An Oasis in the Nevada Desert

Our Counter-Culture Approach at Adobe Summit 2025

In the heart of Las Vegas, amidst the sensory overload that is Adobe Summit, exists an unexpected sanctuary.

A place where the din of sales pitches fades away, where corporate titles dissolve, and where humans connect as simply humans. This is not a marketing strategy. This is not a guerrilla tactic. This is something entirely different.

As i stand in our penthouse suite at the Venetian, picturing the sprawling conference center packed wall-to-wall with over 10,000 attendees, i can't help but reflect on the counter-culture approach we've cultivated over the years. The contrast couldn't be more stark.

Below, the Summit teems with activity. Companies investing significant resources to justify their presence through hard metrics: X number of conversations, Y number of email addresses, Z number of sales. The pressure creates an environment where breakout sessions become thinly veiled pitches. The vendor pavilion transforms into a gauntlet of transactions. Even lunch conversations pivot inevitably toward selling something.

And while we're all here to do business, myself included as co-founder and CEO of 33 Sticks, i've found myself increasingly disenchanted with this approach.

And to be completely transparent, my initial motivation was entirely selfish. i was exhausted by the conference scene, tired of the forced interactions, the fake smiles, the constant pressure to perform. i couldn't find a space where i could just be myself, where i could talk to people as people, not as potential clients or stepping stones.

i couldn’t find one, so i decided to create one.

Our penthouse suite at the Venetian has become that space, an oasis in the desert of transactions. We've purposefully crafted a calm, sales-free environment. Comfortable seating. Snacks and beverages. No pitches, no presentations, no pressure.

And puppies.

Yes, puppies from a local rescue that attendees are welcome to cuddle and play with.

The transformation is immediate and palpable. The moment someone steps through our door, you can physically see the tension leave their body. The corporate armor falls away. The stress of performance metrics dissolves. What remains is something beautifully, refreshingly human.

i've witnessed executives from competing companies sitting side by side, sharing stories and laughter while petting a puppy. i've seen introverts who were overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of the main floor find their voice in our quiet space. i've observed new connections being forged, not the superficial exchange of business cards, but genuine human bonds.

This year, something particularly magical happened. While i'm often the catalyst who gets people up to our suite (which is humbling in itself that people would make the effort to come to the top of the Venetian just to meet with me), i found myself saying very few words once they arrived. i wasn't there to talk or present. i simply sat among them, and watched.

What unfolded before me was remarkable. People from different companies, from different countries, began organically connecting with each other. Not in the transactional, let's-network way that happens on the conference floor, but in a human, one-to-one manner. Deep, meaningful conversations emerged in this relaxing space. No agenda. No ulterior motives. Just humans connecting with humans.

The corporate identities, the badges, the titles, the company affiliations, all seemed to melt away. In their place was pure authenticity. Empathy. Genuine care and interest.

One particularly moving aspect was watching people interact with the puppies. There's something about holding a puppy that strips away pretense. You can't hold a wiggling ball of fur and maintain corporate stoicism. It simply doesn't work. i watched as CTOs and VPs and Directors became, for a moment, simply people delighting in the simple joy of a puppy's unconditional affection.

These moments, seeing people truly connect with others, not to sell them something or extract value from them, but to learn, invest, and enrich each other's lives. These moments were magical. This is what made our Summit investment worthwhile.

Yes, it would be great to gain a new client from Summit. But the fact that we created an environment where people could form new connections, have wonderful experiences, and simply feel good, that meant the world to me.

In the corporate consulting world, 33 Sticks strives to be an oasis. At Adobe Summit, we've simply extended that philosophy. We've chosen to stand apart from the noise, to offer a different kind of experience in a sea of sameness.

Is it the right business decision? i don't know. But watching strangers become friends, seeing the genuine smiles, hearing the authentic conversations, i can't help but feel we're doing something right.

In a world obsessed with transactions, sometimes the most revolutionary act is to simply be human.

Much Love 💛

-jason