Intro
Hello, Everyone. This is Tony Gonzalez, the Director of Information Technology here in the City of New Braunfels. Shortly after we stepped into the Quickbase realm, I told our City Manager I would gladly trade him a Director for a dedicated Developer position. Quickbase quickly became that much work, but it has truly made a difference here in the City and I am thankful for what it has done and will continue to do. We have built a lot of momentum in this first year and there is still a lot out there for us to improve upon. In terms of the Realm, we are still in the Shire and there is an entire world out there waiting to realize the benefits of Quickbase. The Qrew has been the equivalent of a Fellowship for me. We aren’t marching towards Mordor, but rather towards the mythic Forest of Great Efficiency that even the eternal Elvers would envy. (How is that for nerdy?)
Quickbase Beginnings
- How did you first discover Quickbase?
I attended a Government IT Conference in San Diego that featured “Vendor Speed Dating”.
- What was the first thing you ever built in Quickbase?
A Customer Satisfaction Survey - When did you realize you were hooked on Quickbase?
About five minutes into our Vendor Speed Date. I saw quickly it solved a lot of problems with our existing platform.
Building and Impact
- What's your favorite app aspect to build out in Quickbase?
This would have to be forms and tables people outside our organization can use. As a City Government, we have lots of partners that need to interact regularly. Through QB, this is easy to accomplish and makes things simpler for everyone - What’s a build or project you’re most proud of?
Our River Outfitter Application. - If you were a QB superhero, what would your special power be?
Be able to write complex formulas much more quickly.
- How has Quickbase changed the way your team/customers/employees work?
Many of our QB applications have greatly reduced our reliance on overly complex spreadsheets and tons of emails. With data entry and collection being so much simpler, our Team Members get to focus on much more productive work. You know, that whole Greywork thing. - What’s one process you’ve automated that made life easier for your users?
Dashboards! When users update their data and dashboards are automatically updated, life is MUCH easier for our Team. - Fill in the blanks:
"Before Quickbase, we were putting square pegs in round holes. Now we’re efficient and productive."
The Qrew Experience
- How did you discover the Qrew?
In the early days of my QB journey, I was asking for tons of basic help on the Community pages.ben_simon​ saw my posts and reached out to me. He served as that real QREW introduction. It was a monumental moment for me. I will be forever grateful for Ben! - What’s your favorite part of Qrew Meetups or the community?
The genuine helpfulness everyone exhibits. I compare it to basic Social Media. SM is rife with ugliness, pettiness, arguments, etc. Qrew meetups and Discord interaction have ALL been positive for me. Nobody criticizes, ridicules, etc. They listen, they teach, they mentor. It’s what Social Media should be, but isn’t. - Why should others join or attend Qrew Meetups?
See above. You are missing out on TONS of knowledge and creating headaches for yourself if you don’t join/attend. - If you could describe the Qrew in three words, what would they be?
Helpful Quickbase Addicts
Beyond The Keyboard
- What do you like to do when you’re not building in Quickbase?
What? We don’t build 24/7? I like to disconnect. During the fall/winter I am hunting every opportunity I get. The rest of the year, I am watching sports or attending live music with my wife - if I am not building another application. - What’s your go-to focus or creativity booster?
Music, Music, Music. My most productive build time is at home after the regular work day. My Texas Country Music playlist is loud and constant from my home office. - How do you like to unwind after a full day of Quickbasing?
After those kind of days, nothing better than rushing home and grabbing my Lab, Vader, and taking him to the field for some dog training. Time with him makes everything better - How can people connect with you?
You can find me regularly asking for help on Discord under @Gonzo, or look for me at Empower. I hope to attend some Qrew meetups soon, but for now Discord and Empower are where you will find me.