Remote Ruby Blastoff Rails with Travis Dockter
Oct 3, 2025
Travis Dockter, the founder of the Blastoff Rails conference, shares his inspiring journey from business school to organizing a Ruby conference in Albuquerque. He talks about the unique venue selection at the Albuquerque Museum and his focus on creating a smaller, more intimate experience with fewer talks. Travis emphasizes the importance of quality sponsorships, community energy, and supports for first-time speakers. He also highlights exciting local attractions and the vibrant culture that attendees can explore, wrapping up with tips for submitting engaging proposals.
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How Travis Found Rails And Conferences
- Travis described his route into Rails: business school, then Flatiron bootcamp, then hooked on conferences after attending RailsConf.
- That inspired him to start Blastoff Rails in Albuquerque to create a new community event.
Pick The Venue Before You Set Size
- Start venue-first if you want a walkable, car-free conference experience and to lock attendee capacity early.
- Use the venue limits to set realistic attendee goals and budget accordingly.
Choose Sponsors Sparingly
- Secure a few quality sponsors early rather than many small ones to reduce overhead and preserve attendee experience.
- Aim for sponsors that fit your budget and let you focus on speaker and attendee quality.