When Andy (one of the two organizers, both people named Andy) asked me to speak at the first ever XOXO conference, my first instinct was to say something along the lines of: "Um, geez, you got the wrong girl. Thank you sir, but no."
I've never spoken to a group larger than a few dozen people, and truthfully, I was just very concerned that I wouldn't have anything of value or general usefulness to say to the (formidable) audience/attendees.
"I'm not really a speaker" I said. "I'm afraid I won't have anything interesting, never mind inspiring to tell them."
Image Source: Brooke Parrott
"Just tell your story" Andy said.
"Really?"
"Really."
Image Source: Glenn Fleischman
So I did. I wrote something and Josiah helped me make some funny little slides, and I worked up my courage and (still terrified) I spoke to this big sea of kind faces.
And it's now available to watch online.
I hope it is interesting and/or useful and/or inspiring. I tried my best! I did the only thing I could do: simply tell my story. Then cross my fingers and hope it means something to anybody else.