Scott Robinson - A Friend to Many

In place of my weekly "Cool Things My Friends Do" blog post, this week I am remembering a friend who passed away unexpectedly.

The Austin community was shocked and saddened this week by the unexpected death of Scott Robinson.  He was 41 years old.  This father of two young children (he leaves behind a son and a daughter, twins, age 8) was a tireless supporter of the Austin Entrepreneurial Community.  

It was nearly  two and a half years ago when I first met Scott.  You could not miss him at a networking event, as he had to be 6'4 (maybe taller), and was always very well dressed.  Scott took a sincere interest in others that instantly made people feel as if they were his long lost friend.  Every time I would see Scott he would have an idea of somebody I should meet.  He was all about helping others discover the connections that could lead to mutually beneficial success.  And he was not just an idea guy, he was a doer.... as he always followed up with an email making the introductions between people.

I would run into Scott regularly around town about once a week, and we were part of an occasional business networking group that met for lunch semi-regularly.  He was always excited about a project he was working on (TEDxAustin Youth, StartUp America, RISE Austin, or helping promote The Wire) to help make Austin a better place.  His smile was contagious, and he always was supportive of the causes of those around him.

The folks at Silicon Hills News wrote a wonderful tribute to the memory of Scott Robinson (link to article http://www.siliconhillsnews.com/2013/09/04/in-memory-of-scott-robinson-a-huge-supporter-of-austins-tech-industry/).  Take a minute to read what they said, but also view the comments section, as so many people added their thoughts about this man who was a real "giver".  

Scott Robinson was one of the good guys.  He will be missed.

To honor Scott there is a scholarship set up for his children ("The James Scott Robinson Memorial Fund" through Wells Fargo Bank). 

 In addition to making a donation, I suggest those who knew him (and others) should deliberately seek out a way to help another person find success.  Make an introduction between two people, or sit down with someone to help them brainstorm their next project.  When you do that, think of Scott.... I bet he would like knowing that he inspired us all to lend a hand and be better "givers".

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Cool Things My Friends Do - Joshua Baer Named Entrepreneurs Foundation's "Community Leader of the Year"

Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their work and personal lives. 

Each year the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas honors someone in Austin as the "Community Leader of the Year".  This year's award went to my friend Joshua Baer. 

I attended the party to celebrated EF and their award winners, and it was a great gathering of the Austin Start-Up Community.  (A highlight of the night was talking to the delightful Amy Baer, Josh's wife...and clearly his better half!).

Josh is the co-founder of The Capital Factory, and a serial entrepreneur who is committed to helping others. Since arriving in Austin in 1999 he has been an active part of the local entrepreneurial eco-system.  

What impresses me about Josh is that he is always willing to meet and chat with any entrepreneur or wanna-be entrepreneur.  He never says "no" when it comes to helping those who are pulled toward starting or growing a business.

Congratulations to Joshua Baer on being named the Community Leader of the Year.  Well done and well deserved.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Cool Things My Friends Do - Kent Savage and Matt Hovis Launch "Icon.me"

Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their work and personal lives. 

(Icon.me Co-Founders Kent Savage and Matt Hovis)

I was invited to be an early user of Icon.me (one of my friends, Laura Beck, is their PR person).  I signed up for the digital business card service and poked around the site several times, but I was not aware the value this cool Austin start-up has created until attending their "Launch Party" where I got to spend time with co-founders Kent Savage and Matt Hovis.

Icon is a cloud based platform designed for the modern professional who lives are lived online, but split up across several platforms.  It is a digital business card that allows you to easily share your information and curate your online persona. Icons are optimized to be shared with anyone, anywhere via smartphone, email or online. They provide valuable personal analytics - like who is viewing, saving and sharing your contact information and even reveal what you have in common with those you meet.

While I do not believe the paper businesscard should ever go away (they still serve a purpose), Icon seems to have found the answer to what others have been trying to solve in creating a tool that is both easy to use and provides real value to those who are looking to use technology to help as part of their networking efforts.

I see a huge use for Icon.me in the event/meeting/conference space.  Often the organizers of large conferences create a custom apps or other tools specifically for their meeting that allows attendees to share information and seek out the desired networking opportunities.  The problem is that not everyone uses these apps, and when they go home they do not revisit the connections they made in their phone.  While the folks at Icon have not yet implemented this feature, they could add a conference tab that would allow users could register when they will be present at an event, and make connections accordingly.  Since they would already use Icon in their daily lives, it would solve the problem of not being irrelevant later.

There are many tools out there being created to help people network, and most do not catch my eye as really valuable to the end user over time.  I see Icon as being something I would use and recommend.  Its cool. Plus, it is always great to see the good things coming out of Austin, Texas!

Check it out and let me know what you think.  The site still working out some of the bugs, but the concept is strong, and I can see it taking off.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

ProductCamp Austin - A Great Event

ProductCamp Austin celebrated their tenth event in five years (they host this informative and motivational networking event twice a year: winter & summer) this week with a large sell out crowd of over 600 people. The AT&T Conference Center was again the perfect venue for this high energy event.

It is a wonderful community gathering that is a true "Un-Conference".   Speakers sign up to speak, and the audience votes that morning on which topics are of the highest interest. This year they had a record number of proposed talks.  Once the votes are cast the participants and speakers are given the schedule.  Throughout the day sessions cover Product Development, Go To Market Strategies, Product Strategy, Product Management/Marketing Careers, and Marketing Execution.

I had the honor to present a session called "Giving Better Presentations at ProductCamp (and Beyond)".  It was a fun experience as the audience seemed to resonate with some of my advice.  It is more and more common for professionals to have opportunities to deliver presentations (at work or at a conference), and yet few people have had much training since their 8th Grade Book Reports. I loved the conversation with the group, as the topic clearly resonated.  Maybe some of those who were in my session will submit proposals for the next ProductCamp!!!

The rest of the day I was able to attend other sessions and visit with old and new friends.  If you have never been to ProductCamp Austin then you should mark your calendar for July 20, 2013.  Jump right in and propose a session, or come as a participant. Eithe way, be ready to "Teach, Learn and Network".

***Rumor has it that if 60% of those in attendance in July are repeat "Campers", then ProductCamp Austin president, Mike Boudreaux, will shave his head (that is a rumor that I am helping to start!).

Gaining access to new ideas is the key to those who want to expand their horizons.  Last week I spent Saturday at TEDxAustin, and this week I was at ProductCamp.  With all these ideas, information, concepts, theories and motivation in my brain... I need to get to work and make things happen.  Watch out 2013!!!

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Austin Texas Tops The Charts In Jobs - Leadership Austin Engage Breakfast

Leadership Austin hosted their monthly Engage Breakfast on January 15, 2012 at the Long Center.  The topic was "Topping the Charts: Austin's Job Creation", and it was an upbeat panel discussion about where the Texas Capital has been, where we are, and what is around the corner.

Panelists:

• Ray Almgren - Vice President of Product Marketing for Core Platforms, National Instruments
• Tamara Atkinson - Deputy Executive Director, Workforce Solutions - Capital Area Workforce Board
• Gary Farmer - Vice Chairman of Economic Development, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce; President, Heritage Title Company of Austin
• Hall T. Martin - Founder and Director, Texas Entrepreneur Network

Moderator:

• Brian Sanders - Anchor, KXAN

Of course it is easy to have a positive conversation when your city is leading the country in jobs.  The November 2012 unemployment rate was 4.9 % in Austin, which beats the state (5.8%) and national (7.4%) numbers by quite a margin.  And we are leading in new jobs created over the top 50 metropolitan areas in the United States.

Austin is a city with both a robust start-up community, with half of all investments in Texas start-ups going to companies in Central Texas. And it is not just technology ventures, as we have diverse sectors including gaming, food trailers, packaged foods, etc....

We also continue to attract larger corporations to move their headquarters or open satalite offices in Austin.  256 companies have relocated part of their operations to Austin in the last nine years.  

But it has not always been a bed of roses.  Austin has seen the ups and downs economic trends over the past few decades.  We were hit hard in the early part of the 2000's due to the tech bubble and our over focus on the semiconductor industry in the 1990s.  Today we have a much more diversified economy, which is what positioned Austin to lead the way through the most recent recession.

The Chamber of Commerce and other organizations have worked closely with the city to help the region become a highly desired area for both companies and professionals to locate. New college graduates flock to Austin because of the creative, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.  

However, our boom-town does have challenges.  Too many high school students are dropping out or not pursuing advanced education.  This means they are forfeiting the opportunities that are abundant in the area for skilled workers.  We need to do more to expose young people to opportunities.  We have too many available technology related jobs (over 2000 unfilled), while every service job posted receives 55 applications.

Austin continues to top all the lists (and has for the 21 years that I have lived in the community).  Yes, part of the reason we do so well is our wonderful landscape, weather, recreation ,etc.....  But the economic leadership that makes us the envy of cities across the world is not an accident.  We cannot take it for granted, as everyone is looking to compete for the talent and the jobs.  Fortunately, Austin has amazing companies, elected officials, organizations and volunteers who work tirelessly to keep up on top!/

Leadership Austin continues to bring great programs.  I attend the Engage Breakfast each month (when I am not out of town) because the audience is always left with new information and their minds are filled with ideas.  

Have A Great Day.

thom singer 

Cool Things My Friends Do: Richard Bagdonas - Operation Turkey

Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their work and personal lives. 

Richard Bagdonas is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, family guy and all around good person.  I have known Richard for several years, and I fondly call him "the hugger", as his friendly nature is his calling card.  He greeted me with a big hug the second time I ever met him.

In addition to a successful career in the technology community (he has founded several companies including one of Austin's hottest start-ups - SubtleData), Richard founded Operation Turkey in 2000.  Operation Turkey is an Austin non-profit that feeds and clothes the homeless and less fortunate on Thanksgiving Day.  It all began with one person and some left-overs.  He plated up the extra Thanksgiving feast and gave it to a few homeless people on Austin's 6th Street.

This year in Austin 2,200 volunteers fed over 4,600 in Austin's homeless community.  Think about how cool that is.... 4,600 people with no place to go for the holiday meal were able to eat a traditional Thanksgiving feast.  Wow.

Operation Turkey has grown beyond Austin and even Texas.  Both Dallas and San Marcos have joined in the Operation Turkey goodness and last week volunteers in each city handed out 1,000 meals.  There were 30 other participating cities around the country.

The purpose is to provide a warm meal, clothing and toiletries to the most vulnerable members of our communities.  Richard is most pleased that this program has captured the hearts of so many people in the community.  The Travis County Sheriff's Department, Austin's Police Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and countless other organizations have adopted Operation Turkey.

If you would like to support this cause you can visit the website at www.operationturkey.com.  From there you can donate your time, financial resources or food and clothing donations.

In keeping with the weekly tradition of "Cool Things My Friends Do"... this is really cool that one man's idea can have such impact on many people near and far.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Cool Things My Friends Do: Melissa Lombard - The 5 Year Project

Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their work and personal lives. 

I met Melissa Lombard at the Blogathon ATX event in September 2012.  However, I already knew about her because of an interesting project that she had begun on her blog.  When Melissa moved to Austin earlier this year she started writing about the cool new people she was meeting in town.  Many of the people she had profiled were friends of mine, and the project had crossed my path.  I immediately found it to be a great idea, as connecting with new people in a strange city can be difficult.  By intentionally interviewing people in the community one can quickly get a better feel for the personality of a town, while making new friends along the way.

She formalized her networking coffee chats into what she calls "The 5-Year Project".  Her goal is to meet one new person each week for coffee and blog about what she learns about their life and career.  While a busy life does not allow her to do it every week, she has reached "17 Cups" since June (which is ALMOST every week!!!).  -- Oh, and I was number seventeen.

Melissa is onto something very cool, thus why she featured in this week's "Cool Things My Friends Do" post.  Imagine the treasure that her blog will be at the end of five years.  That will get her to around 250 interviews with an eclectic group of people.  Her unique style of diving into what makes a person "tick" will make the collection of posts into a more that a "Whose Who", but instead a tapestry of personalities that keep Austin weird.

Whether you live in the Central Texas region or not, take the time to scroll through the posts on her blog.  She has had coffee with some very interesting Austinites, and it is a good way to realize who lives in our city.... as we often forget it is not just the people who live and work in our own silos.

If you ever relocate to a new city, I suggest you take this idea and repeat it in your own style.  It is a cool way to get to know folks anywhere.  Kudos to Melissa for a great idea!!

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Cool Things My Friends Do: Bryan Menell Named CEO of SubtleData

Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their work and personal lives. 

Bryan Menell has recently taken the reigns as CEO of a new software company in Austin, Texas.  SubtleData was officially launched in August 2011, but has recently come out of the gate with a "bang", garnering a lot of attention in tech funding circles taking the top spot on AngelList for several days.  It's Point of Sales app platform already has over 200 companies building upon its architecture, and I am sure the company will continue to have great results with Bryan in the chief executive officer role.

I have known Bryan since 1978.  Yes, we were 12 years old.  We attended Jr. High and High School together in California.  And while we had over 800 students in our graduating class, we ran in the same circle of friends. Coincidentally we both landed in Austin, Texas in the 1990s, and have remained friends for most of our lives.  In today's transient world (especially before Facebook) it is not always common to have regular contact with childhood friends.

Bryan was always an achiever, and his career has been a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit.  He has founded several companies, including taking Perficient, Inc public in 1999.  He has a natural ability to seek ways of creating and growing new businesses in the fast paced technology world.  He sees opportunity and takes action.

Along with his wife, Angie, he founded the "Austin Tech Happy Hour" five years ago, and is a catalyst that brings people together in the local tech community.  The monthly gathering of those who work in and around the technology community has been a top networking event for over five years (and is still going strong).

Congratulations to Bryan on his new company.  I predict big things from SublteData in the next few years!

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Ed Robinson To Speak In Austin -October 31, 2011

If you’re a speaker, author, expert, or consultant who’s ready to attract more customers and more revenue, mark your calendar now for a powerful NSA presentation you won’t want to miss. 

International speaker and recognized “Rainmaker” Ed Robinson is coming to Austin to share his powerful, proven “Make it Rain” formula with us. You’ll learn how to skillfully rethink and retool your marketing and sales efforts in ways that will help you reach and close more deals, more often and with more profit.

Learning Outcomes:

• Design (or refine) your personal marketing plan
• Outline specific goals and the actionable steps to achieve them
• Measure your business success and effectiveness
• Understand the “Magic Marketing Mix” that drives attraction to your brand
• Learn steps for selling both simple and complex projects
• Discover a four-step selling process that increases your closing percentage
• Find out ways to capture more business after your programs
• Close larger clients and win major contracts with repeat engagements.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011
DATE CHANGE:
Monday, October 31, 2011

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Click Here To Register

Ed Robinson, CSP, is highly recognized internationally as an energetic keynote speaker, business growth coach and author. President .and CEO of Robinson Performance Group with over 30 years experience in professional service organizations, Ed provides unique growth strategies and leadership consulting to those businesses. Having spoken in over 35 countries, Ed is sought after globally for his speaking, coaching and Rainmaking techniques. Ed’s goal for NSA is to transform speakers in to Rainmaking machines

TEDx Austin 2012 Coming February 11th to the Austin Music Hall

I am a big fan of TED.  I keep a series of new TED Talks loaded on my iPad so I can watch them when I have that rare 18 minutes of downtime.

Two years ago I attended the first TEDx Austin event.  It was well done. The scoop on the 2011 event is that it was even better (I was speaking at a conference in Atlanta that same day, and since the transporter is the one piece of Star Trek technology not yet released, I could not be at both events).  They say "third time is a charm", so my guess is that the next TEDx Austin will be spectacular!

The local organizers of TEDx Austin have announced that the date for the next extravaganza is February 11, 2012.  The time is now to apply for a ticket, as the event always sells out.  Yes, you have to be "selected" to attend.  I am not on the committee so I cannot tell you what they seek, but they strive to have a diverse audience of thinkers who represent all of Austin.

The theme is "Beyond Measure", and the event will live up to the theme.  Hop onto the TEDx Austin website and fill out your application.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer