Tag: Ignite Denver 17

Tuesday Two! Love for our Ignite Denver MCs

Guest Writer

The Spark presenters at Ignite Denver are the reason so many people come out to the events, time after time. However, we also have talented and thoughtful MCs like Jared Ewy and Kat Atwell who start our evenings off right and keep the proceedings rolling along all night.

Come see Kat on Thursday, June 11th (that’s the day after tomorrow!! Buy tickets!) as she leads us through another fantastic Ignite Denver. Make sure to bring your appetite for good food and good music, as we’ll have Biker Jim’s Dogs serving up tasty grub before/during the show and Kotorino serving up gorgeous tunes at the afterparty!

And here’s Jared opening up Ignite Denver #17!

See you Thursday at the Oriental Theater!!

Ignite Seattle’s Five Minute Wedding Proves Ignite is So Much More Than Education

Guest Writer

Ignite Seattle has been going strong since 2006. In fact, they just recently had their 24th Ignite Seattle on May 22nd this year and at the end of that event, something pretty amazing happened. But before I get to the what, let me give you a little back-story leading up to the special day.

Noah Iliinsky was at the very first Ignite Seattle in 2006. Then, in 2008, he decided to give his first Ignite presentation titled “Complex Diagrams: How to Make Lasagna Instead of Spaghetti.” Teresa Valdez was in that audience, but she and Noah didn’t end up meeting that evening.

Cut to 2011, when Teresa decides she wants to give a presentation at Ignite Seattle. Her talk was called, “ The Art of Subverting on Facebook,” in which she talked about how Facebook ads were making single women feel like losers for not successfully bagging a hubby and how she subverted those ads with $5 and her own Facebook ads.

Seriously, you should really go watch that presentation right now, especially the ladies, because it’s very empowering.

Well, guess what. Noah was in the audience that night and he was so impressed by her talk that he went up to tell her so after the show.

Cut to a few months later and they have their first date.

A few years later and this just happened on the Ignite Seattle stage a few short nights ago.

You see, folks, Ignite is so much more than just people getting on stage and talking about this or that. It’s a way for us all to come together as a community and rejoice in the people that bring it together.

So why don’t you come and be a part of our amazing Denver community on June 13th to celebrate June-O-Ween and Ignite Denver 17. Dress in your favorite costumes and have a ball with friends new and old.

We honest to god cannot wait to see you there.

Ignite Denver 17 Speaker Lineup is Here!

Guest Writer

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are proud to announce the lineup for Ignite Denver 17 and our second annual June-O-Ween Costume Party!

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We’ve got everything from Xboxes to puppy raising, shitty meetings and weaponized nature; so you’re definitely going to want a ticket to this show! Plus, along with the great presentations, we’ll have a costume contest, Fat Sully’s pizza and much more!

We’re offering early bird ticket prices again for this show, so be sure to get your $5 tickets before June 6 to save a little extra cash for a drink at the bar while you’re there.

Take a look at the lineup we’ve got in store for you and check out our presenters on Twitter to stalk find out more about who they are:

  • Aurora Arlet: The Creativity Crisis: Why we need more sandboxes and less Xboxes
  • Paula Stephens: How A Recycling Program Lead To My Discovery Of An Unidentified Stage of Grief
  • Mary Kuehner: You’re not OCD, you’re just anal retentive
  • Pete Winterscheidt: Shitty meeting syndrome, your office has it, here is how to fix it.
  • Aaron Templer: When good things happen to good people: Accepting advantage and becoming allies in the fight against discrimination.
  • Keith Hagen: Clarity trumps Persuasion.
  • Scott Rohrig: Humanize Yourself
  • Nathan Hildreth: Flow ain’t just the Aunt of unwelcomed visits!
  • Erik Wolf: Marketing & Testicles: They Have More In Common Than You Think
  • Khalana Gocken: Nature Is Our Weapon
  • Jeff Macco: What if colleges were treated like a business?
  • Natalie Plowman: The Art of Puppy-Raising

June-O-Ween is extra special because we give you the opportunity to wear all those excellent costumes you’d like to wear in October, but it’s just too cold to pull it off properly. That’s why we have Halloween in the ideal month: June. Dress to impress or win! Last year’s costume contest winners were the Sexual Predator and a Bad Habit. What clever costume ideas do you have up your sleeve?

Now you know what you’ve got in store for you, what are you waiting for? Get your early bird tickets to Ignite Denver 17 today and start planning your costume for June 13th at The Oriental Theater.

June-O-Ween Voting Starts Today!

Guest Writer

(Cue Marvin Gaye music)

Aww yeah, kiddos. It’s that time again. That time when you run your cursor over all of our sparks and press our buttons.

Ok, cut the music in your head and get your mind out of the gutter. Just for a second, then you can get back to singing “Let’s Get it On” to yourself in muffled tones while sitting in your cubicle hoping no one else can hear you.

We’ve had some fabulous people submit some fabulous topics and now we’re ready for your all important votes! It’s simple really you just click this link right here, and then rate the topics from 0-4.

The legs of voters are seen behind blue curtains in voting booths in a polling station during the first round of the 2012 French presidential election in Vaulx-en-Velin

“But, Kelly, I don’t want to judge just on the title of the spark alone! That’s unfair.”

Relax, brohirim. If you scroll below the fold, you’ll see all the full descriptions of each spark. It’s just that easy.

Voting is open all week so spread the word!

If you’re interested in learning how to create a great presentation for Ignite Denver, swing by Shift Workspaces next Monday, May 19th at 6 pm for a full on run down of what to expect.

I also like to think that there are some valuable life lessons in there for the folks that have to present for their jobs as well. Sure, you may not be able to swear as much and the slides will likely advance much more slowly, but there are some good organizational techniques to be learned as well.

Now, lets get it on, Denver.

Ignite Denver 17: Submit a Spark

Guest Writer
You'll absolutely nail your Ignite Denver presentation with you attend our workshops!
You’ll absolutely nail your Ignite Denver presentation when you attend our workshops!

Ignite Denver 16 in February was the first Ignite event I ever attended and when I left the Oriental Theater that night, I thought to myself, “I should speak at an upcoming event.”

If you’ve been inspired by a past speaker, the Ignite Denver organization or you just think it’s about time the city heard your perspective on a specific topic, then it’s time for you to consider submitting a spark.

Mark Twain once said, “There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” In a study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, 74% of people suffer from Glossophobia, more than the percentage of individuals who fear death.

Just think about the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people. Did your knees lock? Did you immediately sweat through your shirt in an embarrassing manner? Well you’re not alone. If you decide to submit a spark to speak at Ignite Denver, we recommend that you attend our magnificent workshops (don’t worry, they are really helpful and super awesome). All workshops are at Shift Workspaces and start at 6pm:

  • Monday, May 5  – Presenting at Ignite
  • Monday, May 19 – Creating a Good Ignite Presentation

Also, before you submit your spark, there a few requirements you should consider.

  1. It’s a no-brainer but obviously you must be available the evening of Ignite Denver 17, Friday, June 13. (We’re sorry but we have to mention this little tidbit. Thanks for bearing with us.)
  2. Attendance at the two run-throughs prior to June 13th is required. These run-throughs are scheduled for Tuesday, May 27 and Monday June 2 at our home-away-from-home Shift Workspaces.
  3. Ignite Denver is not an opportunity to sell your product or services. If you want to creatively inform or inspire Ignite attendees, then you’re just the person we need.
  4. If you spoke at Ignite Denver 16, we appreciate your enthusiasm but we’re going to ask you to participate as an attendee rather than a presenter so that everyone gets a chance to share their stories.

Sparks aren’t due until Friday, May 9 so if you’re still on the fence about submitting, attend our May 5th workshop at Shift Workspaces to connect with Ignite Denver volunteers and learn more about being presenter. Of course you can reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter with any questions, comments or concerns.

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