My first experience as speaker in SQLBits

First at all, I would like to start this simple blog saying: Thank you everyone who was part of this marvelous adventure, my wife who support me in an exceptional way from the beginning, especially encourage me to do a step forward, you know how much I love you Lauren , and thanks to my kids (Octi and Giovanna) for their patience and understand that Dad needed a little of time for preparing the presentation.

I also thanks to my Database Service team and of course to Patron (aka Claudiu) – I never forget your special contribution with the title of my session. This adventure started in November 2018, I have been encouraged for submitting my session in SQLBits 2019, at the beginning I was not sure about if I had the high level which is expected in this kind of event, but my lack of self-confidence was contrasted for the support and kind words of my colleagues who known about my experiences in Unit Testing subject and how my session could contribute into the SQL Server community.

After some months, I suddenly receive an unforgettable email from SQLBits where they notify me that my session was choose, nervously I read at least three times before to be sure, and from that time I started my first adventure as international speaker. I have to be honest, it was not easy to overcome the normal doubts and fears, only for putting you in context, I had exactly four years living in Europe (Spain), I am from Nicaragua and the jump was so great, change of country and continent, but it is part of the human being nature to sometimes experiment doubts, but the most important is never give up and continue.

The preparation stage consisted in multiple iterations and I have had the opportunity of counting with the support of my company (https://theworkshop.com/), they have organize a very nice program focus on training us in presentation skills, a win-win opportunity, I could learned and practice my session, the feedback got from my colleagues was exceptional and I could polished my material.

Finally, the day of my presentation arrived and my expectations increased a lot, but I can’t express what I felt when I saw the room full of people and my compromise for delivering them a good session was so huge and I started … Here a picture courtesy by Jan Mulkens.