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. Its our TED. The
point isits ours.
We arrive optimistic.
Were 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.
Thats 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 couldnt put
words around. #rockstar

I can help your brand

leverage the sharing
economy!
Thats not sharing.
Thats 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.

Thats why were

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. Dont just
reinvent it. Blow it away.
Build your cathedral and
then drop the mic.

Imagine a world where

you lead by example.
I think thats 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.
Dont get me wrong.
Baby is the name of
my car. And its 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
wasnt 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.
Its important to let
girls know that math,
science, programming
and tech arent 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 were
targeted to those with the knowledge
power. But in todays Internet world,
power is in the hands of those who
share knowledge. Similar to an open
API, it changes the old norm
where youre 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 thats 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.

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one

in its net of wonder forever. Jacques
Cousteau
Data isnt just the new oil. Its an infinite sea.
Thats both a blessing and a curse. Its easy
to become lost in its vastness, to become
intimidated by its unrest.
Your name is Tech Cousteau, though. Data
isnt what you sea (get it?). Its 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.

Malcom Gladwell/Bill Gurley: have someone

go through your business Analytics/reports
and present them to CEO.

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. Youre the
real thing, babynow with
more data!

Data isnt just for business.

Data is literally at the heart of
healthcare.
That Apple Watch? Yeah, its
a patient bracelet. iOS? Its
your medical record.
The crazy thing is that if
you think about it, is that
healthcare has always been
reactive. But thats about to
change.
Digital detox becomes
improbable.

Honey, why are there all

of these dick pics on your
phone?
Im a doctor.
Theres a reason the future of
medicine wont be on Snapchat.
The future of healthcare is both
impersonal and personal at the
same time. Its impersonal in that
you wont really see doctors
even when you need to. Theres
an app for that now. Personal in
that theyre really going to know
you before, during and after IRL
visits. Theres an app for that too.
Its called patientcare.

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 doesnt mean you
shouldnt plan for risk or security
breaches. Doing so now and over time is
your underlying value proposition and an
incredible competitive advantage.
If you dont, well, the only thing you risk is
losing trust. And trust, is well, priceless.
You decide.

Its time to redefine profitability. Shareholders and

stakeholders sometimes get in the way. Its 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 isso 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 stuffseriously. I dont care

if its discounted. I dont care if you have a cool
app thats exclusive to consumers. Design an
experience. Make me part of something thats
bigger than me.
For example
Theres a reason people showroom. Your store
is one big advertisement for Amazon. It doesnt
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.
Its all about the experience, baby, and thats
where real disruption lies. The brilliant thing
about it is that its 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 its ok to

be dumb.
But, thats a good thing.
Why waste brain cells on worrying
about toothpaste, stocking your
coffee drawer, etc? The Internet of
Things isnt going to stop at smart
thermostats or smarter cars.
Stuff will talk to stuff and do stuff
without you. Itll 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 lets 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 isnt
created, its 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.

Heres a revelation. Youre
not Steve Jobs. Im not
Steve Jobs. Our executives
are most likely never going
to be Steve Jobs.
But, thats 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.
Im not listening.
Im not listening.
Im not listening.
Damnit.
Im irrelevant.
Im irrelevant.
Im irrelevant.
Ignorance is bliss until it isnt.

I love this book! And, the

author didnt have to buy
the best seller list to make
it even more important!
Thats because the author is YOU!
Lets dump the top 10 listicles.
Lets stop following the same brand
examples over and over.
Lets stop worshipping the loudest
personal brands.
Lets learn, fail and succeed together.
Lets 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. Youre better than
that.
Instead, celebrate life, whether
digital or IRL with J.O.M.O as
David Weinbeger believesits
the Joy of Missing Out!

This is your time to do something amazing.

And, amazing starts with younot 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.
Lets just accept that things change and
they should. You should too.
Be inspired to inspire to be inspired.
Thats why SXSW is what it is. Youre
there. Im there. Its ours. Its 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
inbut, thats true in everything in life
and work.

SEE YOU
IN 2016!

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