Almost 10 years ago, I attended SXSW 2012 in Austin, Texas, the interactive digital media, film, and music festival that draws thousands to the capital city of the Lone Star State to celebrate art, experience modern culture, and get inspired. I soaked it all up. I’m not one to love crowds, but I thought it was fascinating to be in the center of the buzz, meet new people, attend fun events, and get a glimpse of what was trending at the time. Someone gave me advice once to meet everyone you sit next to at a SXSW panel session or event, because everyone there has a unique story to tell, and they were right.
I remember walking past a table featuring books from authors speaking at the event and dreaming of the day when my creative works may be integrated into the programming. Now, as we get ready for SXSW 2022, ten years after my first time attending, I hope to be a part of it – as a presenter and published author.
This is where you come in! YOU can vote for a live book reading of KNOCK, my bestselling career development book, at SXSW 2022 through the public voting platform, Panel Picker.
VOTE HERE – don’t forget to log in to submit your ‘up vote’!
Public voting accounts for 30% of the selection criteria, so your vote really counts – and serves as a vote of confidence for the staff who picks final session selections – that the topic of building high quality career connections is relevant to professionals, startup founders, and artists alike who will be attending the event. After all, the strategies outlined in KNOCK can help new business relationships emerge, new jobs be found, new partnerships to form, and new ideas come to life.
Here are 5 reasons to vote for KNOCK at SXSW 2022:
1. Who: YOU – students, career growers, career builders, career changers, can get a live reading experience of KNOCK by me, the author, Rebecca Otis Leder, at SXSW 2022. The event will be live-streamed or you can attend in-person, so even if you don’t plan to attend, you can still tune in to the reading.
According to the SXSW 2019 demographics report:
- – 74% of attendees were employed (perhaps looking for new jobs too and developing their careers in their current role)
- – 17% were self-employed and freelancers (hello, entrepreneurs and creatives!)
- – 7% students (what we call career builders in KNOCK, starting out on the right foot in a new career), and 2% not employed (looking for jobs and to build high quality connections that lead to new opportunities).
2. What: SXSW has various kinds of sessions that attendees can take advantage of, panels, keynote speeches, networking events, and book readings. Given that KNOCK is a newly published book, the proposal I submitted is for a live book reading. Since I wasn’t able to do an in-person book tour due to the pandemic, everything has been virtual. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to do a live reading, and when better to bring the words I put on the pages to life by reading them aloud at this exciting, inspiring event?!
3. Where: SXSW takes place in my home away from home in Austin, Texas. My roots are in the Lone Star State. I grew up in El Paso, Texas, and had the privilege of attending the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ’em Horns!), graduating from the McCombs School of Business with a degree in Marketing. I stayed in Austin for 5 years after graduation, really getting to know the funky, creative, small business-loving, musical, tasty capital city of Austin. I attended SXSW 2012 one of my favorite blog posts where I jotted down everything I heard while taking a break in a high traffic area just to get a sense of what was trending and what was top of mind culturally at that time. Also, KNOCK was published by a local Austin publisher, Greenleaf Book Group and An Inc. Original, so I’d love to do them proud at one of the largest events in the city where they are based.
4. Why: There are many goals people have for attending SXSW, specifically the interactive digital business track of the event. Some of the goals include getting a job, finding a startup investor, connecting with clients, launching a new product or service, hiring new talent, and investing in new companies. Each of these goals can be achieved, in part, by building, rekindling, or nurturing high quality career connections – the theme of KNOCK.
1. Go to sxsw.com from August 10 – August 26, 2021.
2. Find the PanelPicker
3. Create an account or log into an existing account
4. Click ‘Search/Vote’ to review session proposals, search for ‘KNOCK’, click ‘Vote Up’ to vote for your favorites, including the proposal for the live book reading of KNOCK. Or go to the session page directly.
5. How: PanelPicker votes account for 30% of the sessions selected and presented at SXSW. That means, public voting represent votes of confidence for the SXSW staff making final selections for programming. Your vote matters and helps shape the ideas that will be shared and that will inspire at a highly influential event.
Thanks for your support! Hope to see you at SXSW 2022!
