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| 1 | +# Call Recap: Sam & Shacole - Techlahoma Developer Conference Planning |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +## Main Topics Discussed |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +### Sponsorship Strategy |
| 6 | +- **Tier Structure**: Discussed creating sponsorship tiers without overcommitting on benefits (especially honorariums for speakers) |
| 7 | +- **Key Approach**: Keep initial offerings simple, potentially add surprise perks if fundraising goes well rather than promising them upfront |
| 8 | +- **Sponsor Value Proposition**: Primary appeal is access to software engineering talent in Tulsa - companies want exposure to developers they don't need to fly in |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | +### Budget Planning |
| 11 | +**Estimated expenses discussed:** |
| 12 | +- Total budget target: ~$15-20K |
| 13 | +- Atlas School venue: Potentially free or minimal cost (needs confirmation) |
| 14 | +- Speaker costs: Planning to not pay speakers initially (all have agreed to speak for free), possible honorariums if budget allows |
| 15 | +- Food: Lunch and speaker dinner |
| 16 | +- T-shirts for attendees |
| 17 | +- Videography: ~$1,500 (considering Jordan as videographer) |
| 18 | +- Minimal AV needs (Atlas has built-in stage, projector, mic setup) |
| 19 | +- No major trucking/logistics expenses needed |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +### Event Planning Tools |
| 22 | +**Shacole demoed PlanBright** (her event planning software): |
| 23 | +- Creates workback schedules, budgets, timelines automatically |
| 24 | +- Generates call sheets, vendor lists, run of show |
| 25 | +- Helps with dependencies and project management |
| 26 | +- Shacole offered to give Sam access and help build out the event plan as a producer |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +### Immediate Priorities |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +**1. Sponsorship Deck (MOST URGENT)** |
| 31 | +- Need to create before approaching any sponsors |
| 32 | +- Should include: recap video from previous years, attendee demographics, sponsor benefits, event schedule |
| 33 | +- Shacole will send Neon Prairie festival sponsorship deck as reference |
| 34 | +- Sam can use AI tools (Lovable) to create website version quickly |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +**2. Website Updates** |
| 37 | +- Update existing 200 OK website with new information |
| 38 | +- Create sponsorship landing page |
| 39 | +- Set up ticketing (currently on existing site from 2025) |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +**3. Press Outreach** |
| 42 | +- Shacole sharing media contact list (Channel 2, Channel 6, radio stations, Tulsa World, Oklahoma Eagle, Black Wall Street Times, Tulsa People Magazine) |
| 43 | +- Strategy: Send press releases when new speakers confirmed |
| 44 | +- Consider creative partnerships (podcast collaborations with radio stations, live streams) |
| 45 | +- Don't worry about "spamming" - media needs content |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +### Venue & Logistics |
| 48 | +- **Primary venue**: Atlas School (Sam in conversation with Simon) |
| 49 | +- Layout: Main stage area plus 3-4 smaller breakout rooms for workshops |
| 50 | +- Capacity: 100-200 people |
| 51 | +- Atlas provides: stage, projector, mic setup, tables/chairs |
| 52 | +- Additional needs: Minimal signage, step-and-repeat for photos (can borrow) |
| 53 | + |
| 54 | +### Event Format Evolution |
| 55 | +- Previous years: Single track, speakers presenting one after another |
| 56 | +- This year: Considering adding breakout workshops in smaller rooms |
| 57 | +- Want to overbook speakers slightly to have backup options |
| 58 | +- Interested in building roster to ~25 speakers, then narrowing down |
| 59 | + |
| 60 | +### Strategic Insights from Shacole |
| 61 | +- There's a disconnect between funded AI/tech ecosystem and actual developers who can build |
| 62 | +- Position the conference as opportunity for non-developers to meet developers, not just for developers |
| 63 | +- Many companies willing to sponsor for talent recruitment access |
| 64 | +- Leftover funds go to Techlahoma operating capital, benefiting the broader community |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +## Next Steps |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +**For Sam:** |
| 69 | +1. Wait for PlanBright access link from Shacole (Monday night) |
| 70 | +2. Review Neon Prairie sponsorship deck when received |
| 71 | +3. Create sponsorship deck/website (using Lovable or similar) |
| 72 | +4. Finalize Atlas School venue agreement and pricing |
| 73 | +5. Review press contact list and plan outreach strategy |
| 74 | +6. Update ticketing website |
| 75 | +7. Potentially create recap video using Notebook LLM or similar tools |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +**For Shacole:** |
| 78 | +1. Send PlanBright trial access (Monday night) |
| 79 | +2. Send Neon Prairie sponsorship materials |
| 80 | +3. Send press contact list |
| 81 | +4. Once Sam provides access, help build out event plan in PlanBright as producer |
| 82 | +5. Schedule 30-min weekly check-ins to review progress |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | +**Upcoming:** |
| 85 | +- Tuesday meeting: Review sponsorship deck |
| 86 | +- Weekly 30-minute check-ins available if needed |
| 87 | + |
| 88 | +## Key Takeaway |
| 89 | +The event appears manageable budget-wise (~$20K), with the sponsorship deck being the critical first deliverable before any sponsor outreach begins. The focus is on attracting sponsors interested in developer talent recruitment while keeping the event accessible and community-focused. |
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