ericmathews.com

Citizens Need to Be Engaged: Americans and Ancient Romans

2011-11-22T12:57:00.001-06:00

As Tacitus stated, his fellow citizens of Rome "understood the age of Nero . . . that even under bad emperors men can be great, and that a sense of duty and discretion, if backed by ability and energy, can reach that peak of honor that many have stormed by precipitous paths, winning fame, without serving country."

If you are not helping your community to improve in meaningful ways, you need to re-evaluate what living a great life means.

Read more on societal engagement in ancient and modern times in this great blog post: http://www.themindroom.net/2011/09/agricola-v-society.html

The First Five Years: Knowing When to Pivot

2011-09-18T16:42:00.001-05:00

My post originally appeared on the Startup America Partnership Blog

THE FIRST FIVE YEARS: KNOWING WHEN TO PIVOT

by Eric Mathews, co-founder of Seed Hatchery and LaunchMemphis

Brad Feld, co-founder of TechStars, stated 'that in order for a community to transform its entrepreneurial ecosystem six people need to work tirelessly without stopping or being distracted for twenty years'.

I agree. I'm one of these people for Memphis, TN. I'm a quarter of the way in.

Five years ago on August 31st, 2006 I left my job to chart a new course for entrepreneurship in Memphis. Like all entrepreneurial journeys mine started with a problem. I saw a lot of great technologies being built in our community (universities, etc.), but I could count the number of tech startups on one hand. My working hypothesis was if we coupled the founders with small amounts of capital and experienced mentors, we would have more tech startups in Memphis.

I was armed with neither experience nor capital. For any entrepreneur this is not a problem (or so the story is told). So, I found an experienced partner and we set out to raise the money. It turned out that no one would fund us, so we decided to forget the money and bootstrap. That same year TechStars got its start and so did our entrepreneurial "accelerator" Mercury Technology Labs (disclaimer: it was not cohort based).

Mercury Technology Labs was a tough effort made tougher by the fact that we were in Memphis. To give a little context, when we started there was one incubator and there were three venture capital funds that wouldn't touch early stage tech deals, especially ones in Memphis. There was no angel network. If you were an entrepreneur and wanted incubation, you needed to pay the rent at the incubator. If you needed seed/angel money, good luck. It was not very vibrant.

Our portfolio at the time consisted of three tech startups. Bootstrapping meant operating out of cafes. Thankfully, we were able to get their products to market with some sales, though eventually all but one failed. It wasn't a bad start those first six months, but it was too much of a grind. We realized we would be unsustainable long-term unless we worked to change our community's entrepreneurial infrastructure and culture. If our goal was to increase tech deal flow, it meant we would have to invest our time and energy in new ways.

We had to pivot.

1. Space for Startups to Grow

We needed enough space to enable us to create value faster and make our teams more productive. In 2007, within our local incubator we built the Launchpad, a 1200 sq. ft. co-working space for digital nomads, hackers, and founders. To this day we still charge no money to use this risk-oriented space.

The point is to lower the economic barrier to entry for incubation to be zero dollars. Founders can use the space 24/7, create value, and exchange knowledge and feedback with peer startups going through similar points of pain. Instead of paying for incubator rent (or five overpriced coffees a day), the founders can invest in product development and marketing.

That wasn't enough.

2. Founder Connectivity and Risk Culture

In 2008, we started LaunchMemphis. In five months what started as a community based project became the in-demand source for the dynamic innovation economy programming we saw in other cities -- such things as Startup Weekend, Ignite Nights, Pitch Competitions and more. LaunchMemphis (501c3), reaches out to the invisible potential entrepreneurs of our community and gives them a chance to 'try-on' entrepreneurship and get early feedback on their startups.

3. Exposure

Now more potential founders were entering the system and quality of deals began to improve. Others started to take notice. In 2009, the State of Tennessee turned to us to help share our knowledge in ecosystem development to other parts of the Tennessee. This increased our connectivity to peers across the State and elevated our local startups to a higher platform. We now have connections to incubators, investors, and founders across the State and region.

4. Leadership

The next year, with a change of mayorship in Memphis, the opportunity seemed right to start changing minds on the home front. In 2010, we reached out to local civic leaders and helped them re-position their economic development strategies to bring focus to entrepreneurship, as differentiated from small business. Now entrepreneurship on a state and local level is a top priority and money is heading towards our work and that of our peers.

5. Capital

The icing on the cake came this year.

You know you are on to something when external investors begin to enter your local startup scene. In 2011, Solidus Company, a venture capital firm in Nashville, invested capital to fund Seed Hatchery, our mentorship driven seed accelerator. We gave the six teams of our inaugural cohort, money, mentors, and milestones in the form of a 90-day marine-style bootcamp for entrepreneurs (think TechStars). The teams are now selling to customers and finding follow-on investors.

It has been a tough yet rewarding five years. Looking back most people won't see the mountain of failures and false starts under my watch, but they were all necessary to get to this day. Both the successes (we had some along the way) and failures were worthy work and will continue to be. To my many collaborators over the years, thank you for diving in and investing … but let me remind you we still have 15 more years ahead -- or at least I do.

I don't know what the next five years will bring, but I know the work is far from done in Memphis, TN.

Executive Summary for Filmmakers

2010-09-12T14:50:00.001-05:00

I was recently asked to speak at a business planning session for film makers. While film making is a little different than a technology startup, I was happy to lend my expertise on making a great executive summary. I tailored my talk as well as my sections to filmmakers and it was well received.

Introduction

First, we must acknowledge that you only have 30 seconds to impress anyone in life. That is especially true if you are trying to pitch an investor for money. An executive summary is your written form formal pitch. Your Executive Summary is that 30 second window.

The reader in this case an investor needs to be intrigued enough by your executive summary to read on as well as meet you. Intriguing does not mean you should use your artistic talent and use fanciful story telling. The summary consists of the most salient points -- your business plan is the time to be long winded. Just give the reader the facts with no embellishment. This is a business proposal, not a script.

Here are the 7 sections your film making executive summary should have as well as 1 optional section. At the end of these sections I provide my 5 pro tips on making an executive summary for your film.

Enjoy.

Executive Summary for Filmmakers

Section 1: Strategic Opportunity (aka Overview)

What's the name of the company?
What type of film or films are you making?
Who are you?

Section 2: Management Team

Give the investor an idea of the team's experience and expertise.
Well known people should go first.
Don't list people who have not officially signed!
Note that the investor is investing in a business. The business team is very important and distinct from the artistic team.

Section 3: The Film(s)

Only the most important information about your proposed film(s).
This is not the place for a synopsis.
Indicate notable artistic attachments (director, actor, producer) -- no bios though.
Don't list people who have not officially signed!

Optional Section: The Industry

What's the health of the film industry at the box office, ticketing, indie, mainstream?
For investors that are less savvy they will need this section to assess whether film is a good investment for them in general.

Section 4: The Market

What are the target markets for your specific film(s) and products.
Demographics and numbers around your market. Be specific.
What self marketing methods can you use and how valuable will they be?

Section 5: Distribution

Worst answer: we will get distribution.
If you have distribution already list the names, but only those that have really signed!
We have interest is good PR but bad business planning.
Describe your knowledge for how distribution will work for this specific film(s) you are making.
Give reasons and show your knowledge in the area of distribution.

Section 6: Financial Highlights

This summarizes all the financial information in your plan.
Summary of projected profit and loss over five years (especially for a multi-film plan)
Always qualify expressions of future gain with one of these words: projection, forecast, and estimate

Section 7: Investment Opportunity

Always include how much money you want -- people leave that out all to often.
Do not keep it a secret.
How will investors get their money back?

My 5 Pro Tips:
#1 Don't list people who have not officially signed. Interest doesn't count either.
#2 Less is more. Get it down to 1 page.
#3 Do not deviate from the path of the outline you have already chosen for your full business plan.
#4 Anything you say here has to appear in more detail somewhere else in the proposal.
#5 Meaningless generalizations in the summary will lead investors to believe they will find them in the rest of the plan. Don't do it.

Why Innovation Centers Fail

2010-08-09T10:05:00.004-05:00

Innovation is inherently difficult because the innovations have never been made before. There's no guidebook, rulebook, or template. Organizations can only execute to determine if a solution will work or not. Most organizations are poor at innovation. Why? They usually don't have confidence in the process of grinding it out, and they are unwilling to let a project fail fast (or even accept mistakes). Without mistakes and failure nothing is learned to inform the next project or next possible solution set. Without the support and resources to make mistakes and fail, innovation will not occur. Here are some of the other reasons an "Innovation Center" (whether they be academic, corporate, or public) can easily fall short.

Legal Problems.
Legal clarity is important. However, in the innovation game, there's plenty of data that shows that confidentiality agreements and onerous contracts early in the process do not protect anyone, and only waste time and energy. Furthermore, innovation departments often need to chart new paths for organizations and partners where law has not been thoroughly established. Innovation is inherently new.
Counter action:
1) Realize that it is best to look backward with legal, not forward in an innovation center.
2) Consider open sourcing all solutions and publish the results for others across the globe to use and replicate.

Fiscal Flexibility in Bureaucracies or the Public Sector.
Getting bids and utilizing selection criteria that mask the traits of innovative contractors diminishes innovation center efficacy. Agility and failing fast are necessary in effective innovation offices because technology changes every three months or so. If the bidding process takes three months on average to process then everyone loses. Using small amounts of money quickly is rewarded with feedback that either signals success or failure. The ability to transfer money and make decisions quickly is tough in bureaucracies.
Counter action:
1) Generally a few methods exist to support flexibility but these will need the direct support of the head of the organization (think President).
2) No bid contracts and using public corporations or foundations (used more in public university settings) to issue money.

Placing Innovation under a Rock.
Crazy. Foolish. Wasteful. Defiant. Infringing. These words will be use to describe all of the activities of innovation centers and more. Other departments and leaders in the organization will invariably not support innovation activities because innovations eventually mean change. Stopping actions in the innovation center through many methods prevents change from coming for these leaders and employees. We generally call these change prevention practices and they lead to failure of innovation centers.
Counter action:
1) The most successful innovation centers report to the CEO, Mayor, or head of the organization and him/her alone. Nesting the innovation center or having it report to two or more leaders invariable stifles innovation.
2) Normal rules cannot apply to the innovation group. By its very nature the innovation group needs to operate in an environment that has no rules. It needs to be protected to flourish – otherwise the planted seeds will be “crushed” before germination.
3) Change prevention teams work to reduce adoption of proven solutions killing the return on investment in research and development; the only counter point is the support from the head of the organization to adopt.

Coordinated or Unorganized Change Prevention Teams.
Change prevention teams will be present during all phases of project development and adoption. It is very easy to say no – it means less effort and time for the department being changed or people being acted on.
Counter action:
Reward risk and provide incentives for people to change and work with the innovation department.

Adoption.
When handing off a successful project, innovation departments often find that the final resting place for an innovation will resist adopting the solution because they were not included in the development of the solution. It happens a lot in major companies all the time. This kills the return on the research and development investment.
Counter action:
1) Create innovation liaisons in each department to provide input throughout the development of innovation project.
2) Create incentives for adoption.

Accepting Failure.
Innovation is about taking risks and seeing the results. If failure is not an acceptable outcome, then you aren’t risking anything and you will only be making incremental changes rather than innovating. Incremental change is not innovation; it is development. To double the real successes in innovation centers, you need to double the failure rate. Furthermore, failing at a slow rate wastes time and organization money.
Counter action:
1) Rapid prototyping with constant feedback loops is the best route to success.
2) Kill bad projects early when the writing is on the wall and learn from them.
3) Give away the success and failures so that others may learn from the projects.
4) Publically acknowledge failures along sides success to support cultural change.
5) Reward good failures equal to good successes.

Not Expecting Success.
Day-to-day the innovation needs to focus on how the organization will look when it gets it right. Most of this can be solved with vision. It is hard to innovate without a distinct purpose and passion.
Counter action:
1) Create an innovation agenda
2) Issue “Grand Challenges” to focus on what the future looks like when the innovation center succeeds

Disciplinary Focus.
Innovations occur at the intersection of disciplines. Innovation offices need a group of innovators from all walks of life. Only having programmers or only having engineers will perpetuate incremental changes.
Counter action:
1) Interdisciplinary teams will succeed more than singularly focused teams. This means having different team members from many disciplines on the team.
2) Especially in less technologically focused organizations, select those individuals that are high on execution and have knowledge of the scientific method.

Killing Enthusiasm.
Exploring the unknown is tough because more is at stake than money. Bravery, initiative, and excitement are also on the line. Capturing energy, amplifying it, and building on new ideas is the order of the day. Innovation centers that have poor morale take ideas and make them smaller, instead of making them bigger. This changes the return on investment.
Counter action:
1)Select innovators with high energy, self starting mentalities.
2) Accept that when innovators dream big they seem crazy and other leaders in the organization will treat them as such.

The Value of an Idea.
There is not a shortage of ideas in innovation centers. In bad innovation centers there is a shortage of execution. Successful innovation teams build and build fast to prove something out and then go back and sort out the details and polish it up. They do not design silver bullets. They find real bullets at the end of the process and polish them up into silver bullets.
Counter action:
1) Take quick small actions early in the process on multiple fronts using an options management philosophy. This will catalyze execution early on a project.
2) Get feedback early and often during rapid prototyping stage.

Teams are not created equal.
Innovation centers will often be asked to partner with another department to help it innovate. Not all departments are created equal. Innovation departments need to work with proven partners that have change momentum.
Counter action:
1) If a department is not oriented for change it is best to conclude a project early but respectfully if it does not meet a threshold of innovation culture.
2) Be mindful of resource allocation and human capital expenditure when partnering. If the contributions are not equally with the innovation center giving more, then re-evaluate the project.

Who Decides?
It does not make sense to work on a line of innovation unless it is clear in advance who must say yes to adopt it. As discussed in the section change prevention teams, we know everyone can say no.
Counter action:
Innovation centers need to intentionally limit the number of people who are allowed to weigh in and are clear to themselves and their potential partners about exactly who can (and must) give the go ahead.

Not Measuring.
There cannot be success without deciding how success is defined on a project-by-project basis. Each project will be different. Money is often used as a measuring tool, but in innovation departments, alternative measures need to be included as well.
Counter action:
1) When project is scoped, the innovation center needs to define the measures that can be used to determine the extent or degree of success.
2) Leaders and decision makers need to agree to the measures and communicate them to stake holders in advance.

Bad Process.
Bad innovation centers waste time in endless meetings with random vendors and internal naysayers and even hassle about tiny details up front. They do not actually get things done.
Counter action:
1) Good innovation centers have an agenda and a project manager's understanding of what it means to get things done.
2) They publish the process and share it with anyone who wants to know.

Poor Context.
You cannot create value in a vacuum. Yet organizations do not provide the specific context for innovation occur.
Counter action:
1) Build co-working environments and project spaces for the innovation office.
2) Avoid traditional office trappings and introduce objects that encourage “play”.
3) Silo or separate the innovation team to remove social and other pressures not to build sweeping solutions.

Phantom Works -- Proposed Accelerator Model

2010-07-31T17:15:00.000-05:00

Investors should consider the seeding of multiple, concurrent ventures in order to take advantage of the confluence of technology and talent in their cities. Traditionally overlooked regions such as the Nashville, Memphis, or Little Rock area have a serious opportunity to seed new ventures.

How do you successfully seed multiple ventures concurrently? Work on pre-seed stage technology ventures simultaneously and rapidly incubate them. A few modest successes would have a tremendous impact and provide necessary returns to investors.

Phantom Works Method

Target Businesses
The organization will be targeted towards businesses that meet the following criteria:
a. Can be developed, launched and operated (at least initially) by a small team of highly capable, actively involved founders.
b. Initial start-up expenditures less than $200K and likely less than that.
c. Can be ramped up and brought to market quickly.

Stages of Incubation
Stage 1: Proof of Concept
If approved, the business team will receive a $10,000 promissory note. The funds will be used to establish the project’s viability within 4-6 weeks through refinement of the business plan, creation of a technology roadmap and the design and development of a product prototype. This first round will be structured as debt to ensure the team’s active participation in the incubation process. If the project fails to pass this stage, but the team exhibits active, good faith participation (including the project postmortem), the debt will be forgiven.

Stage 2: Viability Assessment
The business plan, technology roadmap and prototype are presented to a review board for assessment. The board will review the proof of concept and ultimately decide whether or not to fund the project to the next stage.

Stage 3: Development
i. Product development will proceed in quarterly funding iterations. At the beginning of each quarter, the team will receive a round of funding in exchange for a minor portion of equity, in accordance with a pre-determined funding schedule.
ii. Phantom Works will provide shared office space and resources for member companies.
iii. Every 14 days, the team will be required to provide a regular status update, including:
1. Live demonstration of new product development
2. Roadmap review and estimates for the next status update
3. The teams will be assessed for success, setbacks, and overcoming challenges in a timely manner.

Stage 4: Launch or Scrub
i. Launch: Within a predetermined timeframe (ideally 3-6 months), the product should be released and get to dollar one. Once launched, revenue milestones will be tracked and managed accordingly.
ii. Scrub: If the team is unable to successfully launch, the board will decide to scrub the project. In this event, all active members of the business team and associated mentors will be required to participate in a post-mortem activity (as required by the terms of the initial loan and subsequent funding rounds). The purpose of the postmortem will be to identify factors that contributed to the project’s failure and use the information learned to mitigate risk to future teams. Furthermore, it is designed to help the teams reform and start again on a new startup as possible, quickly.

Reason for Method
The process is designed for the startups to fail fast, and build strong experienced startup teams that can be serial entrepreneurs. Unlike traditional investment banking and venture capital models, the goal is to quickly incubate lots of businesses with an expectation to get several successes. Rather than pour large sums of money into a handful of businesses in the hopes that one will be a billion-dollar lottery ticket, this model is designed to spawn many, successful businesses that can have an adequate market impact to attract either acquirers or venture investors.

City Ventures -- My Proposed Program for Creative Venturing

2010-07-30T17:11:00.002-05:00

Synopsis: For the cost of one job saved in Shelby County, Tennessee by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ($1,381,502.90), City Ventures could empower ~100 individuals to make their own creative industry job in film, music, visual art, or high growth business startup by becoming entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs would, on average, create 4 additional jobs in each of the next 5 years as their business expands. Beyond the economic impact, the social and cultural impact for the city would be profound. Exemplars, data, and other indicators show that small investments in creatives coupled with cohort experiential programs, do far more for a city’s future than other methods. Extensive research shows that entrepreneurs are made, not born.

Description: City Ventures would be the first experimental city venturing program that focuses emerging creative talent on constructing their own economic opportunity in four areas: film, music, visual arts, or high growth business startup. Learning by doing, prototyping, and other experience-based approaches produce real returns, but are often discouraged due to fear of failure. This fear stifles innovation, entrepreneurship, and cultural activity. We can reverse this trend, embrace risk, and enable our creative citizens to build entrepreneurial ventures for the first time in their lives with an inexpensive investment of money, resources, education, and systemic accountability. The short-term return is cultural vibrancy. As creative individuals learn to monetize their creative product, the long-term outcome is economic productivity and retained talent in a city that faces creative talent erosion.

In Practice: City Ventures would employ a cohort program of industry specific milestones, mentoring, peer collaboration, culminating demonstrations and unveilings, along with entrepreneurship lessons in each of the 4 creative focus areas. The participants will make real products appropriate to their industry (i.e. filmmakers make films), while learning and implementing strategies for monetizing their products in the real world. Too often economic realities, such as paying rent, can derail entrepreneurial action. To insure that participation is unfettered by these issues, small monetary stipends or investments are coupled with the “tough love” program -- approximately $15,000 per creative venture plus a system of accountability. There are strong indicators that small investments with cohort programs act as a major catalyst in technology and arts entrepreneurship programs (TechStars, Y-Combinator, Bizdom U, CreateHere). City Ventures extends these successful models.

The Math: To run this venturing program in each of the four areas would be comparatively cheap with high economic impact:

4 Areas of Creative Entrepreneurial Action

x 10 Groups of 1-3 People per Area

x $15,000 per group

$600,000 in Total Direct Investment

+ $600,000 Program Operating Cost (Estimated)

$1,200,000 Total City Ventures Budget

or Less than the cost of one saved job in Shelby County

On average, City Ventures would impact ~100 individuals in each year of operation and empower them to “be their own boss,” while pursuing their passion. After 3 years, the ~300 creatives would have a major cultural influence, while simultaneously contributing economically. Every dollar invested is expected to return ten or more in economic impact.

“New School” Economic Policy: Economic development policy that focuses on persuading existing businesses to relocate or enticing a big studio to film in your city is good PR. However, such a policy ignores a much bigger opportunity: transforming creative talent into home-grown creative businesses/industries. Transforming existing talent into creative entrepreneurial ventures provides lasting social and cultural returns, and utilizes the human capital that is already present in our cities.

Shelby County, Tennessee has received nearly $478 million in ARRA funding. The number of jobs saved to date with this money is 346 (Memphis Business Journal). That equals $1,381,502.90 per job saved. For the cost of one job saved, City Ventures could empower approximately 100 creative, entrepreneurially minded individuals to create their own jobs and as their business grows, to create even more.

The City Ventures’ model is based on over 30 years of economic data, which proves that individuals betting on themselves, and the city in which they live, will create more jobs with remarkable efficiency, especially when public and private systems invest in individuals. Extensive research by the Kauffman Foundation has shown that entrepreneurs are in fact made, and not born.

National Facts (Kauffman Foundation)

Fact 1: Over the past 30 years, young companies (0-5 years old) have accounted for more than two-thirds of all net new jobs.

Fact 2: Each young company creates an average of 4 jobs every year.

Fact 3: Since 1977, without startup companies, net job creation for the American economy would be negative in all but a handful of years (meaning we would have lost more jobs than we created over the past 30+ years).

Memphis Facts (Smart City)

Fact 1: On average three to five 25-35 year olds including our creative talent leave Memphis each day searching for a better opportunity or lifestyle.

Fact 2: On average three middle income families leave Memphis each day as they look for cultural and economic opportunity that builds hope for all citizens.

Fact 3: Contributing to a loss of hope: 35% of Memphians are unemployed or have been without work for so long that they have stopped looking.

Fact 4: Cost of Loss of Hope: A Year in Prison ($30K+), A Year of Welfare ($20K+)

Fact 5: ~$14K: Average startup costs in film, visual arts, music, or high growth business

Why Memphis? Why Now? Every citizen desires a chance to do something great with their life, yet few cities provide outlets that empower individuals to be bold in art, film, music, or high growth business startups. The greatest economic tool ever invented is applied entrepreneurship, regardless of industry. Entrepreneurs in the creative industries don't just do it to become rich; they do it to build creative products that can influence their community and society.

Closing Summary: City Ventures will enable emerging talent to bet on themselves, their city, and their innovative ideas, without fear. Creative entrepreneurship will yield positive social, cultural, and economic returns for the city smart enough to empower its citizens.

"Why not start a city creative capital venturing fund – virtually unheard of in other cities.”

– Eric Mathews, LaunchMemphis – eric <@> launchmemphis.com

Smart City Memphis Blog Post: New Heroes

2010-02-15T20:08:00.002-06:00

Take a look at my blog post on Smart City Memphis on Entrepreneurs, the Memphis Economy and Our Culture.

http://www.smartcitymemphis.com/2010/02/new-heroes-entrepreneurs-our-economy-and-our-culture/

Here are the quick hit facts in the article as a teaser:
Fact 1: Over the past 30 years, young companies have accounted for a massive amount of all net jobs (more than two-thirds).
Fact 2: Each young company creates an average of 4 jobs every year.
Fact 3: Since 1977, without startup companies, net job creation for the American economy would be negative in all but a handful of years (meaning we would have lost more jobs than we created over the past 30+ years).

Embarking on Social Expedition

2010-01-10T13:13:00.001-06:00

Eric Mathews was featured in the Commercial Appeal this past week for his presentation at the Social Media Expedition breakfast. For entrepreneurs hoping to address the broadest marker possible, Mathews talked about light social as a pathway for 2010.

To read more go here: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jan/07/embarking-on-social-expedition/

Commercial Appeal
Embarking on Social Expedition
By James Dowd
Posted January 7, 2010 at midnight

The Backup Bedside Gun Rack for Home Protection

2009-11-25T18:14:00.001-06:00

I have been consulting recently with a firm looking for new innovative ways to market their product online. The product is called The Backup and it is the only gun rack that I have found that puts you in the position to protect your home from an intruder from your bed in a matter of a second. Other methods for home invasion are just not going to work when you are sleeping in bed.

Anyway, I'm happy to help this company out in thinking in new ways. Let me know what you think.

There is a video of it here on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsV50T5uEyw&feature=player_embedded

You can buy it online for $39.95 with free shipping and handling in case you are interested: http://www.home-backup-protection.com/buy/shopping_cart.php

I have placed a description of the product below. If you have any ideas on how to market it uniquely (dare I say virally) then please comment back or email me.

--

The Back-Up is a rack that allows you to keep your shotgun within easy reach. Many people keep their guns on a bed stand, under a bed, in a closet or standing in a corner. However, none of these locations are safe because they do not give you easy access to your defensive tool when you really need it. Protection is effective only when it is readily available and easily used. Our unique patented design gives you quick and easy access to your protective device, while conveniently staying out of the way.

Great Opportunity for Mid-South Non-Profit Leader

2009-11-03T00:01:00.001-06:00

Just read this in the Memphis Daily News here: http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?type=digest&date=11/2/2009

Inner Circle to Sponsor Nonprofit Exec. Membership

Inner Circle of the Mid-South will sponsor one membership for a local nonprofit executive through its "Join the Inner Circle" scholarship program.

Nonprofit executives are invited to submit a video entry describing their organization, its mission and why an Inner Circle membership would be beneficial to achieving that mission.

Entries should be submitted by Friday at http://join.theinnercircle.com. The three finalists will be notified Nov. 16 to set up personal interviews. The winner will be announced Dec. 7.

Inner Circle is an international peer advisory group franchise. It serves as an interactive think tank, offering monthly facilitated peer group sessions for business owners and executives to provide insights, experiences, connections and advice.

The membership is valued at $5,800.

For more information, visit www.innercirclemidsouth.com.

Stax Founder on why Sk8Mud

2009-05-12T21:04:00.001-05:00

Great articulation. Have to post it here and then tweet it out.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

From: sherman
Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 16:12:57 -0700 (PDT)
To: <eric.mathews@gmail.com>
Subject: [The Gates of Memphis] New comment on SK8Mud.

sherman has left a new comment on the post "SK8Mud":

When we were working on raising money for the Stax Museum, I met with a suburban banker--much like Skatelife meets with people behind the scenes all the time. He insisted we should build the Stax Museum not on its original site, but on Beale St. where "the people were." This was inconsistent with our vision for building a monument to the greatest soul record label on its original site.

The reason why you would build a skatepark on the 100 year empty spot at the end of mud island is it would be a major worldwide attraction for skaters from all over the world to "skate on the Mississippi." This would be the only spot on the largest river in the U.S. to skate. It would be a major visitor draw to Memphis & Mud Island, unlike the current situation. Memphis & regional skaters would also be able to enjoy this amenity in droves.

There is no reason why a cafe or snack bar cannot work there. In fact, I would love to be able to grab a bite to eat, a coffee or beer, and watch the skaters there. It will be an awesome experience for those who want to sit on the floating dock & watch from Beale St. too.

Joggers can currently use that space. So can walkers. Very few do.

Post a comment.

Unsubscribe to comments on this post.

Posted by sherman to The Gates of Memphis at 6:12 PM

Sk8Mud Info

2009-05-12T14:42:00.001-05:00

This gives you a look at the Sk8 Park on Mud Island -- I hope that we can get the Sk8 Park built there and have a culminating experience such as hosting the X-Games upon completion.

http://skateparkformemphis.blogspot.com/2009/05/skatelife-memphis-take-on-phase-i-mud.html

For more on the debate on both sides see the Gates of Memphis Blog:

http://gatesofmemphis.blogspot.com/2009/05/sk8mud.html

Mercury Supporting LaunchMemphis and Entrepreneurship at TechFuel

2009-04-20T14:47:00.001-05:00

Mercury Technology Labs proudly supports LaunchMemphis and the TechFuel to be held Thursday.

What happens when you
--fly in two top thinkers in innovation, culture, technology, and media for a panel discussion,
--retain the services of an international renown DJ,
--serve up good food and drink,
--get great supporters of entrepreneurship like Southern Growth Studios and MPACT Memphis
--and invite entrepreneurs, technologists, and new media mavens to chill for two hours?

You get the extravaganza LaunchMemphis calls TechFuel.

I hope you will take the time to join us, Adrian Ho, C.C. Chapman, and DJ Mr. White for an evening unlike any other served up in Memphis. The event will be held Thursday, April 23rd from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at EmergeMemphis (516 Tennessee Street, Memphis, TN). It will be a great time for you to meet with your fellow technology, social media, and startup enthusiasts. There is no cost to attend, but we ask that you RSVP on Facebook here http://www.facebook.com/events.php#/event.php?eid=74847833872 or to techfuel@launchmemphis.com.

About the Speakers

Adrian Ho, Founding Partner, Zeus Jones (Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area)
Adrian Ho is a founding partner at Zeus Jones. At Zeus Jones we believe actions speak louder than words, that modern brands are defined by what they do not what they say. We built our company around these beliefs. A company where strategy, creativity, design, digital expertise and user-experience flow directly into each other to solve business problems. Adrian was formerly director of strategic planning at Fallon in Minneapolis. Prior to that, Adrian worked at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and at Anderson & Lembke both in San Francisco. Adrian's thinking has been recognized by the IPA and EFFIEs. He is a former AAAA account planning committee member and co-chair of the national planning awards program. Adrian is a regular speaker and writes about the evolution in brands and branding along with developments in technology at http://zeusjones.com/blog.
Web: http://www.zeusjones.com
Video: http://www.vimeo.com/384568
Blog: http://zeusjones.blogspot.com/

C.C. Chapman, Co-founder and Managing Partner, The Advanced Guard (Greater Boston Area)
C.C. Chapman is a new media maven and digital dad living in the Metro Boston area who loves public speaking and working with people to understand the future of media. He is the Co-Founder and a Managing Partner of The Advance Guard. Formed in October 2007, The Advance Guard is a new media consultancy that creates radical marketing programs using emerging technology and community platforms. With offices in New York and Boston, their clients include American Eagle Outfitters, Coca-Cola, HBO, Verizon FiOS, Warner Bros and St. Martin¹s Press.
Web: Advanced Guard: http://www.theadvanceguard.com/
Blog and Podcast: Managing the Gray Blog: http://www.managingthegray.com/
Whitepaper on New Facebook: http://www.theadvanceguard.com/about_face_white_paper/

Mathews: Speaking at UrbaNexus Event in Memphis

2009-03-19T12:05:00.001-05:00

Join Next American City from March 19 in MEMPHIS as we present the next installment of our URBANEXUS series! Full details below.

the SALON: The New Face of Civic Engagement

March 19, 6-8:30 PM
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
926 McLemore Avenue, Memphis

Join Next American City for the next installment in our URBANEXUS series. The salon will feature a collaboration between seven local representatives discussing the role of civic engagement in moving Memphis forward. Each presenter will use 4 slides per minute for 4 minutes to share how their organizations are making creative approaches toward civic engagement. An audience Q&A and a reception will immediately follow the presentations.

Admission is free for all attendees. RSVP and subscribe now at americancity.org/urbanexus/memphis.

Gwyn R. Fisher joined MPACT Memphis as Executive Director in August 2008. While previously serving as a law clerk, Gwyn published several articles on changes to the bankruptcy laws and helped implement a financial literacy training program in area high schools. She has served on the University of Memphis Law Review and is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Memphis’ FastTrack Program. She has also worked with Common Ground Memphis, Greater Memphis Greenline and United Methodist Neighborhood Center’s Refugee Relocation Program.

Eric Mathews is a devoted community member with interests in changing entrepreneurship and community engagement in the Mid-South region of the United States. He is the co-founder of Mercury Technology Labs LLC, a for-profit venture creation company and is also the co-founder of LaunchMemphis, a non-profit organization to support spontaneous entrepreneurial action.

Cardell Orrin does a broad range of community-based consulting through his company, Linx Consulting. In 2004, he co-founded New Path Political Action Committee, to get more people engaged and involved in the political process. Since that time, New Path PAC has helped a diverse set of 13 candidates run for a broad range of local offices.

Tim Sampson is the Communications Director for the Soulsville Foundation, the nonprofit parent company that operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy and The Soulsville Charter School. He began work with the organization as a public relations consultant in 1998 with the Ewarton Board of Directors. He is the founding editor of The Memphis Flyer and former editor of Memphis magazine. He has been a freelance journalist for 20 years.

Derwin Sisnett is the Executive Director of the Power Center CDC, a Community Development Corporation in the Hickory Hill community. Aware of the social, economic and educational needs of Hickory Hill, the Power Center CDC recently sponsored and developed Power Center Academy (PCA), a charter middle school that focuses on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and high technology. The Power Center CDC partners with regional and national organizations to support the needs of the Hickory Hill community.

John Weeden is the Executive Director of UrbanArt, a non-profit organization dedicated to building a dynamic, vibrant and nurturing community through public art and design. He is a graduate of Rhodes College, the Sotheby’s Institute and the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College, with a concentration on contemporary art. His approach to civic engagement stresses the direct participation of communities expressing their identity and vision for the future through art and design elements in the public realm.

Other participants include Dr. Charlie Santo of Coalition for Livable Communities and a representative from Sustainable Shelby.

Special thanks to our local sponsors, MPACT Memphis, Sustainable Shelby and the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, and to our partners, Urban Land Institute, Coalition for Livable Communities and Community Development Council.

people + place + ideas + discussion + food + drink + people + place + ideas + discussion + food + drink + people + place + ideas + discussion + food + drink

Mathews: Speaking at UrbaNexus Event in Memphis

2009-03-19T12:04:00.001-05:00

Join Next American City from March 19 in MEMPHIS as we present the next installment of our URBANEXUS series! Full details below.

the SALON: The New Face of Civic Engagement

March 19, 6-8:30 PM
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
926 McLemore Avenue, Memphis

Admission is free for all attendees. RSVP and subscribe now at americancity.org/urbanexus/memphis.

Other participants include Dr. Charlie Santo of Coalition for Livable Communities and a representative from Sustainable Shelby.

people + place + ideas + discussion + food + drink + people + place + ideas + discussion + food + drink + people + place + ideas + discussion + food + drink

Memphis Startup nRange: Free GPS Rangefinder for Golf

2009-03-18T11:56:00.002-05:00

Memphis has a new startup on the scene with product rolling out. A friend of mine has developed a Golf GPS rangefinder app that runs on your Blackberry called nRange. The app has comparable accuracy to the Sky Caddie devices that cost hundreds of dollars. The app is still free, since they are still testing it. If you want to learn more, go to http://www.nRange.com

Blog Post on MemphisConnect

2009-02-17T12:13:00.001-06:00

I wrote a blog post on MemphisConnect.com on the Entrepreneurial Support Agencies in Memphis. Here is a link. Enjoy!
http://www.memphisconnect.com/2009/02/15/memphis-entreprenuerial-support/

The Gates of Memphis: Failure in 2009

2009-01-06T00:03:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Roy for believing in LaunchMemphis and the "fail fast" methods the we try to instill in the community.

The Gates of Memphis: Failure in 2009

Startups: It is THE Time to Get Talent

2008-12-30T17:10:00.001-06:00

All kidding aside now is a great time to find the talent you need to turn your concepts into corporations.

Memphis IT Growth: Genesis Network Expanding

2008-12-15T17:28:00.001-06:00

I recently provided a quote on the growth of Genesis Network in Memphis, TN in the latest edition of the Memphis Business Journal

Genesis Network to use Cisco certification as launching pad for ambitious growth plan - Memphis Busi
Source: Memphis Business Jounral

Fertile Ground: Where Would Elvis Co-Work?

2008-12-05T15:57:00.002-06:00

Memphis is becoming fertile ground today for spontaneous entrepreneurial action. With major events focused on entrepreneurship such as BarCamp, Startup Weekend, and the LaunchMemphis Investment Forum, the cohesiveness that cannot be achieved with formal commercial events or trade groups is being built at low cost creating big effects. But that is not all that is occurring.

The latest success of the startup ethos comes in the rise of co-working space at EmergeMemphis, the tech business incubator in Memphis. Housed within the four story building of EmergeMemphis (used to be the old Royal Furniture warehouse), you will find the Mercury Launchpad, the first co-working space in Memphis designed with digital nomads in mind. When you enter the space you are engulfed with the cool design of Steelcase furniture and the creative reuse of the brick and wood timber building. One of the better kept secrets is that quite a few Memphis new tech startups have visited or are presently using the Launchpad on their road from concept to corporation, including most recently Resolute Games. In the past year the Launchpad has been home to a retired NFL player looking at startup, a financial modeling consultancy, emerging social media service, and many more.

So where would The King co-work? Maybe the Launchpad -- maybe not. However, if you are The King of Digital Nomads, you should be at the Launchpad.

My MEMPHIS IS...

2008-11-24T22:58:00.001-06:00

Here is a well done video talking about living in Memphis, TN. Spread the Secret -- Memphis is a Great Place to Live.

Evan's Biz Idea for Magazine Butler -- Shea's Pitch

2008-11-24T22:28:00.002-06:00

Startups moving and shaking in Memphis

2008-11-23T18:08:00.001-06:00

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Web Futures discussed at Arcade Restaurant-Memphis

2008-11-20T13:44:00.002-06:00

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Via utterli

2008-11-20T13:41:00.001-06:00

Had a nice session this morning with Marc and Josh. We continue to look at the market opportunity in front of us with cautious optimism. Hopeful the technology team in India will serve us well. Just waiting on a proposal that we can act on. Here's a pic of Josh -- personal trainer turned web entrepreneur.

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Via utterli

2008-11-19T22:36:00.001-06:00

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Via utterli

2008-11-19T22:32:00.001-06:00

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Testing again

2008-11-19T22:29:00.001-06:00

This is a test of how I would post from my new phone.

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Test of multimedia in utterli via mobile

2008-11-19T22:19:00.001-06:00

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Creative Conversations . . . Hope they will continue.

2008-11-10T15:06:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Roy Barnes aka Gates of Memphis for continuing the Creative Conversation dialog.

Visit his blog post on the event for full coverage of the event complete with audio files.

http://gatesofmemphis.blogspot.com/2008/10/memphis-creative-conversation.html

Zannel vs Utterli vs Twitter

2008-11-09T20:17:00.001-06:00

Finding it tough to keep up with all these networks and all the communications.

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Via utterli

2008-11-07T21:47:00.001-06:00

We have 96 people signed up for BarCamp Memphis . . . Holy Cow!!!! #bcmem

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Via utterli

2008-11-07T16:09:00.001-06:00

89 folks are now signed up for BarCamp Memphis...crazy ground swell. It is going to BIG #bcmem

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Attendance at BarCamp Memphis Growing

2008-11-07T13:34:00.001-06:00

87 People are now signed up for BarCamp Memphis #bcmem

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Current swag list - BarCamp Memphis 2008

2008-11-04T20:55:00.006-06:00

Swag Sisters have done a great job for BarCamp Memphis -- a nice haul for our attendees. Fire up your tweet & blog engines and get to BarCamp Memphis this weekend.

Door Prizes:
* Southwest Community College - free class, and they'll have a table at the event with more giveaway items. Their web site is http://www.southwest.tn.edu/.
* Memphis Pizza Café - 20 free pizza coupons. Their web site is http://www.memphispizzacafe.com/.
* Newk's Café - two meals for two. Their web site is http://www.newkscafe.com/.
* Corky's BBQ - barbecue gift pack - sauces; their web site is http://www.corkysbbq.com/.
* Zannel.com - Flip camera, USB drive, T-shirt, and stickers. Their web site is http://www.zannel.com.
* IttyBiz.com - Online access to Naomi Dunford's SEO School and Online Business School, a new product launching Nov. 12. Her site is http://ittybiz.com/.
* Seth Godin - two signed copies of his book, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us. Seth's site is http://sethgodin.com/sg/.
* Tee Morris - one of his books about podcasting (not sure which one he's sending -- just say "podcasting book from Tee Morris, the co-author of Podcasting for Dummies and Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies." His website is http://teemorris.com/.
* Penelope Trunk - her book, Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success. Her website is http://penelopetrunk.com/.
* Guy Kawasaki - his book, Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition; his site is http://www.guykawasaki.com/.
* Michael Martine, of Remarkablogger Blog Consulting Services: 60-minute business consultation by phone. His site is: http://www.michaelmartine.com.

Swag bags:
* Fred's - the bags themselves; also, hand sanitizer. Their site is http://www.fredsinc.com/.
* Joe Spake of Revid Realty - pens; his web site is http://www.revidrealty.com/ [or should it be http://www.spake.com? Or both? I couldn't get the spake.com site to load. - cb]
* DocuMart - notepads. Their site is http://documart.com/.
* Smoothie King - buy one/get one free coupons. Their site is http://www.smoothieking.com/.
* WordPress.com - pencils, stickers, temporary tattoos, and buttons. Their site is http://wordpress.com/.
* VACO Technology - drink holders (cozies). Their site is http://www.vaco.com.

Giveaways At BarCamp Memphis

2008-11-04T09:27:00.001-06:00

Here is a listing of the free stuff that will be given away at BarCamp Memphis.

-Flip Camera provided by Zannel.com

-Zannel T-Shirt

-Wordpress buttons, temp tattoos, pens

-Memphis Pizza Cafe gift certificates

-One course at Southwest TN Community College

-USB Drive from Zannel

-Smoothie King Coupons

-Fred's Eco-Bags

-Dinner for two at Newk's Cafe

That's in addition to other items plus you get

-Free Red Bull all day

-Free lunch

-Free snacks

-Free WiFi

And this is only what I remember. Be there for all this plus the knowledge exchange and networking.

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Sunday Recap

2008-11-03T00:51:00.001-06:00

Day turned out very nice . . . extra hour of sleep, brunch downtown, and then off to the Ballet. It was my first time to the Orpheum and my first time to a Ballet Memphis performance. After that we went down to the RiverArtsFest. All-in-all a very nice way to spend a beautiful day in downtown in Memphis, TN.

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Via utterli

2008-10-31T11:41:00.001-05:00

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Recap of the Day

2008-10-29T01:17:00.001-05:00

Had a consult with Rotary Club ED looking to upgrade to social media. Got to meet Coach John Calipari. Had a session with Jerry Ivery about LaunchMemphis student engagement. Then a LaunchMemphis board meeting. Car reached 100,000 miles on the way to Soccer. Won the soccer game 2-0 but pulled my hamstring. Now working and going to bed.

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BarCamp Memphis November 8th (Pre-Event on 7th)

2008-10-27T00:44:00.001-05:00

Calling all thought leaders - BarCamp Memphis is coming: http://tinyurl.com/5cboyo - Thanks to Bob for the post.

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Open Sourcing My Answers for Creative Conversations

2008-10-22T17:41:00.001-05:00

I been asked to serve on a panel tonight called Creative Conversations at the Memphis College of Art sponsored by MPACT Memphis. Here are the advanced questions that I answered in order to prepare for tonight. I’m open sourcing this so others can participate in the dialog.

Q - Charles Landry, author of The Creative City, said in Memphis a few years ago that we should think of our city as a living work of art, where people engage in the creation of a transformed place. If you had the power to do three things that would make creativity a greater force in Memphis, what would they be?

1) Focus on funding grassroots arts organizations

2) Focus on funding grassroots entrepreneurial initiatives

3) Support competitions for both emerging artists and emerging entrepreneurs – business plan competitions and Class of ’07 – Why? Because feedback is important – early and often to sharpen the creative activity underway.

Q – In your mind, what are the fundamental elements for success in the creative economy? How have they played out in your own work?

Creativity comes from the individual – it is not a top-down thing. Provide easy points of access that empower the individual. Insure that they are aware of the resources in the community to support their work. Two problems facing emerging creatives are 1) the barriers to entry set-up by some established organizations and individuals or 2) there simply isn’t an outlet for emerging creatives to display/showcase and get feedback on their efforts.

Q – Based on your personal experience, what is the primary advice that you’d give to someone aspiring to a career in the creative economy?

Asking is free.

It is OK to take risks.

It is OK to fail.

Q – We hear a lot these days about Web 2.0, and creativity and technology have always been defining forces in this regard. What do you think Creativity 2.0 will look like and how do people prepare for its realities?

With the technology tools available the individual is empowered to create a personal brand faster, build audience faster, and get feedback faster. This may lead to a surge in the products of creative in communities; this may lead to quicker emergence of trends and products of the creative class.

Q – Economic development officials talk a lot about Memphis having a 21^st century infrastructure, and by that, they mean highways, airports, fiber optics, and multi-modal transportation systems. However, what infrastructure do creative workers like you need for success?

1) Angel Networks

2) Business Plan Competitions

3) University of culture of entrepreneurship

4) Connectivity to resources from accessible organizations

Q – Peter Hall, in his seminal book, Cities in Civilization, examined 19 cities that defined Western Civilization. One of them was Memphis, and he made the point that the magic of Memphis was a union of creativity and technology. He wrote about our music of the 1950s: It was truly a revolution in attitudes and behavior, as profound as anything that has happened in western society in the last 200 years, and the music, destructive, anarchic, hedonistic, played a central part in it. What adjectives would you use to describe the creativity that exists in Memphis today? If creativity historically came from outsiders, is that still the case in Memphis? If that’s still the case, how does the mainstream or the establishment or whatever you want to call it support creatives in Memphis?

Local establishment is OK if you want incremental changes. Unfortunately our city could use some radical & transformational changes to shake things up. So right now outsiders with unfettered minds are infusing and perhaps supporting creativity more than established organizations. But not all hope is lost . . . the only thing that needs to occur in the local establishment is taking bigger risks with resources instead of low risk bets.

Q – If you were in charge, what would you do to integrate creativity more directly into the life and personality of the city?

Public art (sculptures, gardens, projections), public music ubiquitous, support the grassroots as much as possible – without the roots you can’t have branches with the fruit.

Q – How would you describe Memphis’ attitude toward creatives and creativity?

Pretty good. I think most people understand that creativity is needed for the vibrance and health of our city. I think that the ROI from investing resources in creatives is less understood. If the community could pull together $250,000 for emerging artists, $250,000 for emerging entrepreneurs, $250,000 for emerging musicians in lean grassroots organizations the pay off would 50-100 new business plans in various stages of development each year, 50-100 new emerging artists, and 50-100 new musicians all unfettered by the old thinking creating new innovative offerings for our community that would lead to a large pipeline of creative people and products. Right now these small investments are sidelined for higher and very worthy priorities like education, crime, and healthcare services. But when you compare $250,000 year for 100 new business plans that can create new businesses and new jobs the ROI is HUGE.

Q – The Memphis Talent Magnet report said that we needed to identify distinctive assets and produce peak experiences. What creative peak experiences would you recommend to anyone who wants to know the real creative Memphis?

Lantana’s Class of ’06 and Class of ’07 attracted 500-1000 people and exposed them to creative and emerging visual artists (the what’s next in art), new musical acts, in architectural unique spaces that needed to be transformed themselves for the event – a multi-sensory experience (spatial, visual, acoustic) that produced rave reviews was open to anyone in Memphis a no or very low cost.

Startup Weekend this past May where 100 individuals from our community came together and in 72 hours built a business from scratch.

Q – We seem to be living in an age when people want what they want when they want it and where they want it. They want to co-create and they want to participate. What are the ramifications of this for you in your work? What are the ramifications for Memphis?

We need the infrastructures for co-creation in place. Our efforts in entrepreneurship have focused on a co-working space (low cost Launchpad) and user-generated experiences for co-creation like Startup Weekend and BarCamp. This allows people to create value quickly and collaboratively – it is hard to create value in a vacuum. You have to get out of the home office or studio and interact. People do more value added work together.

Q – What can the public sector do to expand and enhance our creative economy?

Support co-creation junctures in the community. Support ubiquitous art and music by lowering barriers to entry (licenses permits etc).

Q – What are the elements that must be present for Memphis to be competitive in the creative economy? What makes up a creative ecosystem?

“I don’t know how . . .”

Educate them (give people the knowledge and skills to succeed – workshops etc)

“I don’t have the right tools or place to work . . .”

Provide working spaces with the tools (Launchpad, studios, and venues at low or no cost)

“I don’t know who to contact for this or that . . .”

Connect them up (resources connected to the creative folks – investment forums)

“I don’t know what the pathway looks like. . .”

Seek examples that are accessible and visible in the community (call us)

“How do I know what I’m doing is valuable . . .”

Have competitions (incentives encourage risk taking – get feedback – get paid)

Q – The Memphis region is #47 of the largest 50 metros in the percentage of creative workers. What makes you stay in Memphis? What could we do to attract more creative workers?

Include more people in the mix by lower the barriers to entry. This gets back to my grassroots organization and resources argument earlier. An involved population of creatives lays down the roots -- that makes the cost of leaving our city higher than the benefits of going elsewhere.

Q – Of the 50 largest metros, Memphis is #19 on the weirdness index. Just for the record, Austin, whose citizens have bumperstickers that say Keep Austin Weird is only four ahead of us. Do you think Memphis is weird? How does Memphis’ weirdness, its funkiness play into its creativity?

Is Memphis weird? Yes. Homogenous surroundings that don’t challenge the mind, I think will lead to less creativity.

Q – What could we do to make our creative culture more ubiquitous?

Support it more ubiquitously so it touches more people.

Q – Can cities succeed without being creative? What does it mean to be a creative city?

I don’t think so. A creative city has priorities that are focused on the future and on change. The more we can change and create, the better off we all will be.

Q – What are the most important things that Memphis can do to retain and attract talented, creative people?

Invest in our parks – like we are doing in Shelby Farms – but we need that to occur for all our parks. Invest in entrepreneurship, art, and music.

Q – Creativity is the linchpin for a competitive environment, because it connects to distinctiveness and is a precondition for innovation, both of which are vital to success today. How can Memphis be more intentional about using creativity to affect the conditions of distinctiveness and innovation?

I think that this has to emerge from the people and the creatives themselves. The one thing the community could do is be open, accepting, and participate with the creative class. If we inhibit, detract, and don’t participate in the dialog with the creative class then these dimensions will be dulled.

Q – Often, when people hear about creativity, they think of arts and culture. What is the role of arts and culture in creating a climate of creativity?

You need to challenge the mind constantly in order to innovate and create – how do you do that? You have to step outside your box, outside your comfort zone and experience new things – neuroscience has studied this quite a lot. The facts are there. If you want a sharper more creative mind – you need to experience new things. Art and culture are those new things and experiences.

Q – How can Memphis take what is being learned about fostering ideas and creativity in the workplace and apply that to the public realm and to city problem-solving?

You can’t solve problems with the same thinking that created the problems in the first place. We talked about co-creation earlier as important. I would encourage the public and the city to assemble “SWAT” teams of thought leaders, creatives, community and business leaders, etc. to support new thinking and change. Let the data and the evidence guide the change, and let feedback and evidence guide further change. Often times when we assemble teams to solve problems, we get a bunch of people that think the same way we do. This is a trap. You need new thinking to solve problems.

Q – Why is creative thinking and creative problem solving in business so essential today? Why is it essential in the greater Memphis community?

Innovate or Die . . . it is a bold statement, but right now there are companies that are going through this economic downturn that are spending money (instead of hording it in panic) on innovation/organizational change/etc. preparing to roar back to life when the economy picks back up. This is the time when money is made. So in business right now, if you are not changing and innovating and preparing for 6-12 months from now, then you will lose market share when the economy comes back and you will likely not have a business in 12-24 months.

Q – What pieces of advice do you think are most important to anyone who may be thinking about either starting a business in the arts or those who want to contribute to the creative economy in Memphis as a volunteer?

My advice for starting a business is to start now and reach out for feedback early. Many people over think and try to create the perfect product or service and then launch it only to find that they wasted a ton of time, energy, and money for a product or service that nobody wants or will pay for. My advice to any person starting any business is to get to market as quickly and as cheaply as possible with a prototype/first version and get the feedback. Then change until someone is willing to pay you for it.

For volunteers, I’d offer similar advice. Pick an organization try it out. If you like it, stay. If you don’t like it, find a new place. If you want advice on where to start or how to match up your initial interests contact me or the Leadership Academy and we’ll get you connected fast.

Q – What are the common pitfalls or mistakes budding artists make that we all may make in similar ways in our own efforts to market ourselves or start something new?

Ignoring feedback and being generally inflexible. Get feedback early and often. Change and try again as quickly as possible. I avoid people that think they have figured everything out and have all the answers.

Q – How do you come up with new concepts and determine what people will really respond to?

People do more value added work together. That means creating in a vacuum is tough. What do I do then? I get out of my comfort zone and interact and experience new things. I have mantra that helps me do this when I bored or looking for something to do . . . New Places, New Faces. It reminds me to literally seek out some place in the city that I haven’t been to and I go there (new place). Or I will find an experience in the city that will introduce me to people (new faces) that I haven’t met yet. As a result I’m challenged to think differently. With the new places and new faces we can collectively create value together.

Q – How can each Memphian help lift up and enhance the creativity in our city?

Participation is the easiest, cheapest, and best way to lift up the city and creativity. Beyond that invest or encourage investment in creative enterprise in our city.

Q – What are the key questions every aspiring entrepreneur should ask?

For high growth potential businesses which are the ones that have the most creativity associated with them . . .

Most of the questions are about the commitment and capacity of the entrepreneur:

Am I willing to fail and am I betting big enough or taking enough risk in the market place where failure can occur?

Do I have the flexibility of mind to change my offering and my company to meet a market need once I exactly figure out what that need is?

Am I willing to step aside and let some else lead the business to success if I personally do not have the skills, knowledge, or will to carry the business forward or change the business for the better?

The final question is:

What Pain/Problem in the market am I trying to solve? If it is not a pain or a problem of significance then you may want to find something that is painful.

Cory Booker Session Revisited

2008-10-21T14:26:00.004-05:00

Newark Mayor, Cory Booker, came to Memphis to speak before a sell out crowd of 850 people on Friday the October 17th, 2008. It was a fantastic event organized by the Leadership Academy (http://www.leadershipacademy.org) -- inspirational, educational, and entertaining. I had the chance to meet Cory briefly in advance. He is very accessible, down to earth, and sharp guy.

Cory is very serious about positive community change . . . For instance to raise awareness that citizens and leaders in the community should not be tolerant of crime and blight, he lived in public housing projects in Newark's Central Ward and organized tenants there to fight for improved conditions. In November 2006 to support change on Newark's south side, Cory left the projects for an apartment in an area described as "a drug- and gang-plagued neighborhood of boarded-up houses and empty lots." He means business when he is looking to make changes in the community. (See full Wikipedia article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Booker)

A central theme that I'll take away from meeting Cory is the notion of being intolerant -- we tolerate crime and drugs in certain parts of America's cities; we tolerate of poor education in some of our public schools; etc. We should not tolerate these problems. We need to be intolerant and make changes.

If you get a chance to meet Cory or hear him speak, do it.

Picture: Cory Booker and Eric Mathews

The Value in Attending and Holding Events

2008-10-21T11:23:00.003-05:00

LaunchMemphis has pledged to the Mid-South that we will host and organize dynamic and valuable events to support technology entrepreneurship. From investment forums to BarCamps, Startup Weekends to networking sessions, LaunchMemphis has delivered on the mission.

But some may wonder what is the value in holding and attending these events. I am sure there are many local skeptics who believe that such events have only social value or that they turn out to be self-congratulatory sessions of what has been done, not where things are going -- providing no real value. Nonetheless, for those that are focused on the prize of entrepreneurship and economic growth -- the future and business oriented -- events can yield great value.

Here are some of the value points of attending LaunchMemphis events:
* Learn something new or clarify and refine your knowledge of entreprenuership and technology
* Give away information that will be valued in the community
* Interact with prospective clients and customers around a potential product or service offering
* Get connected to the right people for the right stage of your business from investors to free consulting resources
* Find like minds and talk with thought leaders
* Recruit a developer or sales and marketing expert to grow your startup.

Feel free to comment and disagree or add to this listing. Be interesting to know if Memphians are finding value in LaunchMemphis.

Product Development Advisory Programs

2008-10-17T17:11:00.002-05:00

A great way to get consumers of your product to give you quality feedback is via exclusive product development advisory programs.

I recently joined Utterli (www.utterli.com) a couple weeks ago and liked the service. I came across an email to send feedback . . . So I send a spirited email making two suggestions to make Utterli a Twitter killer. The crew at Utterli liked what they heard and now I'm one of the Utterli Ambassadors -- a program for leaders in the Utterli community. Now I'm even more vested in making the product better.

--
Follow me on Utterli @ecmathews
Follow me on Twitter @ecmathews
--
Utterli Blog Post on New Ambassadors:
http://blog.utterli.com/index.php/welcome-to-five-new-utterli-ambassadors/

Via utterli

2008-10-17T15:05:00.001-05:00

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Sign up now for BarCamp Memphis

2008-10-16T17:32:00.003-05:00

Memphians and other technology enthusiasts around the global be sure to check your calendars and sign up for BarCamp Memphis: November 8th with a pre-event gathering the evening of the 7th. Share what they know and learn what they don’t about the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship and technology. BarCamp is the conference that puts you in control.

Yes I'm already signed up and going.

For more information check out this website: http://www.launchmemphis.com/2008/10/16/barcamp-memphis-2008-be-there-share-learn/

Insiders Tip: There are discount codes to make your registration cheaper if you contact BarCamp@LaunchMemphis.com

Rome Day 6 and a Wake Up

2008-10-14T14:03:00.006-05:00

Our sixth and final day in Rome was just as packed as the others. After waking up and getting ready for the last day of the trip, Sarah had a special meal request to answer the lingering question: was McDonald's in Europe just as good as in the US?

I think the picture says it all: YES! By the way the McDonald's we went to (Spainish Steps) was the first one in Italy and is rated on of the top 10 McDonald's stores in the world.

From there we walked to the Colosseum. After a short wait in line we learned that it was a cash only operation so we went to find an ATM since we were a few Euro short. We did find a Western Union that would do advances on credit cards but we rejected that and remembered that I had a $20 US bill left so we converted that over -- what a racket that $20 US became 10 Euros -- ripped off but we had enough to get into the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill. Here are a few shots:
After our trip through history, it was time for a little shopping to get a few items. That entailed finding an ATM on our walk back toward our neck of the woods. Along the way we found other nice things to look at.
After the shopping was complete, we went back to the Flat to rest up and prepared for an evening with Adam.

Setting out at 7:15pm we walked to the Trevi Fountain and met Adam who took us around the corner to one of his favorite restaurants for a fabulous meal.
Then we walked to Piazza Navona, stopping along the way to get the "best coffee in Rome" for someone back home. At the Piazza we had the best dessert that side of the Tiber River. At 11pm it was time to call it a night and trip. Sad but true . . . Sarah and I had to get back and pack. Adam had to get ready for his first day of class.
After packing and getting the Flat ready for our early departure we grabbed a little sleep and had The Wake Up at 6:20am Monday. The driver came at 7:20am and we were on our way to the airport. The KLM and Northwest flights were very nice and uneventful. We made it safely back to Memphis 16 hours later -- the trip concluded. Sad to leave, but good to be home. Hopefully the coins we tossed into the Trevi Fountain will ensure a return trip -- the next time with more friends and family.

Via utterli

2008-10-13T02:39:00.001-05:00

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Rome Day 6 is coming

2008-10-12T23:30:00.002-05:00

Instead of blogging we needed to pack and sleep. I'll get a blog post up soon. Long story short . . . . we had a big day and we are now up on Monday morning in Rome getting ready to catch the plane home.

Rome Day 5

2008-10-11T17:32:00.008-05:00

We are still going, but tomorrow is our last full day. To talk about today's activities, here is a post written by Sarah:

Since we've been in Rome, we've had many events related to Adam's Ordination and have kept a pretty tight schedule. Today was an easy morning - we got some much needed sleep and recharged our batteries (for ourselves and all of our documenting equipment). Adam also had the day off, so we planned to meet up at one of his favorite pizzerias. On the way, we stopped at the Pantheon, which is one of the few monuments in Rome with free access. We made a quick stop inside for a few snapshots and a quick video.

Next, we met our newly ordained Deacon Adam at Antica Trattoria Polese, where they recognized Adam on sight and refer to him as Padre. A small group of us enjoyed an appetizer of fried, stuffed olives and fried zucchini flowers (which were much tastier than they sound). The service was wonderful and they topped it off by bringing complimentary Limoncello, which Eric says was some of the best he ever had. As if we hadn't eaten enough, we then went to Adam's favorite spot for gelato (Frigidarium Gelateria) where I tried the crema fiorentino. I have no idea what it was, but I highly recommend it.

Afterwards, we waddled to Piazza Navona, where Eric and I had eaten dinner on our first night in Roma. The atmosphere was transformed from the lamp lit scene a few nights earlier, to a thriving square with a live local band, and rows of street vendors. There we found something I'd been in search of for several days - a wonderful array of local art. We spent over an hour browsing through paintings and drawings, selecting pieces to remind us of our time in Rome.

Today was a day of favorites - next Adam took us to Abbey Theatre (Eric describes as the Celtic Crossing of Rome) which shows American sporting events. They had football, baseball, and of course, pints of Guiness which were welcome on a warm Roman afternoon. Finally, we made our way to the North American College (Adam's seminary) where we enjoyed a few sunset moments on the roof and went to closing mass with the group (at least our 4th mass in the last week).
Unexpectedly, we were able to eat dinner with the larger tour group in the southern, densely populated area of town called Trastevere (it's where the young urban professionals and the creative class live). Our restaurant, La Cisterna, has served the likes of John Wayne and Dean Martin. It shows a rare glimpse into the original street level of Rome, which has been filled in throughout most other places of the city. Our traditional Italian style dinner was punctuated by a small, lively band playing recognizable favorites like "That's Amore" - probably for their American audience.

We passed arguably the best view in Rome from the hill on Gianicolo and then made our way past Piazza San Pietro (St Peter's Square) for a few final shots of the Basilica. It took about 30 minutes to make our way back the apartment and the walk was full of interesting sites. The opera was letting out and we saw throngs of people dressed to their best and many woman daintily making their way through the cobblestone streets in slender heels. We also captured a shot of Castel Sant' Angelo and a beautiful shot of St. Peter's Basilica. Now, roughly midnight, we're sending you memories from today and preparing for our last day in Rome. Buena notte!

Rome Day 4

2008-10-10T17:34:00.017-05:00

As predicted, the morning came too early. Nonetheless, we got it in gear and made it to the Roma Termini for our 8:55am train to Orvieto. Why travel to Orvieto? Adam Rust, our newly ordained Deacon, chose this spot for his first mass. Orvieto is the home of a cathedral that houses the evidence of a Eucharistic Miracle . . . In Catholicism this a special spot.

Orvieto is north of Rome in a more mountainous region of Italy. When you arrive at the station, you then you need to climb ~1,000 vertical feet in a tram to get to the heart of the town. Once at the top we walked to the cathedral and met up with Adam and the rest of the party. Here are a few shots to sum up these experiences:

Adam's Mass turned out to be quite nice and he drafted his friends to participate in various roles from cantor to readers to alter server. Any guesses as to what I did? As the top alter server of of my graduating class at St. Ignautius Catholic School in Yardley, Pennesylvania, I stepped up to the plate, tossed on the gear, and was the alter server for the Mass. It was like riding a bike . . . though the last time I did was in 8th grade. Here is a shot of Adam and I post Mass and the inside of the cathedral:

After Mass, we were on our own again -- doing our thing. So we walked the streets and grabbed lunch at La Peryola, a nice spot where the locals eat.

We then hopped a train back to Rome. Sarah and I walked from the station by the hotel my parent's stayed at when they were in Rome last, then to the Via Vento (the spots where the Rat Pack hung when they came to Rome), and then on to the Spainish Steps area to view some art.

After that we went back to the Flat to relax and prepare for dinner. At 8:30pm we set out again by foot to "Est! Est! Est!" Rome's first pizzeria (or so they claim). It came recommended so we checked it out -- to our satisfaction: reputation upheld. It turned out to be a good meal, very good pizza, and very friendly service (chanti was good too).

After dinner we walked back to our place via the Spainish Steps and are now calling it night. Here are a few more shots from the day from the other spots we visited (Piazza del Popolo, Fontana delle Naiadi, Orvieto station, and Via Vento). There is a bonus picture and question and the end . . .

Ok the bonus question and picture: Why do I look unhappy in this picture? Clue: We are in the Piazza del Popolo. There will be an upcoming video blog post to answer the question.

More to come . . .

Rome Day 3 -- The Big Day Arrives

2008-10-09T16:38:00.014-05:00

As stated previously, Sarah and I wanted to recharge today and we did in the morning. Before the ordination, we grabbed a to go lunchh and ate on the Spainish Steps and then found our local grocery store to stock up on some items for our Flat -- wine, water, breakfast items, and some soap (the basics all for 20 euro) -- we should have done it the first day, but kept running out of time. Here are some shots on the Spanish Steps.
We then had to get back to our Flat and put on the nice duds for the Ordination Ceremony. Arriving at 3pm (the time everyone else was to be there too) at St. Peter's Square for the 4:30pm ceremony did not give us a good seat for the ceremony. Little disappointing, but we were not as cramped or as hot as our counterparts during the 2 hour Mass. Here are a couple shots, one of the ceremony in progress and a shot of us post ceremony infront of St. Peter's Crypt. Also here are a couple general shots of the Basilica for those back home.

After that it was off to the hotel where everyone else was staying. Then, we boarded a bus to head to the Ordination Dinner at Alfredo's: The Emporor of Fettuccine -- yes, so the story goes, 90 some years ago a man named Alfredo invented Fettuccine (and Fettuccine Alfredo) for his restaurant in Rome. The menu icon lives on to this day all over the world. It is a famous spot near the Spainish Steps -- pictures on the wall of famous people that have eaten there, etc. A guitar and accordion player sang some nice italian songs for the group. The food and the fettuccine were very good -- the company excellent.

From there it was just 3 blocks to our Flat so Sarah and I walked home past the Fendi and Ferrari stores. After that email, documenting on the blog, and backing up all our movies and pictures -- here a candid pic of me doing just that -- I didn't know Sarah took this until I off-loaded the pictures.

Tomorrow we are off to Orvieto, Italy via train for the day. 7am wake up . . .

Via utterli

2008-10-09T13:01:00.001-05:00

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Best View in Rome

2008-10-09T06:44:00.002-05:00

It was our first day (afternoon really) in Rome and we set off after lunch to see Adam Rust. Adam lives at the North American College in Rome and has one of the best views in Rome from his roof top. Crazy view. Here it is.

Gelato and Pantheon Oooops

2008-10-09T06:43:00.001-05:00

We grabed some Gelato and accidently ran into the Pantheon. Sarah guides the tour.

Last Dinner in Paris

2008-10-09T06:39:00.001-05:00

Wait till the end . . . Sarah rubs it in . . .

Protest in Rome, Italy

2008-10-08T20:50:00.004-05:00

Kind of cool in that people were taking action.
Kind of not cool in that it cost us 15 minutes of time.
But that is the point I suppose . . .

Trevi Fountain

2008-10-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Paris Hour 34

2008-10-08T20:43:00.002-05:00

Rome Day 2

2008-10-08T16:47:00.011-05:00

Like I stated last night when I signed-off . . . we had an early morning, too early for a vacation. I ran to a local pastry shop on the corner and then to a 24 hour cart (think mobile bodega) closer to our place to gather breakfast.

After breakfast and shower & shave time, we grabbed a cab to San Pedro -- St. Peter's for the Papal Audience. We had nice seats for "first-come-first-serve" tickets and got there an hour a head of time. Sarah and I were right on the aisle -- a straight shot to the Pope's perch. Two pics of the Pope here (one where he is about 2 pixels tall and the other pic where he is 10 pixels tall):

The North American College Dioconate Party was specially acknowledged by the Pope (that's us -- seriously he did take the time mid-cermony acknowledge the party in English). Also, one lucky person is getting a religious object that we got blessed by the Pope today (when we return).

We 'hedged' on location toward the end to beat the crowds to the Vatican Museum. No, we didn't skip out on the ceremonies; we just relocated in preparation to walk at Mathews pace (jog for others) to the Vatican Museums. We got in faster than expected and grabbed lunch.

Sarah and I then walked for the requiste 1.5 hours and passed the 10 gift shops to the Cappella Sistina (Sistine Chapel). Here are three shots: 1) a Cappella Sistina general shot (where photographs are banned with one of the guards saying 'No Picture' in a very strong Italian accent), 2) Me somewhere else nice, and 3) Sarah in one of the Stanze di Raffaello (one of the rooms Raphael painted).

Then Sarah and I grabbed a quick snack near the Vatican and provided a lesson on how to manage tourist traps to our neighbors at the table next to us -- don't pay!!! When the person that spoke perfect English to get you into the cafe suddenly loses his 'tongue' to charge you a "service fee" you know to just "walk away -- don't pay!!!" (New Eric-ism).

We then had to hurry to the bus to for the Prayer Vigil for the Dioconate. We almost got lost but instincts and intuition paid off -- seriously had zero time (another story worth telling in person). We arrived at St. Paul's Basilica for the sevice and captured nice photos (1. a shot in the courtyard and 2. Sarah in front of St. Paul's Sarcophagus writing a prayer of special intention for her family):

We then grabbed some dinner with other family and friends of the Dioconate (North American College) near the Catacombs.

We got dropped off at San Pedro's and grabbed some nighttime photos.

We then caught a cab, bought a bottle of vino, and called it a night -- which means blogging (right now), planning, and emailing AND then sleeping.

For the folks at home, we did grab some video during the day and almost "uttered" -- maybe we can utter (http://www.utterli.com/ecmathews) tomorrow when we are in Basilica de San Pedro.

For now though it is time for bed once again. This time we are going to get a good rest and take it easy in the morning. For you that may mean a little less material for tomorrow's post, but probably not. For Sarah and I that means a little more rest for the final push . . . 4 days left then a wake up . . . We are half way done. Sad to leave so soon, but happy to be returning home to our famiy and friends. Buona sera!

Rome Day 1

2008-10-07T17:34:00.012-05:00

We woke up early this morning and got into an airport transport with a couple from Hong Kong and a group of 4 from England -- the folks from England came for a weekend get away and they stayed a ways out from the center of Paris because they said it was "old." They were lame and hung over.

Nonetheless, we got to the airport and caught our flight. It took us longer to get checked into due the "budget" airline's policies and rules, which weren't very clear (if you want to know why not to fly Vueling let us know).

Once in Rome things went very smoothly. We hired a driver in advance; he was waiting there with the sign in hand; we hopped in his nice Mercedes ride and got to our Flat in no time -- passing through the country and the ruins of old Rome (by the way getting the Flat was another very very good choice -- the location is awesome two blocks to the Spainish steps in the heart of the luxury shopping, great furnishings in the place, totally updated, private, much cheaper than a hotel of similiar quality, etc.).

We then struck out for a lunch in a near by cafe (got some chanti of course). We then changed quickly and went out to see Adam Rust -- the reason for our trip. He is the one that gets ordained in two days. We took a taxi to the North American College at the Vatican and along the way ran into a protest which locked down traffic for 15 minutes (we captured video).

The wait was worth it; once we got the College we captured some awesome views and pictures from the roof top of the College and got to meet up with Adam.

We then walked back to our place, grabbed some dinner in Piazza Navona, walked to get some gelato, ran into the Pantheon by accident, and intentionally went to the Trevi Fountain.

We have to get up early again for the Papal Audience . . . So I need to sign off. More to come.

Paris Day 3

2008-10-06T17:36:00.012-05:00

For our final day in Paris, Sarah and I grabbed some lunch at a local sandwich place near our hotel. It turned out to be the right decision. Baggette (french bread), fromage (cheese), et jambon (ham) -- c'est parfait (it is perfect)! And it was quite tasty, even with it's simplicity.

We then went to the Louvre to see the famous works and discover other items along the way. We of course saw the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and Aphrodite.

We also saw the "Medieval" Louvre: the castle uncovered during the excavation for the visitor center (Pyramid) of the Lourve -- quite interesting. Here is Sarah in the 'Donjon'.

So after some heavy lifting there we walked south of the Seine to the Palais (Palace) Luxembourg and the gardens surrounding it. We stopped at spots of interest on the way that caught our eye like this church and fountain (Saint Suplice).

Once we made it to the Palace and gardens we were impressed. The landscaping in the gardens was very nice -- flowers still in bloom. Another great suggestion from our Parisian friends in Memphis. Here is a picture of Sarah and I in the Palace gardens shooting toward the Palace.

We then walked back toward the Seine for our final dinner at a small family restaurant -- with wine of course.

After dinner and dessert, we worked our way back to our hotel taking detours the whole way back -- even taking the very long way to the hotel to soak in the last bits of Paris that were possible. Here are some pictures from that walk (Louvre at night and Opera House).

We are off to Rome tomorrow. In fact we are getting up early to get a taxi so I need to sign off.

Ciao!

Paris Day 2

2008-10-06T06:00:00.010-05:00

Sarah and I had a great day yesterday (at the end of this post is a good story for those looking for a human interest piece).

After sleeping in to catch up from Day 1, we went out on the town for the entire day, non-stop. First things first though . . . we went to a cafe for some lunch and had some wine of course.

We then grabbed the Metro to head to the Arch de Triomphe and walk down the Champs Elysees. It is the major boulevard with shopping malls, movie theatres, cafes and a few McDonald's, which was good because Sarah needed a Diet Coke (or Coca Cola Light as they say here).

We then walked down the Seine to Notre Dame and got lucky when we found Mass in session which means the lights were on inside, the organ was playing, the choir singing -- conditions were perfect.

We then grab dinner at a cafe very close to Notre Dame and then headed into the "entertainment district" of Paris. On the recommendation of our Parisian friends now living in Memphis (Audrey and Romain), we went to a Blues and Jazz club in the Latin Quatier called Le Caveau -- translated the Cave. It opens at 10pm each night and you travel down the stairs to an old cellar. There people pack in to watch a band or two -- literally packed in -- share seats and tables with people you just met.

Anyway we are sitting there waiting for the show to start when Big Dez got up on stage and what should he be wearing but a Kingston Mines t-shirt. For those that don't know, Kingston Mines is one of the top places in Chicago to hear the Blues -- Sarah, my family, and I have been there twice in the past 22 months. Small world. Big Dez played at the Mines. Anyway, we had to talk to Dez. We found out that he and his band just won the best Blues band in France competition and they are traveling to Memphis, TN in February to perform in the international blues contest hosted by the Blues Foundation. Needless to say, we exchanged cards and will be hooking up with him when he is in Memphis.

After that we walked back to our hotel and at 2am local time called it night.

Via utterli

2008-10-05T13:12:00.001-05:00

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Day 1 Part 2 . . . Yes we did more . . .

2008-10-05T04:39:00.009-05:00

We should have been in bed already but instead we rallied and went to the Eiffel Tower last night. Why would we? After 28 hours of no sleep? The weather. As predicted we woke up today to drizzle, rain, clouds, and cold (among other things that will come in a future post) -- how it is supposed to be the remainder of our time in Paris. Last night as predicted was clear.

So at 8pm local time we walked for approximately 60 minutes (~2.5 to 3 miles) to the Eiffel Tower -- objects appear closer than they really are. The walk was pleasant and the weather brisk. Along the way we saw a paddle boat on the Seine labeled Tennessee . . . The American South alive an well in France (sorry for poor image quality but your mind will fill in the detail).

Also along the way in minute 50 of our walk, the Eiffel Tower put on a light show. On the hour, the Eiffel Tower flashes thousands of strobe lights creating a shimmering effect. Normally it is cast in a blue hue at night.

We got to the Tower, grabbed a ticket for the second floor, and after waiting 45 minutes got our ride on the north tower elevator. From there we captured some images and took some video. We then took the stairs down the Tower to exit (because we didn't want to wait 30 minutes in line to ride the elevator down). We grabbed a cab back to our hotel area and went to grab some dinner.

Apparently we are staying in an area where a lot of Asian folks live or chose to stay while in Paris. There are probably 10 sushi places within 2 blocks of our hotel and 5 noddle places. The lines at 8pm, when we left to go to the Eiffel Tower were 30 people out the door at some places. So like an good tourist in France, we decided to go to a Japanese sushi restaurant. These images document the moment of contentment and fatigue after being up for 32 hours.

And that wrapped up Day 1 in Paris.

Day 1 in Paris

2008-10-04T11:41:00.006-05:00

Well we have arrived safely to Paris around 2am Memphis time (9am Paris time an hour after the sun came up on our plane). We had a nice driving tour of Paris thanks to our cab driver who got lost, asked for directions from 4 different people -- finally I decided to pay attention to the streets, pulled out a map, and directed him to our hotel.

Original check in time was to be 12pm but our room wasn't going to be ready till 2pm so we had 3 hours to get oriented. We strolled south down to the Louvre and the River Seine and then headed into the Tuileries Garden. Here is a pic.

After that we went to the high end shopping district (St. Honore) and went to a great cafe. That's where we pulled out the Flip for some video.

Good times . . .

Since the cafe we have settled into our hotel, joined the living by cleaning up and putting on some fresh clothes. Time for some dinner.

More to come . . .

Heading out and switching to world phone

2008-10-03T10:30:00.001-05:00

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Doing two things well or three?

2008-10-02T10:38:00.002-05:00

Much like Zack Perry stated on his blog (http://zackperry.typepad.com/blog/2008/10/kick-start-this-blagggg.html), I've always wanted to have an nice web presence via a blog. Twitter fits life better but substance is tough in 140 characters. Facebook is easy to keep on top of due to the addictive way it manages messaging, events, other posts etc. Plus Facebook is taking over some business communications so getting on there to manage that web/social presence is all ready part of the routine. Blogging in the long form is a bit tough, but hopefully with some dedication and some more media forms in the tool set (like video and utterli) I can put more into this blog and make it worth visiting. Maybe Zack and I can challenge each other?

Via utterli

2008-10-01T18:58:00.001-05:00

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Social Media Vanguard

2008-09-29T23:48:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Daniel J. Pritchett for including among his Social Media Vanguard. I have found social media to be a good tool to promote and communicate what's happen in the city, in technology, in entrepreneurship, and in my life. I believe that if you give people concise information that is relevant, they will act on it.

Here is the blog post from Daniel.
http://www.sharingatwork.com/2008/09/social-media-vanguard.html

Are you using social media? Why or why not?

Via utterli

2008-09-28T23:54:00.001-05:00

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Innovation Tweets a Reply

2008-09-24T14:56:00.001-05:00

Utter on innovation in Memphis -- nothing big.

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Older Article on LaunchMemphis Activities

2008-09-23T15:06:00.001-05:00

I was also in this article commenting on how we can"provide an avenue" for entrepreneurs to risks in the Memphis area.

LaunchMemphis program rekindles spirit of business

Event targets entrepreneurial interests

By James Dowd, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Sunday, September 14, 2008

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/sep/14/program-rekindles-spirit-of-business/

Motivate local self-starters, investors

2008-09-23T14:58:00.001-05:00

Featured in the news recently for LaunchMemphis activities.

LaunchMemphis helps motivate local self-starters, investors

By James Dowd, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Sunday, September 21, 2008

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/sep/21/entrepreneur-spirit-finds-launching-pad/

Moving and Shaking

2008-09-23T13:42:00.001-05:00

Moving from one LaunchMemphis event to the next w/little in between has me feeling productive perhaps falsely.

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Serving on Upcoming Panel: Creative Conversations with MPACT

2008-09-22T15:23:00.001-05:00

I will be speaking on a panel for MPACT on Creativity. I'm looking forward to it. Details pasted here. Come on out.

Wednesday, October 22: Working Creatively: Entrepreneurs Discuss the Value of Creativity Across All Industries at Memphis College of Art's Callicott Auditorium at 6:00 pm

In conjunction with the "Creative Conversations" program by Americans for the Arts, MPACT Memphis and Memphis College of Art present this unique and engaging panel discussion on the importance and influence of creativity in all industries, not simply those that first come to mind such as the visual arts. The event begins at 6:00 pm and a networking and cocktail hour will be held after the panel discussion. It's free for MCA students, faculty, staff, and MPACT members; $5 for non-members.

Via utterli

2008-09-21T22:46:00.001-05:00

Mobile post sent by ecmathews using Utterli. Replies. mp3

Geoff Livingston

2008-09-08T23:36:00.001-05:00

Heard that Geoff Livingston author of Now is Gone is crashing Memphis, TN on Monday September 22.
Time and Place TBD for MeetUp
http://www.livingstonbuzz.com/blog/

Great primer style book for SVPs, VP, and directors on Web 2.0.
Sent Wireless via My BlackBerry

Speaking on Angel Investment

2008-09-08T16:19:00.001-05:00

Mercury and LaunchMemphis were discussed in relation to angel investment:
"Mathews, who, despite his qualms about aggregating angels on a national level, is nonetheless impressed with Qualls' efforts to lower the economic barrier for angel investment."

As seen in . . .
Calling All Angels
Business Tennessee - Nashville,TN,USA
http://www.businesstn.com/content/200809/calling-all-angels

2008-07-31T01:13:00.000-05:00

Video to put the burbs in perspective from CEOs for Cities.

Nashville 'Startup Weekend' for tech ventures is still a long shot

2008-07-16T18:24:00.002-05:00

Eric was recently quoted for an online article. He spoke on speaking organizing Startup Weekends.

http://www.venturenashville.com/news.php?viewStory=70

Journal Article Published

2008-07-01T15:45:00.001-05:00

I recently worked with Sidney D'Mello, Lee McCauley, and James Markham to publish some of the research we did at the FedEx Institute of Technology. We studied the characteristics of four commercially available RFID tags. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of position and orientation of RFID tags on simulated real time asset tracking in the supply chain.

As stated by the editors of the journal (JTAER) regarding our work, "This type of fine grained, empirical testing of RFID tag location offers valuable insight into the obstacles that confront firms seeking to implement RFID in the supply chain."

Here is the citation and a link to read it:

D'Mello, S., Mathews, E. C., McCauley, L., and Markham J. (2008). Impact of Position and Orientation of RFID Tags on Real Time Asset Tracking in a Supply Chain. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 3(1), 1-12.

http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1365659&jmp=cit&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE

Investment Forum - Launch Memphis

2008-06-10T13:34:00.001-05:00

Me speaking on the LaunchMemphis Early Stage Investment Forum -- http://www.launchmemphis.com

NanoTect Featured in BusinessTN Magazine

2008-06-04T18:04:00.001-05:00

BusinessTN Magazine
June, 2008
Technology 3-2-1
By Alexei Smirnov

ANTI-CORROSION NANO-COATING
More than a Penny Saved
Eugene Pinkhassik is living proof that the terms "businessman" and
"scientist" need not be mutually exclusive. Since arriving in
Tennessee 11 years ago after completing post-doctoral studies at the
University of Colorado, the assistant professor of chemistry has done
well for himself and his current employer, the University of Memphis.
The native of Kazan, Russia, is now one of the principals of the
University of Memphis' first spinoff, NanoTect, which is on the verge
of commercializing the ultra-thin protective layer for metal piping
that Pinkhassik developed as part of his research in nanotechnology.
"Anti-corrosion sensors aren't as glamorous as sensors that diagnose
cancer, but it's a simple technology that can be easily
commercialized," says Pinkhassik, whose long-term goal is to develop
sensors capable of detecting cancerous growths early on as part of a
simple blood test. "It can happen in the next 10 to 20 years." It was
in this lofty research that Pinkhassik happened upon the curious
results of applying nano-coating to sensors for diagnosing illnesses.
Pinkhassik, along with colleagues Erno Lindner and Andrew Richter,
discovered that their coating solution could slow down corrosion in
copper by four times the current rate. Their side project won the
FedEx Institute's first business plan competition in 2006, followed by
another award from EmergeMemphis, as well as backing from Mercury
Technology Labs of Memphis.

Startup Weekend Making a Demo Video for the Facebook AP

2008-06-03T23:05:00.001-05:00

Nick and Jonathan work on making a demo video of the Facebook ap made at Memphis Startup Weekend.

StartUp Weekend Memphis

2008-05-13T18:07:00.001-05:00

In this video, I give a tour of the facilities where Memphis Startup Weekend will be held. Check out http://memphis.startupweekend.com for more details on the Weekend.

LaunchMemphis

2008-05-02T17:53:00.003-05:00

If you are in the Mid-South and interested in entereprenuership you should check out LaunchMemphis and the program of events being put together. See www.launchmemphis.com.

Become a Fan on FaceBook too.

I was recently asked to Weigh In

2007-12-03T14:57:00.001-06:00

Recently I was asked to "Weigh In" on a question for the Nov. 30th, 2007 Edition of the Memphis Business Journal

The Weigh In: How does your business of industry stand to benefit from Tennessee's increasing business relationship with China?

Here was my reply . . .

"With the population of China beginning to equal the European middle class in purchasing-power, the demand for innovative new technologies from US firms will grow. United States Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson recently relayed that China is by far the most rapidly growing market for US goods, having grown nearly four-fold over the past 10 years. Because of enhanced China-Tennessee business relations, Tennessee firms stand poised to take an even larger share of this business.

"Looking more specifically at new venture creation: In the technology arena, we know local start-ups turn to China for manufacturing. What's new is we are seeing Chinese firms approach local start-ups with interest not only in the purchase of products and services, but also with money for investment and even outright acquisition of the start-up to compliment other US acquisitions. "

U of M using technology to allow students to carry classrooms with them

2007-11-13T11:47:00.001-06:00

I was recently in an article in the Memphis Business Journal:

U of M using technology to allow students to carry classrooms with them
By Michael Sheffield
Published: November 12, 2007

The term smart classroom no longer pertains only to students at the University of Memphis.
To continue reading, go to: http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2007/11/12/story15.html

Mercury Launchpad: Pre-Incubation Firm Scouts Incubator Clients

2007-11-07T14:46:00.001-06:00

Pre-Incubation Firm Scouts Incubator Clients

Vol. 13, Issue 6
November 2007

NBIA Updates

National Business Incubation Association

Incubator managers know that it's not just the number of potential clients walking through the door that's important. Quality matters, too. Most programs have entry criteria for would-be incubator clients to ensure that companies are ready and willing to accept incubation services.

But what about the entrepreneurs who have a great idea, but haven't yet started a business?

EmergeMemphis, a mixed-use program in Memphis, Tenn., has one way to capture such clients. It hosts Launchpad, a firm (started by an Emerge graduate) that helps nascent entrepreneurs turn their ideas into companies, in exchange for an equity stake in that company.

"We see [Launchpad] as a precursor to EmergeMemphis," says incubator President Gwin Scott. "They will be our pipeline for qualified companies -- all pre-screened."

That's important because Scott already has his hands full with his 27 incubator clients. "I spend a lot of time on them with strategy, sales, investments," he says. He also is raising funds to expand the incubator so it can take up to 15 additional clients. That leaves little time for the kind of hand-holding a totally new entrepreneur needs -- and that is Launch Pad's stock in trade.

Launchpad currently has three clients, including the winner of a business plan competition sponsored by the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis. As a competition partner, Emerge arranged to have Launch Pad services in the winner's package.

"Since we couldn't write a check, this was our way to help the cause," Scott says. And it was a way to help everybody involved: the competition winner, Launch Pad and the incubator itself.

"We're just trying to help entrepreneurs by building the right community with qualified companies," Scott says.

Mercury Technology Labs: Mercury Launchpad Opens for Business

2007-11-04T14:46:00.000-06:00

For those looking for flexible office space to launch new business ventures check out this latest post.

Mercury Technology Labs: Mercury Launchpad Opens for Business

Memphis Daily News: Entrepreneurs Bank On Fractional Ownership Market

2007-11-04T14:37:00.000-06:00

Entrepreneurs Bank On Fractional Ownership Market
ShareCastle LLC recently was formed by Michael Hart, Marc Diaz, and Eric Mathews to take advantage of growth in fractional ownership of vacation properties.
30 October 2007 Memphis Daily News
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/Editorial/StoryLead.aspx?id=99584

Did Someone Say Class of ‘07?

2007-10-08T23:37:00.000-05:00

Lantana Projects is gearing up for the second annual juried show of the best, forward-looking art created in 2007 by artists from or living in the Memphis area. The event will be held on Saturday, November 17 from 7:00-10:00 pm, so mark your calendars now!

And artists, be gathering your submissions - details will follow later this week! See the Lantana website for more info. www.lantanaprojects.org

Computable Genomix software package used like Google for Gene Research

2007-08-10T16:09:00.000-05:00

We recently had some news on one of portfolio companies, Computable Genomix . . .

Computable Genomix software package used like Google by gene researchersMemphis Business Journal - August 10, 2007 by Michael Sheffield

. . .

Eric Mathews, a principal with Mercury, sees GeneIndexer as a valuable tool in the research and development of new drugs and antibodies.

"We find the best raw technologies and research talent from research and development labs, both academic and industrial, and create new technology business ventures," Mathews says. "Rapid business prototyping is a critically important component of technological innovation."

. . .

For more information on Computable Genomix visit http://www.computablegenomix.com
For more information on Mercury Technology Labs visit http://www.mercurytechlabs.com

NanoTect Spin-off Announced

2007-08-03T11:26:00.001-05:00

Recently had an article in the Memphis Business Journal on the launch of NanoTect one of the Mercury Technology Labs portfolio companies . . .

Conceived in research, NanoTect becomes first spinoff business at U of M
Memphis Business Journal - July 13, 2007
by Michael Sheffield

. . .

"We can deal with insulation or corrosion problems with electronics suppliers," Mathews says. "This could be a NutraSweet kind of thing, an incremental ingredient that people can brand with. They can say they've got NanoTect on their stuff, like 'Intel Inside.' "

. . .

For more news on NanoTect visit http://www.nanotectllc.com.
For more news on Mercury Technology Labs visit http://www.mercurytechlabs.com.

Lantana Projects Gets Plug from National Leadership

2007-07-26T16:26:00.001-05:00

Lantana Projects was recently recognized by CEOs for Cities as a shining example of urban innovation in the country.

Check out this blog post for the details:

http://www.ceosforcities.org/conversations/blog/2007/07/a_week_in_memphis_guerilla_art.php#more

Lantana Event This Weekend

2007-06-27T09:45:00.001-05:00

From the Underground Up
Saturday, June 30
7:00-10:00 pm
corner of North Main and Jefferson

Lantana Projects announces the unveiling of a long-term outdoor art
installation by Eric Knoote. A collection of mirror "flowers" - based
on his spiegelbeeld - will be grouped in the downtown lot at the
corner of Main and Jefferson. Through the use of mirrors as a medium,
Knoote creates both a static and dynamic exhibit, where the community
and its activity are literally reflected in the art.

The public is encouraged to celebrate From the Underground Up to mark
the completion of the piece and its introduction to the community.
Beverages will be provided. A suggested donation of $5 benefits
Lantana Projects and this project.

New Website Goes Live

2007-06-25T04:03:00.000-05:00

Just wrapped up a total revamp of my personal website, thanks to the coding expertise of Sarah Petschonek. Visit http://www.ericmathews.com for more info on myself and my activities.

Perceive the good from the bad

2007-06-14T14:26:00.000-05:00

Looking at a recent interview with David Brin I came across something that hadn't immediately crossed my mind . . . . "It always takes a while for the people to learn how to use the new media critically, to be able to perceive the good from the bad." We often see rapid adoption of technologies and new media forms and delivery mechanisms and assume that because people are using them and adopting them that they are immediately good a perceiving good from bad in the new format. David's right . . . More info and a larger excerpt below with a link to the full interview.

Excerpt from David Kushner's interview with David Brin as seen in Discover Magazine online version (06.07.2007)
http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/the-discover-interview-david-brin

David Brin states:
"Printing not only vastly expanded the ability to convey human knowledge and memory to other people but also made it more robust. People tend to assume that when things like this happen, it automatically results in an improved humanity. This is what you’re hearing from the techno-transcendentalists on the Internet. It is a religious statement that what we’re seeing on the Internet today is improving discourse and improving democracy and improving markets. I’m very skeptical of that because at the beginning of any of these revolutions, always what is empowered is demagoguery. The immediate outcome of the printing press was the Thirty Years’ War. The immediate outcome of radio was the empowerment of demagogues like Huey Long and especially Adolf Hitler. It always takes a while for the people to learn how to use the new media critically, to be able to perceive the good from the bad."