Life in School and Startup

Looks like we’re headed to Internet Summit 2009. Here’s the story:

A few weeks back, I started listening to This Week in Startups in my free time at work and while I’m driving from DC to Raleigh and back. It’s a great podcast and the guests are usually serial entrepreneurs that have a passion for starting up companies. Also, the host is on his third company (I think), and is usually very straightforward with people that call in or email questions. One guy recently called in to ask about conferences and their crazy cost that is usually too much for students or anyone on a shoestring budget. This particularly caught my attention because Steve and I wanted to attend IS 2009 but really couldn’t afford the $245/person registration cost. The advice to the caller was simple – volunteers are always in high demand at these events and coordinators often may exchange registration for you volunteering to help with various things leading up to and during the actual event.

I shot off an email, got a response back in a few hours. Done and done. Moral of the story? Just ask for a break and offer a little in return, you might be surprised with what you find. Thanks to Jason at Southern Capitol for hooking us up with the right guy.

Megatrends have come and gone since consumer society has been around.  All of the sheeple walking here and there, to and fro, to stay up with the latest fashion trends, social networks, employment booms and busts, etc.  Though “active” participation in society does not require one to stay up with the bleeding edge fashion or social networks, there exist other megatrends that eventually weave themselves into the fabric of our daily lives – ones that society will deem required for “normal” participation.  After much deliberation and study, I’ve decided to refer to these phenomena as “lifestyle revolutions” due to their revolutionary change on the lifestyle habits of people  Just as the advent of the Model T, large-scale farming, Jesus, and the internet forever changed the way we conduct our day-to-day lives, so will the current rise of talk and data via mobile phones.

As if everyone in society isn’t completely “last minute” yet, we sure as hell are all going to be flying by the seat of our pants by the time my kids are having kids.  Everyone and every”thing” is now at the fingertips of consumers able to place a phone call and view internet data whenever and wherever they do so choose.  Yellowpages and libraries are much less popular, payphones are disappearing at an alarming rate, and mobile accessories are on the rise due to the increasing amount of lifestyle reliance on our mobile phone.  I would hate to be in Rand McNally’s shoes right now.  Why, though, is the mobile phone revolution going to persist longer than other fads such as Friendster and the Pet Rock – persist much like Microsoft Windows and the Petroleum industry has?

The answer is not that one person’s daily life relies on a mobile phone for communication and internet.  The answer is that the vast majority of society will soon rely on the abilities of mobile devices.  When adults tell me they don’t have a mode of transportation, a mobile phone, the internet, etc, I begin to wonder why.  It’s not necessarily that each person needs these items for his or her own personal use, but rather to effectively participate in American society.

I can see in 30 years everyone having a mobile phone with internet access.  People will consider it a lifestyle necessity, and will be severely impacted should damage or loss occur.  In the meantime, let’s just sit back and ride the wave of an enormous industry growing to support this mobile revolution.

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