Scaling success: How the Oktane Ambassador Program unleashed the power of our people

If you’ve ever attended our customer conference, Oktane, you know it unites the Okta community to share what’s next in the world of identity security. But as the annual event has continued growing, we’ve faced a challenge that many scaling programs encounter: Our internal resources struggled to keep pace. 

Demand for information and on-site support was higher than ever, and as the program lead, I couldn't be everywhere at once. How could we ensure every attendee — internal and external — had a world-class experience? The answer wasn't in a larger budget (though I’ll never turn that down) or headcount (though I won’t turn that down either), but in a priceless, untapped resource: our own employees.

This passion project of mine had been top of mind for several years. I can’t remember exactly why 2024 was the year that I was determined to get it off the ground. But I knew if it didn’t happen now, I would keep telling myself, ”I’ll do it next year.” This realization sparked the creation of the Oktane Ambassador Program (OAP), an initiative that has solved our scaling challenges and fostered a deeper sense of ownership and pride in our company's flagship event.

A shared vision to build the Oktane community

It all began as a simple idea. I needed a way to decentralize information and extend my reach. Maybe playing into this being the year, I quickly learned that our Customer Success team was simultaneously exploring the creation of an “Ambassador" program to bring more Customer Success Managers to Oktane. The stars aligned: we joined forces, and the official Oktane Ambassador Program was born.

We launched an internal application, unsure of what to expect. To my pleasant surprise, the response was astounding. Over 100 Okta employees from every corner of the company — spanning different teams, organizations, regions, and skillsets — raised their hands, eager to be a part of Oktane in a meaningful way. From this incredible pool of talent, we selected our inaugural class of 35 Ambassadors. My partners from Customer Success quickly became my support system and sounding board, leading to the creation of the invaluable Oktane Ambassador Program Leadership Council, and together, we embarked on this exciting new chapter.

In the months leading up to Oktane, our Ambassadors became extensions of the core event team. We armed them with the latest information, and they disseminated it to their respective departments, answering questions and funneling key themes and feedback back to us. They took on special projects, assisting our Core Team and bringing fresh perspectives to the table. Throughout the planning process, we kept direct lines to our Ambassadors open through a team Slack channel and bi-weekly check-ins, ensuring they felt supported.

Once on-site, the Ambassadors were instrumental to the success of the event. Decked out in exclusive swag,  they took on critical roles, from commanding the control center of the expo hall — the Okta Hub — to supporting our customer speakers in breakout sessions. One Ambassador even stepped into the role of an events producer for our Live News Desk, a cornerstone of the Oktane Online experience. Their presence was felt everywhere, and their contributions were immeasurable.

Creating a culture of advocacy

The first year was a resounding success, but we knew we could make it even better. As we prepared for this year's program, we refined our approach. We made our application questions more intentional, focusing on specific skill sets and each applicant’s passions and interests. The result? Nearly double the applications and a wave of innovative ideas, including a proposal to leverage AI to help elevate the Core Team’s efficiency and enable employees to get self-serve answers to their questions in Slack.

To further streamline our efforts, we've structured this year's Ambassador program into four key pillars: Customer Success, Go-to-Market/Field, Global, and Special Projects. This has allowed for even greater focus and impact. In fact, the head of our Sales Development Representatives team wanted to get in on this program and supported funding stand-outs from his own organization to be part of the Oktane Ambassador Program.

All levels of Okta, including company leadership, has shown enthusiasm for the Oktane Ambassador Program. It's a testament to the power of finding untapped potential within our own walls and giving our employees a true sense of purpose and ownership in something bigger than their day-to-day roles.

This year, we've also empowered our Ambassadors to be external advocates. We've armed them with social media posts to share on platforms like LinkedIn, proudly announcing their participation and inviting their networks to connect with them. This has amplified the program’s reach while strengthening the Oktane brand externally.

The program’s success is a powerful reminder that sometimes the most innovative solutions are right in front of us. It’s become a model for other teams at Okta, demonstrating how to effectively leverage the diverse talents of our people to achieve extraordinary results. We've solved our scaling problem, created a vibrant community of champions, and are inspired to make Oktane better than ever before.

Advice for scaling your own ambassador programs

Here are some key learnings from our journey that you can apply to your programs:

• The power of internal partnerships: Look for opportunities to collaborate and find shared goals within your organization. A seemingly independent initiative can gain significant momentum and resources by partnering with other teams working towards similar objectives.
• Invest in your ambassadors: Provide comprehensive training and resources, ensuring they have the information needed for success. Foster an environment of open communication through regular check-ins and dedicated channels, and they will feel supported and connected. Finally, make their work meaningful by matching their interests and expertise with key event pillars, filling gaps, and ensuring their contributions truly enhance the program.
• Keep evolving: Solicit feedback throughout the process, not just once the event is over or at the end of the year. Adjust the questions you ask and be willing to learn to curate a more intentional experience from the start. 
• Executive buy-in is priceless: Embrace leadership support, even just financially. It signifies the program’s value and can attract more internal talent.

The countdown to Oktane is on, and we can’t wait to see what this year will bring.