The Need for a Community: Unfolding Reasons — Tip #25
In the last article, I mentioned that this is a new chapter. I joined the dbt Slack community in 2020. Like many people, I would read some posts and threads but wasn’t sure how to participate in conversations. It wasn’t until 2022 that I launched the #local-taipei channel. You can read the story here: How did dbt #local-taipei get started? 📚
I won’t retell the story here. Instead, I’d like to highlight the benefits of joining the community. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to decide if it’s the right move for you 🤔.
Meet Like-Minded People 🤝
This is likely what you’d expect. The main reason people join communities is to meet others. It’s not just about expanding networks or finding future opportunities. You don’t even need a clear goal. In fact, it’s often more fun 😄 when you don’t have one.
We always allocate more than an hour for chat in our meetups. Initially online, we discovered that the informal chats after the main discussions were the best part. But online conversations have their limitations. When people run out of topics, the conversation can end abruptly. We once had 20-minute chats online, but in-person, it’s a different story. When one topic ends, another easily begins. You don’t need to prepare topics in advance. Interacting with others naturally sparks curiosity and questions 🌟.
Unexpected Surprises! ☄️ Not According to Plan
The community is brimming with resources. Dive in, and you might be amazed at the outcomes. The experiences I’ve had were truly unexpected and deeply enjoyable! 😆
When I first had the idea to launch the channel, I never imagined I’d find two great friends, Allen and Laurence, to co-host the local community with me. Without them, I wouldn’t have begun this journey. Oddly enough, I hadn’t realized dbt was open source until Laurence suggested I apply to be a COSCUP 2022 speaker. I initially thought it was primarily an engineering event.
The Coalesce call for speakers looked interesting, and I felt that even applying would be an enriching experience. I never anticipated that I’d end up speaking at Coalesce 2022. Check out my experience: Being a first-timer speaker at Coalesce 2022. The event had special receptions, heartfelt thank-you notes, and provided an opportunity to connect with other speakers 🎤.
I’ve been fortunate to connect with many remarkable individuals. Ted who shared his dbt introduction journey in his company. Richard discussed lessons he learned from his second dbt integration. Weihao highlighted Great Expectations, particularly since attendees frequently discussed testing. Tom shared his perspective on the role of a Data Analyst. CL and hlb generously supported our meetup venue and took the opportunity to introduce their product, Pipe Rider. Both Kelly and Thomas actively reached out and delivered talks. Meanwhile, Jolanda made her maiden trip to Taiwan to discuss strategies for scaling data, among other insights. There are more! 🎉 We’ve held 15 meetups as of September 2023, with 4 more on the horizon. Interestingly, we never intended to host monthly meetups; they just organically happened 🏄.
After some meetups, participants noted the scarcity of dbt resources in Traditional Chinese. This feedback led to Stacy proposing we write about dbt for iThome Ironman, a renowned 30-day writing challenge in Taiwan’s tech industry. Hence, this series of articles was born 🖋.
So Much Fun 🍻
This is honestly the best part. I used to think I was an introvert, even when personality tests indicated I was an extrovert. Now, I’ve come to realize that I truly am an extrovert. I draw so much energy🔋 and knowledge from my interactions with others.
These connections have demystified the complexities of data technology, assisted me in debugging my dev environment, and shared invaluable dbt tips. I’ve learned about diverse experiences and challenges that I might never have encountered in my workplace. It’s been quite the adventure 🚀.
The Support Group 🤗
There’s more to the story. This community has become my support system. Whenever I encounter a problem, whether it’s tech-related, about leading a data team, or specific requirements, I know I can turn to various channels and friends for guidance. In the dbt community, with over 50K members and hundreds of channels (e.g., #tool-metabase, #db-duckdb, #advise-dbt-help, dbt-core-development, #community-writers), support is always at hand 💪.
What Are You Waiting For? 🚀
Come join us! Apply for dbt Slack community and find us in #local-taipei channel. If you’re unsure about how to get involved, don’t fret. In the next article, we’ll discuss how you can immerse yourself in this vibrant community. See you there! 👋
🤩 I’m happy to hear how you handle product development process? what tool do you use? Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn Karen Hsieh or Twitter @ijac_wei.
🙋🙋♀️ Welcome to Ask Me Anything.
