First Tuesdays Technology Update

I went to the Clausen Law Group technology update networking event last night. The group meets the first Tuesday of every month at Point Richmond and features a speaker with great work experience and insight into an industry.

The speaker last night was Tony Ruggiero, CEO of FirstOnScene LLC. He started his talk discussing the quality and price differences that the  military is spending on fighter jets.  He turned this around and compared the trends in fighter jet quality and price to the technology industry. He showed how IBM at its rise had some 55K workers, Microsoft had 27K, and eventually down the technology line, Faceboook has 1K workers with 300,000 users (a 1 to 300 employee to user ratio). The phenomena that he expresses here is that technology, when used efficiently costs less, therefore reaping greater profit margins, and requires less man power. The jump in technology that has made programs like Facebook and the iPhone so successful is that these programs were written to pair with API (Application Program Interface). API allows non-paid employees to create tools that will integrate into the open source program.  An  example of an API program for Facebook is Animal Farm,  and an example  of  a program for the iPhone  is the Kindle, as it is an add on created by another company not employed by Apple.

The take away from this meeting: Innovate or Die.  Embrace the latest trends in technology and use them to your advantage (ie. create your own application to integrate into programs such as Facebook and the iPhone and find a way to make money through the benefits of free viral marketing).  For example, Kindle is a free app on the iPhone, but Amazon makes money when consumers purchase and download Kindle books. Tony Ruggiero referenced the fart app for the iPhone. Most thought the idea was ludicrous, but because of the viral spread of the name, and the low cost to download the app for the general public, the .99 application made the owners rich.

Right, time to build my app!

San Francisco Entrepreneurial Yelp Event

Through my SF Entrepreneurial group on meetup.com I learned of the Yelp Business Success Panel  hosted at the Westin. About 100 people showed up to discuss how social networking, specifically yelp, had helped their small business. Many business owners are using social networking sites like Facebook to market themselves, or even as part of their business plan.  For example I met a lady who was selling Vi Pak, a food supplement for weight loss product through Visalus. This company will hire anyone to promote their product by spreading awareness through their personal network of friends on Facebook. People are rewarded with a leased BMW, sounds a bit like a modern day Mary Kay business to me.  I met a lady who started her own company that focuses on social networking identity. She manages people’s social networking sites by creating consistency. There is a market for this, really?

Two small business owners gave a presentation on how Yelp had helped promote their companies — International Orange Spa and Tax Ninja. Both of these companies spend no or very little to place their business on yelp. They receive so much coverage from this one source that it is their only marketing source.

Gavin Newsom Rally in San Mateo

I saw Gavin Newsom speak at the Hiller Aviation museum in San Carlos on Tuesday. I’ve never seen a political figure speak live. I noticed a ‘combined aura’ that all present collectively radiated, which I would expect is  common in these types of events. People were excited and they believed this figure could help solve their problems.   Gavin answered a general question, something along the lines of ‘what is your global platform for running as Governor,’ with the story of how he has become the successful person that he is.   Wow, talk about a risk taker! Someone that can pull themselves by their own bootstraps.  It is inspiring to be in the presence of someone who is so entrepreneurial and lives a lifestyle of forward action.  Will he run for Governor or not?!

Conversation with an Entrepreneur

CardNetworking: Actually most people know enough to start a business, most are just hesitant on starting something on their own

After all my experience there are 3 things that if you wanted to join a company or start 1…

Make sure you have a extremely valuable product/service

4:49 PM Have mentors/coaches that have done what you have done to help you through your steps and guide you

Help as many people as you can

I mean a few things you can do is start surveying companies and doing focus groups granted that you have these networks established on what needs improvement

visit online chat rooms and discussion groups to see if there is a common problem

5:02 PM go to elance or a script bidding place, create software

test it with a few small companies for free, get their testimonials and referrals and expand that way

could create a name for yourself like Gina Communication Consulting..

Have you heard of elance.com

CardNetworking: that sounds like a good plan!

10:12 AM good now that the wheels are spinning my suggestion would be to write it all down

as people start thinking out of the box they come up with many ideas on what they can do.. write it down.. then maybe after a few weeks of brainstorming pick 1

me: I feel like the conversation we had the other day made me realize that starting something is easier than I think.

CardNetworking: yeah planning is important but if people think to much about it, they scare themselves out of it

10:13 AM me: I see

if you’re going to jump off the cliff don’t hang out there for five minutes before hand

CardNetworking: haha exactly.. also dont hang out with crabs

if you put 2 crabs in a bucket

10:14 AM me: ooh, hairy cranky people. No thanks!

CardNetworking: 1 will never get out b/c the other one will keep pulling it down

if you put 1 crab in a bucket

it will get out of the bucket

10:15 AM meaning people with the mediocre mindset will keep pulling other peoples dreams down b/c they could never see them selves doing it

10:16 AM the funny thing is that when you do do something, they will say you were lucky

CardNetworking: I do have a book suggestion that has really changed my perspective on daily things

the slight edge by jeff olson

me: i’ll check it out

CardNetworking: & the go giver