We recently had the opportunity to speak with Brian Salesky, VP, IT Operations at Veterinary Practice Partners, to hear why he continues to find value in Kodi Connect events and what makes the experience different from traditional industry gatherings. Brian brings a broad IT perspective to his role, with experience spanning service delivery, enterprise applications, digital transformation, and distributed team leadership. Having attended multiple Kodi Connect events, he sees the format as a valuable way to stay connected to industry trends, explore new solutions, and learn from peers without the noise that often comes with traditional networking.

For Brian, the biggest value is having dedicated time to actually engage. “Yes, without question,” he said when asked if the event was worth his time. “I get so much cold outreach over email and LinkedIn, that I ignore because I am not ready to receive the information.” Instead, setting aside an evening allows him to be intentional about where he puts his attention. “Planning a night where I can focus my energy ensures I am ready to engage and receive information, meet prospective partners, learn from industry peers, and investigate solutions that can help my company.”

That intentionality is also what sets Kodi Connect apart from traditional events. “I feel like my time is protected,” Brian explained. Rather than spending hours sitting through presentations or navigating crowded booths, the format gives him focused conversations with a small number of people. “I get quick focused time, if there is an interest we line up further discussions, if there is no interest there is no obligation or follow up.” For Brian, that structure makes the event a more efficient use of his time. “The Kodi Connect events are more structured and make the best use of my time.”

The format has also led to meaningful connections. At one recent event, Brian had follow-up interest with two new vendors while also discovering that an existing partner offered “capabilities far exceeding what I thought.” Those conversations are part of what keeps him engaged. “I do not find it hard to stay engaged, because it is only about 1.5 hours,” he shared. “That’s easy to focus and get into a mindset of listening and engaging with how vendor partners can help my company innovate.”

One conversation also gave Brian something tangible to take back to his organization. He plans to work with other teams to better understand the company's use of open-source code, including how associated risks are being mitigated. He also came away with a clearer understanding that “there are vendor solutions that can help us immediately increase our security posture in this space.” For Brian, that practical takeaway is exactly what helps cut through the noise of the technology market. “There is so much noise in the cold email or LinkedIn outreach, I barely pay attention to it,” he explained. “The Kodi Connect events” provide a focused environment where he can actually determine what is relevant.

For leaders considering their first Kodi Connect event, Brian believes the value comes down to time, relevance, and relationships. “This will save them time and allow them to keep the pulse of and stay abreast of potential solutions that can help them,” he said. Beyond the technology conversations themselves, he sees value in building connections with local industry professionals. And would he come back? “Yes, without question, for all of the reasons explained in my answers above.”

Brian's interest in continuing to engage with Kodi Connect also extends to helping shape future conversations. With broad exposure across IT operations, cybersecurity, networking, and technology strategy, he hopes to contribute his perspective on the challenges and solutions that are shaping the industry at any given moment. For Brian, it's another way to ensure the conversations remain relevant, practical, and connected to what technology leaders are actually experiencing.

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To stay connected with upcoming Kodi Connect cybersecurity and technology leadership events, you can explore the full schedule of future peer-to-peer networking experiences here: https://www.kodiconnect.com/all-events. These events bring together senior leaders across cybersecurity, cloud, AI, and enterprise technology to share real-world insights and strategies. If you’re interested in taking a more active role in shaping these high-impact discussions, learn more about the Kodi Connect Advisory Board and how industry leaders help guide event programming and community direction here: https://www.kodiconnect.com/advisory-board.