CTE Expo Early Speaker

Date: May 21st

Location: A101

Extra Credit Theme: What you saw and what you learned?

Proof of Experience

Caption:
I was at the CTE Expo Early Event, and this photo proves both my experience and attendance ad I learned about how businesses and products are make and pitched.

Before the Event

Before attending the event, I didn’t really know about blockchain, so I expected to learn something about that.

Curiosity Before Attending

I was curious about what blockchain is, how it works, and how I could apply it in my own projects. I had a very basic understanding of blockchain going into this, so I wanted to learn more.

What I Saw

The speaker was Elijah Johnson, who presented his company, SafeBallot. He described how he started his business and how he worked to pich his idea to try and get his business out there.

Most Interesting Thing I Saw

The most interesting thing I saw was how he started his business. He explained the process thoroughly and what it took. The process and what he learned from it was very interesting as I learned how it’s just as important to keep going as it is to actually get a finished product.

What I Learned

One specific thing I learned was that sometimes, it’s less about the product, and more about your dedication and how you present said product.

What Surprised Me

He pitched his idea of starting before you’re ready, which surprised me, as I would have expected a business like his to be well thought out before he started. But he told us to start now, and build upon it. He mentioned how his investors were impressed more by the name and logo than the actual product.

What Inspired Me

The thing that inspired me the most was how he pitched it. He didn’t just base everything on the product, he did many other things such as sponsoring a basketball team. He did this not because it relates to his business, but rater because it relates back to the people who will ultimately be using his product. He also mentioned market outcomes, where it only takes 1 yes out of 99 no’s.

Personal Connection

This connected to my personal interests because it helped me better plan out a way to present future ideas I might pitch. I learned to focus on other aspects instead of focusing purely on one thing. It also connects as it pushed me to start doing things instead of just conceptualizing.

Interaction

Person or group I learned from: Elijah Johnson

He explained how he started his company, SafeBallot, how he pitched his idea, and how he used his creation to help the community, as well as what blockchain is and is used for. He also described the process he went through when the was in the stage where he was ideating and pitching the product to investors, which I found really interesting.

Depth of Experience

This event helped me to better understand how ideas are pitched and how you can use that to your benefit. Instead of focusing strictly on the numbers, really lean into the emotional aspect, as at the end of the day, the clients will be sold by your presentation over just numbers.

Connection to CS or Future Goals

Currently in CSSE, we are making a game as a class for our final project. This connects to the event because not only does the game have to be good, we also have to be able to pitch it, which means we need to really understand the game and how the code works. In future goals, I will try to do the same to really pitch my idea to reach as many people as possible.

Final Reflection

Not only did I get a better understanding of what blockchain is and how it works, I also learned how to better sell my ideas and pitch them in a way that not only benefits you, but the entire community.

Biggest Takeaway

My biggest takeaway was you should start right now and built upon it as you go instead of just thinking of doing something but not actually committing to it.