Prestige Conference, WDS is Coming Your Way!

Another spectacular Prestige Conference is coming up this weekend, August 1st-2nd, 2015, and we CANNOT WAIT to get ourselves to Minneapolis!

Like PressNomics, Prestige is a tech conference that focuses on business and career development, rather than tech itself; most of the presentations are focused on discussing how to run a business in the tech industry, rather than on improving technical skills.

One of the biggest benefits of conferences like this is, of course, the presentations from well-established professionals who know their stuff, but also, the conversations that happen in between the formal scheduling–the hallway chats, brainstorming over meals, and networking amongst other like-minded pros in the industry.

At the last Prestige, in Las Vegas, Brad gave his classic presentation on how to go from freelancer to agency by hiring the first employee, filled with true blue business trial and error based advice and WDS history. Since then, he’s given the talk a few other places, and now you can actually watch it on WordPress.tv.

This time around, both Lisa and Dre are there to talk business–when to go, when to stay, and what to consider when building a career. These presentations are pretty exciting for us, particularly since they share the personal trajectories of these professionally incredible people. If you want a little insight on how to make your business life better, you better get yourself there!

Check out the details below about both of their presentations, as well as a few other things you won’t want to miss:

Saturday, August 1st

9 – 9:45 AM – The Whole Person Concept: Finding Balance in Our Work, Our Lives, & Our Successes – Lea Newman

Busy, busy, busy…we’re all SO busy!

In all the hustle and bustle it can sometimes feel like a challenge to keep all of the “balls in the air”. That juggling act impacts not only our lives and interpersonal relationships, but also our businesses as well. How can you focus on growth when you’re constantly putting out fires? In this session we will talk about how to assess where you are in the various areas of your life, where you want to be, and some strategies on how to create success and balance between them all.

1 – 1:45 PM – Technology’s Dirty Little Secret – Nancy Lyons

When we think of technology, it often conjures thoughts of apps, gadgets, software we hate, or software we love. But those are just things. To understand what technology’s really about, we have to look deeper.

The dirty little secret about technology is that it’s all about people: People are the ones who build it. People are the ones that use it. People are what we need to keep front & center in every facet of our technology businesses. 

Contributing quality work in the tech space starts with leadership setting the tone of a company through their hiring policies, vision, and values. It includes discussion of how individual team members affect work culture and products through everyday user advocacy. Together we’ll explore the hard business value — and profitability — of soft, squishy terms like emotional intelligence, intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and vulnerability.

4 – 5 PM – Knowing When to Pull the Ripcord: Moving On to Your Next Big Thing – Dre Armeda

Successfully pivoting your career doesn’t always come naturally. Understanding where you fit within an organization, knowing what specific strengths you contribute towards the company goals, and having a firm grasp on the overall vision are key elements for underwriting your exit strategy.

Prestige co-founder Kiko Doran will interview Dre Armeda on his four year history with Sucuri, from the initial founding of the company through his departure and move to WebDevStudios in 2014. They’ll discuss enterprise stabilization, pivot points, risk assessment, and other factors that allowed him to successfully move on to the next big thing.

Sunday, August 2nd

10 AM – 12 PM – BRANDING WORKSHOP // Clarity Breeds Opportunity: Brand Communication Tactics to Boost Referrals, Attract Clients, Expand Possibilities – Jen Bourn

Your brand is your core business asset. It is the reputation you have in the market, the perception your audience has about your business, and the feelings and thoughts they associate with your products or services. With a strong, clear brand, decision-making is easy, your value is clear, and you can charge your worth with confidence and certainty.

In this hands-on workshop-style session, you won’t be sitting back and relaxing, you’ll be neck deep in your brand, gaining clarity and getting things done. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of your brand, a powerful, refined marketing message, and new tools you can add to your business and use with your clients.

1 – 1:45 PM – Taking the Leap: Switching Careers to Follow Your Passion – Lisa Sabin-Wilson

In 2014, when Matt Mullenweg shared the results of a 33K person survey, he found that a full quarter of the participants (25%!) were making their living from WordPress. 

Now rewind a decade. Back in 2004, when Lisa Sabin-Wilson left a completely unrelated, non-tech career as a Registered Nurse to become a full time WordPress entrepreneur, she didn’t have survey numbers or case studies to give her a confidence boost that her decision to switch careers would eventually pan out. At the time, WordPress was barely over a year old – what was she thinking??

A crucial component in making a drastic (and successful) career change is empowering your decision making. During her session at Prestige, Lisa will share her story of taking the major leap to WordPress, along with the steps she took to move in the direction of success. She’ll cover formulas for evaluating financial impacts, quantifying transferrable skills, and determining true readiness for change in a way that sheds light on a decision many freelancers and entrepreneurs face – finding the tipping point where they can ultimately say “Ok this is it- Dear current career: I QUIT!”

Session descriptions pulled from the Prestige Conference website.

As per usual, if you can’t join us in Minneapolis, follow @PrestigeConf and the hashtag #PrestigeConf to get your fix! Otherwise, we’ll see you there!