Say yes - Storyletter #12

Sydney was fantastic, and Adelaide made me rethink everything I thought about tech events, so it's time for another Storyletter.
I'm your host, Nir Zavaro, your storyteller, your restless traveler, the man on a mission, bringing you another edition straight from APAC.

A warm welcome to the new subscribers joining us; we are growing every week. If you are working on some cool ideas, mail me, would love to hear

And for this week's edition:

• Why should you just say yes?

• FOMO about a tech conference.

• Google Reviews - Say what now?

Let's dig in.

Nir Zavaro

Yes is such a good word.

Short, to the point, but with a call to action from the other side.

Over the past thirteen months, I have said yes to so many things that I would probably refuse to do, try, or taste before. If there is no real danger, no fear factor, or truly something that might make you feel bad, saying yes is actually easier.

Yes, but, on the other hand, it feels stuck and heavy. While yes is a short, positive-flowing word, but is a heavy one, leaves the ball in your court, and usually comes with a negative momentoum. Using the word but means instead of absorbing, we might be deflecting, losing momentum, which in turn might require a lot of energy to start moving again.

My lesson this year was to say yes and wait; the universe will surprise you.

Saying just yes took me to Copacabana in Brazil, a month in Istanbul, new ventures, speaking in Singapore, and even flying a plane.

One small request, if I may: if you enjoy this newsletter, forward it to one friend, spread the love, and just say yes 😃 

❤️‍🔥SouthStart event - Thank you

That might have been the best event I've ever attended.

When Danielle called to finalize the details, she repeated that SouthStart is not like other events; it is unique. I decided to let it be and enjoy whatever came my way. It was my first visit to Adelaide, Australia, and the main street reminded me of a TV show: simple yet magical. It got me thinking that maybe events should be held in smaller cities rather than larger ones. A thought.

The first day was spent mingling, while the second day was dedicated to talks and panels—the serious part—but it was all happening in a massive carnival setup. Walking between the tents, the Ferris wheel, and the stands, everything felt playful and less serious. People absorbed that energy, laughing and smiling. The scenery does influence the mood, going from boring technology to a positive community. My session was held in a big circus tent. How cool is that?

I had decided to present an updated masterclass during my session. Why is gossip a good thing? Why do we all gossip at conferences, and how can we control what others say about us? We played some games, revised our blurbs, and made a storytelling commitment.

We returned to the same tent later in the day to watch the startup pitch competition, and I was filled with pride after working with the founders the day before. Your pitch can always be improved, regardless of where you are in the process.
I attend around 20 events per year and would like to see more events like SouthStart. Here are some ideas that may inspire you as you plan your next conference:

1. Forget about the business side; instead, focus on the human factor and make connections. With nearly a thousand people in attendance, I had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of them, hugging, laughing, and making new friends. So much so that, with over 100 people contacting me, I decided to return to Australia this year. Busineess happens when you let go.

2. Change the venue. Instead of a boring conference venue, we spent each day at a different location, ranging from an art exhibition to a winery. You can bring a new vibe every day while having the same people talk about similar stuff.

3. Allow things to happen naturally, without rushing. We had time at each venue. True, we saw less but experienced more. Remember that magic often happens on the bus, not in the conference rooms.
   
   I’m working on editing the talk and will share it with you soon (still waiting to get another video from the event).
   

🥳Google Reviews? Worth my time?

Doing a job for a tech giant for free all over the world and bragging about it?

Welcome to Google Revies. With all of my travels, Google began to ping me more frequently, asking for reviews of restaurants and bars, museums, and even malls. Last week, I received a notification stating that more than 160,000 people had seen my reviews.
I'm ranked in the top 10% of restaurant reviews globally, which got me thinking: What if those reviews turned into interesting stories?

I've started changing some reviews, telling people about a specific visit, experience, or the book written in a particular coffee shop. I have a feeling it will pay off.

What are your thoughts? Worth the effort? Got any better ideas? I'm in.

Did you get your F*ck the Slides copy yet?

Last week, the book went straight into the top 5 of the Amazon Australia list in the training category and remained in the top 20 for a week or so. But I need your help with reviews. Please don’t be shy to leave your 5-star review; it means a lot.

DM me if you have any thoughts.

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