Rising Stars: Meet John Wilker

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Wilker. 

Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My wife and I moved to CO in 2005. Like everyone else, we fell in love with the state and the city of Denver. 

I organize conferences as my primary day job and was attending a conference in Chicago when I discovered the Ignite-style event. It was organized as a break between sessions and the social events one night. 

Watching speakers take the stage and have exactly 5 minutes to share what they knew with the audience was amazing. The topics were all over the place, all entertaining, some educational. The audience loved it and when I got home, I knew I wanted to bring that energy to Denver. 

I’ve always loved community building and saw Ignite as a way to bring the Denver community together. 

Ignite Denver was the first ignite event in Colorado and is the longest-running. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The early days, were anything but smooth. Our early events were in bars, sometimes shoe-horned into whatever space we were given for free. 

Our first event was held at Fado’s and was covered by a local podcast. The headline was “And Then the robot fell off the bar” if that gives you an idea how our inaugural event went, LOL. 

Somewhere in our second year of doing Ignite Denver, my wife and I realized it wasn’t something we alone, could wrangle. So, we put out a call to the community and formed the Ignite Denver Committee. It’s been a team effort ever since. 

The team has changed over the years as people come and go, losing interest, moving, etc. Bringing together a group to run the event has been a huge win, in that we’re guided by unique perspectives at every turn. 

As with all teams, sometimes we’re not always rowing in the same direction or it’s not clear who is supposed to be doing what. Sometimes our goals just don’t line up and the committee changes size and make up quickly. 

We’ve had committee members who thought we should go a certain direction and ‘nope’ out when no one agreed with them. We’ve had team members go radio silent rather than quit. Sometimes it’s a great way to practice stoicism, LOL. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When not organizing events like Ignite Denver, I’m a science fiction author. I’ve been writing and publishing since 2017. 

It’s my happy place, creating worlds, telling stories. I’ve written novels at breweries, on a Dehabiya floating down the Nile River, on planes, and in tents. I love that I can do it anywhere and as long as I have my iPad, I’m never far from being able to get a few words in. 

It’s funny that my love of storytelling really is part of why I do events. Conferences and events like Ignite Denver, they’re all stories. Whether I’m telling them, or empowering others to tell them, it’s all stories. 

I’m incredibly proud of the work the Ignite Denver team has done in bringing people to the stage to share their stories. 

What matters most to you?
Community. I love seeing people come together. We live near two lakes and every weekend, a group of LARPers gathers to fight or practice or whatever it is they do, LOL. Right next to them, a group of low rider enthusiasts. How cool is that? Add in the standard assortment of CO fixtures; people with dogs, people with strollers, runners, and bikers. It’s so awesome. 

When I get stressed about Ignite Denver or any other conferences/events I’m doing, I remember the feeling the day/night of. Seeing people on the stage. Hearing the audience applaud. The energy of the space as people come together to learn from each other. It’s just so fantastic. 

Pricing:

• Ignite Denver is $15/person
• Early bird pricing is $10/person until 4/13

Contact Info:

• Email: info@ignitedenver.org
• Website: https://ignitedenver.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ignitedenver/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ignitedenver
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ignitedenver
• Other: https://johnwilker.com

Image Credits
From the Hip Photo
Sunnybrookphoto.com