May 13, 2013

The Fourth Estate Leadership Summit

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January 22, 2013

FORBES!! {The Business Of A Successful Lifestyle (And How To Create Your Own)}

FORBES!  .. By Alexis Levine, founder, Savvy Media.

I was asked to describe success early in my career as Savvy Media’s CEO. I gave the standard money, cash, homes, “living the dream” bit. But then I was asked: “Best case scenario, what would your ideal life look like? Thousands of employees? Hundreds of offices? Fortune 500 clients?”

I hated every option I was given. With every fiber of my being, I was opposed to all of the above. Clearly Webster hasn’t added “Living the dream” to the dictionary yet! I thought, I’m horrible at managing employees and I loathe flourescent office lighting. I don’t do corporate structure well due to my Oppositional Defiance Disorder (Google it!) and suits anywhere but at a wedding — no thank you.

My real best-case scenario? To be free. I want to do what I want, go where I want, when I want. I want to feel passionate about my work and share in the success of my clients.  I want to not need an office or deal with being in charge of employees. I want to collaborate with brilliant people individually, as partners.  I want to travel. I want to expense festivals and have it not be a lie.

And no mandatory meetings, especially before noon! (These obnoxious desires have since become my company culture.) But how to actually get there?

How to build a business for your life (not the other way around)

In 2008, I read a book called “The 4-Hour Workweek” (you may have heard of it!). In it, Tim Ferriss advocates building a business that supports your life, instead of using your life to support a business. I was sold — my mission was to create a business that served as a foundation for achieving my goals, not the other way around.

So I built a business that could operate for many years, generating enough income to sustain my quality of living. Since I have no intention of selling or exiting, I have no other shareholders, leaving me with full control and freedom. My focus is usually to generate the largest income possible with the least amount of time required. And I’ve been successful: Today, my business doesn’t require my constant attention.

But it hasn’t exactly been as simple as it sounds. I’ve gotten screwed. I’ve taken on more than I could handle, resulting in 100-plus hour work weeks. My fears and anxiety have been debilitating at times. I’ve sacrificed spending time with family and friends. And I’ve had to learn how to hire talent, manage production, utilize contracts — all while fostering client relationships.

In short, I’ve spent years making mistakes and learning from them.

Here’s what’s worked for me:

1. Be ruthless. I focus only on high-value tasks and get rid of the rest. Whenever I find myself doing the same tasks repetitively, I’ve found ways to automate it. I try to remove myself from the process as much as possible. And I outsource whenever possible, if it makes sense. This allows me to spend my time working on projects that produce an immense amount of value for my business.
2. Do business in the cloud. I’ve learned to utilize a system of cloud-based technologies that allow me to operate as a complete virtual office. Me and my MacBook — Freshbooks handles my accounting. Basecamp handles my project management among various teams, and I also depend daily on Evernote, Dropbox and GoToMeeting.
3. Hold yourself accountable. Of course, automating and outsourcing aren’t always the best solutions. When this is the case, I attempt to schedule my time on focused subjects: research, correspondence, proposals, pitches — they all fall on specific days. This helps me stay accountable to myself.

Where I am today

Four years after I started my business, I am writing this article poolside, inMiami Beach. I could be in an office, freezing, somewhere north of here. I’m sure my revenue would triple if that were the case.

But instead, I’m focused on my quality of life. I’m 28 years old and single, which means I’m accountable to no one. This summer, I moved my apartment into Public Storage, shipped my car to L.A., and spent every month in a different city. Recently, I also started working with a team on building a marketing program and app for Sundance Film Festival. Why? Because I want to be at Sundance for 10 days and I am not in film. So I took what I do know and created a connection to something I love, and Savvy City was born.

That’s what building a lifestyle business is really all about: You create your own reality.

Click this link to view the actual article.

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January 2, 2013

Savvy City: Social Currency Gifting Suite // Pop Up @ Sundance Film Festival

 

 

 

 

 

 

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December 24, 2012

Savviest App’s of 2012

Savvy Media’s Top Picks for the Savviest App’s of 2012, in no specific order.

1. Genius Scan – Save the Trees! .. and save yourself the trouble of finding a scanner.

2. Square – You’re officially in business — anywhere! 

3. Pose : The app where you can see and shop the looks shared by the world’s top trends.

4. Stylitics - Remember the opening scene of Cher in Clueless, when she’s picking out her school clothes? Meet, Stylitics.

5. Urban Daddy – “I’m with my mom, and it’s Saturday .. WTF should we do? That’s precisely what Urban Daddy lets you know..

6. InstaFollow – Well, because losing instagram followers sucks. If you don’t let it ruin your day, this app can be an incredibly effective tool to measure your engagement.

7. Lemon Wallet – Digitize & store a copy of all of your cards on your phone—ID, insurance, loyalty and payment cards—so you always have a backup in case your wallet is misplaced, lost or stolen.

8. Hotel Tonight:The greatest solution for spontaneous travel plans

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9. Brewster : Bring together everyone you know (including contacts from iPhone, LinkedIn, Facebook, Gmail, and Twitter) to create a personalized address book.

10. CardMunch: lets you scan your business cards for easy follow-up, as all the info translates into your smartphone’s address book & connects to Linkedin.

11. Airbnb :  a trusted community marketplace that connects you with people who have spaces for rent.

12. Highlight: helps you know when friends and other interesting people are nearby. The terrifying new generation of mobile services…

13. Mint- Call it your mobile accountant, Mint’s app tracks your spending & accounts. Simply,  it helps make the unbearable, bearable.

14. DocuSign – Eliminate the need to print, fax, or mail documents for signatures.

15. Uber:Everyone’s Private Driver™. Use the Uber app to request a private car in any city the service is available. The app lets your driver know precisely where to pick you up, and lets you know exactly how long until they arrive. At the end of your ride, the fare is charged to your credit card on file (no need to tip), and you receive a detailed receipt

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December 7, 2012

…ON BASELING, 2012

Your Guide to Art Basel 2013 — #SavvyStyle -

If it’s in bold font, it’s meant to stand out. **Disclaimer – Many of these events are private. Even with an RSVP link, don’t drop names – particularly, mine. It will get you nowhere. **

• Casa De Don Julio invites you to celebrate Mr. Brainwash Saturday, December 8^{th *} VIP Preview @ 8:30 * Party @ 9:30* DJ set by Jus Ske* Boulan South Beach * 2000 Collins Avenue * Miami Beach, FL 33139

• Art lovers will have no trouble sighting each mural and cutting through the Art Week traffic with the help of Wynwood Art District’s first Deco Bike rack. Deco Bike is a bicycle sharing and rental program operating in Miami Beach and Surfside, yet to reach the pedestrian-friendly Wynwood Art District. For the first time locals, commuters, and travelers will benefit from green transportation in Heineken-branded Deco Bikes complete with QR code map technology. The QR codes both on the map and murals will provide inside-info regarding the murals, artists and special events.Heineken Bike Stations // Dec 3 – 9  Bike Stations are located in front of Wood Tavern  2531 NW 2nd Avenue/ Wynwood

• The Mural Project by Heineken, has been carefully curated to include some of the most talented veterans in street art. Celebrity-status street artists CP1, Chor Boogie, Estria, Prime and Don Rimx will leave their mark on Miami adding great value to the city’s thriving outdoor gallery including Miami-based prolific artist with the street cred to match, Trek6. The Heineken Artists feature a conglomeration of bi-cultural visionaries known to employ distinctive skills and vision on the murals they coat with their muse. Tasked with the mission and creative freedom to interpret Heineken’s Open Your World message, the murals will take a life of their own and inspire all who bear witness.

• The VIP LAUNCH EVENT for The Heineken Mural Project. Six renowned, bicultural street artists have been tasked with the mission to interpret Heineken’s Open Your World message during Art Basel Miami in the heart of the Wynwood Art District and Midtown Miami. We invite you to Open Your World with us as we celebrate the launch of this artistic endeavor.

• “The Most Stylish: Miami,” a party co-hosted by 20 of Miami’s most influential and creative innovators.Stop by to check out a live Art Battleperformance, music by TheMisshapes, the newest hair product from CLEAR, and – of course – complimentary cocktails. Friday, December 7th, 9pm – 12 Midnight ** The Gale South Beach, 1690 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL ** Please RSVP to RSVP@StyleCaster.com

• ALEC MONOPOLY joins WALL MIAMI at The W Hotel South Beach - Music by RONY SEIKALY  - Live Painting and Exhibited Works by ALEC MONOPOLY - 12/07 …. 12am – 4am — RSVP/Table Reservations Strongly Suggested for this event:  info@theburn.co

• Wednesday, Dec 5 // 9pm at Freehand Miami - Kick back and celebrate our collaboration with New York fashion designers Timo Weiland (the guys behind our uniforms), featuring music by Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein, with a live painting by renowned street artist Alec Monopoly.RSVP to: info@theburn.co with”RSVP FREEHAND” in the subject

• CURATE // LA + BLACK BANDITZ  — ΔLΞC MONOPOLY’S  ”DO NOT PASS GO PARTY” - LIVE PAINTING + EXHIBITED WORKS BY ΔLΞC MONOPOLY- MUSIC BY : CHAINSMOKERS (NYC) - EQUAL (NYC) - RYAN SKOLNICK (NYC) - DECEMBER 5TH 2012 — 12am – 4am **AMY SACCO’S POP UP VERSION OF THE - REC ROOM CLUB AT THE GALE SOUTH BEACH - 1690 COLLINS AVENUE | MIAMI FL 33109 ** IN COLLABORATION WITH CURATE // LA + BELVEDERE ** RSVP/Table Reservations: info@theburn.co with “REC ROOM RSVP” in the subject

• We are descending on Miami Art Basel this week, hosting 3 days of fun-loving Lunch Break dance parties at the super chic Foutainebleau Arkadia Pool (equipped with a Funktion One sound system). We’ll be poolside with complimentary cocktails from our partners, ABSOLUT Vodka, as we groove with DJs Casey Spooner (of Fischerspooner fame), Craze (6-time DMC World DJ Champ), and Michna (Ghostly International) for daily, sun-soaked dancing. The Lunch Break festivities runs from Wednesday through Friday from 1 – 2:30pm, so if you’re lucky enough to be in Miami this week, come revel with us. Free w/ RSVP.

• Westway pop-up at the Shore Club – NYC’s hipster hangout Westway will take over the Red Room from Thursday through Saturday nights. Not stopping there, Westway’s Matt Kliegmanand Carlos Quirarte will also take their talents to the daytime with their Westgay Pool Party from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on December 8. Frankie Sharp hosts and Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, LE1F and Brooke Candy will perform.

• MeUndies + Curtis Kulig “Love Me” at the new Freehand Miami – What do you get when you combine a unisex underwear delivery service with a hot NYC artist and photog at Miami’s most hotly anticipated hipster hotel? This party, DJ’ed by–who else–Chelsea Leyland

• Morgans Hotel Group will be opening a pop-up, “members only” version of the Parisian nightclub Silencio in their Delano South Beach (1685 Collins Avenue, South Beach). The original club was designed by David Lynch and is named after the club in his film Mulholland Drive.

• Spin and Red Diamond Party: NQB8R – Expect a container with a recording studio, art exhibition curated by Primary Flight, and musical acts including: Amtrac, Araabmuzik, Bondax, Hundred Waters, Kilo Kush, Kool Keith, Metro Zu, Samo Sound Boy. - NQB8R. RSVP here. 4 p.m., Gramps 176 NW 24 St., Wynwood. It’s all free.

• Flying Lotus, presented by the Windish Agency – With Zola Jesus and Dan Deacon. 11 p.m. Grand Central, 697 N Miami Ave., Miami. Tickets cost $20 plus fees via ticketfly.com. Call 305-377-2277 or visit grandcentralmiami.com.

• Thurston Moore – There’s not much to say here. We wanna see Thurston Moore! And of course, honor the memory of Kurt Cobain with a little interpretive dance. Wut?! We hear the after-party features a DJ set by Devendra Banhart at the James Hotel, wherever that is. KURT. World premiere of the short film Kurt (an abstract portrayal of the late Kurt Cobain), live version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video choreographed by Ryan Heffington, and live performance by Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth). 8 p.m. Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 174 E Flagler St., Miami. Tickets cost $25 to $50 via gusmancenter.org. Call 305-372-0925 or visit gusmancenter.org.

• EDM PARTIES:
  • Choice Meeting with Matt Tolfrey, Simon Baker, and Lazaro Casanova.Presented by Leftroom and Air London. Thursday, December 6, 10 p.m., Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Call 305-456-5613 or visit electricpicklemiami.com. The Air London collective has become synonymous with the finest transatlantic tech-house, as evidenced by its star-studded roster of DJ-producers like the Leftroom label’s Matt Tolfrey, Simon Baker, and Miami’s own Lazaro Casanova.
  • DJ Tiesto is spinning at LIV in the Fontainebleau Hotel (4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach) on December 8.  It’s the last night of his 8-city world tour sponsored by GUESS.
  • Art and hip-hop collide on December 5th at the Miami Beach Convention Center. While half of the building hosts the VIP opening of Art Basel Miami Beach 2012, the other half booked a mega rap concert starring Rick Ross, Meek Mill, Wale and Machine Gun Kelly.  We’re tempted to go to both, but expect total gridlock in South Beach. Tickets are available for this Maybach Music Group concertHERE. We also hear that Rakim from the ’80s rap group Eric B & Rakim is playing at The Stage (170 NE 38th Street, Miami) on Friday, December 7th.
  • Nicolas Jaar. Presented by MOCA. Friday, December 7, 10 p.m., Mondrian South Beach Hotel. 1100 West Avenue, Miami Beach. Call 305-514-1941 or visit mondrian-miami.com.Ostensibly, this production wunderkind is a dance music artist. But his critically acclaimed 2011 debut album, Space Is Only Noise, is more akin to experimental downtempo electronica. Thanks to Young Hearts, you’ll get a chance to see Jaar’s version of uhntz-uhntzwhen he drops a DJ set at Bardot on December 6. Then get a more Basel-appropriate taste of his artsier live sound at the Mondrian South Beach on December 7.
  • Life and Death. With Tale of Us, DJ Tennis and Thugfucker. Presented by PL0T. Friday, December 7, 10 p.m., Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Call 305-456-5613 or visit electricpicklemiami.com. Few underground labels enjoyed as much hype in 2012 as Life and Death. Blame that deep psychedelic spin on house and techno. Just perfect for losing your mind on the dance floor.
  • Get Physical vs. My Favorite Robot. With M.A.N.D.Y., Lee Curtiss, Blond:ish, Jared Simms, and Voytek Korrab. Presented by Link and Miami Rebels. Friday, December 7, 11 p.m., Treehouse, 323 23rd St., Miami Beach. Call 305-674-4478 or visittreehousemiami.com. By now, M.A.N.D.Y.’s Get Physical label showcases are Miami mainstays during Art Basel. This year, though, they’re upping the ante by pairing with Toronto’s My Favorite Robot, a production outfit and eponymous label with a uniquely deep vocal techno style and rapidly growing fan base.
  • Livio & Roby Presented by Un_Mute. Saturday, December 8, 10 p.m., Villa 221, 221 NE 17th St., Miami. Call 305-416-5280 or visit villa221.com.The artist collective surrounding Loco Dice’s Desolat label has a hard-earned reputation for funk-driven big room techno. And this beloved Romanian duo is no exception.
  • Joy Orbison and Ben UFO. Presented by SAFE. Saturday, December 8, 10 p.m., Cafeina, 297 NW 23rd St., Miami. Call 305-438-0792 or visitcafeinamiami.com. Leave it to SAFE to serve up debut Miami performances by two of the most cutting-edge artists of UK techno and future bass in one night. Mark our words, this one is going to get deep.
  • French Express with Perseus, Chris Malinchak, Moon Boots, and Jonas Rathsman. Presented by Nightdrive Miami. Saturday, December 8, 10 p.m., The Vagabond, 30 NE 14th St., Miami. Call 305-379-0508 or visit thevagabondmiami.com.Lush tropical nu-disco grooves are the specialty of Dallas blog-turned-label French Express, which makes them right at home in MIA. And the label’s all-star Basel lineup is sure to be one of the groovier affairs The Vagabond’s dance floor has seen this year.
  • Fuck Art, Lets Dance. With DJ Harvey, PillowTalk and Eats Everything. Saturday, December 8, 10 p.m., Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Call 305-456-5613 or visit electricpicklemiami.com. This is Art Basel Miami Beach’s foremost dance party. And cosmic disco don Harvey, a regular over the years, always draws his legion of heads. But hotly-tipped newcomers PillowTalk and Eats Everything will no doubt pull their own weight with bass-heavy house and boogie.
  • Supplement Facts & Friends. With Guy Gerber, Dyed Soundorom, Clarian, Mao Fonnegra, and Vlada. Presented by Link and Miami Rebels. Saturday, December 8, 11 p.m., Treehouse, 323 23rd St., Miami Beach. Call 305-674-4478 or visittreehousemiami.com. If deep hypnotic tech-house beats is what you crave, look no further than Guy Gerber’s Supplement Facts label showcase.
  • Pete Tong, Damian Lazarus, and Seth Troxler. Presented by Kontrol. Sunday, December 9, 11 p.m., Mansion, 1235 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Ages 21 and up. Call 305-531-5535 or visit mansionmiami.com. Kontrol Miami’s been pushing underground EDM at the otherwise commercial South Beach megaclub since this past summer. So it’s no surprise they would do Basel in style with three of the biggest underground DJ tastemakers in the world.

Basel Castle. With Purity Ring, Twin Shadow, Trinidad James, and others. Saturday, December 8. Overthrow Castle, 51 NW 20th St., Miami. Doors open at 4 p.m. and tickets cost $15 to $25 plus fees. RSVP for free entry before 8. Visit baselcastle.theoverthrow.com

… NOW, FOR  THE ART STUFFF…

• Art of Basketball: Heat Wave Exhibition party with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh – If it’s Miami, it must be basketball and why not during Art Basel, via a collection of graffiti and street art of the team’s biggest ballers? “The creativity is something that I’m very into and I love,” Bosh told NBA TV at last year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, during which he hosted an “Art of Basketball” party. “To have this vision in your head and go for your imagination out on a canvas to what people can see what’s in your brain, I’m really moved by that.” While the exhibition runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. December 5-9 (from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) at 2048 Northwest Miami Court, the party, featuring–who else–DJ Irie, and food from Shake Shack, is as hard to get into as a net being guarded by Udonis Haslem.

• Known as Miami’s premier anchor fair, Art Miami kicks off the opening day of Art Week — the first week of December when thousands of collectors, dealers, curators, and artists descend upon Miami. World-famous for its stylish gallery-like decor, its outstanding quality and extraordinary variety, Art Miami showcases the best in modern and contemporary art from more than 125 international art galleries.
• CONTEXT Art Miami preview - Tuesday night’s CONTEXT Art Miami preview, where a $25 contribution to the Miami Art Museum will get you in the door beginning at 5:30. The fair opens to the public Wednesday. Details: 5:30 to 10 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 4, The Art Miami Pavilion, 3101 NE First Ave., Midtown; www.art-miami.com

• ArtSpot Miami is a new fair-within-a-fair that will pop-up in the Red Dot Art Fair tent in Midtown Miami from December 5 to 9.  Organized by Chicago gallerist Aldo Castillo, it will include 12 galleries in a unique environment.  Per a quote from Castillo in the press release: “Given the current world market fluctuations and ever expanding nature of the art fair business model, my mission is to maximize art fair exposure and productivity to forward thinking galleries and artists in top global markets such as China and the U.S.”

• In addition to the dozens of artists appearing on the music side of the UR1 Festival (Bayfront Park, Miami, December 8 & 9) there will also be a special film, visual art and live performance art aspect. “Warhol Superstar Ultra Violet” will ignite Isamu Noguchi’s 100-foot “Light Tower” with a powerful outdoor laser at sundown on December 5. The Japanese-American artist redesigned Bayfront Park in the 80s. Alsolook for a “village” made from shipping containers that will feature screenings of music videos in a program titled “The Art of 5 Minutes” curated by Esther Park, programming director of Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center.

• The Fountain Art Fair Miami (2505 North Miami Avenue. Miami) is back for their seventh go-round with over 35 exhibitors and a “visual display of installation heavy artworks” in a 25,000-square-foot warehouse.  Fountain is always a blast with lots of parties and hip art, plus this year they’re hosting a spin-off of Brooklyn’s Tiki Disco party on Saturday night.

• Cool Miami gallery Locust Projects (3852 North Miami Avenue, Miami) is presenting a big installation by Chicago artist Theaster Gates called “Soul Manufacturing Corporation” that will be up from December 3 – 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  For the work, Gates plans to “create a factory consisting of four pavilions occupied by skilled makers who will produce ‘things’ throughout the week.”  At the same time, a yoga instructor, a DJ and a reader will entertain the “makers” and the viewers.  Locust Projects will be celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2013.

• MOCA & Vanity Fair International Party  – Every year, the MOCA & Vanity Fair International Party is a highlight of Art Basel.  Details: 7 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 4. Museum of Contemporary Art membership, which costs $50 per year and up, enables supporters to attend the MOCA & Vanity Fair party. 770 NE 125th St.; North Miami, 305-893-6211; www.mocanomi.org. –RSVP@MoCaNoMi.org

• The Bass Museum of Art opening – After the VIP preview of Art Basel at the nearby Miami Beach Convention Center, much of that crowd (and plenty of others who didn’t go) move a few blocks away. This year, the Bass features The Endless Renaissance – Six Solo Artist Projects; on the lawn out front is Art Basel’s Art Public sculpture exhibition. Generally, the Basel crowd dips in for a cameo appearance — the Bass’ opening is really crowded — and then heads out to dinner, or just a bit of fresh air at the beach.  Details: 9 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday, Dec. 5; open to membership levels at $50 and above. 2100 Collins Ave. , 305-673-7530; www.bassmuseum.org

• Pop-Up Pianos Miami  -Pop-Up Pianos Miami opening concert with Yuma and auction benefits New World Symphony and Kimbangus Symphony Orchestra in the Congo. Tickets, $100. Details: 8:30 – 11:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 5; Perry Hotel, 2377 Collins Ave.; 404-272- 5600; www.PopUpPianoMia.com.

• A retrospective of works by Las Vegas-based artist Martin Kreloff will be on view from December 3rd to the 6th in the JW Marriott Hotel (1109 Brickell Avenue, Miami). The show will reunite many of the participants in an event called “Miami Says ART” that took place in 1976 while he was a student at the University of Miami and featured local cultural leaders each saying the word “ART.”

• Miami Art Museum Party on the Plaza  - This year, this popular outdoor fete features music by the Spam Allstars — always worth a trip out of the house; a cast of thousands, and New Work Miami 2013, a group show drawn from a dozen or so Miami artists. Expect to see a lot of young faces among the usual white wine chatter crowd. Details: 7 to 11 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 6; open to MAM Contemporaries or Contributing ($250 and above) members. 101 W. Flagler St., Miami, 305-375-3000, events@miamiartmuseum.org.

• In honor of the late Tony Goldman — the visionary real estate developer and founder of Miami’s Wynwood Walls — there will be a special tribute entitled “Come and Dream” that launches during AB/MB in-and-around theintersection of 25th Street and NW 2nd Avenue in Miami. Meghan Coleman, the arts manager of Goldman Properties, is spear-heading the project with Tony’s daughter Jessica. Look for new “walls” including another by Shepard Fairey as well as a gallery exhibit.

• Postcards from the Weiner Werkstatte at The Wolfsonian-FIU - The Wolfsonian-FIU, in the heart of South Beach on Washington Avenue, has always had openings with a certain frisson, the swells of Basel mingling with the nocturnal dwellers of South Beach. This year, the museum features Postcards from the Weiner Werkstatte: Selections from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection, with Lauder no doubt drawing the fashion crowd. Also on display: a temporary installation by prominent Miami artist Bhakti Baxter, Untitled ([construction of good]) in the museum’s Bridge Tender House, on the sidewalk outside. Baxter will bring the young art hipsters, and Lauder will bring in the wealthy: Sounds like a party. Details: 7 to 10 p.m., Friday, Dec. 7. Open to Wolfsonian Diplomat-level members; $250 per year and up. 1001 Washington Ave., South Beach, 305-531-1001,www.wolfsonian.org

• Never before seen photos of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones will be on view at The Betsy Hotel (1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach) during Art Basel Miami Beach 2012. The shots are from the archives of Bob Bonis and were shot between 1964 and 1966 while he was the tour manager for both bands’ first US tours. After Bonis passed away, his son took the photos to a rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia specialist who organized this “first Florida showcase of the images.” The exhibit is free and open to the public all week.

• Wynwood / Design District art walks - From the celebrated to the unheralded, Saturday is the day to cram in as much fun — and art — as possible. Wynwood, with such institutions as Dorsch Gallery (151 NW 24th St., 305-576-1278; www.dorschgallery.com) is even more slammed than it is on regular monthly Art Walk nights (www.wynwoodartwalk.com). From there, it’s always fun to tour the Miami Design District. This year, a highlight of Design Miami/2012 (www.designmiami.com) is Architecture for Dogs presented by Kenya Hara in the Buena Vista Building (180 NE 39th St., Suite 115) The show features 12 architects, each doing a structure for a particular dog breed.  Details: 7 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8.

• Art Miami After Party - At the Bakehouse Art Complex, for a $10 donation, guests can tour galleries, talk to the Art Miami crowd and wind down from the whirl of Art Basel. And the Bakehouse is one of our own, well worth supporting throughout the year. Details: 7 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, 561 NW 32nd St., www.bacfl.org.

• Scope Miami returns this year in a new Midtown Miami location at 110 NE 36th Street. Their 100,000-square-foot pavilion will house over 85 established galleries, plus another 20 new galleries that will be featured in Scope’s “Breeder” program. Also this year, Vh1 issponsoring a special outdoor lounge dedicated to “music, art and beyond” that will be open during regular fair hours. There’s also a performance on Thursday, December 6, 7 to 11 p.m. by  Metric.

• The Bass Museum of Art (2100 CollinsAvenue, Miami Beach) just announced that they’ll be showing six individual solo projects during AB/MB in a special exhibit called “The Endless Renaissance.” Rather than mount a curated group show, they’ll be featuring six contemporary artists: Eija-Liisa Ahtila (Finland), Barry X Ball (USA), Walead Beshty (UK), Hans-Peter Feldmann (Germany), Ged Quinn (UK) and Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook (Thailand). The big opening is on Wednesday, December 5, from 9 p.m. to midnight.

• FENDI has teamed with Belgian designerMaarten de Ceulaer for a project called “Transformations” that combines 2D and 3D designs and “shaped-wood forms covered in leather.” It will be on view at Design Miami/2012.

• PULSE Contemporary Art Fairs provide a unique platform for diverse galleries to present a progressive blend of renowned and pioneering contemporary artists, alongside an evolving series of original programming. The fair’s distinctive commitment to the art community and visitor experience makes PULSE unique among art fairs and creates an art market experience that is both dynamic and inviting.

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October 18, 2012

Times Square Art Square: Reclaiming Times Square w/ Art

We’re working to transform the world’s largest advertising space into the world’s largest exhibition space.

WHAT: Simply put, Times Square Art Square (TSAS) is looking to stage the world’s largest public art exhibition inside the world’s most popular tourist destination. Our ultimate goal is to establish a sustainable event in which billboard advertising throughout Times Square is replaced with dedicated art installations for one whole month each year. Ambitious? Sure. Possible? Absolutely.

WHY: “But why art?” Well, art has the power to inspire. It gets people to think, fosters creation and development, and makes for happier and more peaceful communities. It makes the world around us a more beautiful and interesting place.
…”So why art in Times Square?” Art remains intimidating and inaccessible for a great many people. We mean for Art Square to be open to everyone, a high art event devoid of pretension, one in which people can feel free to question, interact with, interpret and criticize art inside a welcoming, public space. There is an incredible legacy of public art in Times Square on which we intend to build.

HOW: “But Times Square is so…” We get it, but we’re not accepting it. Consider New Yorkers and our will and ability to shape a better city. It was the sustained effort of local residents that transformed a decaying, elevated railway into the urban oasis that is The Highline. Meanwhile, the visionaries behind The Lowline are working to convert an abandoned, underground trolley station into a subterranean, sunlit park. And those totally awesome guys at +Pool are about to reclaim a river for New Yorkers and create a community pool full of clean, filtered water. They’re going to reclaim a river!

In much the same spirit from which these projects were born (and successfully backed here on Kickstarter!), we view Times Square Art Square as an incredible opportunity to restore a little bit of New York to our city’s most iconic landmark. Imagine actually wanting to go to Times Square instead of going out of your way to avoid it. It could happen. In fact, it WILL happen.

Confirming that our concept is both viable and appealing, initial supporters stand aligned with TSAS to help us succeed. Current partners include Tumblr, Behance, Threadless, Hyperallergic & Holstee. The Brooklyn Brothers responded to our humble request for advice this summer on how to make a solid Kickstarter video by creating the amazing little piece of cinema you see above. Yes, that’s right. One of the most highly sought after advertising agencies in all the world sees so much potential in our little project, they decided to make us a video to promote it as a most generous gift.

The extremely high level of artistic integrity we are committed to at TSAS is ensured with our first curatorial appointment. Renowned critic and writer, Hrag Vartanian, will serve as Chief Curator for our debut exhibition. He has selected Dutch-Brazilian artist Rafaël Rozendaal as the first to display his work on billboards during Art Square 2013.

At this stage, we turn to Kickstarter to raise money and awareness for our project. Our Dutch sister organization got the ball rolling with $10K in early 2011. Any/all money raised through this current campaign will go directly towards commissioned art, city permits, infrastructure, insurance, administration and security for the multi-day, proof of concept event we wish to stage in early 2013. This debut event will introduce Art Square to the public, confirming our intentions and artistic priorities for the New Yorkers and visitors we hope to benefit, as well as the commercial and political interests in Times Square whose eventual support we intend to gain in writing the next chapter in the colorful story of “The Crossroads of the World.” And if you’re worried we’re going to blow a ton of cash on billboards, don’t. We have conceived a legitimate program through which advertisers and billboard owners will realize improved ROI in donating portions of their ad schedules to our program. Truly, it’s a win/win.

In addition to the money we are looking to raise here on Kickstarter, we need like-minded individuals to join our cause and help us in creating a strong and unified movement. For more information on TSAS, please visit our website FAQ.

FURTHER DETAILS:

BILLBOARD REWARDS: We are in the process of finalizing the donation of one of Times Square’s most prominent digital displays for use during Art Square 2013. It is this very same display on which we will give THANKS and credit to all those who back TSAS at $25 and above. We consider this paying forward the really good karma our project continues to reap.

GIFT LETTERS: All backers giving $10 or more will receive gift letters so that their donations may be fully tax deductible.
RISKS AND CHALLENGES Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

Times Square is one of the most politically charged spaces in all of New York with a multitude of stakeholders. Developing a sustainable model that considers a variety of interests and values is key to our success. We intend to work with city agencies and art organizations in order to fully reveal the untapped potential of Times Square. The more our community (that’s you) stands behind us, the greater our chances of achieving operational sustainability and changing the future of Times Square. Consider your Kickstarter pledge to us a vote in support of a new New York. Let’s transform Times Square into Art Square together.

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August 23, 2012

Sponsorfied: ‘We’ll do for sponsorship what Google did for targeted ads’

Sponsorfied, the San Francisco-based startup that launched this month, connected Y Combinator with its sponsorship for today’s Demo Day.

Sponsorfied is one of the current batch of Y Combinator startups; it connects brands looking to sponsor events (like Pop Chips) with event organizers (such as Y Combinator), and it’s quickly gaining attention in the tech industry.

As cofounder and CEO Cullen Wilson describes it, “We enable brands to find hyper-targeted sponsorship opportunities.” During his pitch, Wilson made the ambitious claim that the company will do for sponsorship what Google did for targeted advertising.

Wilson revealed that the company has grown 60 percent month-on-month and has now facilitated over 200 sponsorship deals. The company has developed relationships with brands like Task Rabbit, Red Bull, and Pop Chips.

read the full article on VentureBeat

Sponsorfied, the company that has been operating under the radar to bring sponsorship to hundreds of tech events, has launched its public beta. The stand-out Y Combinator startup (from the incubator’s most recent spring batch) has developed partnerships with over 20 brands, including Popchips, Dot Cloud, Red Bull, and Task Rabbit.

These brands have an existing marketing budget to sponsor events, and are looking to gain exposure and reach tech geeks in the Bay Area. That’s where Sponsorfied steps in.

“We function like matchmakers, connecting brands with the right audience,” said Cullen Wilson, the company’s CEO and co-founder, in a phone interview.

Wilson tells me that his startup functions a bit like a dating site. Sponsorship-seekers fill out a custom form with basic information about their event or opportunity, and the team curates submissions for the database. Partner brands can then go into that database to pick and choose their favorite events to sponsor, based on pre-existing criteria like location and event type.

By focusing on one vertical — tech — Sponsorfied usually makes a successful match. Over 90 percent of events get sponsored, usually between $500 to $1000 in the form of food, booze or cash. Typical events include launch parties, hackathons and startup-hosted fundraisers.

Sponsorfied made a splash at SXSW this year, when it raised over $150,000 in sponsorship for unofficial events. Wilson told me the company gained the respect of the tech community that week for its unrivaled ability to produce free booze at the last minute. Days before the festival, it was approached by Launchrock, a San Francisco-based startup, for sponsorship of that company’s week-long SXSW festivities. Launchrock’s founders filled out the form — and voila. (There was a bonus too: Wilson told me there were cases of beer left over.)

Before you get carried away, Sponsorfied will not fund your Mexican-themed birthday party bus. Unless you happen to be Mark Zuckerberg, birthday parties are not typically sponsorship-worthy occasions. However, events can be impromptu and fun, as brands are often looking to connect with 20-somethings audiences.

Wilson said it has been a tough balancing act to pick and choose events, which may prove problematic as the company scales. Another hurdle to expansion is that one of the founders attends every event to take photos, video, and catalog the experience for brands. In the future, Sponsorfied plans to build a platform to track and consolidate communication, incoming requests, and post-sponsorship feedback so their physical presence may no longer be required.

Next on the roadmap is to tackle new market opportunities outside of events, the company’s “bread and butter.” The team is eking out opportunities for high-profile bloggers and journalists in the form of sponsored posts. Wilson’s sister is a musician, so the team is also working to match indie bands with potential sponsors.

As an aside, Wilson disclosed a tidbit to VentureBeat that the company is stepping up its relationship with Popchips, the maker of fluffy air-popped “potato” “chips,” to push the limits of sponsorship.

“The idea is to do a case study that shows a brand like Popchips can use Sponsorfied to launch a brand new product line strategically, make a large impact on their target market (tech startups), and do it without any work on their part,” Wilson explained.

If you are a brand interested in receiving matches automatically via Sponsorfied, Fill Out This Brand Survey.

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August 14, 2012

BandPage Announces BandPage Everywhere: Update Once, Publish Everywhere

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August 6, 2012

Y Combinator-Backed Sponsorfied Launches Tech That Matches Brands With Events Seeking Swag

 

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July 9, 2012

10 Tips for Creating a Power Network

The POWER Network via Forbes

Over the past several years I’ve met hundreds of people from every industry and niche imaginable.  But when it comes to moving my business forward, the core of my “go to” network breaks down into the following four categories.

1.  Influencer: These are the people who can affect the perceptions and actions of others.  Some influencers have large audiences while others are simply considered to be the leader of the pack by their friends.  Having just two strong influencers as friends can help you to start  growing a quality network and business.

2.  Expert: These are the people we turn to for wisdom and direction.  I have many mentors that I reach out to and ask for their expertise.  Their experience and dedication to a particular profession or skill gives them valuable insight that can be used to our advantage.   Just one conversation with an expert can save us time, money and headache.

3.  Creator: True creators are obsessed with innovation and plugged into current trends.  One conversation with a creator about what they’re working on is worth countless hours researching the subject on your own.

4.  Connectors: These are the people who seem to literally know everyone and love making introductions to their network – if it will add value.  Their ability to know which introductions to make and when to make them is what makes them extremely valuable to their network.

But out of all of the essential categories above, influences are by far the most crucial ingredient to driving things forward. Influence is the force behind every trend, company and product in existence today.  Once the force of influence fades it’s onto the next best thing.

Building Your Power Network

So how does someone begin building or enhancing their network?It all begins by having something of value to offer.  If your only goal in network building is to extract value then I can guarantee  you this – you’re going to fail.  A network must be a “win-win” relationship in order to succeed.  A lot of it comes down to the timing of WHEN you meet these influencers as well.  The secret though it to make both those wins for the network, not you.

This means you must constantly add value into your network in order to gain anything from these relationships in the future.  It could end up  taking weeks, months, or years, but once it starts paying off there’s really no telling how far one introduction, favor, or act of influence from your network can take you.

Top 10 Tips For Growing Your Network

The following ten points are the exact steps I’ve followed in growing my own network.

1. Research and attend the right events.  The key word here is research.
2. Identify and follow influencers online to see what they’re up to and where their focus is.  Always ask, how can I add value?
3. Promote Influencers to your network.
4. Be known as an “encourager” instead of a “gossip.”  Positive energy is contagious.
5. Create something amazing or DO something amazing.
6. Make introductions.  (This one is HUGE)
7. Build a community or networking group online or offline.
8. Give referrals without expecting anything in return.
9. Create a memorable and unique personal brand.
10. Be genuine

Remember to always think about how you can add value to every connection instead of how they can help you. This “serve first” attitude will come across far more genuine and provide you with the best chance of growing your power network.

Lewis Howes is the author of The Ultimate Webinar Marketing Guide andLinkedWorking.   Learn more about how to grow your business through online marketing strategies by signing up for his newsletter at www.lewishowes.com.

 

 

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