Deep Dish Swift - CFP Speaker Selection
- 4 minsI’m so thankful to have been a part of so many rewarding projects and experiences in my life. But starting Deep Dish Swift has to be one of the best.
I’ve had a stutter since I was about six years old. I hated talking. I hated being the center of attention. I couldn’t speak in front of people. But in 2019, I found the courage to change that. Since then, I’ve spoken at iOS and Swift conferences all over the world. I can’t get enough of this community and sharing my passions with you all.
But beyond that, I have the honor of organizing Deep Dish Swift with my wife, Kari. In 2022, I told her that I may have accidentally started a conference. Without hesitation, she responded, “How can I help?” From that moment, I knew this was going to be something great. She’s also a conference speaker and an engineer, so we aligned on what needed to be done. But she’s the organized one who balances out my chaos. This conference would be nothing without her.
With her help, we’ve had two incredible years of Deep Dish Swift, with a third on the way. There are a lot of challenges in running a conference, but the joy we get from seeing it all come together makes it worth it.
However, there’s one part of organizing a conference that always feels the worst—the CFP (Call for Proposals) process.
The first year of Deep Dish Swift, I did a poor job communicating with speakers whose talks we didn’t accept. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, so I just used the default response in the CFP system. It wasn’t sincere. It wasn’t me. But I also didn’t know how to do it better. The second year, I wrote something more personal and sincere, but I still don’t think it fully conveyed why and how we select talks.
This year was different. I think I finally understand how we pick talks. This is the email I sent to the speakers whose talks we couldn’t accept this year 👇
Dear Deep Dish CFP Submitter,
This is always the hardest email for me to send, but it’s something I have to do… I regret to inform you that your talk submission(s) for Deep Dish Swift 2025 has not been accepted this year. 😔
As a conference speaker myself, I know how heartbreaking this can be. I really would love to have all of you on the Deep Dish stage. We pour so much time, energy, and hope into crafting a talk submission.
I’ve been thinking about how best to explain how we select talks, and I think I finally have it.
Putting together a speaker lineup is a lot like making a deep dish pizza. We need solid foundational topics and speakers–the crust that holds everything together. We need the classic topics that most conferences have, acting like the cheese and sauce. And then, we need the toppings–those unique, standout ideas that set the conference apart, whether it’s a bold technical deep dive, an unexpected perspective, or something experimental.
There are so many great toppings I’d love to include, but a good pizza isn’t just toppings. A good pizza is balanced, a little unique, and has something for everyone.
So the question isn’t, “How can my talk be better?”–because in most cases, it’s not about quality. Every ingredient in a pizza is great on its own. The better question is, “How can my talk fit into future conferences?”
Some ingredients work well in most pizzas. Some don’t–but when used right, they become the star of the dish. Figure out what kind of ingredient you are and showcase it as soon as possible. Have a couple of different options in mind to improve your chances. You can even reach out to the “chefs” (organizers) before they start planning the next pizza.
I hope this helps clarify why some talks are selected over others. It’s not just about how good a talk is–it’s about how all the talks come together to form something special.
I truly appreciate everyone who submitted talks this year and in previous years. Please don’t stop! There’s always a chance, and always ways to increase that chance. If you’re passionate about speaking, keep showing it. Your special ingredient will find its place.
Hope to see you all on a future Deep Dish stage–or another conference stage–very soon!
Love,
Josh and Kari Holtz
That is all.
Love,
Josh
🍕 Also, please check if Deep Dish Swift if you want to attend a super fun, useful, and welcoming Swift and iOS conference! It’s being help April 27th to April 29th this year in Chicago, IL. It’s our third year and it’s going to be a good one!
Josh Holtz
Software superstar. Stuttering stud. Lead maintainer of fastlane tools.