My First Time as a Tech Speaker, What I Learned (and What I Didn’t Expect)

Mariami Tsotsolashvili — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:27:51 +0000

Speaking at a tech conference for the first time is one of those experiences you can’t fully prepare for, no matter how many times you rehearse your slides.

I recently had the opportunity to speak at JSDay, and it turned out to be one of the most intense, rewarding, and eye-opening moments of my career so far.

I want to share what the experience felt like, not just the talk itself, but everything around it.

It Starts Long Before the Stage

When people think about speaking at a conference, they usually imagine the stage moment: the lights, the audience, the talk.

But in reality, the journey starts way earlier.

It’s:

rewriting your talk outline multiple times
cutting parts you really like but don’t fit
practicing alone, then in front of imaginary audiences(or your pets)
wondering if your topic is “good enough”
and slowly realizing it’s less about perfection and more about clarity

At some point, I stopped trying to make it perfect and started focusing on making it useful.

That shift changed everything.

The Day of the Talk

The morning of the event felt surprisingly calm… until it didn’t.

There’s a strange moment right before you go on stage where your brain goes:

“Wait. People are actually going to sit and listen to me.”

But once I started speaking, something interesting happened, the nervousness didn’t disappear, but it transformed into focus.

You stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about the audience:

Are they following this?
Is this example clear?
Does this actually help them?

And that shift is what makes speaking feel different from just coding or writing.

What I Didn’t Expect

There were a few surprises I didn’t fully anticipate:

The energy exchange is real

You can feel when a concept clicks for someone in the audience. That feedback loop is incredibly motivating.

Simple ideas matter more than complex ones

The most appreciated parts of the talk weren’t the “advanced” topics — they were the practical, relatable examples.

You learn more than you teach

Even though I was the one speaking, I left with new ideas, perspectives, and questions from conversations with other developers.

The Most Valuable Part Wasn’t the Talk

One of the best parts of the whole experience wasn’t on stage.

It was:

meeting other speakers
talking to developers from different backgrounds
hearing how people solve similar problems in completely different ways
realizing how small the “tech world” actually feels in person

Those conversations often stay with you longer than the talk itself.

What I Took Away From JSDay

If I had to summarize the experience:

Preparation is where most of the growth happens
Clarity beats complexity every time
Speaking is a skill, not a talent
Community matters more than applause
And the first talk is never the last one (if you let it be)

Final Thoughts

This was my first time speaking at a tech conference, and it changed how I see sharing knowledge.

Not because it was perfect, but because it wasn’t.

And that’s kind of the point.

If you’ve been thinking about giving a talk at a meetup or conference, I can only say this:

Big thanks to the JSDay team for the opportunity and for putting together such a great community-driven event.

DEV Community: Mariami Tsotsolashvili

My First Time as a Tech Speaker, What I Learned (and What I Didn’t Expect)