All posts tagged SXSWi

Highlights from SXSW 2011: “Grow Some Balls: Build Business Relationships from Nothing”

by Jessica Barnett on March 20, 2011 in Recap with No comments

One of my favorite talks at SXSW this year was Matt Vanhorn‘s “Grow Some Balls: Build Business Relationships from Nothing”.

Description: “Fear holds many people back in business. There is fear of not having enough to offer, fear of not knowing what to say, fear of rejection. This session is about how the game is changing and how to build quality relationships out of nothing while not being afraid. Business is about relationships and using technology to foster those relationships by growing social spheres of influence and creating a network of contacts of friends, acquaintances, and business partners. Also to be covered will be the advanced tips and tricks for making a cold connection a warm one, how to make a great impression, follow-up like a rock-star and how to complete deals that are not typical deals. Social media sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook have changed the way business is done. When should you add someone on Twitter versus LinkedIn versus Facebook? How do you avoid being ignored? What about instant messenger? Is the IM agreement the new term sheet?”

Read the full post.

4sqDay Panel at SXSWi!

by Jessica Barnett on August 18, 2010 in Technology with 1 Comment

It’s that time of year again! In short, thousands of panel ideas were submitted to South by Southwest and now they take the public’s votes into consideration as they determine the programming for the 2011 event! (More info on how that works…)

Walter Elly of MicroArts thought a SXSW panel about Foursquare Day and the foursquare community would be really interesting and Dr. Nate and I agreed! We’d love your help getting there!

Read the full post.

SXSWi… A Branding and Social Media Conference?

by Jessica Barnett on August 12, 2010 in Event, Technology with 3 Comments

I’ve had a lot of conversations about the content of and possible improvement of SXSW, specifically the Interactive portion (and really, tech conferences in general)…

How SXSWi describe themselves: “brightest minds in emerging technology”… “the best new digital works, video games and innovative ideas the international community has to offer.”

Quote from the SXSW site:

17. Do you have any specific programming needs for the 2011 event?
- SXSW Interactive is specifically looking for more advanced-level ideas, as well as more sessions that cover technical issues. We are also interested in seeing more solo and dual presentations.

Read the full post.

SXSW Without Breaking the Bank!

by Jessica Barnett on February 23, 2010 in Technology with 4 Comments

sxsw2010logoI’ve let many opportunities in life pass me by because I felt like I couldn’t afford to do something. I’ve seen many people do the same thing, most recently about SXSW. This compels me to offer unsolicited advice: Don’t make the same mistake. While this post deals specifically with SXSW, many of these concepts could apply to any of the countless conferences and workshops that happen all over the world, or even just a pleasure trip. Take a look, and let me know what you think. What did I leave out? Hope to see you at SXSWi 2010!

Biggest tip #1: Start early!

Biggest tip #2: Be creative!

Where to lay your head:

  • Stay with someone who lives in Austin.
  • Find a rental on Craigslist, consider splitting a house with a group of friends.
  • Stay in a hostel. Hostelling International Austin seems to have good reviews and is a 5 minute drive to the Convention Center. Beds from: $19.00 a night.
  • Check out Couch Surfing or a similar service. A quick search shows about 350 definitely available couches in Austin.
  • If you decide on a hotel, get a cheap one and split it if possible. If you going to SXSW hinges on being willing to sleep on a couch or in a double bed for a couple days, definitely choose the double bed. Using SXSW’s tool, you can qualify for some discounts.
  • Rent an RV?
  • Some suggest staying a little farther away will save big. Since Austin has a good bus system, shouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience.
Read the full post.