# My Experience Speaking at PyOhio 2022: A Journey in Tech
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Chapter 1: Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking
During my high school and undergraduate studies, I actively sought to avoid public speaking engagements. The anxiety of being on stage, with all eyes on me, was daunting, particularly during the Q&A sessions where I had to think quickly on my feet.
However, I gradually overcame this fear when I began presenting at annual professional conferences. These events were typically small and tailored for my company’s clients, focusing on projects I had dedicated several months to. My Marketing team and CEO were instrumental in refining my presentations and helping me rehearse. With time, public speaking became less intimidating.
Fast forward to this year — I transitioned from a company that offered speaking opportunities, so I started seeking out tech conferences to engage with. That’s when I discovered PyOhio through Twitter.
Section 1.1: About PyOhio
PyOhio is a community conference centered around Python, traditionally held in Columbus, Ohio. Starting in 2020, the conference transitioned to an online format, making its videos freely accessible to anyone interested in Python or programming. If this piques your interest, be sure to explore their offerings!
Section 1.2: Finding My Topic of Inspiration
One major hurdle that had previously deterred me from applying to speak was the challenge of selecting a topic. Fortunately, Medium provided the inspiration I needed this time!
My most popular article on Medium, titled "3 Metrics for Engineering Team Success Other Than Velocity," has garnered over 8,000 views. This article served as the foundation for my talk at PyOhio, as it already had a built-in audience and almost a complete outline.
Chapter 2: Delivering My Presentation
I can only imagine that coordinating an online event like PyOhio must be a logistical challenge, particularly when it comes to live streaming and ensuring everyone shares their screens and audio seamlessly. For this reason, PyOhio opted for pre-recorded talks.
I prepared my slides, recorded my presentation from my home office, and uploaded the video following some editing. The PyOhio organizers kept all speakers well-informed throughout the process, making it a smooth experience — I didn’t even need to leave my house.
Section 2.1: Key Takeaways
Here are some valuable lessons I took away from this experience:
Try Lightning Talks
Many tech conferences offer “lightning talks,” which usually last around five minutes. PyOhio provided this format for most of its presentations, and I found that five minutes felt almost too short once I got started! As an audience member, I appreciate the brevity of lightning talks — if one doesn’t catch your interest, you only have to wait a few minutes for the next one!
Contributing to the Community
Not everyone has the time, resources, or inclination to contribute to open source projects or develop educational series for beginners, but many still wish to give back to the tech community. I believe that sharing knowledge through talks is a wonderful way to contribute and connect with others. While I had spoken at work events before, this marked my first opportunity to volunteer for a public event.
The Challenges of Recording
I never anticipated that recording a talk would be so challenging; I would much prefer to present live on stage. During the recording, it was all too easy to make a slight mistake and feel the need to start over — a luxury not often afforded during live presentations. I also found myself overly cautious about my background; at one point, an ambulance passed by, its siren clearly audible in my recording. If I had been on stage, I would have simply paused and continued, but during the recording, I felt compelled to restart.
The Virtual Experience
I must admit, I’ve missed attending conferences in person since the pandemic, especially large events like AWS re:Invent, which offer so much to explore — from networking opportunities to various vendors and delicious food. However, there are significant logistical considerations such as flights and accommodations.
The silver lining is that you don’t need to be physically present to learn or connect with others! There are numerous excellent talks available on PyOhio’s YouTube channel from both this year and prior years, along with a Discord server to discuss the presentations.
Chapter 3: Encouragement to Step Out
If you’re contemplating speaking at a tech conference, my recommendation is to find one that sparks your interest and apply — the worst they can say is no, and that’s guaranteed if you don’t try! Putting yourself out there is a significant part of the journey.
Even if your presentation doesn’t go as planned, it remains a valuable learning experience. Remember, practice is key, and there’s always another opportunity ahead!
If you're curious to watch my PyOhio 2022 talk, it’s available on YouTube. Additionally, feel free to share any beginner-friendly conferences you might know of!
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