‘Tis the season of AWS re:Invent! I had a front-row seat to this incredible event for five unforgettable years.

AWS re:Invent 2024 is in progress.

When you think of re:Invent, the first images that come to mind might be the Venetian, larger-than-life keynotes, and the frenzy of new service announcements. But for those of us in the trenches—Solution Architects (SAs)—re:Invent is much more than an annual conference. It’s a culmination of hard work, collaboration, and moments that redefine cloud computing.

Between 2014 and 2019, I had the privilege of attending five re:Invents, witnessing firsthand the exponential growth of AWS services (from 30 to over 175 in that short span!) and the evolution of the event itself. Here’s what it’s like to be an SA at re:Invent, from the breakneck pace to the after-parties—and everything in between.

The following is my personal account of re:Invent.

Panoramic shoot of the Keynote hall at re:Invent

CEO Keynotes

Let’s start with the keynote. Andy Jassy’s addresses were the crown jewel—hours packed with groundbreaking announcements. Each year, you’d feel the pulse of AWS innovation speeding up.

Then came Werner Vogels, Amazon’s CTO, with his engineering deep dives. Whether it was discussing distributed systems or real-world customer use cases, he painted a vivid picture of how AWS was transforming industries. Occasionally, James Hamilton joined the stage, giving us goosebumps as he unraveled the enormity of AWS infrastructure.

One year, Jassy unveiled a suite of services that sent shockwaves through the industry. As SAs, we were tasked with quickly understanding these tools and preparing to support customers in deploying them—sometimes within hours of the announcements.

Breakout and Builder Sessions

Hundreds of breakout sessions spread across venues like Venetian, Mirage, and Aria turned the Strip into a tech mecca. These sessions ranged from beginner walkthroughs of new services to advanced deep dives for hardcore builders.

I proctored and led dozens of builder sessions where we helped attendees create real-world solutions. It wasn’t just about showcasing AWS’s power; it was about empowering attendees to take that power home. Many of these sessions were driven by the code samples and demos I built throughout the year, tailored for specific customer needs.

Armed to the teeth for the booth patrol and answer one-of-a-kind questions

The Booth Marathon

If you’ve ever visited the AWS service booths, you know the energy is electric. For SAs, booth duty was an endurance sport. One minute you’d explain Lambda to a startup founder, and the next, you’d discuss compliance frameworks with an enterprise CTO.

Visiting partner booths was equally enlightening. AWS partners, from ISVs to consulting firms, showcased innovations built on AWS. These interactions weren’t just about learning—they were opportunities to forge connections that would drive business for years to come.

Networking at Its Best

For SAs, re:Invent was a golden opportunity to network—not just with customers and partners but with AWS service and engineering teams.

During one memorable session, a customer voiced a critical feature request for a new service. I connected them directly with the service team, and that feedback eventually made its way into the product roadmap. That’s the kind of impact SAs could have at re:Invent: turning customer needs into real solutions.

Private Previews and Product Insights

At AWS, information is distributed on a need-to-know basis. That means re:Invent was often the first time we’d get a hands-on preview of upcoming services. Private preview sessions gave us the chance to provide input on features and even shape the roadmap based on customer demand.

I’ll never forget a private preview where the team unveiled a machine learning service. We provided feedback from customers who’d been asking for exactly that capability—and within a few months, it launched with those features included.

Finding water on Mars

IMHO: These hills are the closest thing to Mars on Earth ;)

Finding water on Mars? Well, almost. That’s me holding a bottle of water near the red hills of Las Vegas, not far from the Hoover Dam. The terrain was so strikingly crimson, it felt like we had landed on the Red Planet itself. This photo is from one of our offsite adventures during re:Invent, probably around 2016. These offsites were more than just a break—they were a rare opportunity to meet and bond with our global team, scattered across continents. Sneaking in a few hours to explore and connect was something we wouldn’t trade for the world (or Mars, for that matter). 🌎🚀

Big Deals, Bigger Parties

Re:Invent wasn’t just about learning and networking—it was about action. VP- and executive-level meetings set the stage for major deals, from massive data center migrations to cutting-edge analytics implementations.

And when the work was done? We celebrated. AWS’s “Work hard, play hard” ethos came alive with frugal-yet-lavish parties at some of the Strip’s finest venues. One night, after an intense day of meetings, I found myself at a table with industry leaders, sharing stories over Michelin-starred dishes.

My partner team at AWS

Learning, Growing, and Gifting

Re:Invent wasn’t just an opportunity for customers—it was a chance for SAs to grow. From pop quizzes and trivia with peers to earning certifications and rocking gold jackets, the week was a celebration of knowledge.

And of course, the swag. On the last day, it was a race to collect goodies from partner booths. I didn’t buy T-shirts or hoodies for months after returning home!

The Spirit of re:Invent

At its core, re:Invent is more than a sales and marketing event. It’s where ideas are born, partnerships are forged, and careers are transformed. As a Solution Architect, it was a privilege to be at the center of it all, answering questions, easing concerns, and helping customers and partners achieve what seemed impossible.

The spirit of re:Invent isn’t just about celebrating innovation—it’s about living it. You work hard, you achieve something bigger than yourself, and then you party like there’s no tomorrow.

And that’s what makes re:Invent unforgettable.

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