For many of us in the AWS partner ecosystem, this time of year isn’t just about Thanksgiving—it’s what partners affectionately call “Are you going to re:Invent?” season. And my answer? Yes, I am!
I’ll be waking up at 2 a.m. Eastern Time to arrive in Sin City by 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time, fueled by a mix of eagerness, excitement, and a little bit of pre-event jitters. After months of preparation, it’s finally go-time.
Behind the scenes, it’s been a whirlwind of activity:
- Weekly planning calls with my manager, CMO, and marketing team.
- Scheduling meetups with strategic partners I have been collaborating with all year
- Coordinating our booth setup and AI activation (come by to check it out!), finalizing giveaway items and swag and other marketing efforts.
- Forwarding invites to happy hours and networking events (secretly getting excited to see some of my favorite musical acts).
- Refining messaging, creating booth videos, and crafting social media content.
- Managing the logistics—assigning and reassigning badges, juggling dinner and hotel reservations, and prepping the team to shine.
It’s been all hands on deck to prepare for the biggest cloud computing event of the year, and I couldn’t have done it without Maggie. She’s been an incredible, calming, and resourceful partner who anticipates every need and gets it all done seamlessly.
Why AWS re:Invent Matters to 11:59
This year, 11:59 has doubled down on our partnership with AWS. Here’s what we’ve accomplished:
- Sponsored and attended multiple AWS Summits
- Participated in numerous partner-focused events
- Hosted multiple AWS User Group meetings
- Built strong relationships with account managers across public and private sectors nationwide
- Reached 64 certifications and earned our first gold jacket (congratulations, Justin!)
And this is just the beginning... I’m thrilled about what we have in store for 2025!
So, why are we heading to re:Invent?
- To Learn: We’re eager to dive into AWS product announcements and enhance our understanding of the platform to better serve our customers.
- To Grow: This is a prime opportunity to expand our reach, boost brand recognition, and uncover new business opportunities. Also, we will be spending time with existing customers, helping them maximize their potential and achieve greater success with AWS.
- To Strategize: As a remote company, the conference offers a rare chance for part of our team to learn together, build relationships, and brainstorm for 2025; giving us the opportunity to connect beyond the virtual screen.
The preparation has been intense, but the rewards and potential of the conference make it all worthwhile. I can’t wait to see what this week will bring—for our team, our customers, and our growing partnership with AWS.
Stay tuned for updates from Vegas!