Category: Event

AMA with the Ignite Seattle Team (Thurs. Jan 25th, 7pm PST)

Come meet the Ignite Seattle organizing team for a fun and informal AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. Our speaker coaches and producers will be there to answer whatever questions you are curious about. Or maybe you have an idea or suggestion for us to consider.

This free event, open to all, will take place next Thursday, 1/25 at 7 pm PST on Zoom (Register Here).

Do you want to learn our secrets for organizing such great events? Want advice on pitching us your Ignite talk idea? Curious about what it’s like to be part of the Ignite team and want to join us? Or want public speaking tips from people who’ve literally walked the walk and talked the talk? This is the event for you.

We’ll be hosting this AMA (ask me anything) style where you’ll get to go behind the scenes of one of Seattle’s most popular live storytelling events. Speaker submissions are due in less than a month, so this is the perfect opportunity to get our feedback if you’re even just starting to brainstorm – you won’t want to miss out!

Register here

Free speaker coaching office hours (Tue Dec. 12th, 6pm PST, Zoom)

Want feedback on your public speaking skills? Have a talk idea you want to practice in front of an expert and a small friendly group? This is for you.

  • When: Tuesday, Dec. 12th, 6pm – 7:30 PST, Zoom (register here).
  • Cost: Free
  • Fun: Definitely
Register here

Details: All are welcome at this fun and informal online session run by me, Scott Berkun, the head speaker coach for Ignite Seattle and author of the bestselling book, Confessions of A Public Speaker.

Come with a talk idea or a presentation you want to practice. Any kind of presentation or story is welcome (does not have to be an ignite talk). Or come to be in the audience, listen in and learn tips, lessons and advice.

How it works:

  • Speaking slots are first come first served
  • Each speaker will get 2 to 3 minutes, no slides allowed
  • You can use a new story or something you’ve presented before, up to you
  • You will get actionable feedback and lessons
  • We will continue until we run out of speakers 🙂
  • There will be time for Q&A, so bring your questions
Register here

Ignite Seattle #43 recap: videos and photos

Thanks to all of you who joined 700+ in our live audience for yet another amazing evening of fun, powerful and surprising stories told in just five minutes.

Don’t wait too long to buy tickets to our next event on Thursday, Oct 26th (early bird tickets just $10).

And now here are videos of all of our speakers plus photos from evening.

Talk Videos

Photos from the event

Full archive of event photos for Ignite Seattle #43

15 years ago today…

On December 7, 2006 the very first Ignite Seattle was held at the Capitol Hill Art Center (CHAC) in Seattle. I wasn’t one of the organizers, but I was there for that magical night 15 years ago. There were over 350 folks packed into a tiny space meant for about half that many. It was crowded, it was hot, and it was chaotic but it was obvious to me that I was experiencing something special.

Capitol Hill Arts Center (RIP)

The conceit was simple – give a 5 minute talk with 20 slides, but the slides would auto-advance every 15 seconds and while a lot has changed in 15 years we remain true to our format.

The Crowd at Ignite Seattle #1

The talk topics of the first Ignite Seattle were pretty tech industry focused, but it was clear that everyone who spoke that night was passionate about their subject matter (another requirement for a great Ignite talk). We experienced many delightful talks including:

  • Bre Pettis showing off some Make Project Disasters
  • Arlo Speedwagon discussing Mortality and User Experience
  • Jordan Schwartz teaching us how to make our own SMS service
  • Shelly Farnum showing off Dorkbot Seattle
  • Beth Kolko talking about how Info Tech in the Developing World
  • and roughly 20 more talks that night (including our very own Scott Berkun talking about innovation) and a popsicle stick bridge building contest.

I left that night intellectually overstimulated and exhausted (in the best possible way), but I also left wanting to be a part of the event in some capacity. I started working on Ignite just prior to the 4th event the very next year.

Bre Pettis and Brady Forrest – Ignite Seattle’s Progenitors

All photos from this event appear courtesy of Laughing Squid and you can see more on his Flickr feed here.

Submit Your Talk

It’s been a fun ride working on Ignite and Ignite has survived and flourished while living through an economic downturn, moving to 4 different venues (5 if you count the beautifully remodeled Town Hall) and now a global pandemic. And that’s why we need YOU to submit a talk to our next (in person, at Town Hall) event planned for February 17th, 2022. We’re thrilled to be in a place where so many are vaccinated, boosted and craving some social interaction and entertainment.

If you’ve ever thought about standing on the Ignite Seattle stage, now is the time to submit your talk and help bring us back to Town Hall, Seattle and the world!

Submit your Ignite talk today

While a lot has changed since way back then, the magic of Ignite Seattle hasn’t faded for me and I know a lot of you feel the same. I’m overjoyed to be planning our next event and I can’t wait to see all of you there.

Next Ignite Seattle: Thurs. April 29th, 7:30pm (Charity Champions)

Ignite Seattle is back.  We’re hosting a special online event focused on great storytelling and giving back to the Seattle community. 

$3,000+ giveaway to local non-profits.   Many local groups are doing so much to help the people of Seattle and we’re going to help them. We will put on our virtual stage the best personal stories about local charities and non-profits. The organizations showcased the night of our live online event will receive grants totaling $3,000 or more! 

Tell your story about a local organization
Submit YOUR story related to a charity by March 22. Has a local non-profit helped you? Or have you observed how they’ve supported a community? Tell us the story. If selected, you’ll be assigned a mentor who will help you with your talk. This is your chance to show up for a nonprofit that’s been meaningful to you! We can’t wait to hear about it. 

Free online storytelling workshop
To help you develop your story idea and sharpen your presentation skills, we are hosting a FREE Online Storytelling Workshop on Monday, March 15 at 7:30pm. Scott Berkun, professional speaker coach, former Ignite MC and long-time Ignite Seattle co-organizer, will be your teacher. This online workshop will give you his time-tested advice on short-form (remote) public speaking, and some students will get live feedback. Scott rocks. He will help you rock. Register now. 

Join the live online event
Hosted by the dynamic duo of Marice Sy and Sumit Basu. By attending YOU will help determine how the grants are allocated to the organizations showcased. Tickets are “donate what you can” ($0-$50), all ticket proceeds will be added to the Charity Champion grants. 

Spread the word
Submissions are open to anyone in the greater Seattle area and the more people who attend the event means more money will go to good causes. Help us get the word out? Thanks. 

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW. 

Stay safe, do good, tell stories,
The Ignite Seattle Organizing Team

Re-Ignite Seattle: Sept 24th @ 7:30pm PST

We miss you. And while we can’t return to Town Hall any time soon, we have something different in mind. We are going to Re-Ignite Seattle on Thursday Sept 24 at 7:30pm and we would love for you to join us from wherever you are.

What is Re-Ignite Seattle? It’s an experimental online event where we will revisit 3 past talks from our wondrous library. Our hosts, who are Ignite Seattle alumni as well as organizers, have picked 3 of their favorite talks. They will re-watch them with you and chat about what makes each of these talks great.

Re-Ignite Seattle will be hosted by:

  • Sumit Basu – Sumit did a fantastic job hosting our most recent Ignite Seattle event. He is a scientist, an artist and an Instant Pot expert. He is insightful, funny and kind.
  • Zachary Cohn  – Zachary is a long time Ignite Seattle organizer. He wrangles cables, speakers, slides and anything else that has needed wrangling. He is smart, witty and thoughtful.

When: Thursday Sept 24 at 7:30pm PST.
Where: Anywhere on any device with internet access.
Tickets: Tickets are free. Register here to receive the event link.
 

Talks to be Re-Ignited:

  • Saving the Planet With Your Fork – Mary Purdy
  • So, You’re Black in Tech – Rovina Broomfield
  • How My Life Changed Over the Skies of South Korea – Craig Plain

Whether these talks are new for you or you saw them live, our hosts will help you have a great time and appreciate the work of these fantastic storytellers.

See you online soon,
The Ignite Seattle Organizing Team
 

P.S. we don’t know when the next in-person Ignite Seattle event will be held however you can submit an idea whenever inspiration sparks. 

FREE FREE DELICIOUSLY FREE

Event recap and videos for Ignite Seattle #41

Thank you for being part of another great event at Seattle Town Hall. Your support helps us continue to use storytelling to build community and bring people together. 

Below you’ll find a full recap of Ignite 41 with links to videos of every talk and a few amazing photos from the night.

Special thanks to our sponsors Punch Drunk, Mindhatch and 4Culture. Kudos also to Reel Grrrls for producing our live-stream.

Our next event, Ignite #42, is on Thursday, June 4 2020 and submissions are open. 

Tickets are on sale NOW at our early bird price ($10). We’ve sold out 9 of our last 10 shows – so get your tickets now. 

Videos from Ignite Seattle #41

Please share your favorites on social media – we want these people to have their stories heard by as many people as we can.

Ignite #41 Photos 

Buy Tickets for IS#42

Ignite Seattle #41 is SOLD OUT, but we still hope you’ll join us!

Exciting news, Ignite Seattle fans, our show on February 27, 2020 is now SOLD OUT! No tickets will be available at the door.

Didn’t get your ticket, and still want to see the talks? Don’t worry! We’re providing a free livestream of the night. Tune in to get:

  • A professionally produced livestream from our friends at Punch Drunk.
  • The best seat in the virtual house to catch 12 funny, inspiring, and otherwise amazing five-minute talks.
  • A Livesteam-exclusive look into Ignite Seattle before the show and during intermission, produced by Reel Grrls.
Register for Livestream

Announcing speakers and stories for Ignite Seattle #41 – Feb. 27th at Town Hall Seattle

We are excited to announce our speaker lineup for Ignite Seattle #41, with guest host Sumit Basu. We had over 80 (!) submissions from which we picked our lineup of fantastic talks (thanks to everyone who took the time to share their story with us).

Get your tickets now – just $10 at the early bird price, which ends soon. ($5 more after that).

  • The speakers and topics are fantastic. See the list below. 
  • We will sell out. We almost always do.
  • You save $5 now. Buy tickets before 2/13 and you get Early Bird pricing.

Here are our evening’s stories and storytellers (order is to be determined):

  • The Most Glad You’ll Be All March, Gavin Verhey
  • Lessons From a Billboard, Willie Weir
  • Horny and Hooved Fur Babies: Why Goats Are the New Dogs, Susan Fergason
  • The Struggle As An Emotional Man (And Asian American), Victor Ung
  • The Wheel Deal with Suffrage, Haley Shapley
  • The Day My Heart Stopped 14 Times, Jana Morrelli
  • Co-Living the Dream, Syd Fredrickson, M.Ed.
  • How My Life Changed Over the Skies of South Korea, Craig Plain
  • Nobody cares about drowning polar bears, Nicole DeNamur
  • 22q11 Deletion Syndrome: The Most Common Birth Defect You’ve Never Heard Of, Ramon Arjona
  • Worldschooling: Bringing It Home, Alex Alviar
  • Shirro’s Plate – Eating Fresh, Mercy Kariuki-McGee

What to expect at the show on Thursday, Feb. 27th:

  • Doors open at 6:30pm – get a drink, a snack, and play a game
  • Show starts at 7:30pm – with an intermission in the middle
  • After party at 9:30pm – celebrate the show with the speakers and organizers
$10 until Feb 13 – $15 after

Top 10 Ignite Seattle Talks of 2019

2019 was a fantastic year for Ignite Seattle! Here are a few highlights:

  • The event moved back into our old home at the beautifully renovated Town Hall Seattle.
  • We added new volunteers to the team.
  • We started a podcast.
  • We had our first open mic.
  • We had two new guest emcees.
  • We became a 501(c)(3) organization!

Thanks to the 35 amazing speakers who shared their stories on our stage and made 2019 an amazing year for Ignite Seattle. We had 226 talk submissions in 2019 and from that list we chose 35 of those speakers.

From that list, I give you our favorite talks of 2019:

I Like Your Shoes, Wanna Be Friends? – Nadine Khoury
Making friends later in life can be tough, especially when you’ve moved to a new place (and maybe doubly so if that place is Seattle). Nadine gives some great tips on making friends.

Saving the Planet With Your Fork – Mary Purdy
Mary is a licensed nutritionist and she gives great tips for eating better for the planet’s sake (and for your own). Spoiler: you don’t have to give up bacon.

Does This p-value Make My Lies Look Good? – Josh Jelin
Josh’s cleverly titled talk shows us how others lie with numbers and how you can too! NOTE: one of those statements is false.

I’m the Weirdo Who Left the Elevator Note – Sixta Morel
Sixta moved to Seattle from the Dominican Republic and found Seattleites a little, um, different than people in her home country. The Seattle freeze is real and Sixta shares how we can melt it a little more.

Cats, Rats, A.I., Oh My! – Ben Hamm
Ben’s talk was one of the most viewed talks in Ignite Seattle’s history. You’ll see why when he shows you how he built his smart cat door using off-the-shelf parts and a little cloud based machine learning know how.

A Transgender Band Walks Into A Rural Olympic Peninsula Bar… – Ginger Chien
I’m pretty sure that their wasn’t a dry eye in the room for Ginger’s talk about her journey to (what she thought would be) an unwelcoming place.

An Immigrant’s Battle – Salome Munyaka
What’s in a name? Kenyan-born Salome Munyaka’s light hearted talk details her challenges moving to the United States and teaches ways that you can make an immigrant’s life a little bit easier.

Convincing People: An Attorney’s Guide to Negotiation — Alexander Theoharis
Isn’t your way the best way? Alexander Theoharis outlines 3 methods of always getting your way (without the other side losing).

The Unbearable Lightness of Being… – Bruce Dawson
Do you ever get tired of going the same way to work every day? Ignite Seattle alum, Bruce Dawson got carried away answering that question by getting other people to do all the heavy lifting 😉

OCD is a Family Affair – Melissa Reaves
Melissa delivers an intense personal story about what it’s like living with OCD both as person who has it and parenting a child that is learning to manage it.

Dating Tips from a Former Dominatrix – Miss Kaila Yi
What do a dungeon and the dating world have in common? Veteran dominatrix, Miss Kaila Yi outlines what she’s learned from her career and how it applies to having more fulfilling relationships.

Whew… what a year 🙂

We’re looking forward to a fantastic 2020 and our next event is February 27th at Town Hall Seattle. Buy your tickets now.