Why I Still Bother With #tru Events (Even When It’s Bloody Hard Work)
Every time I run a #truManchester or #truLeeds, I ask myself: is this the one where nobody shows up?
Not because the content’s crap.
Not because the speakers don’t have something to say
Not because it’s not relevant.
It’s because we’re all knackered. Burnt out. Juggling ten tabs and three jobs. And even though people say they want connection, community, and conversation… come event day, life gets in the way.
And yet, I keep doing it.
I keep finding spaces, sorting drinks, and hunting down people with real opinions. Not because I want to be an “event organiser.” I’m not printing lanyards or making name badges.
I do it because I’m sick of the polished nonsense we get fed.
I saw what Bill Boorman created with #tru. Raw, unfiltered, human. No panels. No posturing. Just a circle of chairs, a topic on the wall, and a conversation led by the people in the room.
It’s messy. It’s real. It’s honest. It’s ours.
You won’t get scanned by some CRM-hungry vendor. You won’t hear the same five buzzwords recycled into a LinkedIn post. You’ll hear real talk from the people who actually do the work.
But I won’t lie. It’s getting harder.
Not because #tru is broken, but because attention is. Because everyone’s drowning in Slack, Zoom, Teams, emails, and “communities” that are just glorified sales pitches.
So yeah, it’s a slog. But I’m not ready to pack it in just yet.
But why?
Because someone needs to hold the line.
Because human connection still matters.
Because if we don’t create space for proper conversations, who will?
That said, I’m thinking about changing things up. Something new to pull us back together. Not quite there yet, but look out for a new post with some ideas and to see who’s still in the room.
If there even is a room.
About
Martin Dangerfield, Talent Acquisition Strategist. Straight-talker. Community builder.
I help in-house TA teams get better with a combination of sharper strategies, smarter hiring, and no-nonsense support. Since selling my business, I have been helping to grow the rec hub in it’s global mission to deliver an amazing embedded recruitment solution. I’ve built TA teams from scratch, scaled global functions, sold a business, and consult on all things talent acquisition.
I run #truManchester and #truLeeds because I believe the best ideas don’t come from panels, they come from people talking honestly in a room. I’m not here for buzzwords or silver bullets.
I’m here to help TA people do the job properly.
South African-born, UK-based, and European in perspective, I’m Gen X, proud of it, and not afraid to say what others won’t.
This is the work I care about. If you care too, stick around.