ThwackCamp 2016 Recap from Radioteacher

San Antonio is not to far from Austin/Bee Cave for ThwackCamp. So at 5:15 AM I head out. A stop for breakfast taco's on the way broke up the drive. I checked into the hotel grabbed the swag bag and headed over to the SW campus. Now it is 8:15 AM.

Last year I was the only customer to attend. This year eleven other VIP's and MVP's joined me in the fun. The dozen V's.

We had a nice conference room on the second floor that was built for two projectors so we could see both tracks but only hear one. To listen to the other track...fire up a computer and use headphones. Sitting around us was the UX team (User Experience) and others would come and go.

The Head Geeks all came by to say hello Dez adatole patrick.hubbard kong.yang sqlrockstar .

Here is the intro.....

Intro Video Link

The first day, I wore my original long sleeve white ThwackCamp shirt for an live "On Air" spot.

The Studio....

Radioteacher live in studio on day one.

Lunch was a fine Italian meal followed by the afternoon session.

Kong Yang photo bombs and SQLRockstar in the zone with the photo bomber bomber James Honey in the back.

Not everything went as planned but "Keep Calm and Broadcast On" ruled the day.

After camp was over the Visitors and Dez worked for about 90 minutes with the User Experience team. It was great seeing and hearing about the successes and pain points that others had at different companies.

Off to dinner at a fine Bee Cave establishment.

Anyone for a beer?

Thwackcamp Beer Video

Back for the second day.....

From Twitter...

Getting ready for Day Two live shot.

The second day I wore my Hawaiian Shirt.

What you see on the Live Feed......

From the feed....

What is it like when the camera goes off??? Remember that this is later in a day that started at 2:00 AM local time.

splice.gopro.com/v

We got a visit from Rob Boss!!!! Thanks for coming by during your busy broadcast day.

familyofcrowes received a well deserved award. With cnorborg sitting on the edge of the picture.

This is a flock of twitter with the social media team. wabbott jkuvlesk

Some wrap up notes from from Leon and Patrick.

Studio notes

Thanks for hosting this great event.

Let's do it again next year!!!

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Dez

Highlight of my days was being in the room with all of you guys! Conversations with the customers is "priceless"!

~Dez~

tinmann0715

Wait a second... You mean customers could crash the ThwackCamp party sans invite???

Radioteacher

Dez,

That is one clear difference between Solarwinds and many technology companies. Some ignore the users after the sale, others give user engagement lip service but few, very few, make it core to the business.

Thanks again,

Radioteacher

I am not sure it would work that way......

But if you brought Franklin's BBQ for the crew for lunch...I am thinking that people there would vote you on the island.

rschroeder

That is SO TRUE!

familyofcrowes

Your soooo correct. Solarwinds is a different company. They should be the model that all others try to emulate.

familyofcrowes

wow GREAT job Radioteacher !! THANK YOU for doing this.

This is a great scrap book to remember a terrific time.

Radioteacher

familyofcrowes it is my pleasure. I am amazed how good the iPhone 6s+ takes pictures and videos. I have a few more that I will post later and if you would like any at full frame please let me know.

Here is another from the dinner. Later I will make a shareable Google album out of the pictures.

Take care,

danielleh

I'm so glad everyone was here. Wish I could've spent more time in the viewing room, but clearly you all were in great hands. Until next time.

jeremyxmentzell

Great recap! As always it was a great THWACKcamp. Even though I could only sort or lurk this year I'm looking forward to going back through the recordings for all the pearls of wisdom that got dropped on everyone.

meech

SO MUCH FUN hanging out with all of you. User Experience ws so grateful to be included this year; it energized all of us. Thanks DanielleH for keeping us in the mix! More next year?

cnorborg

Yes, it was a blast!!

A bit surreal when you walk into a room and most of the personalities you see in Solarwinds videos are standing around chatting, like Patrick, Kong and Leon. I sat in the back, partially because I like being in the background and partially because I got there a bit late the first day and a bit later Dez comes and sits next to me... It was fun seeing and talking to all of them!!

I was back for a bit on Friday to go out to lunch with someone @ Solarwinds and was talking with them outside the building before I left and Kong walked back and forth a couple times. Just makes you pause when you think "What is he doing there, he should be on a computer monitor, not walking around!!"...

It was great meeting and talking with everyone there, esp. having a beer with folks too! We should definitely do more of that!! Hmm... They need to add a beer emoticon, you'll have to last with these I guess...

Very cool experience, if any of you are fortunate enough to get invited, GO!!!

wabbott

This is a fantastic recap! Thanks for putting this together & sharing Radioteacher!

I loved hanging out with all out MVPs & VIPs! We seriously have the best customers in the whole world.

Already getting excited for THWACKcamp 2017!

wluther

meech I am anxiously waiting for the UXcamp now...

SolarWinds will account for all of my events each year, from now on...

Y'all did an outstanding job!

It was great to meet the SolarWinds team, as well as those from the community too.

Thank you all.

-Will

meech

hmmm intriguing, Will, intriguing (sound of brain trying to fire on extra cylinders after a big lunch).

Radioteacher

Maybe you can get out of Austin and make it a low budget affair in South Austin.....like San Antonio. Go to the Riverwalk. Luncheon in the Tower of Americas followed by more meetings. Maybe at the expanded Convention Center.

So get out of town Austin!

shuth

It was good to attend this year (even if it was remote!). Lots of interesting sessions which left me thinking about the future and it was great to chat live with everyone.

sqlrockstar

Was great seeing you again, and thanks for the recap! I'm already looking forward to next year!

michael.kent

Wow, looks like you had a great time. Would love to visit the Solarwinds office one day. Unfortunately there's an ocean in the way for me.

familyofcrowes

its just a more expensive and longer plane ride.... but its worth it

zennifer

Thanks for sharing!! So jealous!! Lived vicariously thru your pictures!!! Has to be the coolest event EVER to attend!!!