Startup Of The Week: Easy Aerial
I am starting a new blog segment called the "Startup Of The Week", or S.O.T.W.™ for short, where I plan to highlight a great startup each week. There are several startups working to make the world a better place and I want to tell you a little bit more about some of them. The Startup Of The Week I have selected for the week of February 1st is Easy Aerial.
I am starting a new blog segment called the "Startup Of The Week", or S.O.T.W.™ for short, where I plan to highlight a great startup each week. There are several startups working to make the world a better place and I want to tell you a little bit more about some of them. The Startup Of The Week I have selected for the week of February 1st is Easy Aerial.
Easy Aerial
Founder: Ivan Stamatovski, Founder & CEO
Headquarters: Brooklyn, New York Operating: Globally
One sentence pitch: The longest flying quadcopter on the market.
In my words: I had a few words to say about Easy Aerial recently. You can check them out here.
In their words: "With three times more air time then any other quad. The newest modular drone from Easy Aerial deploys in one minute and flies for 45 minutes. That is double of the next competing quadcopter in the same class."
Accomplishments:
- Founder Institute New York
- 2015 Kickstarter - $38,500 raised
- 2014 Kickstarter - $45,627 raised
How it Works:
If you want to learn more or let me know your thought on this week's Startup Of The Week you can contact me here.
Uber The Conglomerate
At one point in time Google was called BackRub back when Larry first met Sergey to show him around Stanford. Now it is called Alphabet and just yesterday over took Apple as the world's most valuable company at $560 billion. Throughout the years we have seen Google refine and even rename it's brand.
Google Logo 1997
Google Logo 2016
At one point in time Google was called BackRub back when Larry first met Sergey to show him around Stanford. Now it is called Alphabet and just yesterday over took Apple as the world's most valuable company at a $560 billion valuation. Throughout the years we have seen Google refine and even rename it's brand. It has come a long way from the small startup company that only operated a Search Engine using their initial $25 million dollar investment from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins.
Brand refinements can allow a company to take on much, much more. The Google of 2016 is a much different company than it's original search engine business. At a even higher level the Alphabet rebrand has solidified the company's new reorganization as an official conglomerate. Alphabet now owns the individual companies of Google, Calico, GV, Google Capital, X, Google Fiber, Nest Labs, and Verily.
I think we just saw the first step in this direction from Uber. Meet Uber the conglomerate. The company has just released a new logo and brand direction.
"We leave no bit or atom unturned to create industries that serve people"
- Uber
Uber Old Logo
Uber's New Bits and Atoms Logo
While Uber is still the same company and no reorganization has been announced the new high level branding of the "bits and atoms" logo from Uber feels very similar to the move Google made with rebranding as Alphabet. Uber no longer just focuses on being everyone's private driver. The new vision of Uber focuses on the much larger goal of combining bits and atoms to create industries that serve people. While the company has yet to IPO, it's $60 Billion dollar valuation certainly shows the company has reached a scale at which it can start exploring other business models. For example, Uber Eats, delivering kittens, and Uber Rush are early looks at some of these potential other business models.
For now this is just a simple rebrand. But as with all rebrands the goal is to change the way in which think about a company. As customers, and employees, become accustomed to the new way of thinking about Uber I am really excited about the potential possibilities the company seems destined to explore.
Alphabet, meet Uber. Another future conglomerate.
Alphabet Inc. 2016
Uber's New 2016 Logo
Tim Ferriss And Daymond John On The Power Of Being Broke
Every once in awhile I hear an episode of a show that is so good I feel compelled to share it. That happened last night when I listened to Daymond John of FUBU and Shark Tank interview Tim Ferriss on how to turn weaknesses into strengths. Daymond turned the tables on this episode of The Tim Ferriss Show and interviewed Tim about the power of being broke.
I listen to a lot of podcasts. Every once in awhile I hear an episode of a show that is so good I feel compelled to share it. That happened last night when I listened to Daymond John of FUBU and Shark Tank interview Tim Ferriss on how to turn weaknesses into strengths. Daymond turned the tables on this episode of The Tim Ferriss Show and interviewed Tim about the power of being broke. How to capitalize on a lack of resources and turn that into success.
The power of being broke forces people to be scrappy, which could possibly be the best single word to describe the best entrepreneurs. Some nuggets of wisdom to absorb from this episode include:
- Using empathy to attract mentors.
- How Tim overcame 27 rejections on his first book before getting his book deal for 4 Hour Workweek.
- Making sure you don't over burden potential mentors.
- Who makes the best business partners.
- How to separate yourself from the crowd.
- Why you should be nice to EVERYONE.
- Don't be afraid to admit what you don't know.
- Importance of putting yourself close to the action.
- Always keep your sleeves rolled up.
- Maintaining your Time, Health and Nutrition.
The Death Of The Headphone Jack
In 2014, I for the third time returned my wired Beats by Dre Tour headphones to Best Buy. Yet again they had stopped working in the one ear due to the cord bending down at the plug. Over the years
iPhone 7 concept design without headphone jack. Image credit: Handy Abovergleich
In 2014, I for the third time returned my wired Beats by Dre Tour headphones to Best Buy. Yet again they had stopped working in the one ear due to the cord bending down at the plug. Over the years I had tried Beats, Skull Candy, and many other brands of headphones. As they all suffered the same fate I needed to make a bolder change than just trying another brand. So to change it up this time I exchanged my beaten up tour headphones with wires for some Beats By Dre Powerbeats2 Wireless headphones. I made the switch to bluetooth headphones and said goodbye to the headphone jack, for the most part.
The next day I went into the office, grabbed my shiny new headphones, and went to plug them into the headphone jack before a conference call; which I obviously couldn't. I had to take a moment, turn on my laptops bluetooth, and connect them wirelessly. Which then disconnected them from my phone as it also had it's bluetooth on. Also new for me was the concept that I now had to keep my headphones charged. Something I have never had to worry about before. I found myself from time to time gravitating toward my wired Apple headphones when using my laptop just to avoid having to reconnect back to my iPhone later. Needless to say, as a man whose headphones are so important they are always within arms reach, there were some behavior changes I had to make.
Surprisingly though, I made those changes and I did not return my bluetooth wireless headphones. Two years later I still use my bluetooth headphones everyday. The sound is great! I am more handsfree with my devices when using them and my iPhone alway keeps me notified of the headphones battery level. As you can see the headphone jack is dying and rightfully so. The technology behind the modern headphone jack was actually invented in 1878.
Earlier this month it leaked that the Apple iPhone 7 might not have the normal 3.5mm headphone port at all. Headphones will now have to connect to your iPhone either through bluetooth or by plugging into the existing lightning port where you charge your phone. A similar move to the one made by Apple last year when it removed all the ports on its Macbook and switched everything to a single USB-C port. I am confident that in 2016 we will witness the beginning of the end for the headphone jack as we know it for a few reasons.
Image credit: Apple
First off, Apple now owns a headphone company. Apple is one of the few companies that could force the headphone standard to switch from 3.5mm to lighting ports across the industry using it's Beats by Dre brand.
From the phone perspective this move immediately frees up more room inside the new device for other hardware, hopefully more battery. It also potentially removes the last hole on the iPhone that couldn't be properly waterproofed. Perhaps most importantly, switching audio from the current hundred year old headphone jack to using the digital Apple lightning port would enable higher definition audio. After all, every box of Beats by Dre headphones includes a quote from Dr. Dre in the studio telling you that you need these high quality headphones to be able to hear all the sound as it was intended to be heard by the artists. Lastly, a lighting connector enable's a whole new suite of digital software possibilities between your headphones and your iPhone 7. The rise of the smart headphones will likely be a result.
Apple's growth has slowed and they will need to start finding new ways to keep increasing revenue. As shown by the new iPhone smart case, accessories seem to be one of their moves in addressing that gap. A lightning to 3.5mm headphone adapter would could be a major sell for the company if there is no other option to listen to certain devices without it.
So just as in 2012 when TechCrunch declared Winter Was Coming due to Apple declaring the end of the 30 pin chargers that were in the iPhone 4, Spring will follow winter very quickly. We will all adapt. In the process we will finally update a 100 year old technology, have better sounding music, enjoy a smarter pair of headphones, and once again Apple will continue to lead innovation in the mobile space.
Startup Of The Week: Fund That Flip
I am starting a new blog segment called the "Startup Of The Week" or S.O.T.W.™ for short where I plan to highlight a great startup each week. There are several startups working to make the world a better place and I want to tell you a little bit more about them. The Startup Of The Week for the week of January 25th is Fund That Flip.
I am starting a new blog segment called the "Startup Of The Week", or S.O.T.W.™ for short, where I plan to highlight a great startup each week. There are several startups working to make the world a better place and I want to tell you a little bit more about some of them. The Startup Of The Week I have selected for the week of January 25th is Fund That Flip.
Fund That Flip
Founder: Matt Rodak, CEO
Headquarters: New York, New York Operating: United States
One sentence pitch: The easiest way to fund your real estate investments.
In my words: Fund That Flip connects real estate investors, starting at only a $5,000 minimum, who are looking to invest money with house flippers that are looking to borrow money for an upcoming renovation.
In their words: "We are technology, real estate and financial service professionals on a mission to create new opportunities for Investors to take advantage of the positive returns real estate can provide. At the same time, we are helping re-developers access a new source of capital so they can focus on what they do best – finding and rehabilitating homes so they are again livable. Leveraging our team’s diverse expertise and new legislation passed as part of the JOBS Act, we are building the preferred real estate investment marketplace for investors and re-developers."
Accomplishments:
How it Works:
If you want to learn more or let me know your thought on this week's Startup Of The Week you can contact me here.
Work The Problem: Advice From An Astronaut
Last year I read An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth by Chris Hadfield. In it he talks about working the NASA strategy of working the problem. This very technique ended up aiding Commander Hadfield when he went blind in space.
Last year I read An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth by Chris Hadfield. In it he talks about the NASA strategy of working the problem. This very technique ended up aiding Commander Hadfield when he went blind in space. Here is an excerpt from Chris Hadfield's book that offers you a brief explanation of what exactly working the problem means is in his own words:
“Working the problem” is NASA-speak for descending one decision tree after another, methodically looking for a solution until you run out of oxygen. We practice the “warn, gather, work” protocol for responding to fire alarms so frequently that it doesn’t just become second nature; it actually supplants our natural instincts. So when we heard the alarm on the Station, instead of rushing to don masks and arm ourselves with extinguishers, one astronaut calmly got on the intercom to warn that a fire alarm was going off – maybe the Russians couldn’t hear it in their module – while another went to the computer to see which smoke detector was going off. No one was moving in a leisurely fashion, but the response was one of focused curiosity; as though we were dealing with an abstract puzzle rather than an imminent threat to our survival. To an observer it might have looked a little bizarre, actually: no agitation, no barked commands, no haste."
Chris Hadfield - Excerpt from An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
This work the problem NASA mentality of descending down one decision tree after another until you reach your solution is something I learned and practiced first hand during my time as a Fireman and EMT. The main reason I think the idea of working the problem has stuck with me so much over the years though is because it is so similar to entrepreneurship. With each problem you conquer there will be a new one that arises. And just like the the limited oxygen supply in space, with entrepreneurship you can be limited by the year, month, or week of runway you have left in your business.
Applying this work the problem mentality to problem solving in business can be extremely useful. I was solving a problem recently, but was not really making any progress toward a solution. I stopped, took a step back, and realized I found myself too fixated on the problem. I was analyzing the problem over and over again as if some magic answer was just waiting to reveal itself to me. It can be so easy to get caught up on the problem when problem solving. I wasn't working the problem toward a solution like I needed to be one decision at a time. While it is important to understand a problem you are facing, once you have extracted the main knowledge you need to move forward there is often very little value remaining.
During the New York City blizzard this weekend I watched The Martian with Matt Damon (I promise no spoilers). Being as it is a film about Mars filled with teams of astronauts the strategy of working the problem is a common theme throughout the movie. It reminded me of the lessons learned over the years. After the movie I revisited the problem I was stuck on and solved it.
Work the problem is a good tool to keep around, whether you are an astronaut or not. Remember, no matter what the problem is you are facing, whether it be with your company or in your life, take the time to understand the problem and then be done with it. Take your new found knowledge and focus it, descending one decision tree after another until you reach you solution. Work the problem!
Get The Ambition Today Stickers
Get The Ambition Today Stickers! The stickers are just $1 so get them while there hot. If one dollar is still too rich for your ambitious blood then be sure to listen to upcoming episodes of Ambition Today and get the free promocode.
What's better than having Ambition Today with you on your iPhone or Android phone? Well plastering our incredible new logo where ever else you want, of course! Hopefully you have been following along during the last few episodes and noticed our great new logo. If not you can see what you missed out on and get caught up on each episode here.
You can grab the stickers in either "Black Gold" or "Transparent Gold". Check them out below. The stickers are just $1 so get them while there hot! If one dollar is still too rich for your ambitious blood then be sure to listen to upcoming episodes of Ambition Today and get the free promocode!
It's your kingdom and now you can fly the Ambition Today flag over it. For your royal reign choose from either Black Gold or Transparent Gold. Either way it's gold, so you really can't go wrong.
The Future Is Empathy
Merriam Webster simply defines Empathy as: "the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions : the ability to share someone else's feelings".
Merriam Webster simply defines Empathy as:
"the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions : the ability to share someone else's feelings"
Empathy requires a deeper level of realism than sympathy. It requires the ability to look from another persons perspective, not to it from your own perspective.
Monday of this week started with honoring Dr. Marin Luther King Jr. and his dream. Dr King was able to lead during his lifetime because he had a deep empathy for the other people in this world going through similar struggles. The greatest leaders of our time use empathy to gain followers and with those followers collectively solve large problems.
Today Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released a new song about the role white privilege has played in their life. The song chronicles Macklemore's recent experiences marching in Black Lives Matter protests and being a part of the hip hop community. The song shows an understanding and empathy of both sides of the table. The greatest artists of our time use empathy to create great and relatable work.
Steve Job's knew empathy in design was the path to creating groundbreaking new products. The best product designers know their customers because they are their customers. Empathy guides the creation of the product. The greatest products of our time were built by founders who had the ability to empathize with the customers they are helping.
Last week I stood in the middle of a field in Africa while a plane flew overhead and dropped bags of food to the ground. Myself and others began to run, grab as much as we could, and carried home what we had picked up to feed our families. I experienced this shockingly first person perspective while wearing a $20 Google cardboard Virtual Reality headset in my living room. I was amazed at how real it felt. You should have seen the look on my Grandfather's face when I had him try it too.
Technology enabled me and the others who tried it, to in that moment empathize immediately in a way that reading text simply never could do as powerfully or effectively. Empathy is an incredibly powerful ability. With constant new technology and the increasing free flow of information on the internet I expect empathy to grow to be a more naturally occurring and common part of society. The earliest test of this theory is and will be the attitude of Millennials as they have had the greatest exposure to new technologies and open information. In the next few years we will see if I am right, but I believe an open mind and empathy are the way of the future.
Ambition Today: Justin Dombrowski Uncovers The Power Of Curiosity, History, Bitcoin, & Education In Life
Break out your pen and paper and get ready to take notes because you will be tested on this episode! Justin Dombrowski, Principal at Historiocity teaches some incredible lessons during Episode #11 of Ambition Today.
Break out your pen and paper and get ready to take notes because you will be tested on this episode! Justin Dombrowski, Principal at Historiocity teaches some incredible lessons during Episode #11 of Ambition Today.
One of my favorite quotes from this episode perfectly embodies Justin's strong curiosity from a young age:
"I was trying to figure what kind of things best explained the world that I was interested in."
Justin has more degrees than you can count from institutions such as Columbia and Oxford. The real question though is why? Listen in to find out what Justin thinks of his personal experience with the formal education he has received and how he compares it to the world of entrepreneurship.
Through all his education Justin has become an expert on world history. We talk about what the past can teach us and ask the question: does history repeat itself? In his post academic life Justin now applies his intellect as an expert in the world of Cryptography, Bitcoin, and Financial Technology. Episode 11 of Ambition Today is packed with the following:
The power of curiosity.
How to manage curiosity.
How the access to information is changing education.
The value of formal education in the modern world.
How to use history to understand today.
Does history repeat itself?
How core human behavior is the golden thread unifying history across centuries.
Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
What is the future of Bitcoin.
How will Bitcoin impact the world.
The importance of living life.
Ambition Today Question of the Day:
What kind of education is most valuable?
Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS and on Stitcher for Android.
Ambition Today Podcast Sponsors:
Audible.com
Don't Forget To Look Up
This is your friendly reminder, do not forget to look up.
The irony is that I am about to ask you to look at screen in order to tell you to "Look Up". You have 2 options as I see it. You can put your technology away right now and go experience the world. Or you can watch this video, and then go experience the world. Either way, get out there. This is your friendly reminder, do not forget to look up.
Time Management For Entrepreneurs
I believe there is tremendous value in optimization. Increasing effectiveness even by a slight amount can have exponential effects as a result. Since taking a step back and thinking about planning my life in 2016 I have been working on ways to optimize life. One of those is time management.
I believe there is tremendous value in optimization. Increasing effectiveness even by a slight amount can have exponential effects as a result. Since taking a step back and thinking about planning my life in 2016 I have been working on ways to optimize life. One of those is time management, which I feel is something that can have a profound impact on most entrepreneurs.
I value time as the most important asset in my life. It is finite. The fact is that there is no Department of Time to print more hours, days or years like there is a Department of Treasury to print more money when the supply runs low.
There are 24 hours in a day. That is all you get. Make sure you spend each one of those hours wisely. We have been given the gift of time and it is our duty to make the most of it. Those 24 hours will be spent on either sleep, work, exercise, family, fun or free time.
I was originally going to elaborately detail my own day for this post but I have really liked the way Casey Neistat broke down his daily routine using the painted domino's visually in the below video. I have skipped ahead to the good part of the video (3:32) so you can jump right in. My routine in 2016 has been very similar to the image above. The major difference being that I swap vlog time with blog and podcast time. Also a night or two a week family time gets swapped for me with running event's in the evening around New York.
I like the balance that routine brings to the day in order to allow for more productivity in the long run. It also helps reduce burn out, which can be a real issue for entrepreneurs if not addressed. I look forward to continuing to maximize each day to the fullest potential I can. Let me know if you have a routine or any suggestions on maximizing the day. Feel free to put them in the comments below.
I Dream That Society Comes Together To Solve Global Problems
I have a dream that before I die I am able to give back to this world and society in a way that it is as much a better place as I can make it during my lifetime.
I have a dream that before I die I am able to give back to this world and society in a way that it is as much a better place as I can make it during my lifetime. Knowing that about myself I find social entrepreneurship a very attractive ideal and nobel venture. The ability to help others improve the world through manifesting there own visions is also one of the core reasons I am involved with the Founder Institute New York.
As mentioned before, remembering to be thinking 10X and the idea of investing in Moonshoots can be a tough mindset to stay locked into. Sometimes you have to think bigger than what you think big is. I have been making sure to remind myself to think exponentially as best I can for the past few months. One of the biggest problems I see is how can we get society to work together to solve problems. Giant problems. Global problems. Hell, maybe even within our solar system problems (I see you Mars).
January 18th, 2015 celebrates the day that a man named Martin Luther King Jr. saw a problem so large it divided a country and defined other nations. He then attempted to solve it and along the way brought the world closer to a one day resolution. He had a dream to make the world a better place and pursued that dream. I am motivated by that greatness.
There is still more work to be done to resolve racial inequality. There is more work to done to cure cancer. And to turn back climate change, help drug addiction, find clean water, and aid in poverty. The list goes on. All important issues that all need to be solved. Ideally in our lifetime.
The simple fact is that someone or some group of people has to solve them. Nature won't resolve these issues on it's own. I believe that we have the power in 2016 to build tools using technology to help advance progress in each of these specific areas. We as a society have a duty to put the Netflix down and work toward that brighter future. That is why I have started to collect the largest problems we need to improve as a society. Visit here to see the first problems I have collected and also propose any existing solutions you know of for those global problems we face. Feel free to submit anything you feel as missing is as well. Comment below if you have any other ideas on how to tackle such a large endeavor. After all, the world has problems, somebody has to solve them.
Yahoo's Katie Couric Features Buffalo In "Cities Rising: Rebuilding America"
Katie Couric recently paid a visit to Buffalo New York for her new series "Cities Rising: Rebuilding America". As she is now stating that "Buffalo Is Back!" with part 1 of her new series.
Katie Couric recently paid a visit to Buffalo New York for her new series "Cities Rising: Rebuilding America". Since visiting the region she now states that "Buffalo Is Back!" with part 1 of her new series. The goal of this six part series is to highlight key cities in America that were once thriving, then fell on hard times during the last 100 years, and are now being rebuilt into the 21st century.
I am really proud of all the great people in the Buffalo region working hard to improve the local startup ecosystem. Some of the people in the Buffalo startup community that I been working to make an impact in the last year include:
- Steve Poland
- Managing Director of Z80 Labs
- Michael Serotte
- Immigration Legal Partner at Unshackled Fund
- Founding Partner at Serotte Law
- Dan Gigante
- Digital Director, Partner at 19 IDEAS,
- Founder & President at You and Who
- Director of Founder Institute Buffalo
- Jon Spitz
- Director of Development at 43 North
- Director of Founder Institute Buffalo
- Peter Burkowski
- Director of Marketing at 43 North
- Oscar Pedrosa and David Brenner
- And Many More
I know I have written about the surge of entrepreneurship in Buffalo before as well as its incredible past history, but I really am excited for the future of my hometown Buffalo, NY. I am proud to say I am from Buffalo. Be sure to watch part 1 on Buffalo in Katie Couric's series "Cities Rising: Rebuilding America" above.
Build Online Websites Like Offline Real Estate
Normal real estate is a much older industry then the current technology industry most of us interact with everyday. Tonight I heard an interesting perspective on how to think about digital real estate within the technology industry from David Karp, the Founder of Tumblr.
The real estate industry is a much older industry then the current technology industry most of us interact with everyday via our phones and computers. Tonight I heard an interesting perspective from David Karp, the Founder of Tumblr, connecting the two industries in regards to how we should think when building digital real estate (online platforms & communities) within the technology industry.
Tumblr as you know was acquired by Yahoo for $1.1 Billion and the community at that time was reported around 300 million monthly unique visitors. That is a pretty big chunk of virtual land. The analogy David made was comparing the similar way an online community of people hang out on their favorite website to the way an offline community of people hang out at their favorite bar.
Let's play this analogy out and throw in a main character here. We can call the main character in this analogy Ted. Now say Ted goes to MacLaren's Pub every week to meet up with his friends. For the sake of adding a bit more realism to this story, let's give Ted's friends names too. We can call them Marshall, Robin, Barney, and Lily. I just came up with those on the fly, pretty good right? Now, each time this group of friends comes to MacLaren's Pub they sit in their favorite booth. They get drinks, order food, and good times are had whenever visiting MacLaren's Pub. This is their bar. This is their community.
Then one day the owner of the bar decides it's time to move some furniture around. He bought some fancy new tables and chairs which will increase the revenue per square foot of the pub. In comes the new tables and chairs and out goes the booth. It gets thrown out.
The next day Ted, Robin, Marshall, Lilly, and Barney all come back to visit their favorite booth at MacLaren's Pub to find that it is now gone! The food is as good as it was before, the drinks are the same temperature, the walls are the same color, but now their favorite booth is gone. And the first thought that crosses the mind of Ted, Robin, Marshall, Lilly, and Barney is the thought: "They can't do this to us, this is our bar! This is our community!"
Now re-read the above HIMYM metaphor and replace MacLaren's Pub with a website and the friends with that website's users. I really like this analogy. It makes you always remember that there are humans making up the loyal online community of most websites. It can be easy to forget this at times when just viewing click maps, analyzing Google Analytics, checking cost per user acquisition models, and judging conversion data. Just like re-arranging the furniture in your house, you need to always be thinking about how that change will affect the people who spend the most time in that space. So next time you are thinking about pushing a big release to your website or product that could alter the way your community uses it, make sure you think carefully about how you do so or your visitors might just go to another bar.
Learning How To Learn
Prior to getting my degree from the University at Buffalo in Cognitive neuroscience. which is the analytical combination of Neuroscience, Philosophy, Psychology, Linguistics, and Artificial Intelligence, I was pursuing a degree in Nursing. I had heard from friends and family that...
Prior to getting my degree from the University at Buffalo in Cognitive neuroscience. which if you don't know is the analytical combination of Neuroscience, Philosophy, Psychology, Linguistics, and Artificial Intelligence, I was pursuing a degree in Nursing. I had heard from friends and family that anesthesiologist made a decent amount of money and also helped people.
At the same time I was a Fireman and EMT with the Swormville Fire Company. I had spent my fair share of time in the back of ambulance's responding to emergency calls and delivering people to the Emergency Room. A degree in nursing seemed like a natural progression for the path I was on.
But something about it didn't seem right. I was too curious. I wanted to know more about the world than a degree in nursing was telling me. I began to search for another option. I remember asking around to see if any Universities offered a degree in "life". I wanted to know and understand all there was about the world and the people in it. Then I remember seeing the description for the Cognitive Science degree at UB. It was:
Cognitive Science is the study of how the mind works. It investigates thought and consciousness, the senses and emotions, the structure of language, cultural patterns, neural organization, and the computational analogs of mental processes. It examines how these areas interact, how they develop in the growing human, and how they appear in other animals.
It sounded perfect. While the range of knowledge Cognitive Science pulled together was awesome I especially loved the classes that focused on Neurology. I enjoyed them so much I actually made Neuro the core focus for the major. Finally I had found something that provided a deeper understanding of how people think which scientifically complemented my minor in Philosophy perfectly. I was beginning to form an understanding holistically of how the world worked.
Through my degree in Cognitive Neuroscience I learned how to scientifically form and ask the right questions. I learned how to apply the philosophy of logic to understand the answers I got to those questions I was asking. I learned how people think. I learned which of the neurons drives different instinctual human characteristics. From my minor I learned to appreciate the philosophical differences those characteristics can take across numerous cultures and ideologies.
While I didn't pursue a career in the Cognitive Science field after graduation the biggest take away I got out of my time at University was that I learned how to learn. I think this is one of the most important investments a person can make in themselves. The earlier you make this investment the more compound interest you will get as a result across your lifetime.
I did this before the time that I started taking an interest in learning about startups. Again, as a way to satisfy my intense curiosity for understanding the world and how new ideas manifest themselves into reality. Being armed with the tools to learn thanks to my degree was a massive help in learning and understanding the world of startups over the next several years.
The key take away here is that I think there are two types of learning. One, you can learn how to learn. This is a skill and ability that everyone can nourish and grow. If done first it sets a solid foundation for you to then go learn and have a complete understanding around a specialized field much better than skipping ahead to only learning a specialized field. It is a small distinction but an important one in my mind. Tim Ferris is a great example of this. He is a man who has perfected the art of learning how to learn and because of that he can pick up new things almost overnight and quickly understand them. His new series in the iTunes store, The Tim Ferris Experiment along with his books, are a testament to this. So next time you are struggling to learn and understand something new. Take a moment and think if there is some foundational work you can teach yourself first, that will help you with achieving your current goals. Learn how to learn.
Spireworks & The Value Of Exclusivity: How An Invite Only App Controls New York’s Skyline
From almost anywhere in New York City you can see the colored antenna's on top of One Bryant Park and Four Times Square. They are a definite part of the New York City skyline and every few moments they change color.
From almost anywhere in New York City you can see the colored antenna's on top of One Bryant Park and Four Times Square. They are a definite part of the New York City skyline and every few moments they change color.
I recently heard a story from a friend of mine who was at a party in New York City. The host of the event he was at pulled his phone out of his pocket and instructed my friend to pick a color on the screen. He pressed purple. The host then instructed him to look up toward the top of an actual skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan. The antenna at the top of One Bryant Park had changed to the color purple. There was a moment of disbelief.
The idea that the hosts phone was actually controlling the colors at the top of real world skyscrapers seemed unreal. Could you imagine the ability to carry with you a button in your pocket that could at any moment you see fit, alter the colors of the New York skyline for all to see from New Jersey to the Bronx, to Long Island.
Believe it or not, that app exists and it is called Spireworks. It was made by The Durst Organization who developed and owns several office towers in New York City. The Spireworks app has been in beta and invite only since it's live launch in 2010. All in all only a few hundred people are rumored to have access to the Spireworks app. Now I am going to go out on a limb here and guess that after hearing that story you want a Spireworks invite. I know I did.
While I patiently waited for the day I could bet strangers that the top of a sky scraper is going to change to a specific color and then be right, the real lesson here lies in the value of exclusivity. The Spireworks app is a real world example of that. So is the English Royal family abroad, the Navy Seals here in the United States, and all the Country Clubs I bartended at in order to put myself through college. A lesson that startups should use to their advantage.
The best part is that when you release a new product you can actually create and then apply this value in order to use it to your advantage. You will turn what should be an inherent weakness in your offering, the fact that no one has access to your product yet because they simply do not know about it, into an advantage whereas the new reason no one has access to your product is because they simply haven't been invited yet. This changes the dynamic of the normal relationship people have with products. In the exclusive scenario the responsibility to "get" the product falls on the end customers ability to chase after it via tracking down an invite code.
A few companies have done a great job at this recently. Regardless of the end story, the Google Glass Explorers Program did a tremendously successful job at fostering early adoption even though the price was over $1,500. Beme launched it's new app with user referral unlock codes that created a frenzy to the point where people were selling the unlock codes for cash online. Most recently the new game @getstolen, where can own your friends Twitter profiles, tweets out one unlock code for only 500-1,000 people each day.
🔑🔑🔑they don't WANT u 2 have a #StolenCode, so we gonna GIVE you a code -> "MADLUV" FAN LUV BLESS UP 🔑🔑🔑
— Stolen! (@getstolen) January 10, 2016Creating and leveraging the power of exclusivity can be a powerful tool. Spireworks invite only system is one of the best examples of that. Creating exclusivity gives you the ability to throttle the number of early users while still ironing out your core product. It turns a weakness around awareness into a strength. Also, it can result in increased promotion via word of mouth virality of your product. Lastly it attracts higher quality and more engaged users of your product which will be exponentially more useful to your initial product iterations and refinement.
Plan Your Life In 2016
We are almost 2 weeks into 2016. Can you believe that? Now about those resolutions... Is 2016 the year you start a new company, write a book, do your first Tough Mudder, or maybe you just want to go to the gym more. Well in order to accomplish your goals this year you are going to need to change things up a bit.
We are almost 2 weeks into 2016. Can you believe that? Now about those resolutions... Is 2016 the year you start a new company, write a book, do your first Tough Mudder (you should because Tough Mudder's are awesome, finishing a 2nd race is a goal of mine for 2016), or maybe you just want to go to the gym more. Well in order to accomplish your goals this year you are going to need to change things up a bit. Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is:
"Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
- Albert Einstein
So you know its time for some changes and in order for them to be long lasting you are going to need to work them into your daily routine and be honest with yourself. Though that self work can seem like a lot at times, I have found something to make it a bit easier. Recently I stumbled upon "The Best Life Planner for 2016" on Product Hunt by @melissajoykong. Just like a Product Manager sets the roadmap for a company's future product developments, Melissa says she created the Best Life Planner to help you:
- Reflect on the past year with a 2015 Annual Review
- Identify the intersection between your strengths and passions
- Discover your unique purpose for the year ahead
- Change 12 key habits in 2016
- Optimize how you spend your time every day
- Create seasonal roadmaps to turn your big goals into actionable plans
- Learn how to build a morning routine that will change your entire day
You can supercharge your focus on your achieving your goals in 2016 with the Best Life Planner 2016 here. And if you need to add some extra Ambition added to your day while you fill it out, I have you covered for that too.
Ambition Today: John Federico, Co-Founder Of Event Hero On The Future Of Podcasting, Marketing, and Superman
What an event episode ten of Ambition Today is as Jon Federico, co-founder of Event Hero and @GadgetBoy himself comes on the show all the way from warm and sunny Austin, Texas.
What an event episode ten of Ambition Today is as Jon Federico, co-founder of Event Hero and @GadgetBoy himself comes on the show all the way from warm and sunny Austin, Texas.
Ever wonder why most podcasts are sponsored by Audible.com? Today we a speaking with John Federico who years ago worked at Audible and invented the podcast affiliate program. Through the years he also worked at Advance Internet, Blog Talk Radio, and more. He is now the co-founder of Event Hero which is the first integration Platform-as-a-Service for event technologies. He also hosts the EventTech Podcast is all about event technologies where John interviews EventTech company CEO’s and product managers, industry thought leaders and event organizers. If you are a new startup founder and want to better understand the world of podcasting, audio, and marketing this episode is for you.
How an economic crash can influence you years later.
Why the medium of audio matters.
Recognizing when life deals you an opportunity and capitalizing on it.
Understand the world of podcasts.
How John created the Audible Podcast Affiliate program at Audible.com.
Making the leap from employee to entrepreneur.
How to re-brand your company.
Who would win in a fight: Batman or Superman?
The future of podcasting.
Using content marketing such as blogging or writing a book to grow your brand.
Winning the battle for people's time and attention.
Ambition Today Question of the Day:
What is the optimal work life balance that let's you enjoy success and make all the time and energy worthwhile?
Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS and on Stitcher for Android.
Links from this episode:
Who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going…
Listen to this episode now:
Ambition Today Podcast Sponsors:
Audible.com
Watch The World In 2016
I feel it is important to take time to understand global trends and events in order to keep clear the lens through which we view what is happening in our own lives. So take a few minutes and get ready for the world in 2016.
I feel it is important to take time to understand global trends and events in order to keep clear the lens through which we view what is happening in our own lives. So take a few minutes and get ready for the world in 2016.
The 2016 Summer Olympics will be in Brazil this August. In November the United States will elect a new President. Meanwhile, Europe will continue to experience one of the largest human migrations in decades. El Nino will continue to disrupt normal weather patterns for months in to the new year. Toxins from oceanic plastic pollution will continue to enter the human food chain as fish that we eat digest the small plastic particulates from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Virtual reality will begin to displace other forms of mainstream media consumption. Anxiety disorders will begin to be discussed openly as they now affect 40% of the population. The amount of global wealth belonging to the top 1% is expected to become greater than the amount of global wealth belonging to the other 99% combined this year. 2016 also commemorates 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare and this special anniversary year will be sure to inspire many Shakespeare related themes throughout the year. See for your self below what the Economist predicts for "The World In 2016".
Happy Holidays To You!
We'll I don't know about you but my inbox is full of a lot of Holiday promotions this week from companies trying to sell me stuff I don't want. So, this isn't one of those.
We'll I don't know about you but my inbox is full of a lot of Holiday promotions this week from companies trying to sell me stuff I don't want. So, this isn't one of those. There is no purpose for this post other than to simply wish you a Happy Holidays! I want to thank you for keeping up to date with what I have been up to, listening to my new podcast, and just being a great person in general.
Happy Holidays To You!
So sit back, relax, and enjoy this Holiday Season! To help you level up this time of year I have pulled some Christmas albums from Spotify that I listed below, enjoy!
Jackson 5 - Ultimate Christmas Collection
Justin Beiber - Under The Mistletoe (Deluxe Edition)