Making sense of tech: Why the right speaker makes all the difference

I'll admit it. Technology isn't really my thing.

I know it's important. I know it's changing the way we live and work. And I know we all need to embrace it. But if I'm being completely truthful, sometimes it feels like everyone else is speaking a language I haven't quite learnt yet.

I mean, I still have a Filofax. An actual Filofax. With paper in it.

AI, automation, digital transformation, machine learning... the list goes on. I suspect I'm not the only one who feels like this.

The thing is, whether we love technology or find it slightly terrifying, there's no getting away from the fact that it's transforming businesses, industries and the way we work.

Which is exactly why having the right person to talk about it at your next event can be so valuable.

Making technology make sense

One of the things I've realised is that you don't necessarily need to understand how technology works to appreciate what it can do.

And that's where a brilliant tech speaker comes in.

The best tech speakers aren't just experts in their field. They're people who can take something complicated and make it interesting, relevant and most importantly, understandable.

They can explain how AI might change the way we work, why digital innovation matters to businesses of all sizes or what the next wave of technology could mean for our everyday lives.

And they can do it without leaving half the audience wondering what on earth they're talking about.

For me, that's a real skill.

The people behind the technology

When businesses think about booking technology keynote speakers, it's easy to assume the conversation needs to be about the latest developments or what's coming next.

Of course, that's part of it. But some of the most interesting conversations are about the people behind the technology.

Entrepreneurs who've built businesses around new ideas. Innovators who've challenged the way things have always been done. Leaders who've had to adapt, take risks and convince others to embrace change.

Their stories aren't just about technology. They're about creativity, resilience, leadership and having the confidence to do things differently.

And those are subjects that can resonate with almost any audience, whether they're particularly interested in tech or not.

Helping audiences feel confident about the future

A great technology speaker can do much more than explain the latest trends. They can challenge the way people think, encourage businesses to look at opportunities they might not have considered and help audiences feel more confident about the future.

Perhaps your organisation is trying to understand how AI could improve productivity. Maybe you're navigating a period of change or want to encourage your teams to think more creatively.

Or perhaps, like me, your audience knows technology is important but isn't quite sure where to start. We all know AI is here to stay and we’re all at different stages of embracing it. Or not.

Whatever the objective, bringing in someone with real experience of digital innovation can help turn a potentially overwhelming subject into something people actually want to engage with.

Starting a different kind of conversation

And it doesn't always have to be a traditional keynote.

A fireside chat with a tech entrepreneur or innovator can be a brilliant way to explore these subjects in a more relaxed, conversational format. It gives people the opportunity to hear the stories behind the successes, the challenges along the way and the lessons learnt.

Sometimes those conversations are just as valuable as the big ideas themselves.

Finding the right speaker for your audience

A room full of tech specialists will have very different expectations from a leadership team looking to understand how digital innovation could affect their business.

That's why choosing the right speaker is so important.

At Pomona, we work with tech speakers, entrepreneurs and digital innovation experts who bring different experiences and perspectives to the conversation.

Our job is to understand what you're hoping to achieve, who'll be in the room and which speaker is best placed to connect with them.

Because the aim isn't simply to impress people with what technology can do. It's to help them understand why it matters to them.

Perhaps technology isn't so terrifying after all and when someone explains a complicated subject in a way that makes sense, it suddenly becomes a lot more interesting.

And perhaps that's what we should really be looking for when we book a technology speaker.

Not someone who can tell us everything they know, but someone who can help us understand what we need to know.

Because you don't have to be a technology expert to be excited about what the future might hold.

If you're looking to bring fresh thinking to your next event, take a look at our technology speakers or get in touch with the Pomona team. We'd be happy to help you find someone who can bring the subject to life for your audience.