NTC Overstimulation

Back from New Orleans, and overstimulated from NTC, as usual. Some of the highlights for me:

• It’s always terrific to see people that I’ve worked a lot with, but never met in person before. It’s strange – I often immediately think “No, you can’t be X”, like they’re some sort of impostor, because they don’t match my mental image.

• We had our first Science Fair booth, which was overflowing with people. Between people who wanted to say hi, people who wanted to know more, Idealware contributors who helped out at the table – many thanks to Stephen Backman, Peter Campbell, Heather Gardner-Madras, John Kenyon, and Robert Weiner – and all the people who wanted to say hi to the contributes, we drew quite a crowd.

• We did some strategic planning for Idealware, with the Idealware board. The board is just a great group of people – Jeff Herron, Michael Stein, Allen Gunn, Jen Frazier – and we had a really useful discussion about how to take Idealware to the next level. A special shout out to Stephen Backman of Database Design Associates, who brilliantly planned and facilitated the session.

• My favorite session of the conference was an overview of how nonprofits are using Salesforce, with Sonny Cloward and Marc Baizman (3/26: and Anthia Zito - sorry for the oversight). Just a really useful and inspirational session. I was also really excited for Madeline Stanionis’s “They’re Just Not Into Session” (with her typical brilliant titling and blurb writing), but it was filled beyond capacity and into the hall by the time I got there (late). Ah well.

• I experienced New Orleans through breakfast – had three great breakfasts out while I was there. I don’t think my dinner spots were quite the right ones for a true New Orleans sense – but I can vouch for breakfast.

• It was great to see all of you that I managed to see, and I apologize if I missed you. I have to admit…. I work from home, and I spoke to more people in three days than I usually speak to in three weeks. So I don’t think I was too weird, but if so, please don’t hold it against me!

And now on with grants management systems reviews, and more grants management system reviews… our report is in that phase in which I’m dreaming about grants management interfaces.