Building a Community in a Business Dominated by Technology
NetVU is way more than Accelerate, but coming home from New Orleans I was reminded that there’s no denying that there’s a completely different vibe when you are together with people versus sitting on Zoom or Teams calls. In a time dominated by advancement in technology, people and relationships still matter.
Between the Lines
NetVU is a user group designed exclusively to serve Vertafore customers. But our community is more than that …
- We are a group of independent agents driven by the pursuit of better;
- Vertafore leaders and staff focused on your business and the role of its technology solutions in affecting the entire ecosystem;
- Partners that want to help you succeed and drive bottom-line results for your businesses; and
- Industry heavy hitters, working to ensure our entire system is aligned and rowing in the same direction.
The Back Story
In December 2019, I stepped into the role of NetVU’s Executive Director with a vision of leveraging this community, and its efficient use of technology, to drive our industry forward.
Little did I know, just a few months later, the world would be engulfed in a global pandemic, forcing me to be the first NetVU executive in this organization’s history to cancel our largest annual gathering of members.
As the months turned into years, we organized events, webinars, and virtual conferences to educate our members about the latest advancements in business technology. These virtual gatherings served their purpose – and still do today – in disseminating knowledge and fostering a sense of connection in a time of physical distancing.
However, it wasn't until we were finally able to reconvene in person, after two long years, that I truly experienced the value of face-to-face interactions in THIS COMMUNITY. Two-time Chairman’s Award recipient Mike Foy was there to proclaim … “See Jon, this is what we’ve been missing. Nothing can replace being together with our peers.”
Conversations flowed freely, ideas were exchanged, and connections were forged. It was a stark reminder of the irreplaceable human element in our digital world.
The Bottom Line
What struck me the most, however, was the sense of community that permeated the event. Most first-time attendees come for the learning. But they leave with a community that becomes indispensable to them in their professional, and personal, lives; and it’s the community to which they come back time and again.
Members quickly form bonds over shared interests and challenges. They swapped stories, offered advice, and provided support to one another, creating a network of peers united by a common goal of leveraging technology to drive business success.
In the end, I realized that while technology may be the TOOL, it's the people who wield it that truly drive progress. And there's no substitute for the power of getting together in person to learn, connect, and build a community that propels us forward into the future.