Last week, our team had the pleasure of attending the 2024 Elevate Festival at Meridian Hall. We heard from inspiring leaders offering a fresh perspective on some of the key trends shaping the future of the tech industry. The event buzzed with discussions around innovative company management strategies, the ongoing push for greater gender diversity in tech, and the critical role entry-level workers play in long-term growth. These insights resonated deeply with us and offered valuable takeaways for our team and the future of our company.

“It was a genuine learning experience, hearing from these experts. My biggest takeaway was to embrace failure, because as Erika Ayers Badan says, success is a terrible teacher. And to companies out there: invest in entry level workers! A company that is willing to spend time and resources to cultivate the newer workforce will walk away with experienced leaders to fill in the gap in a couple year’s time.” — Zhen, Project Coordinator at YRES 

“It was an eye-opening experience as I learned about the current intersections between science and technology. In an evolving world with genAI on the horizon, it is increasingly important to learn and understand the importance of interdisciplinary teams within companies. I believe this is the way to scale-up our company as we bring forward different realms of knowledge to the rising generation we interact with. The outlook I resonated with is to be able to break down big issues into smaller problems as stepping stones to the grand prize.” — Jessica, Project Coordinator at YRES 

“Attending the Elevate Festival was a unique and enjoyable experience. Erika Ayers Badan’s journey and her emphasis on the importance of taking risks truly resonated with me. Her advice to believe in your abilities and step out of your comfort zone for growth was inspiring. What stood out most was her encouragement to take the job that no one else wants, rather than chasing the ‘bright, shiny object’ everyone pursues. This reminded me of the value of carving my own, unique path and the importance of making the most of any situation. The festival left me feeling motivated and empowered to embrace new, scary challenges with confidence.” — Christina, Project Coordinator at YRES

In all, the festival offered fresh perspectives that will help shape how we approach leadership, inclusivity, and growth moving forward!