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0:00 Introduction
1:40 Acumatica User Group Challenge #1: Where are you going to meet?
2:29 Acumatica User Group Challenge #2: What are you going to do?
4:41 Acumatica User Group Challenge #3: What are you going to eat?
7:28 3 Rules for our gathering next week
8:14 A Word about masks
9:27 Cassie is planning to attend
11:38 Mike is planning to attend
12:10 Cindy is planning to attend
12:45 Rick is planning to attend
13:17 Steven is planning to attend
14:27 Mark is planning to attend
15:30 Laura is planning to attend
16:01 Wrapping up
Transcript
No fancy introduction with background music today because I want to keep this as short as possible.
Next Thursday, February 24th, 2022, from 5pm to 8pm, we’ll have the first AUG Ohio gathering in Columbus, Ohio.
You can find the address of the location at AUGForums.com/AUGOhio
If you are planning to attend, I have an important announcement. The front door is locked after 5pm and our gathering starts at 5pm. So, I need to know if you are coming so I can be on the lookout for you in case you arrive after 5pm.
Please let me know if you’re coming by sending me an email. You can reach me at email@augforums.com.
This Podcast episode is primarily for those of you who will be attending next week. But, this is also for anyone out there who is considering starting an Acumatica User Group in your area.
In my opinion, there are 3 main challenges with starting a local, in-person Acumatica User Group gathering in your area.
I’m going to express these 3 challenges as questions.
Challenge #1:
Where are you going to meet?
It costs money to rent space. To avoid that, what about starting in a conference room at your company and limit the gathering to whoever can fit into the conference room. Even if it’s just a couple of people from your company and a couple of people from another company, that’s an Acumatica User Group as far as I’m concerned.
For next week in Columbus, Ohio, we’re going to meet in a room at COhatch. COhatch is a co-working space that I work at in the morning during the week. Since I’m a member, I can rent a room there for $100. So I’m basically using a conference room at my office.
Challenge #2:
What are you going to do?
Most professional gatherings consist of sitting down and listening to a presentation. But, in my opinion, the most valuable thing about an in-person gathering is the individual interactions.
Another challenge with presentations is that you have to find someone who is willing to prepare a presentation.
Back in 2013, I was involved with the world’s first Microsoft Power BI User Group. It took place in Cleveland, Ohio and we would start each gathering with a presentation. I gave one of those presentations and that’s when I learned just how much time it can take to prepare a presentation. Eventually, we stopped meeting because it was too difficult to people who could give a presentation.
Next week in Columbus, Ohio, we will not have an official presentation. We’ll start our gathering by circling our chairs and going around the room, giving each person an opportunity to share something.
I’m going to ask questions during this time. After each question, we’ll go around the room and give each person an opportunity to respond to the question.
I’m still working on my list of questions so, if you have a question that you’d like me to ask, please send me an email. You can reach me at email@augforums.com.
We’ll circle our chairs for the first hour of the time and I’m calling this first hour Group Time.
After we get “warmed up” during Group Time, the remaining 2 hours will be Free Time. This will be an opportunity for individual interactions, one-on-one conversations, small group conversations, etc.
Who knows, maybe some people will form a mini Hackathon?
There is even a large screen in the room with an HDMI cable that anyone can use if they want to show something to a group of people.
Bottom line, after Group Time, you have two hours of Free Time to do with as you like.
Challenge #3:
What are you going to eat?
This is the biggest challenge that I see at this point and I don’t have a great answer to it.
When human beings gather together, we usually have food. But food costs money and money requires someone to handle the finances. Which can lead to opening a bank account. Which can then lead to the forming of a non-profit organization with a board of directors who have regular planning meetings and things can get very complicated.
But what if we just want to get together in a simple way to talk with other people who are using Acumatica?
What should we do about food?
Well, next week in Columbus, Ohio, because of this challenge, I’m not going to have food. Everyone will be responsible for their own food.
I personally am going to stop by Whole Foods, which is on the other side of the parking lot, on my way in, and pickup some prepared food. Then, when I arrive, I’ll put my food in the fridge at COhatch and use the microwave to heat it up after Group Time is over. You are welcome to do the same. The fridge is a full size fridge with plenty of space.
Or, you can go grab some food after Group Time is over. Group Time will be over at 6:15pm.
There is a Carsonie’s Stromboli & Pizza restaurant downstairs from COhatch. If you want food from there, just make sure to place your order online ahead of time, with a 6:15pm pickup time because, while those Strombolis are really good, they take a long time to make.
There are also other options that are within walking distance. Rusty Bucket and Local Cantina Mexican Food are two of those options, but there are others as well. If you order online, you might want to do a 6:20pm pickup to give yourself a few minutes to get there.
So food is a big challenge, but at least you know what to expect next week in Columbus, Ohio and I’m looking forward to talking with people in person to see if you have any ideas about how to overcome this food challenge for our next gathering.
That’s it for the 3 challenges, but speaking of next gathering, I’m willing to book the room at COhatch again in May. It would be too much for me to do this on a monthly basis, but I think I could do a quarterly basis.
I’m not assuming anything though at this point. I’m waiting to hear your feedback after the time next week to see if you think it’s worth doing again.
For next week, I do have three rules:
Rule #1:
Don’t be a jerk.
This is an independent gathering where everyone will be contributing something. Please be respectful and be kind to others.
Rule #2:
If you are a VAR, no poaching clients from other VARs.
This an important rule if we want to have any hope of succeeding as a group long-term.
Rule #3:
Be willing to learn something new.
This is not a gathering of experts who are there to show off how much they know about Acumatica. We are all there to learn from each other.
I’d also like to say a word about masks. With the CDC numbers way down in Ohio lately, I think it’s ok if each person decides on their own if they would like to wear a mask. I personally am on the conservative side and I feel like the only person at COhatch who is still wearing a mask in the mornings. Being the only one doesn’t bother me though because my dad died from COVID and I still take it seriously. I’ll continue wearing a mask in the mornings at COhatch until my kids are no longer required to wear a mask at school. That said, I’ll take my mask off when speaking during Group Time next week to make it easier to be heard. I don’t think we need to have any kind of mask requirement. Feel free to do whatever you’re comfortable with.
Ok, that’s all I have to say about next week. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and, speaking of meeting everyone, I’m going to finish this Podcast episode by playing 7 audio recordings from people who will be attending the gathering next week here in Columbus, Ohio.
You can think of this as a “warm up” to our group time next week.