On March 20th, we hosted Umbraco Spark, a tech conference centred around the Umbraco community. Having worked at Gibe for 11 years, you might predict that being a part of an event like this is within my comfort zone. In reality, most of my career has been spent happily living inside soft, familiar boundaries.
Recently, I made a conscious decision to challenge that.
I joined the Umbraco Community Teams back in 2020 and it felt like an opportunity to explore something new and push beyond those boundaries. Over the last 5 years, what stands out most is the welcoming and supportive nature of the community. Each time I gave something (anything a try) I was reminded that this is a space where people are encouraged to contribute, learn, and grow.
As part of this journey, I joined the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team. Contributing to a group like this can feel daunting at first—it’s not always clear what the “right” thing to do is or how best to make an impact. I’ve come to realise that meaningful change starts with participation. Being present, listening, and contributing where you can is a powerful and visible first step.
It also prompted some personal reflection. It’s easy to recognise areas where we’d like to see improvement—such as greater diversity in event speaker line-ups—but it’s more challenging to ask how we, as individuals, can contribute to that change. For me, that’s still a work in progress. The idea of delivering a talk remains outside my comfort zone.
However, when I was asked to co-host the Package Jam Awards with Lotte, it felt like something I could do.
While being in the spotlight isn’t something I naturally seek, I do value the importance of creating opportunities for others. Much like others have done for me, I hope that by stepping forward, I can help make it easier for someone else to do the same. I want to hold the door open.
The experience itself was a mix of moments that went to plan and others that definitely didn’t! However, what stood out most was the support in the room. Being surrounded by friendly, encouraging faces made a significant difference and reinforced the value of a supportive community. It’s a reminder that not everything needs to be perfect to be worthwhile—and that a degree of humility is part of the process.
For anyone considering getting involved in events like Umbraco Spark—whether through speaking, hosting, or supporting in other ways—I would strongly encourage you to take that step. These environments are built on mutual respect, encouragement, and an understanding that stepping forward is not always easy.
I’ll end with a quote that resonated with me, from astronaut Christina Koch following the Artemis II mission:
“No matter what the challenge, recognising that if people believe in you and you believe they believe in you, the challenge is easier.”
Stepping outside your comfort zone isn’t always easy, but with the right people around you, it’s always worth it.
