{"id":26098,"date":"2025-05-01T14:37:46","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T14:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.matsio.com\/matsio\/saasboomi\/?p=26098"},"modified":"2025-05-02T04:45:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T04:45:43","slug":"making-of-annual-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.matsio.com\/matsio\/saasboomi\/saas\/events\/making-of-annual-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"From a blank page to a blockbuster: The making of Annual 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As I stood at the back of the packed main hall at ITC Chola, a quiet realisation came over me like a wave. In front of me were about fourteen hundred founders, CXOs, operators, and investors engrossed in deep conversations, swapping notes, exchanging ideas, and sharing laughter. It was vibrant, loud, and full of purpose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But just six months ago, none of this existed. No venue, no panels, no name tags. Only a blank page. And potential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What unfolded over these months was not just a planning exercise. It was an emotional journey. One full of grit, sweat, small miracles, large hearts, and endless energy. One where volunteers stepped up, team members stayed back, and everyone cared a little too much. And honestly, that\u2019s what made this edition of the Annual so special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This wasn\u2019t our first Annual, but it was probably our first time running it like a product launch. We treated it as such: cross-functional, user-first, and obsessively iterative. Every piece was tested, stress-tested, sharpened, and then tested again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Each step added more detail\u2014themes, action, sub-plots\u2014to the once-empty page.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scripting a 1400-strong spectacle <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The big entrance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The opening scene sets the tone of a movie. For us, it was crucial to make a good impression right at the door. A staggering 1,400 badges had to be handed out seamlessly. That can only happen when the registration team is running a tight ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Abhishek<\/a>, PC<\/a>, and Siddharth<\/a> went through 2,000+ applications, handled last-minute issues, chased payments, responded to confused emails, and even reached out personally to fix edge cases where tech failed us. It didn\u2019t matter if it was 11 PM or 6 AM. If someone needed help, they were there. Because systems may falter, but those who truly care will have people\u2019s backs. Our crew cared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sponsorship scenes <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sponsorship and sponsor experience was personal. Maansi<\/a> and I did maybe over 80 meetings back-to-back across weeks. We wanted to pitch a partnership model that was intentionally different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of booths or slots, we offered alignment with SaasBoomi\u2019s ethos. That\u2019s never an easy sell, but we knew we wanted partners who believed in our mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once onboard, Sehar<\/a> took over and turned these sponsors into a family. Along with Harshit<\/a>, Navaneet<\/a>, and Sradha<\/a>, she ensured every promise was met, every visibility request exceeded, and every interaction was handled with warmth and professionalism. It wasn\u2019t transactional. It was thoughtful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An epic build-up<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Without marketing, this blockbuster would have remained an undiscovered gem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From teaser videos that sparked curiosity to last-minute WhatsApp nudges that helped people find the right venue entrance, our marketing and communications team was everywhere. It wasn\u2019t just about promotions, it was about setting the tone for the experience we wanted attendees to have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raghu<\/a> and Ridhi<\/a> led from the front, balancing voice, vibe, and velocity. Sudheer<\/a> and Vivek<\/a> added thoughtful touches and strategic ideas. Kingston<\/a>, flying solo on PR, ensured we built anticipation and got attention. And Varun<\/a>? He was the ever-reliable backbone\u2014every email, social media post, and little detail passed through him. He stuck through till the very end, carrying the weight of consistency on his shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Style check <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t do boring merch\u2014not here. We wanted every piece to spark joy, be something you\u2019d use, and feel intentional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Sameera<\/a>, who knew exactly how to blend experience with practicality. She was on top of everything from hunting down suppliers to testing samples to staying within budget. Along with Rajath, she also brought in a layer of digital swag from our startup ecosystem. We also had our sponsors\u2019 love in there, making it a perfect little package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t just swag. It was a love letter from the community to the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backstage Action  <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the beast no one sees, until something goes wrong. And thankfully, barely anything did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anirudh<\/a> and I held the fort here, working closely with our hall managers, a sharp event team, and the ever-reliable staff at ITC Chola. From signage to room resets to making sure speakers had mics that worked\u2014it was a constant hum of invisible activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you didn\u2019t notice it? That means we probably did it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now showing <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In many ways, the website was our digital front door. Millusha<\/a> kept that door looking sharp, welcoming, and always updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was our silent rockstar. From scattered briefs and chaotic last-minute updates, she built a site that never buckled. Calm, composed, and meticulous, Millusha was grace personified under pressure.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dialogue matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Imagine managing over 70 speakers, each with unique styles, topics, formats, and needs. Now imagine doing that with calm and consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aishwarya<\/a> and Maansi made it look easy. One brought creativity and a hustler\u2019s mindset. The other brought structure, warmth, and years of experience. Together, they ensured every speaker\u2014from first-timers to veterans\u2014felt like they belonged. Every onboarding email, every speaker pic and bio, and post-talk thank you was intentional and from the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then there was Arun Raj<\/a>, the steady hand behind the scenes. Just imagine the number of decks flying around for an event with this many speakers. Arun managed them all, ensuring every slide was prepped, queued, and clicked at the perfect time. He also ran the main hall show flow like a pro, syncing it with the AV team, stage cues, and speaker transitions\u2014without missing a beat. Quietly efficient, fully dependable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dreamy designs  <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s just say this: SaaSBoomi wouldn\u2019t look like it does without Georgie<\/a>. Every visual, from banners to badges, speaker slides to on-ground assets, bears his signature. He magically did the work of an entire team, and never once missed a deadline. He\u2019s not just a designer, he\u2019s our visual heartbeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Day 0: Industry & VC connect<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These were high-stakes, high-impact sessions and deserved every bit of the meticulous planning they involved. Neha<\/a> ran the show here. Tight timelines, shifting schedules, and high expectations\u2014she navigated it all gracefully, with a complete army of powerhouse volunteers. The outcome? Smooth sessions, deep conversations, and glowing feedback from those who attended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(We\u2019ll save this and Mindmixer<\/a> for a separate blog. It deserves that spotlight.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The steady pillar of Annual \u201825 Ground Zero <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s one name that echoes through every planning doc, every late-night call, every solved crisis: Anirudh<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our star volunteer. Our co-pilot. The human Google Sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had a shared document titled ‘Ani + Keerthi’, which, by the end, had over 20 pages. We averaged 10+ calls a day. Somewhere midway, we stopped saying \u201csorry\u201d for the midnight pings and just got on with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He owned the heaviest lifts. He brought calm to chaos. He made people feel seen. And he cracked the worst dad jokes while doing all of that. We couldn\u2019t have done this without him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Open ending<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While I had the privilege of leading this planning journey, this was never just another event. It was a mirror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A mirror that showed me what\u2019s possible when people lead with purpose. When no one waits to be told. When everyone rolls up their sleeves and leans in fully, joyfully, and without ego.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These six months stretched me, humbled me, and reminded me of what it means to build something that matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To every volunteer who showed up with fire in their belly, to every partner who said yes when it wasn\u2019t easy, and to the SaaSBoomi team who turned dreams into deadlines: Thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With SaaSBoomi<\/a> Annual \u201825<\/a>, we created something unforgettable over six crazy, beautiful months. Let\u2019s open another blank page for a blockbuster sequel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I stood at the back of the packed main hall at ITC Chola, a quiet realisation came over me like a wave. In front of me were about fourteen hundred founders, CXOs, operators, and investors engrossed in deep conversations, swapping notes, exchanging ideas, and sharing laughter. It was vibrant, loud, and full of purpose.  […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":26108,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,45,85],"tags":[75,82,89],"chapters":[],"class_list":["post-26098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-initiatives","category-events","category-community","tag-initiatives","tag-community","tag-annual"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom a blank page to a blockbuster: The making of Annual 2025 - BoomiAI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From a blank page to a blockbuster: The making of Annual 2025 - BoomiAI\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As I stood at the back of the packed main hall at ITC Chola, a quiet realisation came over me like a wave. 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