Buildwithbot

🕷️ Your friendly neighborhood Day One Supporter: Ricardo Williams! 🕸️

Last but not least, meet our very own Spider-Man! Ricardo is a writer, actor, the leader of Nerd Nite Orlando AND Miami, and proud sidekick to the one and only Anna Eskamani. Is there anything this man can’t do? 😄

Ricardo has been showing up for BOT since the beginning, in the room and out in the community. And if you’ve been to one of our panels, you’ve probably seen his spidey sense kick in. He’s the one asking the thoughtful questions, challenging speakers, and getting everyone talking a little deeper. 🧠

Thank you for helping us all think outside the box, Ricardo! 💙

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center
⏰ Today is the LAST day for early bird pricing!
🎟️ buildingourtech.org/gala.html

💎 Celebrating another Day One Supporter: Mark Bennett! 💎

If you’ve been to a BOT event, there’s a good chance Mark was the one who said hello at the door. Or set up your chair. Or stuck around after to help put everything away. 🙌

We’re so excited to honor Mark with the Day One Supporter Award at Brilliance in Orbit, recognizing the people who have been showing up for BOT since the very start.

Mark has never been too big for the small stuff, and he’s also done some really big stuff. He’s championed BOT across Orlando and helped us grow a deeper relationship with UCF over the years. By day, he’s a Senior Web Developer building accessible websites for universities that thousands of students use every day.

One thing is always true: Mark shows up. For us, and for this community. Thank you, Mark! ❤️

⏰ Today is the LAST day for early bird pricing, so grab your ticket before midnight!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/brilliance-in-orbit-the-diamond-decade-gala

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center
🎟️ buildingourtech.org/gala.html

💎 Day One Supporter: Brian Clincy! 💎

Brian was there at the very FIRST BOT meetup, and ten years later, he’s still showing up. 🙌

Over the years, Brian has rolled up his sleeves on internal BOT projects and taught our back-end development cohort, helping new developers find their footing in tech. And the students he taught loved learning so much that it inspired him to create gCoded, his own initiative to help even more people get into tech. 💻

He’s now the CEO and Co-Founder of 13 Integrated Data Solutions, building for the web since 1995 (yes, you read that right). Founder life is busy, but Brian still makes time for BOT, and we’re so grateful.

Thank you for carrying the mission forward, Brian! 💙

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center
⏰ Today is the LAST day for early bird pricing!
🎟️ buildingourtech.org/gala.html

🏠 Every community needs a home. Ours has been The Conduit. 🏠

We’re so excited to honor Kyle Steele with the Day One Supporter Award at Brilliance in Orbit!

Since nearly the very beginning, Kyle has opened up The Conduit for BOT. Workshops, bootcamps, panels, town halls, late-night deep dive discussions... so many of our biggest moments happened right there. 📸 Seriously, scroll back through ten years of BOT photos and you’ll see The Conduit in about 95% of them.

Kyle is Managing Partner at The Conduit and leads Rally, helping cities and regions turn big ideas into real, lasting change. But to us, he’s the person who made sure our community always had a place to gather, learn, and grow.

Kyle, thank you for giving us a space our community calls home. 💙

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center
⏰ Today is the LAST day for early bird pricing!
🎟️ buildingourtech.org/gala.html

💎 Day One Supporter: Kiacha Kiki Christy! 💎

If you’re in our BOT Facebook group, you already know Kiki. 😄 She’s our honorary group moderator, always dropping the latest tech news, resources, conferences, and ways to get plugged in.

But here’s something you might not know: Kiki was in the room at the very FIRST BOT meeting. She’s been with us since day one, and even when she can’t make it in person, she’s still showing up for this community every single day.

Nobody asked her to do it. She just saw a need and filled it, and honestly, we can’t imagine this group without her. 💙 That’s the thing about showing up. You never know who sees you or how much it matters.

Kiki, thank you for being there all along!

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center
⏰ Today is the LAST day for early bird pricing!
🎟️ buildingourtech.org/gala.html

🦇 Every great community needs a Batman. Ours is David Yarde. 🦇

We’re thrilled to announce David “Batman” Yarde as a recipient of the Day One Supporter Award at Brilliance in Orbit!

This award honors the people who have been showing up, cheering us on, and pitching in since BOT’s very first day. And David has done exactly that.

Just like his namesake, David likes to keep a low profile. He swoops in when he’s needed, lends a hand, shares his brand and strategy know-how, and then disappears back into the night. 😄 He’s also the hero behind our brand new 10-year logo and brand guide, created especially for this milestone.

With 20+ years building brands for companies like Disney, the NFL, and Walmart, David could be anywhere. We’re lucky he chose to keep showing up for us.

Thank you, David! 💎

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center
🎟️ buildingourtech.org/gala.html

Get your early bird pricing today, Oct 16 before its gone!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/brilliance-in-orbit-the-diamond-decade-gala

💎 Another Day One Supporter we can’t wait to celebrate: Michael Hardy! 💎

Mike is one of those quiet supporters every community is lucky to have. He’s not around all the time, but he’s ALWAYS been around for BOT, ever since the very beginning.

Every now and then he comes out of his shell to lead some seriously inspiring panel talks on the future of tech. 🎤 And speaking of mics... rumor has it Mike has a pretty great singing voice. 🎶 But you didn’t hear that from us. 🤐

If you haven’t met Mike yet, you’re missing out. He’s a genuine human, hilarious, and a great dad. By day, he’s been leading Inspired Blue Solutions for over a decade, building mobile apps and leading software teams.

Mike, thank you for being part of the BOT story from day one! 💙

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center
⏰ Today is the LAST day for early bird pricing!
🎟️ buildingourtech.org/gala.html

✨ Keynote reveal! ✨

We’re so excited to welcome Candice Simmons to the Brilliance in Orbit stage!

Candice leads Enterprising Black Orlando - EBO, helping Black entrepreneurs across Central Florida get access to capital, grow their businesses, and build generational wealth. With 27+ years in finance and nonprofit leadership, she knows what it takes to turn opportunity into something lasting.

Her keynote, “The Next Frontier: From Opportunity to Ownership,” is the perfect way to kick off BOT’s next ten years. 🚀

📅 Saturday, November 14
📍 Winter Park Events Center

Early bird tickets end this Friday, October 16, so don’t wait!
🎟️ https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/brilliance-in-orbit-the-diamond-decade-gala

History made! 💎 Our first-ever Community Champion Award goes to Isabella Johnston! 🎉🏆

This award honors people who amplify BOT’s mission through advocacy, storytelling, and community leadership, and Isabella has been one of our biggest cheerleaders for years.

Here’s how she’s shown up for BOT fam:
📣 Cheered BOT on and advocated for our community as we’ve grown
🚀 Invested in her own founder journey through our cohorts for E4C
🎙️ Shared her BOT story and spoken up for our founder community
🌴 Always makes sure BOT is part of the Central Florida tech story

Volunteering, supporting her community, and lifting others up, Isabella shows up for people every single time. She’s a true unsung hero of Orlando, and today she gets the spotlight she deserves. ✨

Come celebrate her at Brilliance in Orbit: The Diamond Decade Gala on Nov 14 🎟️ Early bird pricing ends tomorrow, Oct 16! Link in bio.

Drop some love for Isabella below! 👇