Walking into Tech Week this year, I knew it was going to be big — the website had been hyping the numbers — but what surprised me was how much the city itself seemed to buzz with it. Coffee shops, sidewalks, even random conversations in the lobby at events. Everywhere I turned, someone was talking about AI, automation, or some tool I hadn’t even heard of yet.
It didn’t feel like a conference. It felt like the city hit pause on its usual rhythm and decided to have one big conversation about the future.
What Stuck Out Right Away
The openness. That’s what I’ll remember.
Usually at events like this people hang onto their “secrets.” They talk in polished case studies or success stories. At Tech Week, it felt like people actually dropped their guard. Competitors were comparing notes on experiments with AI. Professors were telling stories about their students’ data projects. Agency folks admitted what worked for them and what didn’t.
That was refreshing. And honestly, it made me feel like Grand Rapids is really growing into a tech hub. We weren’t just consuming information. We were sharing it, testing it, and trying to make sense of it together.
AMA West Michigan at GRCC
One session that stuck with me was the AMA West Michigan event at Grand Rapids Community College. On paper, the topic sounded dry: Creating Efficiencies with AI. But then they put up four simple questions that made the whole room lean in:
- Do you spend four or more hours a month on this task?
- Can you list all the steps clearly?
- Is it the same every time?
- Can you still add a layer of human supervision?
If the answer is yes across all four, automate it.
Hearing folks from Davenport and Ferris talk about how they’re applying that checklist to their own processes made it real. It wasn’t “theory.” It was, “here’s where we tried it, here’s what broke, here’s what actually worked.”
I caught myself thinking about our own CRM and automation projects. The same logic applies. It’s not about cutting people out of the loop. It’s about clearing the clutter so people can spend more time on the work that needs a human touch.
Bites, Brews & Banter with Vervint
Later in the week, I headed to Vervint’s Bites, Brews & Banter event with Christy, our Director of Business Development at MINDSCAPE. If you’ve ever been in a room with Christy, you know she somehow manages to know everyone. Within ten minutes she was already waving over people we hadn’t seen in months.
The event itself was casual — food, drinks, lots of laughter — but the conversations kept circling back to the same thing: AI. How fast it’s moving. How unsettled everyone feels about it. How important it is just to keep showing up to these discussions.
Nobody pretended they had a neat answer. And to be honest, that honesty was the best part.
Women in Technology at WMCAT
Another highlight for me was the Women in Technology event at WMCAT. The keynote was from Daphne E. Jones, who has spent her career leading technology teams at some of the biggest companies in the world. Her talk was called Winning When They Say You Won’t, and it left a real impression on me.
She urged us to stop focusing on “impossible” and start thinking “inevitable.” She also shared what she calls the 5 F’s:
- Faith
- Finances
- Fitness
- Family
- Furthering Career
I wrote down one line that’s been bouncing around in my head since: If there’s a gap, fill it. If there’s wisdom, receive it.
It made me realize that staying ahead in technology isn’t only about tools or platforms. It’s about mindset. Being willing to challenge what’s “normal,” try something new, and stay curious even when the path isn’t clear.
Why It Matters
Every event had a slightly different focus, but the questions behind them were the same ones I hear from clients all the time:
- What should we automate, and what should stay human?
- How do we actually use our data instead of drowning in it?
- How do we keep up without burning people out?
I don’t think anyone walked away from Tech Week with a perfect roadmap. But that’s not the point. The value was in the honesty — in seeing where other organizations are experimenting, hearing about their wins and their stumbles, and realizing we’re all figuring this out together.
That’s what makes it valuable for us at MINDSCAPE. We don’t go to bring back buzzwords. We go to bring back perspective, examples, and lessons we can apply to real projects.
Looking Ahead
Tech Week Grand Rapids is already set for September 14–19, 2026. If the growth this year was any sign, it’ll be even bigger next time. And yes, we’ll be there.
The more plugged in we are, the better we can help our clients ask the right questions and find approaches that make sense for them.
Final Thoughts
When I think back on the week, what comes to mind isn’t a single stat or headline. It’s the momentum. The sense that Grand Rapids isn’t just “catching up” — it’s starting to lead.
For me, that’s exciting. For MINDSCAPE, it’s a responsibility too. Our job is to take what we learn in weeks like this and turn it into real progress for the businesses we serve.
If you’re curious about how technology could work differently for your organization, connect with us here. MINDSCAPE can help you sort through what’s hype, what’s useful, and what will actually move your business forward.
