Henry Stewart DAM 2022 and How It Changed My Perspective

Steve Bevilacqua 

Primary Consultant, Cella by Randstad | Martech and AI Execution Strategist |

Henry Stewart Dam 2022: Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

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Warning:  This isn’t going to be my normal review, the cringe factor is going to be cranked to high. Be prepared.

I honestly wasn’t looking forward to traveling to NY for the Digital Asset Management conference. It would be the first time I have traveled for business in several years– since the pandemic. I have to tell you a secret– in a way, I’ve really enjoyed the Pandemic. Not the terrible tragic part of people suffering and dying of course, but the isolation. I love working from home, working when I want, being able to see my animals, focusing on my tasks, doing my hobbies during breaks. Personally, I feel I’m more productive and even more creative as I have more time to think. I enjoy being forced to eat at home, and be entertained at home. I have finally gotten comfortable being on cam and talking to people on a screen. I’ve connected to more friends than I have ever before and made new ones, all across a monitor.

Everyone was talking about how excited they were to see each other after such a long time, many people having never met in person after being friends for 2+ years. I played along, but honestly; I didn’t get it. I love my colleagues and my friends; I just feel a very strong connection to them on video chat.

But I was wrong, and maybe all the isolation has gotten to me more than I thought. But this year at Henry Stewart Events DAM, I felt something I never expected from a Digital Asset Management conference: Love.

The conference was one of the best attended I’ve ever seen – perhaps the largest ever. I heard 650+. There were definitely more vendors (with cooler swag) than ever before. The conferences were insightful, and it is interesting to see the conference evolve as the conversation is moving away from DAM 101 to more of looking to the future — how to get the most out of what you have, instead of just setting it up in the first place.

The food was amazing (Thanks Amazon) and the pre-party was great (Thanks Tenovos), – and I’m sure I’m missing other sponsored events, apologies not intentionally leaving you out.

I did miss the app, HS bring it back! It was more difficult to plan, make the meetings on time, and connect without it.

But what I learned this year went way beyond the latest trends in Digital Assets, I learned what we have in this community, dare I say family, is very special.

What we do is important, it drives value, saves companies millions and makes everyone more productive and efficient.  But we’re not saving lives, and everyone knows that. Our community is a small one, most of us have worked for multiple players in the space. And being small it is a competitive space. I think it helps there is still plenty of demand, because what you don’t have is the animosity that could come when everyone’s trying to get a piece of pie from the same plate.

Sure we talked shop, because we are DAM nerds and love it, but more often than not people talked to me about their lives. Their pets and children, what they have been doing, their art, their hobbies, their recent travels. I realized that there is something special about being together, seeing someone in person, connecting in real life.

Am I a reformed recluse… no. But I felt something new this year at HS Dam 2022, pride. Proud to be a member of community that is made of professionals with a unique set of skills, but more than that of people who care, and dream, and know what is important in life – metadata. 😊

No, of course I mean each other.

#DAMNY

I felt the love too! I had a wonderful time, and your words hit the heart of my experience!

Jennifer Sunday Senior IT BRM/Data Governance Manager