Open Channels FM Growth, Hackathons, and Gratitude Lessons from an Eventful 2025
14 snips
Dec 9, 2025 Zach and Carl reflect on their transformative year in 2025, sharing insights from major industry events like CloudFest. They discuss the dynamic formats of hackathons and the launch of their new partnership with BuiltFast. AI's influence on coding workflows and the evolving WordPress ecosystem also takes center stage. Personal growth journeys, including health improvements and setting boundaries, are explored. As they look ahead to 2026, they emphasize the importance of gratitude and continuous learning.
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Year-In-Review Overload
- Zach Stepek and Carl Alexander joked about long year-in-review drafts and intense schedules during 2025 conference seasons.
- Both described busy travel and event attendance as a defining theme of their year.
Networking Fast-Tracks Industry Understanding
- Carl described joining BigScoots and meeting industry peers immediately at events like PressConf and CloudFest Miami.
- He emphasized that in-person networking sped up his understanding of that side of the industry.
CloudFest And Europa Park Stories
- Both hosts recounted CloudFest experiences and plans to attend Roost for the hackathon and Europa Park visits.
- They compared Miami and European CloudFest formats and amusement-park side trips as memorable highlights.
