Written by: Ashley Portier
Jumpstart brings together some of the sharpest owners and leaders in the AV live events world for a few days of real talk, big ideas, and late nights that have a way of turning strangers into friends.
But this time felt like something special.
For the first time in Jumpstart history, Tom wasn’t at the helm. Heidi stepped in to host, and if anyone was nervous about the change, those nerves disappeared fast. She brought a fresh energy, a thoughtful setup, and a crowd that showed up fully. There were a lot of new faces in Orlando, and the community welcomed every one of them.
Tom Stimson delivered his signature wisdom, the kind that sounds simple until you realize it changes how you do business. One that stuck with me (and yes, it’s currently on a sticky note on my monitor): say the same things over and over until your employees can finish your sentences. Your values and standards shouldn’t live in a handbook nobody reads. They should live in your people.
Mark Wells had the room buzzing with his take on Operational AI. His perspective? Treat AI like an employee. Introduce yourself to your platform, Claude being a standout example, tell it who you are, what you do, and how you think. Capture your conversations so it learns your voice over time. The more context you give it, the more it works for you rather than just with you. We came back to Dallas fired up and immediately started building smarter workflows at Sound Ideas. Honestly, the progress we’ve made in such a short time has blown us away.
Shannon Rodriguez is a recruiter specializing in the AV industry, and her big takeaway was simple but powerful: treat your candidates like clients. They have the power to impact your reputation, your culture, and your business. So why wouldn’t you?
And Lindsay Schwartz, the creative genius behind LSCC, and Rebekah Millsaps, her all-knowing right hand woman. Together they are the creative force behind Sound Ideas’ own marketing efforts, and a reminder that great storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a competitive edge. If you’re not working with them yet, you truly should be.
It’s the shuffleboard matches with new friends, the MertzCrew happy hour, the IS Club dinner, and the shop tours at D3G, Evolve, and Gig Rent, my favorite part of Jumpstart, and genuinely the thing that reminds you why this industry is so special. Seeing what other companies are building, their spaces, their gear, their culture, is inspiring every single time.
We left Orlando with new tools, new relationships, and a reassurance that Jumpstart- its energy, its lessons, and the relationships it builds- is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Next up, Jumpstart Vegas, July 20-22nd. New speakers, new faces, and knowing this community, a whole lot of learning and laughs. I can’t wait.
See you there.
