I feel everyone may have heard this story before, but here goes. My dad introduced me to NAB Show for the first time in 2010. I was still a student and he had emailed me (I still have the email) with the subject line: "Want to go to the NAB show in Vegas?". I was interested in broadcast journalism, and one of my dad's clients from Sony mentioned to him that NAB Show was THE event to go to if I wanted to network or get my feet wet in the broadcast industry. We made it into a father-daughter road trip from the Bay Area to Las Vegas and my dad, being an extreme role model and coach when it came to networking, business, and public speaking, showed me the ropes. I remember being so scared of networking, but my dad was there coaching and advising me. I wasn't old enough to attend these "parties" yet, where all the real networking happens, but I was just extremely thrilled and touched that my dad was taking time from his work schedule to help me discover and explore future possibilities in broadcasting. Then he said those words I'll always remember: "One day, you'll be speaking on that stage."
Last year, I was an official NAB spokesperson, and not only did I moderate a conversation with Cody Rigsby and speak on the Main Stage, but I also produced and hosted a tech show at the NAB Amplify Stage, and spoke on the "Women and Diversity" Panel moderated by Gay Bell.
My father lost his battle to cancer in 2015. He never got to see one of my proudest, full circle moments. But he is the reason I have dedicated my life to sharing stories and the biggest reason why I have felt a deep connection to NAB.
– Nicki Sun | Los Angeles, Calif.
Nicki Sun is host and content creator with Nicki Sun Media.
You were just glued to the screen. That song came on the radio. The best NAB Show you ever attended.
Tell us about it!