Innovation and Camaraderie at Nashville's Premier Tech Event

Embark on a tech adventure as we whisk you away to Nashville.  In this episode, Ray Cline from Libertas Consulting joins us, lending his expertise as the president of Technology Worldwide, and we celebrate the achievements within our community.

Get ready for a deep dive into the highly anticipated Tech Fest, hosted in the luxurious Gaylord Opryland Resort, an event that promises to be the ultimate hub for tech aficionados. From the hands-on cable pullers to the visionary project managers, this fest has something for everyone. We'll talk about the thrilling rack build competition and tease an electrifying keynote that's sure to ignite inspiration. This celebration of camaraderie and tech prowess is not to be missed, as we uphold the spirit of connection over competition.

Capping off with an inside look at Tech Fest's vendor lineup. Vendors like Certified Connections and Digital Watchdog will showcase their newest innovations, while Modern Driven Media gears up for an interactive marketing extravaganza. Don't forget to join us for the networking, the learning, and an exclusive TikTok feed of a one-hour rack build battle - it's where the heart of technology beats the loudest!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Thursday night, 6 pm, eastern Standard Time. I feel like there's some place I need to be tonight, something I should be doing Thursday night, 6 pm. What do I do? Oh yeah, after Hours Live with Chuck Balz, your favorite, your favorite RCDD. You know, it's me great show lined up for tonight, especially if you like free training. We'll get more than that just a minute. But we got to get all the normal stuff taken care of first. Right, all the normal stuff.

Speaker 1: 0:43

Let's just go ahead and start off with the acronym challenges. I'm going to warn you now. This is a good one. This is a good one. What does this acronym mean? Bna, bna. What does that acronym mean? Put it in the chat box if you think you know what BNA means. It has something to do with the subject matter tonight show and it's not one that you typically would think about for as far as communications. Come on, come on, I'll give you, I'll give a couple more seconds. Going once, going twice, going three times. Bna is the airport code for Nashville. I fooled you, see. You thought it was an ICT acronym. I fooled you.

Speaker 1: 1:29

Now you're probably wondering, chuck, why are you doing an acronym for Nashville Airport? Because we're talking about an event that happens in Nashville. That's why I'm talking about Nashville, right, I'm kind of looking forward to going there. Oh, by the way, why is it not Nashville International Airport? Why is it not NIA? Why is it BNA? Anybody know what does BNA stand for? I got 10,000 points. The first person can tell me what BNA stands for? Nobody, nobody. Okay, all right, so let's move on. Did you catch last week's show? Did you catch last week's show? I had Steve Cowles from AEM on. We talked about what is a DB, what is a DBM, what is launch cords, great fiber 101 testing thing. Really, you should really watch it Next week's show.

Speaker 1: 2:15

I'm looking at my notes from. Obviously I must have copy and pasted from a previous show. He says Ethernet over bananas. That was like a month ago. Oops, yeah, just like consultants copy and paste RFPs and get things wrong. Yes, chuck does that too sometimes. No, next week's show is going to be about PUE and specifically the Latin market. We're going to talk about US too, but you know, my podcast reaches like all four corners of the globe. I got people from Dubai, india, latin America, everywhere. Man, I thought the show would just be a US-based show, but I got people from Dubai, india, latin America, everywhere. Man, I thought this show would just be a US-based show, but I get it from everywhere. But tonight's show I want to talk about an event that's happening in Nashville. If you're in Nashville, you're going to want to attend it. If you can get to Nashville, you're going to want to attend it, and you'll find out why in just a minute. So let me bring on my guest first. My guest is Ray Klein. Mr Ray Klein, how are you doing, my friend?

Speaker 3: 3:13

Hey Chuck, how are you doing buddy Nice? To be a part of your show.

Speaker 1: 3:17

Absolutely so. For the people who may not know who you are, why don't you tell us who's Ray Klein?

Speaker 3: 3:24

I'm just a guy doing a thing, chuck. Just a guy doing a thing, man Ray Klein. I am the founder of a company called Libertas Consulting in Warminster, Pennsylvania, and a founding member and president of the world's greatest technology community, technology Worldwide. We are a technology group that started out as an online presence that has grown into an in-person wonderful 501c3 nonprofit organization doing amazing things in the world Thanks to beautiful people like you.

Speaker 1: 3:56

Well, I try to promote everybody in the low-voltage industry, from even people that I may not necessarily agree with. So look at that. Somebody guessed what B&A was. Look at that.

Speaker 3: 4:07

I see that.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Yes, nice, nice, 10,000 points to Michael Michael we're still going to do the follow-up RCD show with you. So your travel, my travel, just like two ships passing in the night. Right, aaron's in the house, the brand spanking newest RCDD. He just got his rcdd last week, I think, yes, so he's in the house. We got all kinds of people in the house tonight, that's amazing man, I know.

Speaker 3: 4:32

Congratulations. Yes, that's a, that's an accomplishment, congratulations it truly is, truly is so.

Speaker 1: 4:38

So let's talk about tech fest. What is tech fest?

Speaker 3: 4:44

oh, tech fest, uh, so the best way that I can describe it to people is think of it as a trade show with more of an emphasis on networking and shoulder-to-shoulder learning with people hands-on. So, uh, we've got about 20 different vendors that are sponsoring the event. Uh, all meeting us down in Nashville May 2nd and 3rd at the Grand Opryland Resort Phenomenal, incredible, beautiful venue. I'm really looking forward to spending time there and we get together and we teach each other new skills, integrate products. We've got live labs. We've got live demonstrations. It's more than just a trade show where you can go and check out vendors' products. It is more about putting your hands on those products and learning with other peers in the industry. So it's a pretty cool concept. What days are the event? May 2nd and 3rd, so it's.

Speaker 1: 5:41

Thursday and a Friday, so it's coming up really really soon.

Speaker 3: 5:45

Oh yeah, we're less than a month away.

Speaker 1: 5:46

we're about 20 days out I know, and so it's kind of like, right now at least, a miniature bixie show, right. So you know you have vendors coming in, you're gonna speakers, they're speaking, but and then you even kind of have the hands-on. Well, biggs has their K-1 skills challenge, so you've got the hands-on stuff. So it's kind of like a mini one. And how much does it cost?

Speaker 3: 6:11

It's free, free, free Like $0. $0 free.

Speaker 1: 6:15

I'm sorry, say that again. I had something in my ear.

Speaker 3: 6:18

It's free, it is 1,000% free. Your only cost to attend is your cost to get yourself there.

Speaker 1: 6:24

Right, and the $38 a day parking.

Speaker 3: 6:27

Well, yeah that too, I can't control that. I mean Uber in, I guess.

Speaker 1: 6:32

Yes, yeah, there you go, exactly, exactly. So you know, when you talk about the low voltage industry I've said this a million times we're diverse in the fact that you have people pulling cable Right, people project managing projects, designers designing them. How are you tailing this event to content for each, for that wide audience?

Speaker 3: 6:57

so it's. It's actually really cool we're doing this year. Um again, I I said in the very beginning it the the focus is really all aspects of technology, right, and that that hands-on learning. So we've got a fiber lab where you're going to be working with people learning how to to build fiber, use what type of fiber you should be using, how to crimp fiber, terminate fiber all that good stuff. We've got a copper lab. So for people that may be not 100% sure how to do structured cabling from a copper standpoint, we'll have people there.

Speaker 3: 7:27

We've got a network lab where we'll be teaching people how to build proper networks. You know, that beautiful thing in the world that we need is security. So VLANs a lot of people are just building flat networks. That's got to change. We've got a wireless lab. We've got a really cool access control lab, which I'm super excited about. I don't do access control, but Assa Abloy, pdk, digital Watchdog they're all coming out to be there and build a live access control lab where people are going to learn how to integrate access control into their networks. Cut in strikes, program the software. It's really cool stuff, man.

Speaker 1: 8:06

Oh, you know what I should do when I come, I should bring some of these what you got there oh, is that the?

Speaker 3: 8:17

oh, I know what that is, that is uh the frame to help you fish through yep frame frog, so it's to help you fish through the walls right the door frame, the door frames, yeah, yeah, I'll never use them.

Speaker 1: 8:25

They're just sitting here in my desk. I I told uh, I told um, I told, I told his name went right out of my head. You do that I know. It's how much you get old, like me. I told him I'd give him to him, but I'll take him to the event and maybe you can use him as part of the demonstration stuff.

Speaker 3: 8:44

No, that'd be great. Bring him, we'll put him to use.

Speaker 1: 8:46

I didn't hear you mention and I only know about this because I got an email last night or the night before asking me if I'd be a judge again. I didn't hear you talk about the rack build-off.

Speaker 3: 8:59

So there, oh my God, there's so much to talk about. So the event kicks off on Thursday with a keynote speaker by a great guy. His name is Bruce Wirt. He works for a company called Telesystem and I've known Bruce for 20 years at this point. He is a phenomenal motivational speaker. He's coming out to give a great talk, help motivate the team, talk about our main thing right Community over competition and building that community and building the trust in each other.

Speaker 3: 9:28

Directly following that, we kick off the entire event with our rack build competition. So think of it as you've got two teams going head to head to compete to build the best, cleanest, sexiest, if I shall say it network rack. That has to then pass certifications by the wonderful chuck bowser. We've got some other judges from Trend Networks that are coming out too. They're actually going to certify all the work. So not only does it have to be beautiful, it's got to be functional, it's got to pass and there's points for all of those things and bragging rights at the end of the show. I mean, last year's was a lot of fun.

Speaker 1: 10:08

Are we going to do Per Code this year?

Speaker 3: 10:13

I think that you need to talk to mr dan higdon, that's uh, he is running this one this year. So yeah, I think, I think it should be.

Speaker 1: 10:18

Uh. So that's the problem. When you uh, when you ask a former qa inspector to be a judge, right, and I'm I told, I said, yeah, I can't wait, I can't wait to see that again Because I love that part, because I actually live streamed it. I don't know if I'll be able to live stream it when we're there, because some hotels they knock down cellular signals and stuff like that.

Speaker 3: 10:42

We got you covered. We're building our own. Look, we're building our own entire wireless infrastructure. I mean, we're tech geeks, we're going to have our own network there.

Speaker 1: 10:50

you'll have plenty of bandwidth oh, there you go, there you go, don't tell the hotel.

Speaker 1: 10:55

I don't know. I don't know what you're talking about. Don't know what you're talking about? Yeah, because I think when I live streamed it last year I think I had like 1500 people on there at one time all watching because it's competition, right, and they were love and and I love it because you know I'm three steps away from the field. I mean I've I kind of miss being in the field sometimes. You know, I didn't I didn't participate in the in the build off, but I got to see there and watch them doing it and stuff and just kind of reminded me of my old days and stuff and just yes, yes yeah, so it's a lot of fun.

Speaker 3: 11:28

So, uh, hammond Manufacturing I'm sure your followers know who Hammond is. Hammond is donating the racks. Vertical Cable is donating all the cable, the accessories, and we're doing I don't know if we're putting fiber as part of the rack build. I know we are doing fiber training, I just don't know fiber is part of that build. But yeah, hammond Vertical Cable there and Trend is kind of like the sponsor of that build. But, um, yeah, hammond vertical cable there and trend is is kind of like the sponsor of that whole event.

Speaker 1: 11:54

So it's it's kind of awesome so what are what are some of the? Uh, I know some people are speaking right. What are some of the? What are some things they're talking about?

Speaker 3: 12:04

so we actually have, I think it was. We've got 10 sessions, so we've got 10 sessions. So we've got 10 different speaking engagements that are happening as well. Chuck, you happen to be one of them. We've got Justin Colantonio coming to do a talk on Cybersecurity 101. We've got you coming to talk about codes versus standards, which is awesome.

Speaker 1: 12:25

By the way, your class is full by the way already, so I'm pretty excited about that and, by the way, you misspoke when you were on, uh, that last thing you said. I know I'm sorry, we should have talked about that listen.

Speaker 3: 12:38

So I was on a podcast with uh, kevin also and rcdd and uh a couple weeks ago actually I think it was last week and I I made the mistake and I said, hey, chuck is doing a course, and I I thought it was cec credited and and it apparently wasn't, so I made the mistake.

Speaker 1: 12:55

So well, no, I had submitted it, I hadn't gotten it approved yet, so, but literally like 90 minutes ago, I got the email from bixie. It is approved for c that's awesome.

Speaker 3: 13:07

So now it's a credit, so now it's accredited it is now accredited.

Speaker 1: 13:11

Well that's awesome.

Speaker 1: 13:11

Actually they don't want you to use the word accredited, but it's, bixie recognized for continuing education credits. So if you've got an RCDD installer, copper installer, fiber, it's worth CECs. And if you can't make it to TechFast, that will be recorded and I will put it up on Teachables and you can go watch it there. And I will put it up on Teachables and you can go watch it there. Now there's going to be a fee associated with Teachables, but that fee goes directly into help funding this podcast, so I can continue to fly to Nashville and do things for the podcast and stuff like that. So yeah, it's recognized for CECs. So there you go. That's cool news.

Speaker 3: 13:47

Yeah, so anybody that's listening right now or listening to the restream, literally just go to techfestorg. The entire list of all of our speaking engagements, the activities, the sessions. They're all listed right on the website, techfestorg. And again, 100% free, there is no cost to attend.

Speaker 1: 14:09

There is no cost to attend, Right. So you mentioned a little bit earlier about vendors right they play a crucial role in any kind of industry event, whether it's a Bixie conference or a local meetup or whatever. Can you share some of the vendors who are going to be participating at this event?

Speaker 3: 14:24

Yeah, absolutely, I mean so. I mean we have really great relationships and partnerships and you know I'm super excited. You know Asa Abloy is obviously going to be part of the access control lab. Uh, brooklyn low voltage supplies coming out out of new york? Oh no, they're not. No, they're not. Really they are, yeah, they're in a funny story.

Speaker 1: 14:44

I came across them at the bixie winter conference. Okay, so I'm walking around with me and uh and jeff from better days technology, he was my film guy for that week Yep, and so they were over in the new booth area.

Speaker 1: 14:56

So we were kind of we kind of got in that area and I was talking to not the main guy but one of the other guys and he goes. Well, I said, well, why should I buy from you? And he's, he's giving a sales pitch. Of course, I'm standing there and this guy comes up, chuck, chuck, hey, how you doing okay. And this guy looks at him because he says to jeff he goes is this guy famous or something?

Speaker 3: 15:16

yes, the answer is yes.

Speaker 1: 15:17

No the answer is no. The answer is no. The answer is no. I'm not famous and uh, so, like you're like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, we want to. We want to get. We didn't get on your show. Yeah, you can come on the show anytime you want. You know this. Let's set up something. Find someone to talk about. Good people, though. I was thoroughly impressed with them.

Speaker 3: 15:30

Yeah, yeah, they're good guys. Um, we've uh recently started engaging with them and working with them and they're they're excited to come out um cable and connections obviously our biggest supporter since day one. Um, so theron is coming up and I'm not sure. Uh, I know dave is coming, so dave will definitely be there as well, and I'm not sure who else. Oh nice.

Speaker 1: 15:50

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 15:50

Nice, yeah, dave's a great guy man. Yes, theron is. Theron is my long lost brother. There's no offense or buts about it. He's just taller and better looking.

Speaker 1: 15:59

So is Theron coming to.

Speaker 3: 16:01

Yes, he'll be there.

Speaker 1: 16:02

Very cool. Oh yeah, I need to talk to some computer email stuff Cause for some reason my emails that Chuck at let's talk cabling are ending up with people's spam box not going through to their thing. So there's something that's flagging my emails. For some reason it's making the people think it's spam when it's not.

Speaker 3: 16:22

I can help you with that. Oh yeah, there you go, we'll talk off one. I got you, man, oh that's cool, cool.

Speaker 1: 16:27

So how many vendors did you say were going to be there?

Speaker 3: 16:31

I'm looking at my list right now. I got about 20, so I can run through them real quick. Yeah, let's do that. So then we've got Certified Connections is coming. They're based out of Texas and I know up in the New England area really good guys, this one was exciting. Dell is coming. So Dell is trying to build a whole new MSP-type service. So they're actually based out of texas and nashville. So when I, you know, approach them, they're like wait a minute, you're doing something in nashville, we'll be there. So dell will be there. Um, digital watchdog, is that dell the computer? Yeah, dell, the dell technologies will be.

Speaker 1: 17:08

Oh, wow yeah.

Speaker 3: 17:10

How about us stepping our game up right?

Speaker 1: 17:12

Yeah, nice.

Speaker 3: 17:18

The Digital Watchdog and PDK will be there, so they wanted to have booths that were right next to each other, because they have some integrations that they have with each other on their new platforms, so they want to showcase that, which is pretty cool. So I'm real excited for that. Eaton, who we love eating, right eating, power supplies, um, and battery backups. They'll be there. Um, mike, right there, and maybe, maybe the devil duck will come, who knows? Pretty exciting mascots. We got there, um federal cable's coming and they're, uh, they're really good friends and they they represent hammond and some of the fiber that we're doing here, which is awesome.

Speaker 3: 17:54

Go Simply Connect, which is Simply 45. They are sponsors of the event, which is awesome. They made our big packout, which you probably saw, with all of our tools, yeah, which is something really cool. They did Hammond obviously is there. They donated the racks. Modern Driven Media this one's a fun one too. Um, I have a good friend her name is shana and she is coming down and giving a presentation on marketing who doesn't need to learn about digital marketing.

Speaker 3: 18:22

Yes, I need to sit in that class so and she's doing some interactive learning where she's actually doing. She's going to pair people and you're going to build in the class a marketing presentation so that you know how to market your company better online.

Speaker 1: 18:36

Oh, very cool Again. These are, these are all just free classes. Yeah, somebody on Tik TOK says they're packing already.

Speaker 3: 18:43

You're all good, get them here, it's, it's free. Make sure you register, it's free.

Speaker 1: 18:47

That's part of this whole thing, is it's free? And then somebody else is saying that we need to invite Patchbox. What's Patchbox? Do you know who they are?

Speaker 3: 18:56

Patchbox is a decent product. Not a lot of people in our community use it because it's a little overkill, it's a little expensive, if I'm being honest, and most of the people in our community use the six-inch patch cords or one-foot patch cords. So Patchbox is a one-, one u or a two u rack mounted ethernet cord box. In essence, you pull the ethernet cord out and it's on a retractable cord, so the cord can be as long or as short as you need it to be. So it's kind of like um, it's retractable, like think of it like your garden hose that you pull out of a reel as you pull it out, it gets longer, so you can plug it into your device and the bottom part of it you can pull out and plug it.

Speaker 3: 19:33

So it's a wire management tool.

Speaker 1: 19:35

It's cool Gotcha, gotcha. So you know when you talk and you said, oh, you have all these vendors there, right? I've been to some shows where you know the vendor booths were literally like you know, a little picnic table with a black cloth over. And I've been to like the big ones, like at Nika or Big C, where they got, you know, 10 by 20 booths. What kind of experience can the attendees expect to find from these booths or displays?

Speaker 3: 19:57

Sure, Let me give you a couple more sponsors before I don't get and get yelled at. Yeah, sure.

Speaker 1: 20:03

Yes, get everybody in there.

Speaker 3: 20:04

I know there's only a couple more. So OSI Global will be there Amazing company to work with. Uh. Telesystem will be there. Obviously, bruce's, our keynote, will be there. Uh, we've got our tkw's, got a booth as well with all of our co-branded tools. We've got some really cool tools that we co-branded. We can't wait to share them with you. Um, one of them I will share, hold on, okay, only because I have it sitting on my desk right now. So this is a brand new version two of the door jam, door jam.

Speaker 3: 20:35

Yeah, so we've got a bunch of these. They'll be at the event, Um, and I've. I've got some other cool ones, but I don't have them here to show you. Plus, we want to kind of keep it a secret.

Speaker 1: 20:43

You're missing you're missing one of my favorite things about events that uh, the giveaways.

Speaker 3: 20:57

Well, you see my pack out box there and I know, I know there's a very big controversy right here.

Speaker 1: 21:01

Shirts and hats, oh yeah.

Speaker 3: 21:03

There's going to be plenty of that, don't worry. Plenty of swag, plenty of giveaways.

Speaker 1: 21:06

And that's the beautiful thing about that is you know, you just walk up to them and you can take them. They're free you don't have to pay for them, I do.

Speaker 3: 21:16

I could roll out the box and show you.

Speaker 1: 21:17

Yeah, no, you don't have to do that, I'll be bringing my kit. Oh look at that. Nice, I like that. It's a pack out.

Speaker 3: 21:28

It's nice, so I got a pack out in my box.

Speaker 1: 21:31

You know me, I'm vendor agnostic, I know you are Almost done here.

Speaker 3: 21:38

Trend Networks obviously we love those guys. They're going to be there certifying everything and they are bringing a full gamut. Plus, mike Grindel is going to give a great talk. True Scripts is sponsoring part of the Rackbill competition Awesome people. Uniview you know the camera company Uniview. They'll be there. They've got a. They're an elite sponsor. They're going to be there demonstrating some of the new products that maybe you don't realize that uniview does. Everybody thinks about uniview as a camera company, but they actually do a ton of other things that I don't think a lot of people know about. Um ricotta and vertical cable will be there and obviously, is mike, is mike from vc, mike?

Speaker 3: 22:15

will be there. Yes, mike doesn't miss our events. Mike's at every event we have nice. So, uh, what can people expect? I know is your question there.

Speaker 1: 22:23

Yes, um the booths I mean. So I mean, what are they gonna have their products there? Are we talking super big, elaborate booths or are we talking intimate booths? What can?

Speaker 3: 22:34

they so. So again, chuck, you've been to a couple of our events, so you kind of know how we are. Out of all of those vendors that I just mentioned, there's only going to be 10 booths at the event, and I say that because most of our you said more than 10 people.

Speaker 3: 22:51

Yep, I said 20 plus. So our vendors have realized that our trade show is so much different than going to a Bixie conference or going to ISC West. They want to be hands on with us. They want to be in the labs. So, while they're going to have a booth where you can go and see the products, see their services, talk to their salespeople, talk to their, you know, whoever is there, like trend networks, is probably going to spend more time in the booth than they're I'm sorry, more time in the lab than they're going to spend in our booths.

Speaker 3: 23:22

Same thing with PDK Digital Watchdog. They're going to be running those labs that we're building and that's where you're going to get to be hands-on and play with those new products, new services, as opposed to just walking up to a booth and saying, oh wow, that's a really nice, I'll use vertical cable Cool. The iPunch tool is really cool to look at, but no, instead of just looking at it, they're going to use that in the rack. Build competition. And that's the difference. Like, these vendors are bringing their products, their tools, their services and we're using them to build the labs that we're going to have to teach to, to just again keep elevating the game and keep instructing people, and it's, it's just, it's our way of giving back to the community, right.

Speaker 1: 24:07

You know, one of my favorite thing about going to these kinds of events is the, the networking portion of it. Right, yep. So how are you going to facilitate networking opportunities for the people who attend this?

Speaker 3: 24:20

So we've got a lot of different ways. Obviously, you know, being at the show and working hand in hand with people and learning from each other is obviously one big way that you're going to do it. The resort is insane. I mean, just if you go and you look up the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, the venue itself is spectacular. But we do have some happy hours, some social events plan. We have a golf outing on Saturday that Dan Higdon is putting together, so anybody that golfs.

Speaker 3: 24:46

We might've even sold out of our spots already at this point, but we have a lot of things. We also have some games that we plan on having during the conference. You know, like go meet X number of vendors or go get this from this vendor and kind of do like a little Easter egg hunt kind of thing. Oh cool, what we're planning on doing. We want we want to make this fun, we want to make it interactive and I see Brandon just chimed in. Yeah, there's a water park, so this place has a water park. The biggest problem is is trying to keep people out of the water park. So we the water park, so we want them at our trade show, not the water park. But if it happens, it happens where's the water?

Speaker 1: 25:20

the water park's in the hotel. It's in the venue yeah.

Speaker 3: 25:23

So the gay lord is think of it as like a city inside of a city. So it's got a water park, it's got nine or ten different restaurants and bars, it's got a shopping facility, it's got a golf course. It's insanity.

Speaker 1: 25:37

Oh, very cool.

Speaker 3: 25:38

Yeah, I'm going to have a hard time keeping people huddled. Yeah, you are. You've been at our events, Chuck.

Speaker 1: 25:48

The phrase herding cats is coming to mind for some reason that's cool. So let me ask you this what's the one thing that you hope that an attendee is going to take away from this event?

Speaker 3: 26:00

I just want them to get that sense of community that I think that maybe they are lacking in other places, right? So you know, for me, as an independent business owner, I, you know, I've got staff now, I didn't before. There's a lot of people in our community that are one-man shops and I think what this community does is it gives other, it gives us all an opportunity to have other team members and have that camaraderie and have that ability to interact and know that. You know, I've got a Brandon Weber that I can call if I have a problem, If I don't understand. You know wireless or MFA or you know some kind of MSP problem or you know like Rob is is great in our group, uh, canadian rob, rando rob, we call him like. It's great to know that. Like if I need a wireless survey done, I can call rob and he'll come out and do it. It allows our community members to kind of have a much larger team and resources they wouldn't have being on their own. So I want to make sure that everybody that comes it isn't really already a part of our community, which is free, by the way, Our community is also free. I want them to get that sense of camaraderie, that sense of I have a Chuck Bowser that I can call on if I need help. I want them to see that we're so much more than just an online community. We are legitimately working with each other day in and day out.

Speaker 3: 27:23

Perfect example of that right now is Pierce Smithwick, Mr All Green Lights himself. He is one of the co-founders of this community. He is in North Jersey right now, about an hour north of me. My employee has been working with him all week, as well as 11 other TKW members. So we all work together on jobs day in and day out, and I want newcomers that come to our community to realize hey, maybe I can do that too. If I start getting to know these guys and I start working shoulder to shoulder with these people, I can grow my business with other amazing people in the industry. We're all helping each other grow. So for me, that's what I hope. Everybody gets out of the show right and I also hope everybody makes it out alive.

Speaker 1: 28:02

That's a whole other issue but we won't, we won't talk about that right, yeah, no, we're not gonna talk about that yeah, and that's that's beautiful thing about its size right now, because I think I think the last I saw we were, you guys were like I don't know. It's like 150, 200 so far and it growing quickly. Is there a gap on the number of people that can attend.

Speaker 3: 28:22

Yeah, so we are intentionally keeping it. We like to use the word intimate. We want to keep this show between 150 and 200 people. So right now we're right in that sweet spot, knowing that we're going to have people walk in that have not registered yet.

Speaker 1: 28:35

Right.

Speaker 3: 28:36

So you know, each class we're limiting to 75 people. So, Chuck, you've got 75 people sign up for your course and we have to limit it, right, Because there's so many things that we have going on that we want to make sure that the vendors are getting that intimate attention with our members and the members are getting that intimate attention with other members and with the vendors. So you know there's a million other trade shows, right, you can go be a number in a bucket somewhere else, right, Right here we want people to feel that they are heard and they're a part of something.

Speaker 1: 29:09

So and that's the beautiful thing about that is and you hit the word, you picked the right word for that intimate, because everybody's approachable. Everybody's approachable and, and sometimes even, like the Bixie conference, I'll get messages after the conference. Oh yeah, I saw you. I'm like, why didn't you come up and say hi to me? I'm just a normal person like everybody else and if I see somebody there, you can go and talk to them and talk about anything Somebody wants to know. In the TikTok feed is the RAC build out?

Speaker 3: 29:38

timed, wants to know when the TikTok feed is the rack build out timed it is. It's a one hour competition, so that's that's part of it. So this isn't like a Bixie skills challenge where they have a very long window to build it out. This is more about what can you do with a team of I think it's six or eight other individuals that you've probably never worked with before. What beautiful rack can you build in that one hour timeframe and will it certify? That's the important piece of it.

Speaker 1: 30:05

Yeah, it can't just look pretty. It's got to work, it's got to pass the test. And are you going to put data across it too? Are you just going to do it with the hit of the certifier?

Speaker 3: 30:13

No. So they are going to hit it with the certifier, but we are then using those racks that are built during the competition for the labs for the rest of the to, for the rest of the event. So those racks that were built then become the fiber lab, the copper lab, the network lab. So it's got to be done right. Who's who's doing the fiber lab? Uh, so zach cordova, okay, um, so he's best security solutions out of denver. Uh, splicer steve. Everybody knows steven Klenert.

Speaker 3: 30:40

There isn't a person in this world that does fiber, that doesn't know who Stephen Klenert is. And we have this amazing woman who joined our community not too long ago. Her name is Ariel and she's Splicer, Keeps Splicing. She was actually on a podcast with Tricia at the very beginning of our Women Appreciation Series. Wonderful woman, and she does fiber. So the three of them are jointly leading this fiber course. It's, it's, it's amazing man.

Speaker 1: 31:06

I'm going to get. I'm going to get lots of social media content those couple of days. So tell us again what days is it and where's it at, and again how much it costs $1 million. Uh, it is a million dollars.

Speaker 3: 31:21

So it may 2nd, may 3rd, that's a thursday and friday, uh, both days 9 am to 5 pm in nashville, tennessee, the beautiful music capital of the world. Um, it is at the gaylord opryland resort and hotel and convention center. Sorry, gaylord opryland resort. Hey, steven cl Klenner, how about him? And I'm sorry, may 2nd, may 3rd, nashville, nine five, both days, gaylord Opryland resort. I can't wait to see you there. Register tech fest, t E K fest, f E S, torg, 1000% free. It will be no cost to you to attend, no cost to go to the sessions, no cost to be a part of the events. We just, we just want you there.

Speaker 1: 32:02

We're looking forward to meeting other than your, other than your travel expenses or other than your travel expenses which sadly I cannot cover for you.

Speaker 3: 32:09

I'm sorry.

Speaker 1: 32:09

I wish I could ray, I appreciate you coming on and I appreciate the tkw family that's putting this on, because you know, you know my, you know my tagline knowledge is power, and that's right. Unfortunately, some people charge for that knowledge, and you know, and here you guys are giving it free, and it's not just, and it's giving away good quality knowledge too.

Speaker 1: 32:28

That's, that's the cool thing about because and I'm not saying because I'm speaking, I'm saying because I know some of these other people there and I'm like dude, I want to be there as an attendee, you know, even if I wasn't speaking at this event. No we appreciate that that is, this will be the biggest group of people I've ever spoken to is it really? Yeah, I've had. I've had 50 before. Oh shock, never 75.

Speaker 3: 32:51

So listen, I'm gonna be nervous uh, so so the way the room is set up, I could technically open the accordion wall and open it up to another 75 if you want. You tell me, because there's a waiting list for your class already.

Speaker 1: 33:05

Let's do it, open it up.

Speaker 3: 33:07

It's so funny.

Speaker 1: 33:09

The only way to address a fear is to face it head on.

Speaker 3: 33:14

So I can tell you this I don't love public speaking either. I'm not great at it. If you just envision the person, don't don't look at the people in the front row, cause I don't make it crazy. Just think about the one person in your life your wife maybe that you want they're cheering you on, and focus on that, and then you'll be fine, and and plus, it's us. I mean, at the end of the day, we're going to have fun.

Speaker 1: 33:36

Well, I'm Well. I've been speaking enough that once I hit my groove I'll be okay. It's just getting. It's those first couple steps getting into that groove and stuff. So I'm looking forward to it. Again, I appreciate you coming on. I really do.

Speaker 3: 33:48

Thank you, and if anybody wants to join our community, free, it is jointechnologyorg, spelled exactly like you think. It is T-E-K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-Eorg and techfestorg. It's free. Come join us, you will not regret it. We'll be down in Nashville. We'll see you all soon.

Speaker 1: 34:05

Absolutely. Thank you, mr Red. Thanks buddy.

Speaker 3: 34:07

See you, Chuck.

Speaker 1: 34:09

So I highly highly recommend that you attend this event.

Speaker 2: 34:14

That's it for this episode of today's podcast. We hope you were able to learn something. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future content. Also, leave a rating so we can help even more people learn about telecommunications. Until next time, be safe.