This weekend convinced me that Creatives need to be led by other Creatives - and not by "Project Managers" or Business Development folks.
I'd like to cite Jim Coudal of Coudal Partners who said at SXSWi in 2006 that Creatives are learning that they can do it themselves. They can run full scale businesses without the suit and tie folks.
I also learned how quickly people can bond and create authentic relationship. Thanks to you, Joe, Steve and several of the Toronto folks for showing me the time of my life.
Where else can you get stuck on an island with a clothing optional beach in the rain?
Ryan
· 2 years ago
Wow Andrew. Sounds like quite a weekend! The Bill of Rights is a great idea. I'd be interested in hearing more specifically what you think the difference was between Boulder and Toronto? Perhaps it was the altitude :). Let's talk sometime when you come up for air.
Jeff Clark
· 2 years ago
Yikes.
The BoR was probably a good idea, and the direction it's headed in is definitely good.
Toronto sounded rough (even the Tweets sounded rough), but I'm still pretty excited about Boston's weekend next month. Maybe it'll be a LOT smoother!
micah
· 2 years ago
It seems that in any group there needs to be boundaries, understandings, and clear goals/direction. And a bat. I really think that one of the reasons Boulder went so well was because we all had the attitude that we were part of something larger. Sounds like the organizers in Toronto wanted to be the party and let everyone else just participate.
Plus, now you know that neither model ended with a launched project at the end of 56+ hours...
Lance Weatherby
· 2 years ago
Sorry to hear that Toronto did not turn out the way you expected. The BoR is a great idea. When you have a chance to reflect a bit more I think they can be laid out in a more positive way.
I also must say that the wholesale statement that "Putting any part of the organization or incorporation in the hands of a local hand" might be a bit of an over reaction. You can't do this without local leadership.
What you need is honest local leadership with pure motives. Part of the way to ensure that happens is transparency. I don't think it is my place to put the capital structure out in the wild, but if you were to do so (as well as the BoR and other important info), and post it on each city blog you might prevent the problem in the future.
Its all about communication and putting great people in a position to do amazing things.
Andrew
· 2 years ago
@Lance Weatherby I agree with you on the local organization, but I can't put some things, such as legal forms, in someone else's control. Overreaction? Yes.
I agree with you about local leadership, it has been amazing seeing the Atlanta weekend and others just explode. My biggest fear is having a bad weekends leadership effect other organizers weekends and standing in their communities.
Hey read similar on Steve's blog. Interested in how this type of thing might work down under.
Andrew
· 2 years ago
@xxxx great points and I am glad everything was worked out at the end of the weekend.
I did not call you dishonest. I feel there was some major miscommunication between the organizing team and the founders, that many people took as dishonest, but I don't think for a second your intentions were malevolent or dishonest. The question was, what can we do to make sure the weekends never fall into the hands of 'dishonest' organizers (not calling you dishonest at all). If I organize these weekends, I need to make sure the structure is set up to protect from the chance someone wants to use this concept as a form of free labor or tricking people into building a product for them.
The bigger point is- what if the intentions of the organizers were drastically different than the reason why most people signed up? I have received 15 emails from people who signed up for the weekend that were greatly disappointed in the 11th hour legal forms and organizing. So I had the option, do I just let everything pass or do I be open and transparent on what happened, and take action on how to make sure the trust is held for future weekends.
Stefan Schedereit
· 2 years ago
As one of the participants of SW Toronto I am certainly suprised to find out that we were supposed to be working for you and according to your expectations. To that end I found your lack of participation and poor attitude disruptive to the overall spirit of OUR weekend. Like it or not you were there to PARTICIPATE as our guest. Despite your lack of effort, regardless of your 'structure' fears, you shall still receive shares for your time spent.
Andrew
· 2 years ago
@Stefan Schedereit
Startup Weekend is my company... I wasn't there to be a guest, I was there to make sure it was a success. Once I found out what was pulled, I focused my efforts on future weekends, and to provide what I could to all the participants.
I didn't sign in for shares when I wasn't working on the product, so fear not.
All Comments
I'd like to cite Jim Coudal of Coudal Partners who said at SXSWi in 2006 that Creatives are learning that they can do it themselves. They can run full scale businesses without the suit and tie folks.
I also learned how quickly people can bond and create authentic relationship. Thanks to you, Joe, Steve and several of the Toronto folks for showing me the time of my life.
Where else can you get stuck on an island with a clothing optional beach in the rain?
I'd be interested in hearing more specifically what you think the difference was between Boulder and Toronto? Perhaps it was the altitude :).
Let's talk sometime when you come up for air.
The BoR was probably a good idea, and the direction it's headed in is definitely good.
Toronto sounded rough (even the Tweets sounded rough), but I'm still pretty excited about Boston's weekend next month. Maybe it'll be a LOT smoother!
Plus, now you know that neither model ended with a launched project at the end of 56+ hours...
I also must say that the wholesale statement that "Putting any part of the organization or incorporation in the hands of a local hand" might be a bit of an over reaction. You can't do this without local leadership.
What you need is honest local leadership with pure motives. Part of the way to ensure that happens is transparency. I don't think it is my place to put the capital structure out in the wild, but if you were to do so (as well as the BoR and other important info), and post it on each city blog you might prevent the problem in the future.
Its all about communication and putting great people in a position to do amazing things.
I agree with you about local leadership, it has been amazing seeing the Atlanta weekend and others just explode. My biggest fear is having a bad weekends leadership effect other organizers weekends and standing in their communities.
http://www.techquilashots.com/2007/09/18/startu...
I did not call you dishonest. I feel there was some major miscommunication between the organizing team and the founders, that many people took as dishonest, but I don't think for a second your intentions were malevolent or dishonest. The question was, what can we do to make sure the weekends never fall into the hands of 'dishonest' organizers (not calling you dishonest at all). If I organize these weekends, I need to make sure the structure is set up to protect from the chance someone wants to use this concept as a form of free labor or tricking people into building a product for them.
The bigger point is- what if the intentions of the organizers were drastically different than the reason why most people signed up? I have received 15 emails from people who signed up for the weekend that were greatly disappointed in the 11th hour legal forms and organizing. So I had the option, do I just let everything pass or do I be open and transparent on what happened, and take action on how to make sure the trust is held for future weekends.
Startup Weekend is my company... I wasn't there to be a guest, I was there to make sure it was a success. Once I found out what was pulled, I focused my efforts on future weekends, and to provide what I could to all the participants.
I didn't sign in for shares when I wasn't working on the product, so fear not.