Why Innovation Centers Fail

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Memphis Startup nRange: Free GPS Rangefinder for Golf

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

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/