Current / Future Projects | Shifting Priorities

changed priorities ahead

Prioritising projects.

Taking inspiration from a recent conversation with Derek Sivers (and his ‘now’ post), here are six things I’m focussed on currently and in the near future:

  1. Advising / Speaking

    I mentor / coach one-to-one clients and throw together longer consulting services, for example, guiding a national sport association exploring the world of social, being part of a larger mentoring team for the UK arts and cultural sector, plus individually tutoring a social media manager for a major university explore sustainable strategies / practices.

    Sadly, the speaking market in New Zealand is extremely small and frugal hence the return trip to North America early 2015 where I already have several gigs lined up.

    This is how I pay the rent.

  2. Wysdem

    An idea being now born into a project which I’ve spoken about and written about before. More to follow next week.

  3. Social Media Automated Strategy Creator

    Currently in alpha testing mode, this little idea is nearly ready to share with the world (if you want to become a beta tester holler in the comments or ping through a message).

    It’s the manifestation of a simple and ongoing idea of extending peoples’ thinking beyond seeing social media as just a marketing platform.

  4. COMPLETED—check it out.

  5. TEDxWellington

    As the license holder / curator for NZ’s capital TEDx event, discussions have already started for next years offering. The highlights from this years review is that we sold out in under three hours, had 12 amazing talks / performances and entertained 400 curious souls in person (and 1,500 online during the stream).

  6. Real Life Has More Bandwidth

    A side project which crowdsources stuff you could never get online. Like hugs (and don’t send me this—close, but still not a hug, although what a lovely project).

  7. Sci-fi Trilogy Novel / Graphic Novel

    For the past few years I’ve been sharing with a few folks the plot to a sci-fi trilogy I once dreamed. Have never written any long-form fiction before although feeling buoyed by the initial responses with those I’ve shared it with.

If anyone has any thoughts or guidance on the above let us know. Let me know what you’re working on as well?

Image credit
Published

Connecting | Makers, Design, Technology

elon musk innovating quote

Two fast-paced, highly-edited and short-form-doco style films exploring trends in interaction and experience design.

“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”
Elon Musk

Connecting Series is a collaboration between Microsoft Design and Bassett & Partners. The following films have a monstrous amount of sweeping statements, provocative questions and leading thoughts, although do provide an insight into the amount of innovative happening out there:

When everyone is a maker, new possibilities emerge, but with them come new responsibilities about digital transparency, cultural awareness, and the role of the designer.

When digital and physical worlds become one, new behaviors become possible, enabling connected humans with a collective capacity to change the world.


For me, these two films hint at the wider ideas of play, collaboration, experimention, failure, mashups etc—what do you think?

Flickr image credit via jurvetson
Published

TEDActive 2014 | A Review

nz tedx organisers

On the TEDActive stage with four other NZ TEDx organisers (left to right): Kaila Colbin (of TEDxChristchurch), Arturo Pelayo (of TEDxAuckland), Sheldon Nesdale (of TEDxTauranga), Trent Yeo (of TEDxQueenstown).

TEDActive is home to the curious souls and brave doers—a six day cacophony of delight and wonder.

A rich global citizenry of awesomeness and actioneers; gathered around a TED-orbit to collide magnificently in a blossom of conversations / intentions / hopes / purposes etc

Personally, hugs and listening were the currency of the week, and by the end, I felt ‘stretched’ by the experience in a way that I’ll never return to the original state.

Thank you TED and all the people who attended / shared / provoked / talked / listened / drank / sang / danced / signed / smiled / questioned / laughed / cried / hugged / high-fived / hid / exalted / winked / gave / took etc.

Here’s a sprinkling of some choice-quotes from the many talks which struck a chord for some reason or another:

The best vision to see the future is peripheral vision.
Nicholas Negroponte

Don’t tap into your design expertise but your humanity.
Amanda Burden

Leadership is a choice not a rank.
Simon Sinek

The cost of innovation is nearly zero.
Joi Ito

If you banish the dragons, you banish the heroes.
Andrew Solomon

Want to know anything specific? Leave a question in the comments below.

Published

Find What You Love & Let It Kill You | Bukowski Read

From RMNarrative and his captivating viciousminuteshour.com.

My dear,

Find what you love and let it kill you. Let it drain from you your all. Let it cling onto your back and weigh you down into eventual nothingness. Let it kill you, and let it devour your remains.

For all things will kill you, both slowly and fastly, but it’s much better to be killed by a lover.

Falsely yours,

Hank

Published

CreativeHQ | Social Media For Startups

creativehq sessions

Developed and delivered a three-afternoon session course for a eager group of startups at CreativeHQ.

DK’s sessions on social media highlighted the importance of utilising a variety of tools to build an online company culture quickly and effectively—which is a priority for a startup business. One of the most important themes was how you can use your online culture to build your brand and leverage it to build a marketplace around your business. He is an absolute guru in the field and his hands on approach allowed people to pick up practical areas to focus and develop during each session. This was not your usual run down on social media, it is a look at who you are, who is your audience and most importantly—how do you get started today. I am forever reciting “Culture eats strategy for lunch.”
Jill McCarthy, Business Associate, CreativeHQ

Blush.

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PRESENTING WISDOM RELAUNCHED—1ST COHORT SOLD OUT IN ONE WEEK!