Industry Events

Our Travels in the Software Industry

To live out our company value of having a desire to learn and improve, Trailhead Technology Partners attends, sponsors, hosts, and presents at many industry events. If you see us out in the wild, make sure you say hi.

Staying Current to Lead the Way Forward

The software world is fast-paced. To stay current and provide you with the best advice, we are involved in many software industry events around the country. And we don’t just attend – you’ll find Trailhead team members organizing, hosting, sponsoring, and presenting at many of our industry’s leading events.

Upcoming Events

Below you can information about upcoming events where you could possibly run into members of the Trailhead team. If you do happen to see us out and about, be sure to take a moment to say hi and tell us a little about yourself. We love to learn about fellow travelers in the software industry. 

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Event Format

Michigan Technology Conference 2024 

March 21, 2024

March 22, 2024
Pontiac, MI
Don’t Build a Distributed Monolith: How to Avoid Doing Microservices Completely Wrong
As a consultant, I get to see many systems built by many different developers. Recently, I’ve seen an uptick in the number of systems built with a microservice architecture in mind, but those systems often include a lot of the same mistakes that keep them from working well. In this session you’ll learn from my experiences and get pointers on what to avoid in your microservices implementations so that you don’t accidentally build something which has all the worst aspects of a monolithic application and the worst aspects of microservices These monsters are what I call “distributed monoliths”, and I can help you avoid building one accidentally.

Stir Trek 2024

May 3, 2024
Columbus, OH
Is Everyone AI-ing Without Me? A .NET Developers Guide to AI
AI is causing the tech landscape to evolve faster than ever, so it’s important to understand how and when to use custom development versus when to use artificial intelligence (AI), and how to use the two together. This talk takes you on a journey that demystifies the process of integrating AI concepts into .NET projects, opening doors to endless possibilities in your software projects. We’ll go through a list of many of the AI tools and services available to a .NET developer, when you would use them, and how they would integrate into your traditional algorithms. Participants leave equipped with a newfound understanding of AI’s role in their .NET developer toolkit, poised to infuse innovation into their projects and embrace the exciting realm of AI-augmented software development.

KCDC 2024

June 26, 2024

June 28, 2024
Kansas City, MO
You’ve Been Organizing Your Code Wrong: A C# Developer’s Intro to Vertical Slice Architecture
Ditch the layers and jump into the world of Vertical Slice Architecture—an architecture where features reign supreme! Imagine a codebase where the organization revolves around capabilities and not tangled technical layers. This talk will be your map to this thrilling new world. From defining service boundaries at a macro level to orchestrating individual feature capabilities at a micro level, this session will elucidate how Vertical Slice Architecture fosters code organization that aligns seamlessly with system functionality. Gain insights into crafting a cohesive codebase, optimizing code management, and fostering more easy adaptability in your evolving software systems.
Don’t Build a Distributed Monolith: How to Avoid Doing Microservices Completely Wrong
As a consultant, I get to see many systems built by many different developers. Recently, I’ve seen an uptick in the number of systems built with a microservice architecture in mind, but those systems often include a lot of the same mistakes that keep them from working well. In this session you’ll learn from my experiences and get pointers on what to avoid in your microservices implementations so that you don’t accidentally build something which has all the worst aspects of a monolithic application and the worst aspects of microservices These monsters are what I call “distributed monoliths”, and I can help you avoid building one accidentally.

Beer City Code 2024

August 2, 2024

August 3, 2024
Grand Rapids, MI

Recent Past Events

Whenever Trailhead Technology is at an industry event, we come back with key insights and information to share with you. Check out some of our most recent expeditions: 

Microsoft MVP Summit 2024

March 12, 2024

March 14, 2024
Microsoft Headquarters, Redmond, WA

NDC Sydney 2024

February 12, 2024

February 16, 2024
Sydney, Australia
Migrate Your Legacy ASP.NET Projects to ASP.NET Core Incrementally with YARP
YARP (Yet Another Reverse Proxy) might have a funny name, but it a very serious tool when it comes to helping you upgrade your legacy ASP.NET projects to ASP.NET Core. The best part is, it helps you do the upgrade gradually, and with minimal impact to your users. In this session we’ll explore using YARP, and how it uses the “Strangler Fig Pattern” to allow you to incrementally migrate your applications to modern technologies. We’ll look at the tooling that is available to help you with the migration, and see some shims that make it easier to integrate cross-cutting concerns between your legacy and modern application, such as session storage and authentication.

CodeMash 2024

January 9, 2024

January 12, 2024
Sandusky, Ohio
Mastering Solutions Architecture with Design Katas [Workshop]
TLDR: Architects get relatively few opportunities to practice their craft, so we will group up to formulate architectural visions for “real world” business problems. Attendees will then evaluate each group’s solution to gain insight into the pros and cons of different approaches. Fred Brooks said, “How do we get great designers? Great designers design, of course.” So how do we get great architects? Great architects architect, but architecting a software system is a rare opportunity for the non-architect. For this, we turn to an ancient tradition, born of the martial arts, designed to give the student the opportunity to practice more than basics in a semi-realistic way. The coding kata, created by Dave Thomas, is an opportunity for the developer to try a language or tool to solve a problem slightly more complex than “Hello world”. The architectural kata, like the coding kata, is an opportunity for the student-architect to practice architecting a software system. In this workshop, attendees will be split into small groups and given a “real world” business problem (the kata). Attendees will be expected to formulate an architectural vision for the project, asking questions (of the instructor) as necessary to better understand the requirements, then defend questions (posed by both the instructor and their fellow attendees) about their choice in technology and approach, and then evaluate others’ efforts in a similar fashion. No equipment is necessary to participate–the great architect has no need of tools, just their mind and the customers’ participation and feedback.
Neurodiverse Coders: Unlocking ADHD & Autism Superpowers in Tech
In the tech world, diversity isn’t just about backgrounds; it’s also about how we think and process information. ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are often pigeonholed as challenges. However, what if we told you that these so-called ‘disorders’ house superpowers that can be game-changers in the realm of coding and software development? Join us as we delve into the remarkable abilities often associated with ADHD and ASD – like laser-sharp focus, unparalleled attention to minutiae, and a natural flair for discerning patterns. More than just a session, this is a call to action: to shift our industry paradigm from focusing on perceived deficits to recognizing and leveraging these neurodiverse strengths. During this session, attendees will: – Gain insights into how traits associated with ADHD and ASD can be massive assets in the tech and coding environment. – Learn strategies to nurture and harness these neurodiverse strengths, creating a more inclusive and effective workplace. – Challenge and reshape their perceptions about neurodiversity, emphasizing a strengths-first approach.
Don’t Build a Distributed Monolith: How to Avoid Doing Microservices Completely Wrong
As a consultant, I get to see many systems built by many different developers. Recently, I’ve seen an uptick in the number of systems built with a microservice architecture in mind, but those systems often include a lot of the same mistakes that keep them from working well. In this session you’ll learn from my experiences and get pointers on what to avoid in your microservices implementations so that you don’t accidentally build something which has all the worst aspects of a monolithic application and the worst aspects of microservices These monsters are what I call “distributed monoliths”, and I can help you avoid building one accidentally.
Rebuild your APIs Better, Strong, Faster with Minimal APIs
If you currently have a controller-based API built in ASP.NET or ASP.NET Core, you might be eager to embark on the journey of transitioning it to a Minimal API approach, but not know the best process to make it happen. If so, this talk is tailor-made for you. We will delve into the advantages of using Minimal APIs, including the simplification of complexity and the boost in performance. We’ll also go though a methodical, step-by-step migration process, complete with illuminating code examples so you can see the process in action. By the end of this session, you’ll be well-equipped to update any of your ASP.NET or ASP.NET Core APIs from controller-based code into the realm of sleek and effective Minimal APIs.

TechBash 2023

November 7, 2023

November 10, 2023
Poconos, PA
Dotnet CLI or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line
If you’ve been using Visual Studio for years like I have, you’ve probably also grown accustomed to the “walled garden” experience that it provides. With .NET Core’s successfully moves toward being cross-platform support for Linux, Mac, and Windows, the command-line interface (CLI) for .NET Core has become an even more important piece of the puzzle than ever before. In this session, we’ll work through all the basic workflows for a .NET developer–but all all without the help Visual Studio. By the end, you will be able to create, build, publish, test, run, and package projects, as well several other common tasks like database migrations, or using third-party CLI tools.
Improving Your Validation Game with Fluent Validation for .NET
Just about every application needs some sort of validation in it. If you’re a .NET Developer, you’ve no-doubt mostly been doing validation using the data annotation attributes from the System.ComponentModel namespace. These attributes are built-in to .NET by default, and can work well in some situations, but there’s also another option that can be better in several important ways In the session, we’ll exploring the advantages of using Fluent Validation in your C# and .NET applications. This method of validation creates cleaner code that better follows the single-responsibility principle, gives you more control over custom validation, can be fired conditionally, makes unit testing easier, and even includes client-side support for web apps. If your .NET validation game has gotten a little stale, come see how to step it up with fluent validation.
Building a Slack Chatbot with Azure Functions
Chatbots have become an essential tool for businesses to improve customer support, automate tasks, and enhance engagement. However, building a chatbot from scratch can be challenging and time-consuming. In this session, we will show you how to build a chatbot for Slack using Azure Functions, a serverless computing platform. We will start with an introduction to Azure Functions and how they work. Then, we will dive into building a chatbot for Slack, starting with creating a new Slack app and configuring the necessary permissions. We will then create a new Azure Function app and write the code to handle incoming messages from Slack. We will also cover how to authenticate users and respond to messages. In addition, we will demonstrate how to integrate the chatbot with other Azure services such as SQL Server, Cosmos DB, and Azure Cognitive Services to enable natural language processing and sentiment analysis. By the end of this session, attendees will have a better understanding of how to build a chatbot for Slack using Azure Functions and how to integrate it with other Azure services. They will also gain practical knowledge of how to handle user authentication, message handling, and responses, and how to ensure the chatbot is secure and reliable.
Unleashing the Potential: Harnessing the Advantages of ADHD and Autism Traits
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are often viewed as disorders with negative consequences. However, individuals with these conditions can exhibit seemingly superhuman abilities in the right setting. This session will explore the potential benefits of traits commonly found in individuals with ADHD and ASD, such as heightened attention to detail, strong focus, and an aptitude for pattern recognition. We will also discuss strategies for harnessing these advantages in the workplace and other environments. By understanding and utilizing these strengths, individuals with ADHD and ASD can achieve greater success and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives. This session aims to shift the conversation from deficit-based thinking to a strengths-based approach, highlighting the unique and valuable contributions of individuals with ADHD and ASD.

NDC Porto 2023

October 16, 2023

October 20, 2023
Porto, Portugal
Don’t Build a Distributed Monolith: How to Avoid Doing Microservices Completely Wrong
As a consultant, I get to see many systems built by many different developers. Recently, I’ve seen an uptick in the number of systems built with a microservice architecture in mind, but those systems often include a lot of the same mistakes that keep them from working well. In this session you’ll learn from my experiences and get pointers on what to avoid in your microservices implementations so that you don’t accidentally build something which has all the worst aspects of a monolithic application and the worst aspects of microservices These monsters are what I call “distributed monoliths”, and I can help you avoid building one accidentally.

Tech Week Grand Rapids 2024

September 21, 2023
Grand Rapids, MI
Attracting & Retaining Talent in the Work-From-Home Era
Come hear from a panel of local experts as they delve into the strategies and insights crucial for managers and organizational leaders seeking to acquire and retain top technology talent in the work-from-home era. Explore innovative approaches and hear first-hand about how to navigate the fierce competition posed by remote work options and competition from higher-cost markets. This event is brought to you by BizStream & Trailhead Technology Partners, with special thanks to our hosts, Worklab by Custer. Coffee and refreshments will be provided.

Applying Lessons Learned 

Trailhead team members don’t just attend software industry events, we organize them, lead them, and teach at them. We are respected voices in our field who other professionals look to and learn from. We take this same expertise and apply them to your software projects through the services we provide to you.

Trailhead continues to be an excellent partner to augment and complement our own internal Product Development team. They help us stay abreast of and current with the latest technologies. They are great to collaborate and work with, and they consistently deliver high quality solutions on time and within budget.

– RICK SPANGLER, CTO at Avail Technologies

Our Gear Is Packed and We're Excited to Explore With You

Ready to come with us? 

Together, we can map your company’s software journey and start down the right trails. If you’re set to take the first step, simply fill out our contact form. We’ll be in touch quickly – and you’ll have a partner who is ready to help your company take the next step on its software journey. 

We can’t wait to hear from you! 

Main Contact

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Together, we can map your company’s tech journey and start down the trails. If you’re set to take the first step, simply fill out the form below. We’ll be in touch – and you’ll have a partner who cares about you and your company. 

We can’t wait to hear from you! 

Montage Portal

Montage Furniture Services provides furniture protection plans and claims processing services to a wide selection of furniture retailers and consumers.

Project Background

Montage was looking to build a new web portal for both Retailers and Consumers, which would integrate with Dynamics CRM and other legacy systems. The portal needed to be multi tenant and support branding and configuration for different Retailers. Trailhead architected the new Montage Platform, including the Portal and all of it’s back end integrations, did the UI/UX and then delivered the new system, along with enhancements to DevOps and processes.

Logistics

We’ve logged countless miles exploring the tech world. In doing so, we gained the experience that enables us to deliver your unique software and systems architecture needs. Our team of seasoned tech vets can provide you with:

Custom App and Software Development

We collaborate with you throughout the entire process because your customized tech should fit your needs, not just those of other clients.

Cloud and Mobile Applications

The modern world demands versatile technology, and this is exactly what your mobile and cloud-based apps will give you.

User Experience and Interface (UX/UI) Design

We want your end users to have optimal experiences with tech that is highly intuitive and responsive.

DevOps

This combination of Agile software development and IT operations provides you with high-quality software at reduced cost, time, and risk.

Trailhead stepped into a challenging project – building our new web architecture and redeveloping our portals at the same time the business was migrating from a legacy system to our new CRM solution. They were able to not only significantly improve our web development architecture but our development and deployment processes as well as the functionality and performance of our portals. The feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive. Trailhead has proven themselves to be a valuable partner.

– BOB DOERKSEN, Vice President of Technology Services
at Montage Furniture Services

Technologies Used

When you hit the trails, it is essential to bring appropriate gear. The same holds true for your digital technology needs. That’s why Trailhead builds custom solutions on trusted platforms like .NET, Angular, React, and Xamarin.

Expertise

We partner with businesses who need intuitive custom software, responsive mobile applications, and advanced cloud technologies. And our extensive experience in the tech field allows us to help you map out the right path for all your digital technology needs.

  • Project Management
  • Architecture
  • Web App Development
  • Cloud Development
  • DevOps
  • Process Improvements
  • Legacy System Integration
  • UI Design
  • Manual QA
  • Back end/API/Database development

We partner with businesses who need intuitive custom software, responsive mobile applications, and advanced cloud technologies. And our extensive experience in the tech field allows us to help you map out the right path for all your digital technology needs.

Our Gear Is Packed and We're Excited to Explore with You

Ready to come with us? 

Together, we can map your company’s tech journey and start down the trails. If you’re set to take the first step, simply fill out the contact form. We’ll be in touch – and you’ll have a partner who cares about you and your company. 

We can’t wait to hear from you! 

Thank you for reaching out.

You’ll be getting an email from our team shortly. If you need immediate assistance, please call (616) 371-1037.