Tulsa showed up. From opening sparks to late‑night creator convos, this week was a mash‑up of founders, builders, and folks making cool stuff happen. Here’s what stood out—and a closer look at the sessions I hit.
The Week at a Glance
- Vibe check: collaborative, scrappy, and surprisingly honest
- Standout theme: “build smarter” (customer discovery, legal/finance foundations, and practical AI)
- Personal highlight: hosting the Entrepreneur Ecosystem Roundtable—real talk with people actually doing the work
Event-by-Event Recaps
Ignite: Tulsa Tech Week Kickoff + Opening Ceremony (Noitavonne Corporate)
- Takeaway: Noitavonne sounds super cool and I need to learn more... and its name is Innovation spelled backwards with the "i" replaced with an "e" 😎
Founders Uncut Convos (Gradient) &
Startup Grind – Built to Last: What Founders Should Expect from Lawyers and Accountants (Gradient)
Okay so I attended both. It's not my fault they both offered free wine, both were talking to founders about good info and both seemed exciting! Here's what I noticed:
- Founder Uncut Convos were some experienced founders. They knew what they were talking about but were way above my current "Founder" level.
- And at Startup Grind, get your legal/finance stack right early; it’s cheaper than fixing mistakes. And they aren't all scary people, and won't charge you a million dollars for one conversation (at least at first 😅)
TechTable by Cyber Popup | AI‑Matched Private Dining (Downtown)
- I admit, I had some reservations. $35 for the match, and then paying for my own food after that? Could that be worth it? Turns out, it seemed so! I got to connect with some awesome people, we didn't even have to resort to the provided icebreakers, because we all just chatted for a few hours and had a great time!
- S/O to my matches, whose names you know I don't remember, but whose laughter and fun helped me a ton! (oops. I rhymed).
Walk & Talk Networking (Gathering Place)
- Only Kate Sullivan would get me up to an event at 8 am to exercise. Okay, to be honest I was 15 minutes late. But luckily, I arrived and got to walk around Gathering Place, and went to some new areas I hadn't seen before! Plus got to mingle with a few people who may be future clients (or I may be theirs!)
i2E Customer Discovery Playbook (Gradient)
- Discovering your customer is not a "once and you're done'-type process. I enjoyed learning from the i2E team about what I should focus on and how to work towards an ideal customer. Plus we used an example of tacos, which got me hungry, and then they fed me pizza! Followed shortly by...
Neighborhood Tech Lunch @ Gradient
- Takeaway: Yum. Love me some food. Love me some friendship.
Center Yourself, StrategICE Your Path (WeStreet Ice Center)
- What do I need to do more? Listen to Michelle Branch and Just Breathe. Thanks to Shenna I was able to calm myself from this week of activities!
Entrepreneur Ecosystem Roundtable (Gradient) — I Hosted This
- Purpose: gather founders and supporters to map what’s working—and what’s missing
- Want to be alerted of the next one? Click here!
LockedIn: The Creator Meetup (Archive Creative Space)
- Loved hearing about what Ivanna Price is up to via the Social Bar!
- Did you know she started just a few years ago and has already established herself as THE person to go to. She even was the lead for marketing for Tulsa Tech Week itself!
Tune In Mixer: Where Podcasts, Video & A.I. Collide (The Church Studio)
- Takeaway: Alec and I went to this event and left buzzing with excitement for our upcoming podcast! Getting the chance to connect at both Blue Couch Studio and The Church Studio was a major highlight—the hosts were welcoming, and the vibe at each space really fired up our creativity. We could feel the passion for audio storytelling in the air, and it was inspiring to swap stories with others who are just as obsessed with podcasts as we are. Safe to say, we left with fresh ideas and even more motivation for what’s to come!
My Plan from Here
- Hoping to publish the ecosystem directory I mentioned at the roundtable
- Host a regular “Entrepreneurship Roundtable” to vent frustrations but also, to solve problems!
- Keep giving talks, work on hosting some stuff at GEW, host a podcast, breathe!
Closing
Tulsa Tech week gave me, and everyone else, a chance to refocus and plan for the future! S/o specifically to Tai for running a fantastic event. Can't wait to see what she does next!