Riya launch party and Silicon Valley networking
In my second week of being in the Bay Area I finally made it out of San Francisco and down to the valley to attend the Riya launch party, along with a few hundred others.
It was (perhaps as I write still is) a great party. Not a lot of food, a bit dark in the depths of the backyard, but a fantastic cross section of Silicon Valley and the web2.0 buzz was heavy. I enjoyed catching up with Shel Israel who will be a featured speaker at MeshForum 2006. I even met a few people who not only had heard about MeshForum but were excited about it and about meeting me.
In a conversation with Steve Gillmor we talked about many topics, including his Gilmor Daily show (link not yet working) and Attention Trust.
In particular, I mentioned my post on Time, Identity and Social Networks and the application I am building to demonstrate that at Calendar.ning.com (not yet live).
As I spend more time in the Bay Area and in Silicon Valley in particular I look forward to many more evenings like this evening - great conversations with many very smart people each pursuing engaging (and potentially valuable) projects. I do not yet know 100% what my specific niche here will end up being - MeshForum will play a key role, my consulting services especially around Product Strategy will certainly play another.
What I love to do is work with smart people and help them solve real problems. My methodology involves asking lots of questions but also making connections. Connections to other people, to other ventures and technology, and to other research, tools, approaches, software and technology.
At times I can then help with the next step of going from idea to product, but my real value and skill is in the process of getting to a real, potential product - of getting to the root of the problems, of defining in simple and clear terms what needs to be built, and then helping define the steps to take to get from where things are today to where they should be in the future.
I’ve done this on a formal basis with many clients and on an informal basis with many more friends. Real examples of my “work” in process can be seen in some current discussion on the Ned Franchise Idea on omidyar.net (free registration may be needed) there and in related discussions I have offered my analysis, links and questions to help the entrepreneur/founder define and then create his vision.
Here in San Francisco while I have been mostly spending my time networking and getting to know the city and surrounding area as I search for where to live next month and next year, I have also been meeting with a couple of entrepreneurs working on very different projects. As they help me learn the city, I have been helping them refine what it is that they do and then have been helping brainstorm further. Very enjoyable conversations.
(If you know of great sublet opportunities for December 2005 and/or rental options for 2006 leave a comment or contact me directly - especially in the Rockridge area of Oakland or in a near public transit part of San Francisco)
It is great to be out here in the Bay Area, I’m looking forward to the next steps in my ventures.