Ramatu Kandakai wants to help you level up ahead of AFROTECH™ Conference 2025.
The personal brand consultant leading her own agency attended the annual tech mecca for the second time, but her appearance at its Houston, TX, debut in November 2024 marked her first time attending in person. She invested in her ticket, and through her AFROTECH™ Insider membership at the time, she received a corporate ticket discount.
Now, Kandakai shares tips and strategies to help future attendees stand out and make lasting impressions.
Pre-Planning
Before stepping into the conference arena to secure your badge, it is essential to set a clear intention and pathway to success. This includes researching panels and events that align with your career goals, networking opportunities, and personal branding. The AFROTECH™ Connect app is a valuable tool to maximize your experience, offering access to events, tickets, and the ability to create a personalized schedule.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a content creator, but I’m someone who is an entrepreneur, and I went to AFROTECH™ to get clients. So I did a lot of pre-work where I was thinking about how am I going to maximize my time. What sessions am I going to go to when I’m at these sessions? Who’s going to be there? How can I have my pitch ready,” Kandakai said during an interview with AFROTECH™.
“Part of branding isn’t just making sure you have content online, but when you are in the presence of what you’re trying to attract, making sure that you’re creating the right connection, making sure you’re articulating your value. And so I made sure I was coming on the career floor. It wasn’t just looking for a job. I’m going to be pitching myself to possible clients. So I had a path that I created, I downloaded the app, and I was making sure that where all the spaces I was going to were strategic, and then when I was there, I had my pitch ready. I had my branding.”
Announce Your Presence On Social Media Ahead
Another tip to consider is building excitement around your presence at conferences by sharing a digital asset (you can explore templates on Canva) across your socials. This allows you to introduce yourself, highlight your career and ventures, and showcase your expertise and value. You can also include messaging about your interest in community building, which may open doors to meaningful conversations before and during the conference.
Don’t forget to leverage relevant hashtags associated with the conference to expand your reach.
“The biggest thing that that did was one, it gave you some visibility before the conference, to find people before the conference and brands to say, ‘Hey, I’m going.’ It basically builds traction for you. That really helped me, because a lot ofpeople reached out to me prior to the conference, and I had meetings lined up before going to the conference with people wanting to meet me because I did that social media post,” Kandakai commented.
Dress To Impress
Your style matters. Details such as a colorful hat or spunky glasses could be bold personality statements that attract interest. Kandakai also shares an example of a friend who wore a pin connected with a QR to direct people to their LinkedIn profile. These details can also alleviate the pressures of feeling as if you need to pitch yourself, as they can be a tool that can do some of the talking for you.
“Before you open your mouth, people are going to have a perception of you. They’re going to have this idea. So think about what you wear and how that can exude what you want people to remember you for,” she said.
Leverage Headshots
The last tip to consider is leveraging headshots. There are several booths at the conference where you can receive a complimentary headshot. These photos can be helpful in making a great first impression, strengthening your online presence, and being another means to showcase your personality.
“A headshot, that’s something people can utilize, and that’s great to use year round…You always want a new, vibrant headshot. And the biggest thing that I try to tell people to do is switch it up. You don’t have to have the same stick pose in your headshots,” she mentioned. “You can look fun, you can look bubbly. Your personality can really show in a photo. Let’s say you meet a recruiter. You can attach your headshot that’s vibrant and fun into your email, so that they remember you and also build like that credibility that you went to their activation and actually engaged with it. So I think headshots are great.”
We hope you can apply these tips and stand out before and during the 2025 Conference.
Innovate, learn, and lead at AFROTECH™ 2025! From shaping the future of work to championing tech for good, this is where innovation meets impact. Don’t wait — lock in your early bird tickets today for October 27-31, 2025, in Houston, TX!
We hope to see you there!
