Why I'm Taking Events on the Road This Fall
I last interviewed for a job in 2007. Since then, each new opportunity in my career has come through my network. People who knew when I was ready for something new, who could vouch for my work, who said "here's a specific person with these traits, would you give them a shot?" instead of posting another abstract job listing. But here is what worries me: we've spent five years breaking the very systems that create these connections. The pandemic moved us online, regional meetups struggle with attendance, and conferences have become too expensive for many people. Meanwhile, an entire generation of professionals has limited access to the serendipitous, in-person moments that build careers. The conversations between talks, the discovery that someone shares your taste in music from a laptop sticker, the bond formed over sugar-free lattes at the coffee shop.
That's why we're organizing XO Ruby, a series of traveling events this fall. Not an expensive conference that requires a plane ticket and hotel stay, but smaller, regional gatherings designed to bring together the 60-100 people in your area who are rubyists or ruby-curious but haven't had a reason to meet. These aren't just learning events (though you'll definitely get inspired by great speakers). They're deliberately designed to recreate those side conversations that can't happen virtually without intentional effort. The moments when you discover that the person next to you has been working on exactly the problem you're trying to solve, or when a casual conversation leads to your next career opportunity. We want to connect people who live in the same city but didn't know the other existed until someone gave them a reason to put on their shoes and leave the house.
