Video: TECH cocktail RACING Preview

May 16, 2008

Saturday… Saturday … Saturday! Start your engines as Threadless.com, a Chicago-based skinnyCorp operated company and TECH cocktail supporter, will be hosting a Pine Wood Derby race called the THREADLEMANSS. Unfortunately, Eric and I won’t be able to attend as we are pretty busy right now getting ready for TECH cocktail CONFERENCE (did you sign up yet?!). But thanks to twitter we found out that TECH cocktailer Carlos Pero of coloring.com has a son that was recently undefeated in his Cub Scouts Pine Wood Derby. We leverage the power of twitter technology (follow techcocktail on twitter) to see if Carlos would like to lead the TECH cocktail RACING effort and thankfully he accepted.

Carlos is featured this week on episode 25 of SOMEWHAT FRANK TV video (below) as he previews our TECH cocktail RACING car and shares some Pine Wood Derby knowledge. Thank you Carlos for your help and good luck on Saturday! You can cheer on the TECH cocktail car this Saturday, May 17, 2008 as Threadless will be streaming the derby live.

Posted by Frank Gruber | Filed Under Event, TECH cocktail, TECH cocktail CONFERENCE, TECH cocktail News, Video | 3 Comments

TECH cocktail CONFERENCE is Coming - Badge It Up!

May 2, 2008

TECH cocktail CONFERENCE is just a month away and it is shaping up to be a super event, which brings together expert TECH cocktailers from across the country to help other TECH cocktailers learn from their experiences and take a “no nonsense” approach to running a business, leveraging technology and the Web.

The goal of the conference is to assist attendees by bringing them essential business startup tips, advice and knowledge from a super-cast of successful founders, developers and entrepreneurs.

If you have not purchased a ticket to the event at the early bird low price of $225 you should do so now, as supply is limited. If you want to save a little bit on the ticket simply use the discount code: techcocktailers since we are trying to make this event as easy and low cost as we can, while still covering the costs associated with hosting an event of this nature.

The conference agenda is as follows:

Building a business anywhere (not just Silicon Valley)
Leveraging new technologies and social media to help your business
Getting your business funded
Discovering your Inner CEO
Growing a community around a traditional business

Some of our speakers include the following, with speaker bios here:

MIKE DOMEK - TicketsNow / Ticketmaster
DICK COSTOLO - FeedBurner / Google
JASON FRIED -37signals
HARPER REED - skinnyCorp / Threadless.com
GARY VAYNERCHUK - Wine Library TV
GENEVIEVE THIERS - Sittercity
KEITH SCHACHT - 42 Friends
NICK FERA - Parlano / Microsoft
BLAGICA BOTTIGLIERO - CondoPerks & Gals’ Guide
JEN CONSALVO - AOL
MICAH BALDWIN - Lijit
JARED GORALNICK - AwayFind
DAVID ARMANO - Critical Mass
MIKE MACADAAN - AOL
ALEX BARD - Goowy Media / AOL
ROB SCHULTZ - IllinoisVENTURES
BRUCE N. BARRON - Origin Ventures
DALIAH SAPER - Saper Law Offices, LLC
MATT SHOBE - FeedBurner / Google
EVAN BROWN - Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
SEAN AMMIRATI - mSpoke / ReadWriteWeb
ANT CREED - Intuit
TROY HENIKOFF - Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
ALLAN COX - Author of Your Inner CEO
JASON REXILIUS - HostedLABS
DANIELLE WILEY - Edelman
MATT MCCALL - DFJ Portage Ventures
BRIAN SOLIS - FutureWorks
BRIAN WILLIAMS - Viget Labs
GEOFF LIVINGSTON - Livingston Communications
FRASER KELTON - AdaptiveBlue
BRAD FELD - Foundry Group
KIRK WOLFE -MK Capital
GARY BARRON - Frost Ruttenberg & Rothblatt, PC
NICK O’NEILL - Social Times
JOHN ZERASKY - FeedBurner / Google
FRANK GRUBER - TECH cocktail / SOMEWHAT FRANK / AOL
ERIC OLSON - TECH cocktail / DFJ Portage Ventures

If you have already registered for TECH cocktail CONFERENCE we have badges. Help spread the world for TECH cocktail CONFERENCE! Copy the code below the image you’d like to use to promote TECH cocktail CONFERENCE on your blog or website! Thanks for helping.

Posted by Frank Gruber | Filed Under Boston, Boulder, Chicago, DC, Event, TECH cocktail, TECH cocktail CONFERENCE, TECH cocktail News | Leave a Comment

TECH cocktail Chicago 8 Mixer To Follow CONFERENCE

April 29, 2008

We are happy to announce the TECH cocktail Chicago 8 mixer event will follow TECH cocktail CONFERENCE on May 29, 2008. You should definitely try and make it to the conference as it is a going to be a “can’t miss” event as we bring together an all-star cast of TECH cocktailers for a full day, potent, conference concoction. Also, if you sign up for the conference here you will automatically secure a ticket for the TECH cocktail Chicago 8 mixer event. If you cannot make the conference, you can still sign up to just attend TECH cocktail Chicago 8 mixer event on a first come first serve basis below.

Here are the TECH cocktail Chicago 8 details:

Date:

Time

Location:

Map:

RSVP HERE: http://tech-cocktail-chicago-8.eventbrite.com

If you are interested in sponsoring TECH cocktail Chicago 8 or our conference we still have spots open so please contact us as soon as possible - more information on sponsoring is here. We run these events to break even and would love to do so on this second event. Also if you are interested in demoing your startup product or service please contact us. See you there!

Posted by Frank Gruber | Filed Under Chicago, Event, TECH cocktail, TECH cocktail CONFERENCE, TECH cocktail News | 4 Comments

Upcoming DC Web/Tech Events - Spring 2008

April 16, 2008

PodcampDC - April 18-20, 2008
Podcamp DC is an “unconference” focused on educating participants on how to use, implement and share any/all new media tools including, podcasts, videocasts, blogs, Second Life, Facebook, and YouTube. There are waiting lists spots still available.

TECH cocktail DC 2 - April 24, 2008
The second TECH cocktail in DC should be a night of fun as startups showoff their stuff for the over 300 guest RSVPs. The following startups will be demoing: AwayFind, iGala, Loladex, Odeo, Voxant and WhyGoSolo. TECH cocktail DC 2 was made possible with the support of the following sponsors AOL, Network Solutions, Voxant, Viget Labs and Jess3 (our preferred creative service provider). See you there!

meetup.com DC New Media Technology Meetup - April 30, 2008
Meet and greet others interested in new media, social networking/web 2.0/video 2.0. Besides talking about our current interests & projects, suggested topics: financing Web 2.0/social media efforts, technical developments, Startups & what’s artistic & unusual in web 2.0 sites. If you’re interested in meeting and sharing ideas/discussion around the subjects of web 2.0 and online video, join up and attend the meetup.

Social Devcamp East SocialDevCamp East - May 10, 2008
SocialDevCamp East is an “unconference” for Thought Leaders of the Future Social Web. Where is the social web going? It’s going mobile, to geocentric services, and to open platforms. Join a community of like minded developers, social media gurus and thought leaders for an unconference to discuss the future of the social web. The event is looking for thought leaders from DC to Boston to meet, forge relationships, and envision the future. SocialDevCamp East is convenient to the entire east coast corridor via Amtrak. Just travel to Baltimore’s Penn Station — University of Baltimore is two blocks south.

TECH cocktail CONFERENCE - May 29, 2008
DC is just an few hours by plane from Chicago which is where the first TECH cocktail CONFERENCE will be held in May. The focus of the CONFERENCE is taking a “no nonsense” approach to building a business that can flourish by leveraging technology and the Web. The event will be offer access to some amazing speakers and TECH cocktailers can save on the price of admission by using the promo code: techcocktailers. You cannot miss this event - join us now!

BlogPotomac - June 13, 2008
BlogPotomac, a one day event, is aimed at providing advanced marketing insights beyond the average social media 101. BlogPotomac will be held on Friday, June 13, 2008 at the State Theater in Falls Church, Virginia. BlogPotomac seeks to provide a local “unconference” on best marketing practices for the social media community in the Washington, DC area.

Posted by Frank Gruber | Filed Under DC, Event, TECH cocktail CONFERENCE, TECH cocktail News | Leave a Comment

37signals Featured In Wired

February 28, 2008

In case you missed it, Chicago-based 37signals founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson were recently featured in Wired Magazine. The articled titled, “The Brash Boys at 37signals Will Tell You: Keep It Simple Stupid” does a great job detailing what they are all about.

It is also worth noting Jason Fried will be speaking more about this simple, “less is less” approach at the upcoming TECH cocktail CONFERENCE in Chicago, May 29th. SIGN UP NOW!

Posted by cofounders | Filed Under Chicago, TECH cocktail CONFERENCE, TECH cocktail News | 1 Comment

Introducing the TECH cocktail CONFERENCE

February 21, 2008

The first TECH cocktail CONFERENCE will unfold on Thursday, May 29, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. After hosting TECH cocktail mixer events for nearly two years, a full day CONFERENCE seemed like the next step.

The conference will entail a full day of TECH events and TECH talks and will run from 9 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. at Loyola University’s Kasbeer Hall (Water Tower Place campus). After the conference the customary and popular TECH cocktail mixer will take place from 6:30 p.m. till 9:00 p.m. at John Barleycorn-Wrigleyville.

A stellar cast of speakers for the event are on tap as we look to facilitate a place for people to learn all the various aspects of starting and running a web business. The usual “no nonsense” approach will be alive at the CONFERENCE along with our signature relaxed atmosphere so attendees will learn a lot while having fun.

If you are interested in attending the conference please REGISTER NOW since space is very limited. We look forward to seeing you at our first conference and we thank you for your support over the last couple of years. Without it TECH cocktail wouldn’t be where it is today.

Current confirmed speakers include:

MIKE DOMEK - TicketsNow / Ticketmaster - From the Northwest suburb of Woodstock, Illinois, Mike Domek founded The VIP Tour Company in 1992 with $100 and an abundance of ambition. Armed with a strong work ethic, keen sales acumen, and a flair for finding and selling event tickets, Mike quickly transformed The VIP Tour Company into a professional, full-service ticketing agency. Mike Domek created TicketsNow, the world’s largest independent online marketplace for premium event tickets, and serves as Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. In his role, Mike works closely with TicketsNow President and CEO and the company’s executive team in managing the overall business operation, while creating and implementing corporate strategies that yield future growth. Ticketmaster was acquired by IAC’s Ticketmaster in January 2008. More on Mike Domek.

DICK COSTOLO - FeedBurner / Google - Dick is the Co-founder and CEO of FeedBurner, a Chicago-based feed management company which was acquired by Google in June 2007. Previously, he cofounded and was CEO of Spyonit.com. Spyonit was sold to 724 Solutions in September 2000. Prior to Spyonit, Dick cofounded Burning Door Networked Media, a web design and development consulting company. Burning Door was acquired by Digital Knowledge Assets in October 1996. Prior to Burning Door, Dick was at Andersen Consulting for 8 years, where his roles included Senior Manager, Strategy, Application Products Group and Senior Manager, Application Infrastructure, Eagle Advanced Technology Group. More on Dick Costolo.

JASON FRIED -37signals - Founder of Chicago-based 37signals, Jason Fried is an innovative thinker, designer, developer and entreprenuer. His work at 37signals includes creating Basecamp, a hosted project management tool that is extremely popular among its thousands of users, as well as a number of others. Jason often shares his experiences about what works and what doesn’t in web development and how the unconventional methodologies followed by 37signals give it an edge. From the advantages of working as a team with members in different continents to getting the word about your product out effectively, Jason covers it all and preaches “less is less” in design, work and life. Jason has also authored a book called Getting Real, about how to start a successful web-based business. Jason also contributes to the popular Signal vs. Noise blog.

Gary Varynerchuk GARY VAYNERCHUK - Wine Library TV - The star of Wine Library TV and the Director of Operations at Wine Library in Springfield, NJ, Gary’s career took a new turn with the advent of Wine Library TV. Broadcast daily between 4 and 6 pm EST, over a five year period from from 1998 to 2003, Wine Library grew from a $4 million dollar business to a $45 million business. With his wealth of knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit, Gary is a wine 2.0 expert who has reinvented the concept of wine tasting for a new generation. In addition to encouraging straightforward wine tasting, Gary educates viewers about the effects of regional factors (soil, sun, wind) on wine flavors, and how to buy wine. Debunking myths (red vs. white, big name brands vs. independent growers, the pitfalls of wine ratings, etc.) is another ongoing theme of the show. Former TECH cocktail demoer and sponsor. More details on Gary.

ADRIAN HOLOVATY - EveryBlock - Adrian Holovaty, founder of EveryBlock, is a journalist and Web developer. He has developed award-winning Web applications for washingtonpost.com, Lawrence.com and LJWorld.com and started EveryBlock after being awarded a two-year grant from the Knight Foundation. His 2005 project chicagocrime.org, developed with co-EveryBlocker Wilson, was one of the original Google Maps “mashups” — and eventually helped influence Google to open its mapping infrastructure for all to use. Adrian co-created Django, a free, open-source development framework that makes it fast and easy for programmers to build Web sites. He co-wrote the Django Book in 2007. More on Adrian Holovaty.