TechCon 2019 Keynote: Getting Better Every Day
In November 2019 I had the honor of delivering the keynote address at Axel Springer’s inaugural TechCon conference. This is now an annual event for the Product, Design, and Engineering teams at companies that are part of Axel Springer’s global portfolio, including Insider Inc, where I work.
Axel Springer is the largest publishing house in Europe and is known for its early, aggressive, and persistent investments in digital media. The company is also distinguished by its steadfast commitment to technology.
TechCon is a great showcase for the company’s investment and commitment to technology. The event was held at Axel Springer’s Berlin headquarters. Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner kicked it off with a hearty welcome and an invigorating talk about the central role technology plays in paving the path of the future.
The conference was large in scope. It spread across four stages and drew 600 product and tech members from the extended Axel Springer family across the globe. TechCon discussions were also wide in range, with conversations such as “How to be a better product manager,” “Art with AI,” and “Building high performing teams.”
The conference was marked by a genuine sense of discovery, learnings and insights, and collaboration. But perhaps what struck me most was how engaged the attendees were — everyone was eager to learn from each other.
In fact, as Mathias explained during his opening remarks, the conference was created to enable us to share insights to help us continually improve our businesses.
With that in mind, I focused my talk around Insider Inc’s motto: to “get better every day.” I presented some of the key ways our Product & Tech team try to accomplish this vital goal, specifically how we focus on three main objectives: creating a better product, building a stronger team, and striving to be better at the individual as well as at the collective level.
I hope my talk was informative and useful. I also sincerely want to thank the Axel Springer team for inviting me to participate in its inspiring and thought-provoking event. I’m so appreciative of getting to meet so many interesting and smart members of the extended Axel Springer family. TechCon was an amazing opportunity to synch with a group that, like we at Insider Inc, views technology as at the core of how we will get better every day.
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