As I’ve written in earlier postings, I have soft spot in my heart for the annual Massive Tech Expo. I remember learning about it first in Boston, before I moved to Vancouver, and then deciding to have our first exploratory visit to the city coincide with it, back in 2005. Readers of this blog know that it was through this show that I eventually got my first job here, and also met the owner of the condo that we ended up buying. That first Massive was good to us.
This year, I have the somewhat less urgent needs in terms of employment (am working now, even if it is a little sporadic to begin with), and housing (we are still in the same place we got via that first show). The first time I attended it, the conference and show floor occupied the Telus Science World ‘golf ball’ (geodesic dome) at eastern end of False Creek. In the years after that, it grew to take up part of one of the show halls in Canada Place (the big building with white ‘sails’ on the the roof, looking out on the Burrard Inlet), the show’s largest footprint. This year, ‘Massive’ was noticeably less massive, and housed in less fancy digs (partly due to ongoing construction), the UBC Robson Centre, an underground downtown campus that sits smack in the middle of the city, across from the Vancouver Art Gallery, which I’d say is the city’s heart, as well as its living room, pillow-fight/flash mob site, party room and Olympic Count-down clock mantel. Has it shrunk because of the current economy? I’d say that’s a good bet.
I was pleased to run into some friends there: Jonathan Narvey, who covered it well for TechVibes, as well as Jenn Lowther, Kris Krug and Tris Hussey. I also chatted with Chris Breikss at the 6S Marketing booth, and had a photo taken of me with my face turning crimson (I wish I didn’t blush so easily) as I held up my free T‑Shirt (for tweeting the fact that I was visiting the 6S Marketing Booth, of course) flanked by 2 pretty girls, with the slogan ‘Show us your tweets!’ on it.
The afternoon (I had to do a work thing in the morning, and hence, didn’t get to the show until around 2), was mainly spent chatting with vendors, exploring the possibilities of some referral programs and potential business opportunities for my company, but it was actually pretty low-key and friendly. The most stressful moments were when I was interviewed live on the Internet (streaming video) by the folks at Media2o, a video/multimedia production company (the company Tris works for, who produce the local tech TV show “ConnectedLife”). I don’t think I blushed for that, but I can’t be sure, as I didn’t see the feed.
If my usual good luck that involves the Massive show applies, I’ll bet that one of the people I met or talked to or deals I explored will result in something good down the road. It’s only a matter of time.
I didn’t attend Massive but I thoroughly enjoy the fact that it brings good luck to you! 🙂