Bringing Tech People Together Through Impactful Events

Keeping up with AI in 2026 is exhausting, so we ditched the polished slides and handed the mic directly to the room.

At Station Austin, we gathered local founders, engineering leaders, and builders for an interactive roundtable edition of Tech + Tequila. Instead of endless demos or hyped-up promises, the room broke into rotating groups to share unfiltered experiences from the field—what’s actually generating real ROI, what’s breaking in production, and what’s just noise.

Huge thanks to everyone who brought their honest takes, tough questions, and great energy to the floor. This is what community-driven tech is all about!

Tech & Tequila Talk brought together entrepreneurs and business leaders for a conversation on designing a business around the life you actually want to live.

The session explored why growth alone doesn't create freedom, and how building a business from the wrong foundation can turn success into a bigger trap. Attendees learned how to rethink the order of operations by designing the business around their desired lifestyle first.

The conversation also highlighted the role of personal strengths, values, and purpose in shaping a stronger business model—from the clients you serve to how you price, market, and grow.

Building With AI, Exiting With Value featured David Lopez, a strategic growth and enterprise value advisor, for a Tech & Tequila conversation on how CEOs can think differently about AI beyond productivity.

During the session, David explored why simply implementing AI tools does not automatically create business value — and why companies need to focus on building scalable, defensible systems that strengthen their long-term position.

The conversation highlighted how AI can help organizations reduce founder dependency, improve operational maturity, and create stronger foundations for future growth and valuation.

Key topics covered:

• Identifying the AI capabilities that can create meaningful business value.

• Understanding the strategic moves that help companies become more scalable.

• Using AI to build more reliable operations and reduce dependency on individuals.

Hosted by Blue People, Tech & Tequila brings together founders, operators, and technology leaders to explore the strategies shaping the future of business.

Building Trust in the Age of AI Content featured Michael Dreger, Founder and CEO of Maidin, in a Tech & Tequila conversation about using content to build genuine professional relationships, authority, and business opportunities in an increasingly AI-driven environment.

Michael explored why simply publishing more content does not necessarily create meaningful connections, and shared a framework for turning real-world experiences, lessons, and operator insights into content that reflects an individual’s voice and builds trust over time.

Key topics covered:

• Moving beyond generic, AI-generated content toward authentic professional communication.

• The “Work as Content” approach to turning everyday experiences into meaningful content.

• How consistent, experience-driven content can build trust and create opportunities for capital, talent, and partnerships.

• Practical ways to build a stronger professional presence on LinkedIn without losing authenticity.

About Michael Dreger
Michael Dreger is the Founder and CEO of Maidin, a software tool designed to help people create LinkedIn content in their own voice. He is also an investor and operator who has backed early-stage startups and focuses on turning operational experience into content that builds professional relationships.

The Realities of AI Security featured Reynaldo Gonzalez, a cybersecurity leader with more than 18 years of experience protecting critical infrastructure, for a Tech & Tequila conversation on building secure foundations in an AI-driven world.

During the session, Reynaldo explored how organizations can prepare for the growing role of AI while strengthening resilience, reducing risk, and making smarter decisions around security.

Rather than focusing only on emerging technology, the conversation highlighted the importance of human judgment, critical thinking, and operational awareness when building systems that can scale responsibly.

Key topics covered:

• Why curiosity and critical thinking remain essential as AI becomes more integrated into business.

• How human decision-making continues to be a critical layer of cybersecurity.

• Why AI can amplify both organizational strengths and existing vulnerabilities.

• How stronger security foundations help organizations navigate new risks.

About Reynaldo Gonzalez
Reynaldo Gonzalez is a cybersecurity leader with more than 18 years of experience securing critical infrastructure. He helps organizations strengthen cyber resilience, manage operational risk, and build secure foundations for adopting emerging technologies.