I wrote a guest post for Launch DFW today. It's the first time I've contributed content directly to the internet in long form in quite a while. It's a piece on how to grow community, and especially startup community. It's called "How to grow a startup community: Start with community."
How many times have you heard this? "You are who your friends are." Since you've heard this over and over for years, you've carefully considered it through life. You've chosen a life full of positivity and have hand picked your inner-circle, right?
Go ahead, take a look around - you spend a lot of time with people that set and achieve their goals. Your friends come up with great ideas, and actually go about the business of executing them. They seem to be able to do so much with their time, way more than you perceive you have available. They have healthy financial lives, and don't buy a bunch of crap they can't afford to impress people they don't know. Best of all, their personal relationships are stellar, and they have a truly great marriage and kids.
It's a perfect description of your friends, right? If not, maybe it's time to reconsider a few things. Make a list of the people you consider to be good friends and family - the people you spend most of your time with. For each friend, determine what positive impacts they have on your life, and likewise the negative impacts. Start with your closest friends, then move to casual acquaintances. Be sure to note how much time they spend talking about their lives. Do they complain a lot? Do they talk about other people? Where are they going in life? Are they doing something meaningful to you?
This isn't a hit list of course, it's just a simple way to determine where your influences are. If you're spending time with people that aren't providing positive guidance and personal inspiration, you'll be exactly where you are now (or possibly worse off) in 5 years. Personal growth requires challenge, learning, and positive influences.
It's easy to make changes - just pick people out of your current network that are doing the things you want to do. Seek out those that are successful in the ways you want to be. Make a coffee date. Get to know them. Understand what makes them tick, and do that stuff.
Leaving negative influences behind can be difficult. After all, they're your friends, right? They're your people. The fact of the matter is that who you associate with is way more important than that. Your friends are who you are, and who you're going to be. Make every friend, and influence, count.
If you liked this or found a modicum value in it, please share it with your friends. Thanks! :)
As many of you know, I'm an avid podcast listener. If you've met me in person, you probably noticed the bluetooth stereo headphones around my neck - they're there solely for podcasts. I listen to 15 to 20 shows per day - covering a variety of subjects - innovation, technology, startups, marketing, and personal finances to name a few.
Without a doubt, podcasts have been a major influence in who I am as a person, and have played a key role in shaping in my life. From keeping up to date on the latest geek news, to learning how to manage money and win financially. There's content for every interest.
I hear from people all of the time that they can't listen to podcasts because podcasts require "too much focus." They can't work and listen - they find themselves focusing on the podcast content rather than their work: "It's too distracting." Podcasts are often relegated to those times when they can focus on the content - running, in the car, on trips, on the bus, etc. Those are certainly great times, but I think they're missing out on some wonderful content.
My secret, and the reason I'm able to listen to so many shows per day? I've taken the Brad Feld approach to reading and have applied it to listening to podcasts: "Be willing to skim."
Put another way, I have choices for ambient background noise. I can ignore the random noises and conversations going on around me, I can choose to listen to music to cover them up, or I can intentionally choose put amazing/educational/inspirational content there.
It works really, really well. I find that subconsciously, when something crosses my ears of particular interest, I naturally tilt the focus more toward the podcast. If it's really good, then I'll note it and listen to it in the car - when I can give it more focus. If it's video, then at home on the big screen is more logical.
I believe so much in this listening behavior, that Callisto.fm was born. With it, you choose a channel of content (technology, food, marketing, whatever), and click play. Callisto.fm then plays podcasts related to the channel one after another, much like talk radio. You can even search for a phrase like "iPad News" and play the results.
It has always been the mission of Callisto.fm to help other people experiment with podcasts, to find great content, and to introduce others to my way of listening.
If you're ready to give it a shot - if you're ready to paint the ambient noise canvas with useful, entertaining, and educational content - start today. Start with Callisto.fm's channel browser and let me know what you think.
Can you listen to podcasts if you give yourself permission to focus on work, and allow podcasts to fill your ambient background?
Today's Plan A is: a spiraling national debt, armed forces that power the planet's peace, a political system built on maintaining the status quo, and an increasingly polarized populace - unwilling to entertain opposing ideas. We've arrived here, not by strategic planning or by any long term direction, but by default.
We live in the greatest country in the world, second to none, with no second choice near. But our collective global blindness is frightening. We were once the inspiration the world needed, a shining democracy, and the world's destination for creativity, innovation, and education.
Every single one of us, no matter our political affiliation, is responsible for Plan A. No matter your religious beliefs, skin color, sex, or education level, you've played a part in our arrival at this precise point in time. It's never too late to fix it, but it'll require one heck of a change in our entire societal fabric.
The problem starts with the career politicians that drive the "democratic" process. They're mostly former attorneys with deep insight into how the "System" works. The've spent decades building the process, whether in school, or in practice. And most of all, these people know how to stay in office once elected. They've built their careers, sometimes from humble beginnings, and have along the way lost touch with not only themselves, but those that brought them to power.
Any system that encourages camaraderie with power is predisposed to corruption and subsequent failure. Weak personal constitutions, a lack of integrity, and the proliferation of American excess within our "leadership" have led us here. It's said that money and power amplify your inner being - politicians are no different.
It'll be an incredibly long road, but if we're to fix the broken machine (the corruption, lobbying, foreign policy, our national debt, etc.) it has to start at home, with our children. It starts by teaching our children a modern set of core values - from truth and reason, to financial responsibility, to understanding that all things are possible with curiosity, and an education. Work and play with your kids - encourage them to dream and create. Encourage them to try. Let them fail, even if the result is blood.
We must lead by example, as parents, friends, and citizens. Live every day with integrity, kindness, passion, and financial precision. Live a healthy life, free of gluttony, debt, credit, leases, and the excess that was "The American Dream" - as for most, its quest has been anything but.
Reach within, and bring forward the absolute best in your life, and be believe enough in yourself to leave the rest behind. You can only influence the future - embrace that fact, and stop building your future on the past.
Associate only with people that provide a positive influence, and provide guidance to those in need. Sometimes it's a conversation, though likely it's by example.
If you take nothing else from this post, just remember this: you have the power to change everything in your lives, every minute, of every day, and that my friends is truly "The American Dream." Plan B is you.
One year ago (nearly to the day PCB2 was held) I attended the first Podcamp Boulder. Jeremy Tanner was the organizer, and a team of volunteers and sponsors made it a fantastic, welcoming, and entertaining event. I'd never been to a Podcamp, but I had been to other "unconferences" (Barcamp, etc.).
Last year I reserved 30 minutes on the schedule to solicit feedback on an idea for a startup (then called YourTuner). The idea was simple... stream podcasts in channels rather than a show at a time. About 15 people were in the room, and I received nothing great feedback. This is important for several reasons (not the least of which is that it's good for the ego). More importantly though, the idea was solid and well received. The people took time to give quality, constructive feedback!
It was so well received in fact, that Richard Jones chimed in after the session and said he wanted to build it. Here we are, a year later, on the verge of launching Callisto.fm, version two. A lot has changed with the concept, but the fundamentals are the same. Callsito has turned in to a fantastic product.
While all of this sounds a little self serving (Ok, there's a hint of that), the truth of the matter is that Podcamp is about the people. It's about the energy and ideas. It's about a lot more than just Podcasting. Sure, many of the attendees are the same people you see at other events... but I think that says more about how involved the community is in Boulder. We love to help.
I hosted four sessions this year, and all were well attended. The exchange of ideas and the atmosphere were amazing. All I can say is that next January, do everything in your power to attend. Even if you go just to meet people, you won't find a better group to meet.
Thanks again to Jeremy, and all of the wonderful sponsors. You did a fantastic job, and I can't recommend the event enough.
Today, I'm announcing a new startup. I've been working on this one for more than 20 years (is that still a Startup?), so I think it's finally time to unleash it. It already has a blog, a Twitter account, a Facebook page, and even a Flickr account. Soon it will have a video Podcast, and maybe even a live show from time to time on UStream. It will play in the "whatever-the-hell-it-wants" space. Sound like fun? Curious? Without further ado, my new Startup is... me.
Every startup has a mission, and here's mine: "To help others enjoy life as much as I do." It's that simple. I have many interests, most of which are centered around five topics: self, family, personal finance, business, and technology.
Technology As if there were any question, I'm a geek - a technology connoisseur - and I'll share the things I see with you. I usually read close to 1000 RSS feed titles per day and have a constant stream of live news via Twitter and other social media sources. I see, read, and listen to lots of things, and I'm going to share them with you in the hopes that I can improve your technology consumption. Not just in quantity of course, but quality too. I've got another post coming that will add a little clarity to this concept. I'll get you up to date, and keep you there.
Business Advanced Imagesetting was the name of my first DBA (I was 19). Today I run an 8 year old web software (startup?) company called HyperSites. HyperSites is a browser-based web development platform for web designers. My newest project is called Callisto. Callisto made it's feedback debut at Podcamp Boulder earlier this year as yourTuner. I'll put up a post about it soon, but the gist is streaming channels of podcast content with a super simple player interface. I think you'll like it, especially if you're a podcaster - or - if you couldn't care less about podcasts. I have a million stories relating to starting, and failing in business and I'll share them with you.
Personal Finance In late 2007, my wife and I decided that we'd had enough. We were a little over $50k in debt, and could never seem to get ahead. I started listening to a guy named Dave Ramsey and the rest (and our debt) is history. I sold my favorite car, and we cut expenses to a minimum to pay it all off within a year. I'll share the gory details of how we did it, and how we continue to save and spend wisely. Being debt free is amazing, and I'll help you get there.
Family My goal isn't to be a daddy blogger (not that there's anything wrong with that). My wife Heather and I have been together going on 15 years - we've been married for 7 and have never been happier. Communication started very early, and continues today on everything from our son to finances, and alone time. Our amazing son Zion is about to turn five. I'll share my relationship and parenting experiences with you.
Self Looking back is always easy, right? I've had four, going on five careers. I've created companies all of my adult life and haven't had a J-O-B since 1992. I quit smoking cold turkey after 17 years of a pack a day. I dropped 40 lbs by simply paying attention. I've gone from 5 pets to one son. I've moved more times than I can remember since childhood and have lived on both coasts and several places in between. But above all, I've lived a full life and have a pretty unique perspective on the world. I'll be happy to share it with you.
If you haven't picked it up, this startup is all about sharing with you, the reader. It is about helping you create good things in your lives and building a conversations around it. Want to join me? Want to help? Spread the word, and most of all, participate. Leave comments, no matter how silly or serious you think they might be. I want to hear from you, however that works for you.
I was listening to a podcast about a new concept for having news reported. The concept is that people put money into a pot, and when the pot reaches a given amount someone will write a story. The stories, from what I remember, aren't about typical local news, but more about local investigative journalism.
One of the arguments the creator mentioned was that local TV, newspapers, etc. spend a lot of time covering national and global stories, and have left meaningful local coverage mediocre. I don't read newspapers (or their sites for that matter), and seldom turn on TV news - but the times that I have seen them, he's spot on. One of the reasons I stopped reading/watching is that local news is about sensationalism... murder and mayhem, and celebrity.
Enter the blog.
When I stumble upon local blogs, they're usually covering topics of larger scope (maybe national) but with a local twist. How does the story affect them and what is the author's perspective on it. Sometimes though, it may be a story on a local sporting event, or a meetup of some kind. In my circles, these things also cover lots of business subjects... investing, entrepreneurship, etc. No matter the subject, there is a local flavor to the stories.
The idea:
Create an aggregation site that blog authors subscribe to (free of course) with the express goal of providing a local "newspaper" powered by the citizens of a given market. You would be able to drill down in a Craigslist style navigation to a city or town, then see stories in given subject areas from people that actually live and work in that area. All of the typical newspaper categories would exist: business, sports, arts, movies, activities, etc.
When an author writes a story, they would have to apply it to given categories. The readers could gauge whether or not the story is actually on topic, and stories and authors could be rated for quality. These ratings would determine what floats to the front page, digg style. If you want to have fun, you could offer a payment for the author based on the revenues they generate for the site... but that is a bonus for participating, not an expectation.
If you decide to build this, let me know... I'd subscribe to the RSS feed at the very least.
I'm in an unbelievably cool place. Not only can we (my friends the collective) come up with fantastic ideas, but we can actually build them, market them, and sell them. The network is the idea.
So begins the curse.
The curse is having these ideas and knowing that there is always something fun to do. To make it worse, clearly there is not enough time to do them all.
Take zerologic.com for example. At one point, in addition to HyperSites, I was building PCs for friends, training people in Second Life, and doing a video experiment... and those were the things I put on the site. Add to those my responsibilities as a father, husband, friend, etc. it was way too complicated.
Focus. This is an area that I will admit I'm lacking in. Don't get me wrong, I focus on the task at hand - these days I think to a fault. Just ask Chris. What I'm talking about is taming my entrepreneurial wild thing.
I've whittled my pro life down to two things: HyperSites and Social Ingenuity. Anything else that comes along is weighed against those in areas of passion and desire. This hasn't been a problem... until now.
A friend of mine approached me with an idea that crosses a threshold I've been thinking a lot about: the geek threshold. Most of the things I see in my circle are targeted specifically at geeks. People that are already familiar with technology and geek out on all things social. Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, etc. One local company has even made it easier to see what all of your friends are doing on all of those networks in one consistent feed. You can post to several at once using their software.
But to what end? Is keeping up with your friends the point? Or is it telling a story? Publishing, or subscribing? Creating, or consuming?
We have an idea that makes everyone in your life (literally everyone with a computer) a participant in your life's story. More soon.
I've been participating in conversations around finding one's passion, then monetizing it as a means to improve your quality of life. If you're doing what you love, then the rest will come.
This is Jon Sullivan. I've known Jon for years... I met him (and his now wife) while working in one of our "offices" (read, Starbucks) in Plano, Texas. Coincidentally, this is the same Starbucks that we plucked Chris out of, but I digress.
Jon works at a major mobile phone company by day, but by night and weekends? He makes guitars... by hand. He was a part of the metal revolution in the late 80s, and knew several of the guys that ended up making it big. Jon also played in a KISS cover band... KISS was my favorite group for years. He's a fantastic guitarist, and hasn't been out in the world in a while with his music.
I'm including this clip to give you an idea of what can happen when you practice your passion. The video is fun, and the song of course great, but neither are the point of my post. My post is about a guy playing with video, in a room, recording himself practicing his passion.
I've been AFK for quite a while, focusing my work time on HyperSites exclusively. It is better than ever as a result... but now it is time to spend my off hours building my passion.
My passion is called Social Ingenuity. It is a huge project that centers directly in the social networking space. It has a few fundamental differences compared to most of what we're seeing in this space. First and foremost, it will allow people to leverage their social networks to build companies.
Social Ingenuity is so big in fact, that I've come up with a great way to get started slowly. Rather than try to build a monster application to support the company, I'm going to start it locally. This will allow us to find great talent to start the global version properly.
I'll have more news soon, but if your curiosity has been piqued, have a look at Social Ingenuity. Ping me with questions.
