SOS 2025 Review:
What an amazing job this team has done to put together a conference with minimal resources. Generally when we go to conferences, there are Directors of Marketing, Communication, Outreach and what not. At SOS, we have handful of people with Full-time jobs, part time podcasts and then SOS on the side and still managed to pull this off better than most conferences out there.
What Stood Out:
The Right Audience – The room was filled with site owners or those aspiring to be. No fluff, just people who needed to be there.
Real Market Need – This wasn’t about selling; it was about helping. I can’t remember the last time I spent more time guiding people than pitching services. Just had a conversation with an aspiring site owner about everything from naming his research site to branding and tech stack choices. These were foundational discussions.
Fewer People, Deeper Conversations – I remember every single lead because we had real conversations. When I follow up, I know exactly what their challenges are. That’s rare.
Where There’s Room to Grow:
Clear Action Items from Sessions – For site owners, it can be tough to walk away with a concrete plan. With so much information, a roadmap would help translate insights into execution. Example: AI was a big topic, but for small sites, it’s not a competitive advantage—yet. It can be a great tool, but knowing exactly how to apply it is key.
Location, Location, Location – Oklahoma was… peaceful. But let’s be real—no direct flights, unpredictable weather (we got the full experience: storms, dust, high winds), and, well, I think we met most of the population in three days.
Bottom line? This was an amazing experience, and we’ll 100% be back next year. Let’s keep this momentum going!