Insights and Takeaways from SXSWi 2015

SXSWi is still an incredibly unique experience for the smartest people in tech, but with popularity comes lots and lots of excess noise

Every year, thousands of geeks gather in Austin, Texas to help keep it weird. Every year, Austin helps thousands of geeks stay weird.

What to do, what to do?

SXSW is our Burning Man, baby. It’s our TED. The point is…it’s ours.

We arrive optimistic. We’re overwhelmed when present. We leave inspired. Repeat.

A little bit intellectual. A lot wild and free. #rocknroll

“I wish that I could be like the cool kids, ‘Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in.”

That’s just part of SXSW.

And, when you add everything up, you realize…you are the star.

Everyone else validates what you already said and everything you couldn’t put words around. #rockstar

“I can help your brand leverage the sharing economy!”

That’s not sharing. That’s marketing.

Instead, ask how to become part of the community and what, where, and how you can share value. To make the community more valuable and meaningful before you joined.

That’s why we’re here, right? To put a dent in the universe.The future is yours to define. But it takes a community in Austin once a year to inspire new possibilities.

Dent it. Don’t just reinvent it. Blow it away. Build your cathedral and then drop the mic.

Imagine a world where you lead by example. I think that’s what we expect from SXSW. And, as the old adage goes, you get out of anything what you put into it.

Imagine that.

Baby, you can drive my car.No, no, no. Don’t get me wrong.

Baby is the name of my car. And it’s so like, meta, that baby can drive baby.

So, um, back to life. Back to reality. #elonmusk #tesla

So, Biz Stone and Noah Robischon talked about how social media empowers people to share, discover, communicate, Something like Twitter wasn’t built to topple dictators and support revolutions. It was built for fun, and if you build something fun, people will use it. And, post fart jokes.

For those keeping score, the Internet is a massive network of networks, a networking infrastructure. The web is the software that lets you visualize the Internetz.

Mobile phones are a new window to a new world.

Get it?

Jimmy Kimmel enlightened us on how most people view his content on YouTube and not TV.

Think about that for a moment. Think about it much in the same way that, regardless of what religion you believe, paintings of Adam and Eve are depicted with belly buttons.

Everything is different now.

Hey guys, can we stop saying “guys” when girls are involved too? Seriously. It’s important to let girls know that math, science, programming and tech aren’t just boys clubs.

SXSW in one word?

For some, it was Meerkat. Meow.

<3 Sandy Carter She believes we are all human. As commonsensical as that sounds, some of us are robotic. But we all have a soft side somewhere.

Relationships begin when we show personal interest. More so, the future of business is built upon authenticity, receptivity, and transparency.

“In the past, value was found in hoarding information. In fact, promotions and rewards weretargeted to those with the ‘knowledge power.’ But in today’s Internet world, power is in the hands of those who share knowledge. Similar to an open API, it changes the old normwhere you’re actually sharing information and generating value, rather than hoarding the information. Steve Mills, Senior Vice President, IBM, has a kindergarten diploma on his wall. He always says that he learned everything he needed to know in kindergarten because that’s where you learn how to share.”- Sandy Carter

In the land of the blind, the person with perspective sees everything. Data is the key to insight and relevance. Data is the new oil.

Mine it.

Become a data baron.

You are J.R.

Malcolm Gladwell/Bill Gurley: have someone go through your business’ Analytics/reports and present them to CEO.

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Cousteau

Data isn’t just the new oil. It’s an infinite sea. That’s both a blessing and a curse. It’s easy to become lost in its vastness, to become intimidated by its unrest.

Your name is Tech Cousteau, though. Data isn’t what you sea (get it?). It’s what you want to see. Once you dive in, you are the navigator. Become enchanted with possibilities. Start with different questions and unlock new discoveries in the process.

Your body is now a platform. You possess a human OS where things and data will be customized and optimized to plug directly into your personal human API.

Artificial intelligence has nothing on you. You’re the real thing, baby…now with more data!

Data isn’t just for business. Data is literally at the heart of healthcare.

That Apple Watch? Yeah, it’s a patient bracelet. iOS? It’s your medical record.

The crazy thing is that if you think about it, is that healthcare has always been reactive. But that’s about to change.

Digital detox becomes improbable.

“Honey, why are there all of these dick pics on your phone?”

“I’m a doctor.” There’s a reason the future of medicine won’t be on Snapchat. The future of healthcare is both impersonal and personal at the same time. It’s impersonal in that you won’t really see doctors…even when you need to. There’s an app for that now. Personal in that they’re really going to know you before, during and after IRL visits. There’s an app for that too. It’s called patient…care.

Ben Kaufman: the more popular your app/website/business is the bigger of a security risk you will have

If risk was low, anyone would take on change. Innovation would become a commodity. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan for risk or security breaches. Doing so now and over time is your underlying value proposition and an incredible competitive advantage.

If you don’t, well, the only thing you risk is losing trust. And trust, is well, priceless. You decide.

It’s time to redefine profitability. Shareholders and stakeholders sometimes get in the way. It’s all about return and performance. But what if that was the result of something more intentional…something more personal?

Well, nothing says impersonal more that “Corporate Social Responsibility.” Press releases and marketing around philanthropy say nothing and everything at the same time.

Giving and helping is in of itself a gift. Philanthropic capitalism is the new way of business. It just is…so get on with it. The world of business and the world in general will be a much better place.

Innovation begins within. Relationships are rooted in meaningful connections. Value is something people seek and hold. Give. Get.

ROI starts with reciprocity.

”Do more than sell stuff…seriously. I don’t care if it’s discounted. I don’t care if you have a cool app that’s exclusive to consumers. Design an experience. Make me part of something that’s bigger than me.”

For example…

There’s a reason people “showroom.” Your store is one big advertisement for Amazon. It doesn’t have to be.

The Internet of Things, Big Data, Retail Innovation, Mobile, every new disruptive technology out there was designed to help you matter and to also help you recognize how and why your customers matter.

It’s all about the experience, baby, and that’s where real disruption lies. The brilliant thing about it is that it’s yours to define and design.

Doing so flips the table. Now people will “webroom” to learn more about products to then visit you in the real world.

There will be a time when it’s ok to be dumb.

But, that’s a good thing.

Why waste brain cells on worrying about toothpaste, stocking your coffee drawer, etc? The Internet of Things isn’t going to stop at smart thermostats or smarter cars.

Stuff will talk to stuff and do stuff without you. It’ll just happen. Imagine what you can do with all of that free brain power now!

Brilliant.

Experience is the new product. Product is the new commodity. Value is being disrupted and we now have to think about experiences as ecosystems.

The strategist of the future must become an experience architect.

Veep Panel: if someone had an idea on set let’s hear it. There is no “I” in TEAM but there is a ME.

Yes, there was a time when keeping ideas to yourself was a matter of survival and success. Now the future of you isn’t created, it’s co-created. You succeed when we succeed.

In the end, the experience we create together can only become more personal and dynamic.

High five.

Doubt is your enemy.Waiting for permission is a weakness.

Seeking validation is a stall tactic.

The problem with failure is the culture that once defined it as, you know, failing. But in reality, failing is synonymous with trying something new and different. And for those keeping score, venturing into new territories is also synonymous with innovation.

Fail.

Fail often.

Fail fast.

OMG. If I hear ever hear this again.

Here’s a revelation. You’re not Steve Jobs. I’m not Steve Jobs. Our executives are most likely never going to be Steve Jobs. But, that’s ok.

We can learn from Mr. Steve Jobs and other people who think different. But, you have to… think different.

Eric Ries: Zero Feedback is the problem.I’m not listening.I’m not listening.I’m not listening.

Damnit.

I’m irrelevant.I’m irrelevant.I’m irrelevant.

Ignorance is bliss until it isn’t.

I love this book! And, the author didn’t have to “buy” the best seller list to make it even more important!That’s because the author is YOU!

Let’s dump the top 10 listicles.

Let’s stop following the same brand examples over and over.

Let’s stop worshipping the loudest personal brands.

Let’s learn, fail and succeed together. Let’s become the stories everyone else will want to follow and imitate!

Look at me!

Look at us!Selfie Sticks!

ARGH!

F.O.M.O. makes us think less of you, your moment and your decisions. You’re better than that.

Instead, celebrate life, whether digital or IRL with J.O.M.O as David Weinberger believes…it’s the “Joy of Missing Out!”

This is your time to do something amazing. And, amazing starts with you…not by copying the templates spewed by “thought leaders” and social marketers.

No one knows your world like you do. No one knows the pain you feel like you do. No one understands your vision, passion and ambition like you.

Your goals and the relationships you need to build are yours and yours alone. Now go move the needle like only you can.

Jumping the shark has jumped the shark.Let’s just accept that things change and they should. You should too.

Be inspired to inspire to be inspired.

That’s why SXSW is what it is. You’re there. I’m there. It’s ours. It’s also ours to shape. And each time, we grow and help others grow too.

In the end, the value you get from it is equal or greater than the value you put in…but, that’s true in everything in life and work.

SEE YOU IN 2016!

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