Since I took the leap last year and submitted to talk at SQL Saturday, I’ve come to enjoy the challenge that is presenting.  Every time I present a topic, I learn something new.  Every time. Sometimes there is a subject matter expert in attendance that might correct a minor point I made, one time one of the founders of SQL Saturday emailed me afterwards to give  feedback on my presentation, and most times, I beat my self up over things that I did, said, or didn’t do.

Knowing that presenting helps me learn and grow as a member of the tech community, I have chosen to pursue more presentation opportunities this year.  One of the benefits of speaking is the ability to attend the speaker’s dinner associated with most events which allows me to meet with and talk to other speakers.  Most of these speakers have much more knowledge and experience than me. If I can take the opportunity to not talk too much (known issue for me) I will have an amazing opportunity to acquire career, speaking, and SQL advice from these folks, an opportunity that I shall not pass up.  The speakers at the upcoming events awesome.

Up next on my central Florida speaking tour, we will visit my home turf, Tampa SQL Saturday #273.  If you haven’t registered yet, this event will be awesome.  There will be 41 speakers including 4 MCM, 15 MVP and 8 different tracks.    The sessions that have been chosen cast a wide net into the SQL Server feature sets with topics levels ranging from beginning to expert. If you’ve never been fortunate enough to attend a SQL Saturday, I urge you to register and come enjoy a day of learning SQL.

The other event I’m pretty stoked about is 9th Annual Orlando Code Camp.  I’ve been attending Orlando Code Camp for several years as a developer, and now this year as a speaker.  Before I gave my first SQL presentation last year, I was working on a presentation for Code Camp, which is now outdated and is being covered quite well, but I never submitted it, so I’m quite excited to finally be presenting at Code Camp on the SQL Track with some industry notables (and a few MVPs).   If you work on the Microsoft development stack, I encourage you to make the drive to Orlando as their Code Camp is second to none.