Posts tagged internet

keyboard cat is cool but changing video is cooler

Really, really rewarding to have Chris, who’s only been with us a few short months, already understand our vision and sum up some of it nicely in this post… 

shelbytv:

Keyboard Cat is Cool, But Changing Video is Cooler

I’ve met a host of people this summer as a part of my internship with Shelby.tv and while most in the early stage tech community tend to see the huge potential in what we’re doing, a few question the application of such a technology to do anything consequential other than keep friends up to date on the latest memes that are circling the internet (I’m looking at you, courage wolf).

Founder’s Fund published an article recently with few really interesting points, one of which is that “we wanted flying cars, instead we got 140 characters.”  While it’s true that I’d love to see more truly transformational tech companies, I tend to agree more with Chris Dixon that the “next big thing” will look like a toy at first.  After all, Twitter seemed like a toy (and still does to a bunch of people), but it has profoundly changed the way that people communicate and interact with one another.  In its current form, Shelby is somewhat of a toy (one that I happen to love) and while she can certainly be used for spreading nyan cat love far and wide, I’d say that our vision of the future of Shelby is far more than that.

Internet video shouldn’t just be a medium that’s relegated to tomfoolery and humor.  While I love that stuff as much as the next guy (probably more), when you think about the sheer number of people in this country that sit on their asses and watch TV for hours a day, there’s a huge opportunity to put some really interesting and engaging content in front of people that might not otherwise see it.

I’ve already discovered a ton of video in Shelby that I wouldn’t have taken the time to notice otherwise. Here are a few quick examples from the past week or so:

1. Educational Content - I’m a huge fan of TED talks, but there’s such a wide swath of content on the TED website that it’s often difficult to get through and figure out what I want to watch.  Not so when my friends are filtering that content for me - I’ve got the best of relevant TED Talks (like this one) delivered to my feed in Shelby.
2. Climbing videos & extreme sports videos - these have inspired me to set ambitious goals for myself in terms of summiting mountains and pushing myslef to get better at the things I do.  I also find the cinematography in videos like this absolutely breathtaking and when viewed in HD on a great monitor, they’re a nice escape from the concrete jungle of NYC.
3. Political content - I’ve been out of town for the last few days and as such I’m not spending as much time keeping up with the news as I normally do. I signed into Shelby and was quickly able to see highlights on what is going on in London with the riots and the financial markets. I also found the occasional comic relief.
4. Creative content from Tumblr - If you follow more than a few people on Tumblr, you probably realize that the Dashboard is not the most effective way of viewing video content.  Most videos go unwatched since I quickly scan my Dashboard only once or twice a day.  Since we’ve been testing tumblr integration recently, I’ve stumbled across a few fun and educational gems: “carnivorous plants” and “vortex bubbles.”

These videos have captured my imagination and inspired me to make the most of my time outside of the office and away from the computer.  They require less than 30 minutes of my attention a day.  Shelby can be that kind of “video sherpa” for all our users.  All this content is accessible to everyone for the first time thanks to the internet (sorry, cable, you still kind of suck) and given the rate at which this stuff is growing, it’s even more important to help people find the video that moves them and the people in their lives.  

Sure, some of you may think I’m just trying to justify my love of the memefilled internet, but I really do believe that video is an incredibly engaging and interesting medium that can help change the world.  Just like music, video can transcend language barriers, connect, inspire and educate (just ask Salman Khan about that last one).

Video is a young art form - it’s been around a fraction of the time that music, literature and theatre have.  Much like Gutenberg’s printing press did for the written word in the 1400’s, the internet is enabling video to be widely and cheaply distributed in a way unlike ever before.  And if video is still so young, then the future is bright. Sounds like music to my…err… video to my eyes. 

Getting Real with Gary V. - ‘everyman philosopher’

On Saturday night, Gary V. leveraged his incredible social media following to take the pre-orders for his new book - The Thank You Economy - to #1 on Amazon (an astounding 202,842% climb in a day).

The guy knows how to move a crowd… but that was online.

So what happens when he’s standing in a room full of hungry young entrepreneurs? 

Shit gets real.

I’ve now seen Gary speak three times. Once at NYU, once at TechStars for a day, and most recently, this past Wednesday. Does the guy “crush it?” Yes, he does. He really, really does. 

“Why?” do you ask? Because here he was digging into every company in the room, giving them honest feedback… Here he was explaining how he wrestles with his desire to “crush it” versus the time he spends with his family… Here he was explaining how he believes the future lies in “the humanization of business.”

“It’s amazing what you learn when you bury your ego.” Gary’s a polarizing figure. He even asked how many people think/thought he was a douche when they first heard of him. Even in a friendly crowd, many raised their hands. But by the end, I think he turned everyone in his favor.

How? Total honesty about himself and his philosophy of self-awareness.

“If you know who you are, you can win in any situation.” He talked a lot about really embracing who you are and putting that to work for you. For Gary, that’s his natural charisma. Some people get it, some people don’t, but “To [him], the truth is undefeated.”

So now, a room full of people feel that they have a closer connection to Gary - and indeed, they do, he has humanized himself by exposing his neurosis - which in turn makes them customers of his, jumping to buy his book and participate in the business that is Gary V. 

I don’t mean to sound skeptical. I honestly believe that Gary is exactly who he is - a passionate, driven, entrepreneur - but what he is, is a business, and a brilliant one at that.

At the end of the day, if I had to describe Gary, I might say he’s an ‘everyman philosopher.’ Whatever you call him: a wine-nut, a business, a person… I’m a fan.

P.S. - Gary posted a video about the night. Humanizing business, right before our eyes.

NYCEDC Startup Exchange: My 2 Cents

In early December, I attended the NYCEDC Startup Exchange - a networking event/party/whatchamacallit at the IAC building.

I don’t know how I got on the invite list, but the email said my boy Fred would be there and I assumed there’d be some free food for this starving founder, so I planned to attend.

The event itself was… “eh” and according to this NYConvergence post in which I was quoted recently, I’m not alone.

Sure - put a bunch of vaguely relevant industry people in the same room with some booze and you’re bound to create some interactions that go somewhere. I met one associate VC that may prove to be a useful connection, so +1 there.

But I honestly didn’t understand the point of the event, I didn’t feel as though it showed an understanding of NYC startup culture and I certainly didn’t recognize many of my peers from the NYC startup scene (Not that I want to see the same people all the time, but hell, I learned more at the Hashable 100 Party held earlier that week and it was WAY more fun).

Now, in the wake of the NYConvergence article, I was contacted by a reporter from Crain’s. So before any of this gets spun out of context, or the NYCEDC smites me for criticizing them, I’ll lay it down simply…

NYC is a great community for startups, but it is still nascent. As such, it CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE. Therefore, the NYCEDC would do well to lay the groundwork for solving some of the real problems excellently outlined by Fred here:

1. Creating excellent lines of communication. [If they’re already doing great stuff - as it’s been pointed out to me - then why haven’t I heard about it?]

2. Work from the “bottom up.” Get out on the street and really understand the major issues facing startups. [Big hairy monster - how do we get top talent to join startups instead of Wall Street?]

3. Help NYC get a BIG HIT. [We need a couple homeruns that spawn many other angels/advisors into the community in order to keep this momentum going.]

This list is incomplete, but the point is there is room for improvement and it seems there is a genuine interest on BOTH SIDES - startups and politicians - to help each other, and make NYC a fantastic, enduring destination for innovation.

I’m in. NYCEDC - ping me anytime you want to chat and I know plenty more people with great ideas.

UPDATE:  I just got a great email from David Lombino, EVP of the NYCEDC. In it, he thanked me for my feedback, informed me of a number of the initiatives they have lined up and opened the lines of communication for the future. That’s effing awesome. GO NYC!