122: The Godfather with BC Hatchett

This week, Ryan catches up with BC Hatchett, Director of Classroom Technology at Vanderbilt University and co-founder of HETMA. They talk about shifting from “manager” to “leader,” handing the reins to the next crew, and why letting go (and then cheering from the sideline) is a healthy sign of organizational growth. BC also keeps it real about the pace of higher ed—no more “quiet summers”—and how to stay sane by breaking big things into small, winnable pieces.Then they pivot to Nashville: HETMA’s Roadshow lands at Vanderbilt on Monday, October 27, perfectly teeing up EDUCAUSE (Oct 28–30) across town. Expect a campus tour (Garland Hall’s renovation is a highlight), a compact vendor experience tailored to higher ed, and a downtown happy hour to keep the conversations going. HETMA will also bring its curated show-floor tour to EDUCAUSE and anchor in the Teaching & Learning “neighborhood” so higher-ed AV folks have a home base all week. Registration for the Roadshow is (gloriously) free—link in the show notes.Topics DiscussedFrom vice chair to emeritus: leading by influence, not taskingHanding off the wheel: why other people’s improvements are the pointThe new reality: no dead periods, tighter cycles, same (or fewer) resourcesMorale by momentum: chip away to free up bandwidthNashville preview: Vanderbilt’s Garland Hall and campus tour plansWhat makes Roadshows different: regional, targeted, and human-scale conversationsEDUCAUSE in Nashville: who it serves and how AV fits inHETMA’s curated show-floor tour: maximizing limited exhibit timeTeaching & Learning “neighborhood” at EDUCAUSE as a community hubPractical travel + weather notes for late-October Nashville (layers!)Connect with [email protected]://www.linkedin.com/in/bc-hatchett-88746312/https://x.com/bchatchettConnect with Ryan@Ryan_A_Grayhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/[email protected] LinksHETMA Roadshow – Vanderbilt (Oct 27): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nashville-roadshow-at-vanderbilt-university-tickets-1467308913459EDUCAUSE 2025: https://events.educause.edu/annual-conferenceVoiceover by Chris DechterHave feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media.  Visit www.higeredav.com for fresh content everyday!