Hello Devs,
Last year, a dream blossomed. Inspired by the vibrant Mautic community, I set a daring goal: to organize the first-ever Mautic Conference India. Today, I'm here, exhilarated and grateful, sharing not just the event's success, but also the incredible journey of its creation. Let's rewind to..What last year did I dream of?
It's true! When you truly believe in your dreams and exude positive energy, the universe conspires to guide you. For years, I've witnessed this firsthand. My journey is proof: From absorbing knowledge as an attendee, I found my voice as a speaker, then contributed as a volunteer, and finally led as an organizer. It's all about harnessing the power within! This is all called "The Power of your subconscious mind".
Organising a conference is no small feat, especially when it's a first-time endeavour. But with a community as amazing as Mautic's, anything is possible! This blog delves into the rollercoaster ride of organising Mautic Conference India 2024, sharing the challenges, the triumphs, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way.
How it started ?
The Mautic community holds a special place in my heart. It's where I discovered the power of open-source and made my first contribution back in 2017. While my initial involvement was through code, I've continued to stay connected by supporting the project financially and spreading the word. It's about being part of something bigger than myself and contributing to a cause I believe in.
Last year, during a brainstorming session on Mautic's marketing strategy, I found myself chatting with Ruth Cheesley, the project lead. I confessed my dream: "I'd love to attend an international Mautic conference someday!" To my surprise, Ruth responded with, "India might be an option for November... but we need a team to propose it!" My heart skipped a beat – could this be a reality?
Luck is when opportunity knocks, and you answer. If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.— Milton Berle.
And I responded positively to grab this opportunity. I submitted form and started working on next step.
Planning & Research
We (me and Ruth) continued our discussion on datapoints like the presence of Mautic in India and which company can help with this. Axelerant and Acquia are connected to Mautic and the community, so that can help with this event. I found clicks of around 10k+ from analytics, which were good numbers to consider. The proposal has not been approved yet because discussion is still going on within the Mautic community team about whether to do it in Vienna, India, or South Africa. Me and Ruth were inclined towards India, considering the cost-effectiveness and good presence of Mautic. Got to know 100+ people follow Mautic page from India.
Those datapoints was taking us towards next step. It means it got approval from the Mautic Community Global Team.
Building the Team
Following the Mautic community's philosophy of shared responsibility, Ruth laid the groundwork by outlining key roles and priorities like venue and date selection. To avoid individual burnout, we embraced a collaborative approach, inviting Rahul Shinde, Mohit Aghera, and Surabhi Gokte to join as co-organizers. Let me introduce you to these amazing individuals:
Rahul Shinde - a name synonymous with Drupal in Pune! With 16 years of experience, he co-hosts the local group and actively fuels the Mautic community. This passionate tech guru, armed with laser-sharp organizational skills, is leading the technical charge for the epic Mautic Conference India!
Surabhi Gokte - An active non-code contributor in the Drupal community. Women In Drupal 2022 Award Winner. Long time member of Drupal community. She is our social media and content champion.
Mohit Aghera - he boasts over 11 years of experience contributing to the Drupal community. His extensive network within these communities proved invaluable in establishing connections and paving the way for the Mautic Conference India
Laying the groundwork
Mautic conference India 2024 team was ready to jump next step. But before need to get answered to following questions :
Location
Dates
Budget
Themes
Attendees
These are the primary questions that need to be answered to start preparing for any conference or event. Before diving into planning, we tackled crucial questions like location and feasibility. Analysing data, cost-effectiveness (Pune being more budget-friendly than Bengaluru), and developer presence near major cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Bangalore led us to collectively choose Pune as the ideal launchpad for the conference.
Finding the perfect date wasn't a one-step process. Rushing into a specific date without considering logistics wouldn't do. As Rahul rightly pointed out, budget, venue, and dates are intricately linked. He meticulously evaluated various options, prioritising cost-effectiveness, and Yashada Auditorium at the University emerged as the most suitable venue. However, availability was key. To avoid clashes with other tech events, we narrowed down the options to two weekends: February 17th-18th and February 24th-25th. Ultimately, Yashada Auditorium's availability locked in the first option, making February 17th-18th the official dates for the Mautic Conference India!
Budget wise The Mautic community was having some old data about how they ran in the past, and a template was there to refer to. We collectively work on the budget part as a whole on the following items:
Venue cost
Food cost
Event management cost if any
Swags cost
Speakers gift cost
Speaker travel and accommodation
Photography and videography
Printing materials ( Standies/Roll up, Badges, Lanyard, Notepad, Banners etc )
Any internet cost
Thanks gift to volunteers
Overall, those were tenative items I was considering while budgeting for the Mautic Conference in India. These you can use as reference points if you are organising any event in the future.
Note : The budget is always subject to change as per sponsorship possibilities. Focus on important things if you are tight on budget.
To cater to diverse interests, we opted for two distinct tracks for the Mautic Conference India. The "Developer Track" delves into the technical aspects, featuring sessions on open-source contributions, Mautic development, leveraging frameworks like Symfony, mastering PHP and Docker, and navigating the cloud. Meanwhile, the "Marketing Track" empowers attendees with strategies and insights, offering a platform for industry experts and users to share their success stories and marketing wisdom.
Mautic is not so well known, so we were knew this is we have to work harder for that kind of attendance number! We targeted to around 200 attendees later came down to target 100+.
Note : While taking a decision: be Practical. Focus on the success ratio rather than just the number of attendees. And once the decision has been made: be Optimistic.
Announcement
We announced date and venue publicly on 9th Dec 2023. After careful consideration, Konfhub was chosen as our ticketing partner for the Mautic Conference India. Konfhub is a renowned platform with a proven track record of success in managing ticket sales for numerous conferences and meet-ups across India.
Finding Speakers and Sponsors
One of the biggest challenges for the Mautic Conference India was securing speakers and sponsors. While India had a growing tech scene, Mautic itself was still gaining traction. In the cloud era, finding dozens of speakers wasn't difficult, but pinpointing experts specifically in PHP or Mautic proved to be trickier.
However, we remembered our guiding principle: "By the community, for the community." Leveraging our diverse connections within various tech communities proved invaluable. As someone actively involved in Bangalore meetups, I took it upon myself to spread awareness about Mautic, explore potential use cases, and identify individuals with stories and insights worth sharing at the conference.
While Mautic wasn't yet widely known, this approach opened doors. Through these conversations, I not only connected with potential speakers but also introduced countless individuals to the power of Mautic. Thankfully, other organizers shared similar experiences, and many first-time Mautic users enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to speak at the conference.
Earlier, we weren't sure whether we would get enough speakers and even considered running a single-track event. However, to our surprise, we received over 32 proposals! Selecting the final 17 speakers from such a diverse and impressive pool was definitely challenging.
The Mautic Conference India received enthusiastic support from existing Mautic sponsors and community champions like Dropsolid, Acquia, and Axelerant. We were especially thrilled to welcome New Relic as a first-time Mautic sponsor. By showcasing the synergies between New Relic and Mautic, we established a promising foundation for a long-term partnership. Additionally, the conference benefited immensely from the invaluable contributions and in-kind sponsorships from community supporters like JetBrains, Stepin Solutions and some individuals. This is a magic of community.
Volunteers
Every element of an event plays a crucial role in its success. Recognizing this, we reached out to the community for volunteers, and we were met with an overwhelming response! From those who dedicated their time at the venue to those who offered online support, each contribution, big or small, was invaluable in making the event a resounding success. Just like building a sandcastle requires both the foundation and the finishing touches, every effort, like setting up the venue or managing online tasks, contributed significantly to the event's overall achievement.
Attendees
They say an event is only as good as its audience, and the Mautic Conference India was no exception. After securing fantastic speakers and sponsors, our next mission was to attract a thriving crowd. Social media became our constant companion, keeping the excitement simmering. While we initially set a goal of 100 attendees, my personal dream (and, as it turned out, the team's shared ambition) was closer to 200.
To amplify our reach, we strategically partnered with fellow community heroes like Collabnix, Docker Pune, AWS User Group Pune, and Drupal Pune Meetup. This collaboration proved invaluable, spreading the word far and wide. We also experimented with a referral contest, but the timing wasn't ideal. Enter Rahul, who had a brilliant idea to partner with marketing institutes, offering them valuable benefits through the event. This initiative was a resounding success! Meanwhile, Mohit, Surabhi, and our dedicated volunteers tirelessly championed the event within the Drupal community, significantly contributing to the impressive turnout.
We crossed 112+ registration.
D-Day
With pre-event preparations in full swing, all swag and printed materials were delivered to the venue. Most of the volunteer and organiser team were present, creating a buzz of excitement. Ruth, eager to lend a hand, arrived a day early to offer her enthusiastic support. For me, the pre-event period is always a special space. As a seasoned volunteer, I know it holds something magical – the shared purpose, the flurry of activity, and the collective excitement that builds towards the big day.
Unfortunately, as part of pre-event preparation, we were supposed to get the venue empty after 4 p.m. one day before, but due to other events planned there, it got extended until 8 p.m. We couldn't check all configurations, but our volunteer team made it possible with their hard work and commitment.
- Day one: doors open, excitement builds, and bam! More than 85 attendees packed the venue! Despite a minor hiccup at the start, all the tracks, breaks, lunch, the epic keynote, and the closing ceremony all happened like clockwork. We even managed to catch up on that little delay by tweaking the speaker sessions, keeping everyone engaged and on their toes!
- Day two : Day two transformed into a collaborative hub, fueled by the energy of contributions. Ruth expertly set the stage, and we split into dynamic teams focused on different areas: community, marketing, product, and education. The room crackled with brainstorming as passionate attendees delved into current issues, shared innovative ideas, and proposed impactful initiatives. The session buzzed with action items, each one a tangible step towards shaping the future of Mautic.
The final curtain fell on the Mautic Conference India 2024, leaving hearts full of learning, notebooks brimming with insights, and a network buzzing with new connections. But the impact doesn't stop there! This conference birthed future initiatives that promise to
Setting up Mautic India group
Initiative for spreading more word about Mautic
Creating more content
Adding more contributor to Mautic.
Many more...
While attendee numbers are often seen as a key metric of success, for me, the true measure of the Mautic Conference India 2024 lay in introducing the platform to a whole new audience. Over the past few months, from planning to execution, we successfully brought Mautic to the attention of individuals who had never encountered it before. This, in my opinion, is the event's greatest achievement. As I firmly believe, a single individual willing to share knowledge and another eager to learn can create a significant impact, regardless of the scale. While we may not have matched the size of other large events, the joy comes from knowing that this initiative made a genuine contribution to the Mautic project.
Hosting the Mautic Conference was a masterclass in collaboration, audience engagement, sponsor management. Observing different approaches and learning from others' experiences has equipped me with observing and perseverance. These takeaways will definitely be on my event planning checklist next time! and for you too.
Takeaway :
For the community, by the community
Practical vs Optimistic
Focus on impact than numbers
Try different approach
Collaboration
Thanks to all volunteers Ajit Shinde, Pratik Upadhyay, Sibu Simran, Jitesh, Aastha Sushil, Vishal Alhat,Vinit, Nikita, Abhisek Mazumdar, Ruturaj Dubey and Parth. This success would not have been possible without the incredible contributions of each and every one of you.
Thanks to my mentor and supporter Vishal Alhat, Dheeraj Choudhary for regular guidance.
I trust this blog post and my personal experience have provided valuable insights for your future event planning endeavors. If you have any questions or would like to connect further, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter I trust this blog post and my personal experience have provided valuable insights for your future event planning endeavors. If you have any questions or would like to connect further, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @AvinashDalvi_