2026-05-06 –, Ballroom
Most developers can write flawless code but stumble through basic human conversations.
This talk permanently solves that problem by transforming the entire music-production workflow into a practical, repeatable system for mastering social skills. Using the same tools a producer uses to turn raw tracks into a polished master — stems, count theory, levels, filters, compression, volume, automation, kaizen, and more — you’ll learn how to turn awkward interactions into effortless, high-impact connections.
Whether you’re introverted, neurodivergent, or simply tired of being “the smart one nobody remembers,” this is your cheat code to become the person people fight to sit next to at conferences, the mentor juniors quote years later, and the human who finally feels in complete control of every room.
- Stems: The 4 Pillars
Your four clean, isolated tracks: Self-Awareness, Congruence, Resilience, Curiosity. Record them right or everything else sounds like garbage. - Personal Brand: Crafting Your Signature Sound
Build the one sound people recognise instantly — your producer tag for real life. - Count Theory: Rhythm, Cadence & Timing
Never miss the beat again. Master pauses, punchlines, entrances, and exits. - Levels: Balancing Energy & Reading the Room
Stop clipping in meetings and stop getting buried in the mix. - Filters: Stoicism as High-Pass / Low-Pass
Ruthlessly cut the mud and harshness from your life with the ultimate EQ preset. - Compression: Empathy & Emotional Dynamics
Turn emotional spikes into glue that holds every relationship together. - Volume: Presence, Confidence & When to Pull Back
Dial yourself from –∞ (ghost) to +3 dB (centre stage) and back — on purpose. - Communication: Clarity, Reverb & Delay
Make every word hit clean, add warmth with stories, and land jokes with perfect delay. - Social Rituality: Automation & Templates
Build once, run forever: handshakes, follow-ups, and goodbye loops that cost zero willpower. - Scoreboard: Metrics That Actually Matter
Track your social mix like a pro: weekly KPIs, energy ROI, laughs-per-minute. - Information: Sampling, Chopping & Arranging Social Data
Turn every conversation into reusable loops for your private sample pack. - Kaizen: 1% Better Every Session
The Japanese art of endless small revisions that compounds into legendary charisma. - Player to Coach: From Solo Producer to Label Owner
When your mix is mastered, start helping everyone else hit “export.”
I help application developers build fast, reliable, and secure software by leveraging cutting-edge technology and AI. With over 16 years of experience in cloud infrastructure, observability, and cybersecurity, I've worked with some of the most innovative companies in tech.
Currently at Grafana Labs, I'm immersed in the world of observability, helping teams monitor and understand their systems at scale.