we are talking about here; In partnership with Harvey Nash and McCann Partners, ClearEdge Marketing founded ARA. ARA is on a mission: To Attract, Retain, and Advance women in Tech. Does it get any more inspirational? That is ONE accomplishment. The list goes on - see for yourself at www.clearedgemarketing.com.

Ericka Hyson, COO, Ettain Group gave the Keynote at this event. Ericka has an inspiring story about her career and her rise to success. 

Here were her 5 keys to success:

• Don't wait for a tap on the shoulder - JUST DO IT, go get it. 
• Be confident, what's the worst that can happen? (side note, why ARE we so afraid of the word "no)?"
• Be open to exposing yourself to every experience you can. 
• Embrace change. Like Ericka, I too have been "blessed" with the gift of eternal dissatisfaction. Meaning, never EVER accept the status quo as good enough. 
• Embracing learning - ALL OF IT. 

One of my favorite quotes of Ericka's will stick with me forever,  "I have never believed that lack of experience was ever a barrier - figure it out." 

We then opened up the floor to some break out topics and what I loved was walking away with actual solutions, ideas, and inspiration. At our particular discussion table we tackled INTERNAL HIRING & RETENTION. There are a couple pretty jarring statistics out there that paint an ugly picture of turnover if we don't take action. 1) 1 out of 4 begin looking for their next job the first day of their new job 2) 75% of employees will leave for 5% LESS pay if they hear or perceive that the grass is greener elsewhere. How do we overcome the distractions?  In our conversation we had some brilliant minds and one of them was Cindy Elliot, VP of Marketing at Bullhorn. She said "we have to paint our own grass green." This is where #paintyourowngrassgreen was born. We as employers have to take control of the environment we provide to our talent. We cannot let the perception of something better distract the talent we worked so hard to recruit and attract. We must constantly remind our valued employees why they chose to work and share their talents with us. This takes consistency, internal marketing, visual reminders, and good ole' fashion manners. Treat everyone the way you would want to be treated - with courtesy, dignity, and respect. 

After this session, I had the absolute pleasure of being interviewed by my favorite twitter buddy. The wickedly insightful Leah McKelvey, Senior Director, Sales & Partnerships, ClearEdge Marketing. We reflected on my career, some of my favorite accomplishments, and what I see next for me (I know, it was a lot about me - makes me uncomfortable too). What do I see you ask? I think Amy Poehler says it best "Find a group of people who challenge you and inspire you...spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life." THAT is exactly what I will continue to do. Ladies, drop the mic. 

Thank you to all of those that put together this great event. Make sure you visit www.techservealliance.org for more information! 

Safe travels,

LJ

PS: would it be a complete post without venue info? NO...Palm Springs and the LaQuinta Resort and Spa rocks. #bestguacamoleever.