StageYou Interviews Tammy Kennedy: Embracing Digitalization in Her City.
As the co-chair of IT Palooza and a senior business consultant with a passion for sales, Tammy has twenty years of experience in the field. She shuns the transactional approach, always striving to pursue customer-focused relationships in her consultancy, regardless of the industry she is associated with—from technology companies to manufacturing, medical, and even non-profit organizations. With her desire to give back to the community, her role as president at Tech Lauderdale in 2017 and 2018 was a springboard to help expand this cause, which she persistently follows.
StageYou: How are initiatives by Tech Lauderdale helping with today’s digitalization?
TAMMY: Tech Lauderdale, previously known as South Florida Tech Alliance, is the oldest tech-based organization in Florida, having started almost two decades ago. With our current audience including millennials and Gen-Z, along with the many distinct companies and organizations that have emerged in recent years, the rebranding we initiated has helped us stay up-to-date with current trends.
We work together with organizations like the prestigious Broward Workshop, a private, non-partisan, and non-profit organization that shares our ideals. Over time, we have received great support from them, with 30 of their 124 members in the Greater Ft. Lauderdale area becoming our platinum sponsors. They earnestly help us convert the Ft. Lauderdale area into a technology hub.
Although there are similar initiatives in South Florida, there are a few reasons we have received this level of support and why we feel we are in a great place for technological expansion. Ft. Lauderdale is a comfortable midway point between Miami and Palm Beach, and the airport is just minutes away from downtown, making the location super convenient.
In the north, we have Palm Beach and Palm Beach Tech, with whom we have worked on events. In the south is Miami, which has an amazing organization called Refresh Miami and conferences like Emerge. We collaborate with them as community partners and sponsor some of their events while they sponsor ours. This is constructive since we are all working together for the common good of strengthening the technology sector in South Florida.
The region of South Florida can do better compared to places like Silicon Valley when it comes to funding in terms of exposure to investment from private equity and venture capitalists. However, we consider content to be king and focus on delivering the best and most productive events to disseminate knowledge. Even though our name is Tech Lauderdale, we are calling on anyone in the South Florida community to get involved.
StageYou: What sets IT Palooza apart from other IT-centric conferences ?
TAMMY: IT Palooza is a flagship event that started on 12.12.12 and is hosted by Tech Lauderdale. It is a conference in essence; however, whereas most conferences like this merely have a group of software companies that attend, IT Palooza aims at empowering the county through digital transformation and unifying the community of Broward County around the topic of IT, integrating it more fully into their businesses.
Each of our panels at IT Palooza focuses on a topic on the education of technology in various areas such as cybersecurity, JavaScript, the latest software, or the all-important phenomenon of social media and how it is changing the way we do business. To achieve good variety, we strive to have individuals from different counties in every five-person panel, which is comprised of four members along with a moderator.
Our aim is to make the county a better place to work and live through the process of productive collaboration, which inevitably results in great things happening. This environment of fostering is especially important for startups within the tech community.
To illustrate the industrial diversity in the companies that join us, I can mention City Furniture, a company that embraces technology through smart furniture to cater to the increasing need for convenience in our daily lives. Another is AutoNation, which now defines itself as a tech company that sells cars. Company names like these are not usually associated with technology conferences, but given the need and business advantages available today, it is becoming ever more prevalent.
Digitalization and technology are affecting every industry today to an extent that if you are not evolving as a company, you will undoubtedly be left behind. From law firms to manufacturing to customer care, companies are going through a digital transformation to leverage technology and gain a market advantage. IT Palooza is a conference that can help you find connections and innovations in tech.
StageYou: How did SUP-X come about and what impact has it made?
TAMMY: SUP-X stands for Start Up Expo and was founded several years ago by Bob Fitts. We were able to make this possible with the help of our board, our experience, and connections with remarkable speakers, resulting in a very positive outcome.
SUP-X can be considered the largest startup conference in all of South Florida, presented by Tech Lauderdale. Speakers shared their stories and educated attendees about the steps they can take. We attracted over a thousand attendees and raised a significant amount of funds through it as well.
In 2019, with a passion for embracing digitalization even further, we live-streamed a major part of the conference to a new online, and more importantly, global audience. This contributed significantly to helping connect and promote growth in the sector, along with educating on a much larger scale.
The team at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, including Bob Swindell, David Coddington, and Jack Bennings, has done an inspirational job in our area by bringing in numerous high-quality jobs and companies. They have also been our sponsor for SUP-X.
StageYou: Any final words in conclusion?
TAMMY: The old adage "knowledge is power" is all the more relevant in the modern business world. With the global trend towards digitalization, it becomes vital for companies and individuals to stay abreast of what is happening around them, much of which involves advances in technology. No matter the industry or field you are in, collaborating, educating, and spreading this idea within society is relevant as it helps local economies thrive, improves the standard of living, promotes growth and development, brings in investment and employment, and empowers people and the whole community to transform themselves digitally
Tammy Kennedy
Tammy Kennedy is a seasoned business consultant with a rich background in the human resources industry. Known for her expertise in negotiation, sales, cold calling, social selling, CRM, and sales operations, Tammy employs a consultative approach that prioritizes customer-focused relationships over transactional interactions. Her career spans across various sectors, including technology, medical, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, and non-profit organizations, where she has consistently delivered best-in-class solutions.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Tammy is deeply committed to her community. She currently serves as the Membership Chair at South Florida Tech Hub and has previously held several key roles, including President and Vice President. Her involvement with Rotary – Cypress Creek as Membership Chair and her contributions to Life Net 4 Families highlight her dedication to service. Additionally, Tammy was honored as a Women of the Year Nominee by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and actively participates in United Way of Broward County’s Women United. Through these roles, Tammy demonstrates her unwavering passion for giving back and making a positive impact in her community.
