Personal Non Technical Re:Invent 2024 Recap
Introduction
Finally back home and reflecting on an incredible experience I had at Re:Invent. Small disclaimer, this is not a technical recap, I will try to address that later. This is personal impression of the event. If you are not interested in that kind of content, then you should stop reading beyond this point.
No smart quotes this time, just a random report about the animal kingdom at my place. The dog almost got a stroke of excitement when I showed up. I would have written this post earlier, but couldn’t get rid of it. The cat is just being a cat, “Oh, it’s you, great, now feed me and proceed with whatever business you have." The bird? Nothing, not singing, not showing any emotions, but that might or might not be related to the fact that I accidentally vacuumed her last week when cleaning the cage. She will forgive me, eventually.
Now that the beast decided to let me go, I will share my thoughts on non-technical Re:Invent things.
I don’t usually express emotions in messages or spoken words, as it feels a bit silly to me. When it comes to this, I believe in actions, not words. Show, not tell. But this time, I will make that one and a few more exceptions.
Appreciation
Now, onto the true essence of this post: appreciation. It’s hard to express appreciation in the way I feel it, and avoid the cringe at the same time. Therefore, I will make it as simple as possible.
Getting to work with people from all over the world is such a privilege. It’s not easy to find the right mix of personalities, but when it works, it’s like nailing the perfect seasoning for your favorite dish, and Serverless Guru nails it!
It is worth mentioning that this is the third year in a row that quite a few people from Serverless Guru have gathered and had a chance to meet in person at Re:Invent. For those who don’t know, Serverless Guru is a fully remote company, not just on a paper or as a platitude or marketing sales pitch. That is why there is no coffee machine in the hall or kitchen to hang out. I don’t usually name-drop companies on my blog, but this time, as I previously said, I will make an exception. SG deserves the shoutout.
However, I hear there are still no North Pole employees for some reason. Apparently, Santa has a monopoly over there. That being said, if any elves are considering a career change, there is an open vacancy waiting!
For me, the biggest personal value is getting a chance to speak and meet people in person, and it feels great. Interaction over the messages and video calls is ok, but without having that human touch, you don’t have a full feeling about the person, culture, and who you are dealing with. To those who were there: Thank you for the laughs, the conversations, and the memories. And to those who couldn’t make it this time, I hope we’ll have the chance to connect soon.
I would also like to mention that this networking and getting to know people is not exclusive for the Serverless Guru team. Every year I meet new people, and having a chance to speak with those who I meet in a years before, like we were old friends, is a great feeling.
Community Shoutout
It is impossible not to mention the community “Believe in Serverless” party organized by Momento and sponsored by a few more companies, including Serverless Guru. This community is one of the best I have interacted with. If you haven’t had a chance to speak with the champions or members, you are missing a lot. If you are “into serverless," I highly recommend you keep an eye on the official website for the upcoming talks and events, as well as joining the community discord.
Believe it or not, it is even allowed to talk about the servers, and that (not)censored K* word!
Conclusion
With that, I will wrap up this short personal recap. The reason I wrote it is because I feel a lack of posts that address networking in the way it really is at the conference. This is just one perspective, but consider it a starting point. Hopefully, more people will address this topic in the future.
I understand that not everyone had a great time, as it is impossible with such a massive number of people. I firmly believe that the vast majority of the attendants at Re:Invent bring home positive experiences. The actual value of this and similar smaller-scale events goes beyond the technical content. I wish I could read more about it and look into other people’s impressions.
Those who didn’t have a great time should also write about their experience, as it is always good to have a different perspective and look at things from a different angle. The world and experience is not a one-way street. If we see only positive or only negative, we are missing the full picture. The criticism is welcome if it is constructive and healthy aiming to improve, and not to diss the event.