In this special crossover episode, hosts from The Friendly Show, Indie Rails, and Code with Jason come together to share the unvarnished truth about organizing Ruby conferences.

Adrian (Friendly RB), Jeremy (Blue Ridge Ruby), and Jason (Sin City Ruby) open up about their journeys from conference attendees to organizers, revealing the financial realities, emotional highs and lows, and unexpected challenges of creating memorable experiences for the Ruby community.

What You'll Learn:

• How much it really costs to start a conference (spoiler: more than you think)
• Why hotel blocks can financially destroy small conference organizers
• The 250+ hours of work that goes into organizing a single event
• How COVID changed the conference landscape and created opportunities
• Why some conferences intentionally don't record videos
• The difference between building sustainable events vs. one-time experiences
• Real stories of both financial losses and life-changing community connections

Key Topics Covered:

• Conference economics and budgeting strategies
• Venue selection and negotiation pitfalls
• Marketing and ticket sales challenges
• The psychology of conference organizing addiction
• Alternative event formats (like Jeremy's "Ruby on Trails" backpacking trip)
• Sponsorship vs. ticket revenue strategies
• When to stop and why trilogy endings matter

Whether you're considering organizing your first conference, curious about the business side of community events, or just want to understand what goes into creating those magical conference experiences, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the real work behind Ruby's regional conference scene.

• Build Rails apps 10x faster with AVO
• Learn RoR 10x faster than Yaro did with SupeRails

DEAR FRIENDS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
WE LOVE YOU!
- Adrian & Yaro

This episode highlights the blend of coding, family, and festive reflections as we discuss personal milestones and the role of AI in development. We talk about the importance of community, the challenges of learning to code, and our plans for AVO and SuperRails in the New Year.

• Enjoying holiday movies and traditions
• Reflecting on errors in coding tutorials and real-world impact
• Exploring the influence of AI on coding skills
• Sharing personal and professional triumphs of 2024
• Discussing community bonds through coding conferences
• Highlighting exciting developments for AVO and SuperRails

Merry Christmas, everyone! We wish you a fantastic holiday season and a prosperous New Year filled with new coding adventures.

• Build Rails apps 10x faster with AVO
• Learn RoR 10x faster than Yaro did with SupeRails

Ever wondered how a simple Dutch treat became a beloved symbol in the Ruby and Rails community? Join us as we chat with Wes Oudshoorn, co-founder of AppSignal, who shares the delightful story of sending stroopwafels to conferences and customers since 2013. From nearly 500 kilograms of sweet goodness shipped this year alone to our serendipitous meeting in Thailand at Bangkok RB, Wes takes us through AppSignal’s journey of blending tech, community, and stroopwafels. We also dive into the core mission of AppSignal—providing developer-friendly application performance monitoring—and the logistical challenges of shipping these treats internationally. Plus, we get a taste of the vibrant Rails World 2024 atmosphere in Toronto and the fun activities at the AppSignal booth, including a Dutch game called schulen.

In this exciting episode, we also explore the latest innovations at AppSignal, such as the introduction of the Check-ins feature for monitoring Chrome jobs and continuous processes. Wes underscores the importance of customer feedback in driving continuous improvements, with a target of enhancing the product by 10% each month. The dynamic conference setting is captured, showcasing how attendees’ ideas and feedback play a pivotal role in shaping the product. We highlight AppSignal's dedication to supporting the Ruby and Rails community through event sponsorships, demonstrating how even small contributions can significantly impact the community's growth and success. Join us for a compelling conversation that intertwines technology, community spirit, and a shared love for stroopwafels.

• Build Rails apps 10x faster with AVO
• Learn RoR 10x faster than Yaro did with SupeRails