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MarqueeCrew
20 - Arcturus
20 - Arcturus

Somewhere in the mid 2000's, I began attending the Alteryx user conference - before Alteryx was Alteryx, and when it was called "extend the reach". I was one of 150 attendees. Whether this is a first for you or a “teenth” for me, here are my top 5 reasons why attending Inspire is a must-do.

 

1. People

Top-5-Reasons-Inspire-is-a-Must-Do-from-an-Alteryx-ACE.pngAlteryx attracts fantastic people to their events! I meet wonderful people on every trip. The keynotes are always attention grabbing. You couldn't ask for more inspiration than what is offered, and when you see the art of the possible, you'll wonder how to get out of your own bubble and experiment yourself. I've seen something really cool, then moved to the Solutions Center to get some 1:1 help from the experts to do it myself (with a little help from @AdamR_AYX).

 

Don't just talk with your colleagues or the Alteryx folks you already know. Network with your peers and with the countless Icons from Alteryx who work behind the curtain. While I'm not a social butterfly (@ErikaW) like some, I can vouch that Inspire has always offered me the opportunity to quickly find common ground with people from around the world. Whether from California (@_enrique_javier), Colorado (@LeahK, @JoeM, @Nathalie), Illinois (@BethN@JohnN, @T-Ryx), Ireland (@BarleyCorn), London ( @chris_love, @jdunkerley79@james_mcgarva, @joe_strellis, @darronwalton, @daneeldevilliers), North Carolina (@AndyMoncla, @JacobMoncla) and my fellow ACEs worldwide. I can't wait to see all of you.

 

2. Learning

The amount of learning that happens at Inspire is insane. @DrDan (king of predictive) always says hi and takes an interest in my use of Alteryx. I've learned so much from @KimH, @MargaritaW@CailinS, @GeneR, @RichardS and many more at Inspire that dusting off Statistics books and diving into Customer and Business Analytics doesn't even seem like a daunting exercise. With the content available in Alteryx Community and a few sample workflows, even I can mingle with the Data Analytics for Dummies crowd!

 

My old employer wouldn't send me to Inspire for the people or networking, but they got every penny out of their expense by what I learned and applied from each of my trips. My new company, Marquee Crew, embraces Community and makes an effort to contribute. Whether providing solutions to questions, writing knowledge base articles or blogs like this one, or contributing to the CReW macros, we pass our learnings on and share in the energy that is Alteryx.

 

3. Swag

I am not a hoarder, I am not a hoarder, I am not a hoarder. I went through my things, and picked out a few treasured items acquired over the years. And while I have jackets to stay warm and more bags than I can carry, my most treasured items are my Alteryx pins!

 

This year, I haven’t decided how I’m going to wear them. They won’t fit on a standard lanyard anymore, and I want to proudly wear my flair! Maybe suspenders? Attached to my hat? Does anyone have an XL Girl Scout sash I can borrow? @TatianaS, @TaylorM@LaurenU  – I’m looking at you!

 

4. Competition at Its Finest  – The Grand Prix

Start your engines! Flex your Alteryx muscle. Make sure you check out the Alteryx Grand Prix. I've watched from the stands; coached and been a cheerleader; and ultimately I did compete. Did I win? Of course I did (not). But the win for me was simply competing, and I gave it my best. Hands shaking and feeling anxious, the beer couldn't even give me enough liquid courage to beat the winner, Justin Tischler. While the taunting I endured from T-Ryx made me tough, Peter Muler and @jdunkerley79 were tougher, as the winner and runner-up! I have tremendous respect for all the winners.

 

5. My Love for Alteryx

Why do I keep showing you my swag? All of the items in this picture have a personal connection for me and represent more than pens, shirts, towels or socks. There are stories behind all of them. Like Community badges earned by virtual activity, these items hold memories from my real-life involvement with Alteryx and Inspire. Whether running (last place again!) a 5-K and earning a pair of socks, or showing my love for Alteryx to get an I-Love-Alteryx shirt… Alteryx is more than just a product.  Alteryx gave my career wings and lifted me to new heights. Because of Alteryx, I became a change agent, empowered to not only move myself up the career ladder, but also to share with my colleagues and make them more successful in their jobs.

 

If you haven't already guessed, I'm a big fan of Inspire... even though I am not a Grand Prix winner. Moving on. I came across an opportunity to test-drive Alteryx and never let a version upgrade go by without digging in deeper to learn the new tools and functions. When I got my dream car, there was no doubt in my mind what license plate to choose!

 

Go to #alteryx17 and rev up your engines. Check out the Inspire BUZZ in Alteryx Commnity to learn what others are excited about for Inspire (Better yet, register for Inspire, join us, and make sure you say “hi” to me in Las Vegas!

Comments
LaurenU
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

@MarqueeCrew you know I am teeny tiny, but I was a Girl Scout back in the day. I would gladly lend you my sash if you can fit! ;)

 

Russell-up.jpg

 

 

MarqueeCrew
20 - Arcturus
20 - Arcturus

Awesome image.  I guess that we can skip that sash look.

JessicaS
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

@MarqueeCrew,  nice car!

LaurenU
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

I think you can pull it off :)

SeanAdams
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

Hopefully gonna be my first this year - not going to make it to Vegas, but will be there in the Euro Inspire so we can compare notes and see which has the better swag :-)

 

Mark, thank you for writing this - your generosity with your time and knowledge impressed me when you reached out to explain a fairly eye-watering regex you did on one of the challenges, and I continue to be impressed and humbled by how much you give of your time and knowledge.   A great example for us all to follow!

 

Cheers @MarqueeCrew

Sean 

 

PS - is the picture of "The Stig" a subtle hint that you are the famous star of Top Gear all this time?

MarqueeCrew
20 - Arcturus
20 - Arcturus

@SeanAdams,

 

You're one of my new friends to meet in Europe.  I've got my ticket and am going to be there too!  I'm sure we'll talk before the event.  Thanks so much for the kind words.

 

Cheers,

Mark

 

PS, "The Stig" (AKA T-Ryx) is someone invented by Alteryx to torment me.  I'm not in his league.

andrewdatakim
12 - Quasar
12 - Quasar

@MarqueeCrew,

 

Great post, you definitely have to wear some suspenders! I may even have to trick out a pair myself with some pins. I am definitely in agreement about the Inspire being worth every penny even if you are paying yourself. This is the second time my company has not paid for me to go, remember it is your career not theirs and your skills go with you so keep them sharp by learning about the latest and the greatest.

TuvyL
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

 What a great read, @MarqueeCrew! Awesome insight for a newbie who hasn't yet experienced the magic that is Inspire. :)