The Continuous Integration of Self: 8 Japanese Habits for Sustainable Engineering

In tech, we value the power of the compound effect. Small commits that lead to massive releases. Yet, when it comes to our own lives, we often ignore this logic, opting for radical overhauls that lead to burnout. This session introduces eight ancient Japanese habits—including Kaizen (micro-improvements) and Hara Hachi Bu (the 80% rule)—reimagined as an "Operating System" for the modern developer. You will learn how to "refactor" your daily routine to improve focus, increase career longevity, and replace the exhaustion of the "hustle" with a system of intentional, incremental growth.

Optimizing Your First Impression: A Live, Interactive Resume Review

Forget boring PowerPoint slides and generic resume tips. Get ready for a fast-paced, interactive experience where we put real resumes to the ultimate test—live on stage! This isn't just a talk; it's a dynamic workshop where audience members volunteer to have their resumes reviewed in real-time using our interactive on-screen platform.We'll pull back the curtain on what recruiters and hiring managers really look for. Watch as we edit, critique, and transform resumes live, turning confusing job descriptions into powerful accomplishment statements. We’ll cover everything from beating the bots (ATS) to creating a narrative that demands attention. The entire audience can participate, ask questions, and see firsthand the common mistakes that lead to rejection and the key changes that lead to interviews. Prepare for a fun, high-energy, and brutally honest session that will fundamentally change the way you write your resume.

The Schematic to Community as told by Rick Astley

Most community strategy sessions are dry, academic, and—frankly—a little bit boring. It’s time to stop talking about "synergy" and start talking about Rick Astley.

The most successful community strategy in history wasn’t born in a Silicon Valley boardroom; it was written by Pete Waterman and sung by a guy in a trench coat. This session deconstructs the "Rickroll" to reveal a serious framework for unshakeable member loyalty. We’re moving past surface-level engagement and into the realm of full commitment.

Using the lyrics of Never Gonna Give You Up as a literal blueprint, this talk blends deep human empathy with a mischievous sense of fun. We will explore the Six Pillars of the Astley Framework—Reliability, Presence, Safety, Longevity, Integrity, and Grit—to show how radical reliability is the only cure for member churn.

Be prepared: this isn't a "sit and listen" PowerPoint. It’s an interactive experience where you’ll learn how to identify the "shy hearts" in your group, set better rules of engagement, and use humor to build trust. Come for the meme, stay for the metrics. You’ve been warned: you might get Rickrolled, but you’ll definitely leave knowing how to build a community that is together forever.

Key Takeaways:
The "No Strangers" Onboarding: How to establish shared "rules" that turn new members into invested stakeholders.

The Reliability Audit: Identifying the "Desertion Points" in your member journey where you’re accidentally letting people down.

Engaging the Silent Majority: Strategies for supporting members who are "too shy to say it" but looking for a place to belong.

The Power of Play: Why surprise, humor, and "trolling" are high-level tools for building psychological safety.

Think "Rickrolling" is just a prank? Think again. Join this high-energy session to discover why the lyrics of "Never Gonna Give You Up" are actually a masterclass in community retention. We’re breaking down the "Six Pillars of Astley" to help you build a community that is together forever. Expect deep insights, personal anecdotes, and—yes—you’ll probably get trolled.

Main Takeaway: Move from transactional engagement to radical member loyalty.

The world needs quitters, so go be the best quitter you can be.

In this talk, I'll break down why sometimes walking away is actually the smartest move you can make. We are all juggling too much stuff, and holding onto things that drain us just doesn't make sense. I'll share some real-talk about how dropping what's not working can open doors you never expected, give you room to breathe, and actually make you happier. Forget what your parents told you about never giving up

Quitting my path as a software developer opened new doors in tech. I want to remove the stigma of quitting so people can begin to win again.