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Tag: ignite portland

Ignite Portland 5: And the presenters are…

Rick Turoczy on January 30, 2009

Ignite Portland

Ooh. We’re getting close now. The Ignite Portland team just announced the lucky people who get to deliver presentations for Ignite Portland 5.

So who gets to spend a nerve-wracking and seemingly interminable five minutes on stage? Here are our latest victims presenters:

Now is also a good time to remind you that tickets will be going “on sale” on February 5.

Congratulations to all those selected! I’m looking forward to seeing you on stage, dazzling 500+ of your closest friends with your burning ideas.

Ignite Portland 5: Five minutes of fame or 15 seconds of flame?

Rick Turoczy on January 12, 2009

Ignite Portland

Things are starting to heat up with Ignite Portland again. It’s almost time for Ignite Portland 5. Or as I like to call it, “el Cinco.”

This time around, Ignite is offering two ways to get your burning ideas in front of the crowd—five minutes of presentation magic or 15 seconds of screen time. Well, there are actually three ways to get your ideas in front of the crowd. But these are the two that are free.

Want five minutes? There’s still time to pitch your burning idea to the Ignite crew. You’ve got until January 24 to submit your talk idea.

Maybe something shorter and far less terror-inducing is more your speed? There’s a new format for Ignite Portland 5—“15 Seconds of Flame”—that may appeal to you:

Do you have something to share with Portland? Can you share it in 15 seconds? If so, here’s your chance to get your 15 Seconds of Flame! Send us a video of yourself sharing your “Flame”, and if it’s selected we’ll show it during Ignite Portland 5 on February 19th.

What can I share? Anything! Share an idea, a skill, a poem, or something you’re passionate about. Silly or serious- it’s up to you. Tell us your plan to save the world or why you love living in Portland, do shadow puppets, sing a really short song, bust a dance move or show Portland that you really can tie a cherry stem with your tongue. Be creative and be interesting.

What can’t I share? Nothing gross or “spammy” (promotional). We also tend to shy away from politics, religion and high pitched squealy noises.

Again, both options are absolutely free. What better way to share your ideas with more than 500 of your closest friends?

Flame or Fame? The choice is yours.

Submit a video by uploading it to a video site—I’d recommend Vimeo given their Portland connection—and tagging it “Legion of Tech”, “Ignite Portland” and “15 Seconds of Flame.” Then, send a link to the video to IgnitePDX@gmail.com. Make sure it gets there by February 3.

More into delivering your message in person? It’s an Ignite presentation for you, my friend. Submit a talk proposal by completing the proposal form. Again, the deadline for talk submissions is January 24.

I’m looking forward to seeing you on stage—in person or virtually—on February 19.

Legion of Tech leadership shuffles a bit

Rick Turoczy on January 11, 2009

Legion of TechLegion of Tech—Portland’s benevolent free-tech-event organizer—has been refreshing the organization as of late with new Board members and a new Advisory Committee.

Now, they’re shuffling the upper ranks a tad.

What’s changed? Former Treasurer, Todd Kenefsky, has been elected Chair. Former Chair, Dawn Foster, is now Secretary. And Adam DuVander, who led the organization and management of the last Ignite Portland, has been named Treasurer. Raven Zachary, former Secretary, remains a member of the Board.

Congratulations to the new Officers! Err… Officer. And congrats to the old Officers in their new positions.

Time to find that creative spark: Ignite Portland 4 submissions are open

Rick Turoczy on September 29, 2008

Ignite Portland

Well, well, well. I was just thinking about how it was almost October. And that meant that it was almost November. And that meant it was almost time for the next Ignite Portland.

And lookie what just got announced today: Ignite Portland 4 presentation submissions are now open!

If you want to share your passion with some of the most brilliant minds in Portland (and all 500 of them,) here’s your chance.

Submit An Ignite Portland 4 Talk!

We’re going to close submission at midnight on October 14, and announce the selected talk lineup on October 20.

So there you go, kids. It’s open! Get going!

I’m looking forward to seeing what you propose.

For more information on the incredible experience that is Ignite, visit the Ignite Portland site.

Changing of the guard: Legion of Tech board elections announced

Rick Turoczy on September 25, 2008

Legion of TechIt’s no secret that one of my favorite organizations here in town is Legion of Tech.

Even in its youth, the Legion of Tech has done an amazing job of becoming a completely philanthropic tech organization designed to serve the greater good and make more events more accessible to more people.

I can safely say that no single organization has had such a dramatic and profound impact on the Portland tech scene over the past year.

Perhaps, for that matter, ever.

The original Legion of Tech crew has done a phenomenal job of transforming the event scene around Portland. I mean, c’mon! The oversold Ignite Portlands? Startupalooza? Big-name Legion of Talks? Legion of Tech Happy Hours? And, of course, the incomparable BarCamp Portland?

The list goes on and on and on.

So it is with some trepidation and some excitement that I report that it’s time for the first Legion of Tech board and advisory committee elections.

Interested in getting more deeply involved in Portland’s tech community? Now’s your chance: the Legion of Tech elections were just announced. There are 2 different LoT positions up for grabs, involving differing levels of responsibility

I have trepidation because the founders have done such a phenomenal job. And yet, there’s definitely excitement because these folks deserve a break—and it will be interesting to see who exactly enters the fold.

So how does this whole election thing work? Well, there’s an extensive election post on the Legion of Tech blog but here’s the short story:

If you are interested in running for the Legion of Tech board or the Advisory Committee, please contact your favorite member of the existing board to request a nomination. Keep in mind that the nominations are due on November 1 for the board of directors and on December 1 for the Advisory Committee.

It’s going to be an interesting election year.

I’m excited to see where this goes. And you can be sure that I’ll keep you in the loop.

And please, if you’re interested in participating and continuing the amazing run of tech events here in Portland, by all means throw your hat into the ring.

Ignite Portland to light up Gnomedex

Rick Turoczy on August 18, 2008

GnomedexI like to think that Portland’s version of the Ignite format, Ignite Portland, is one of the best Ignites around. So it’s always nice when someone like Chris Pirillo validates that.

As you may know, Pirillo’s Gnomedex 8.0 is being held in Seattle at the end of this week. And any number of tech types are making the journey north for what has become one of the premiere events to gather and share ideas with some of the leading minds in tech blogging and podcasting.

This year, as part of the event, five folks from Ignite Portland have been invited to Gnomedex to give their 5-minute presentations all over again. (There are also folks from Ignite Seattle speaking.)

“As you know, Ignite Portland was inspired from the Ignite talks that I saw at Gnomedex last year,” said Portland’s Josh Bancroft, who will emcee the Portland presentations. “That got the ball rolling for Ignite Portland, and the rest, as they say, is history. ”

And what a rich history it is. Even with only three events under its belt. I honestly can’t think of any one event that has so captured the town’s imagination in such a short time.

So who from the Portland Ignites got the call?

  • Kevin Fox of Vidoop for “How To Buy a Car for Under $1000”
  • Jason Grigsby for “Cup Noodle: Innovation, Inspiration, and Manga”
  • Vanessa Holfeltz for “Boiling Water in 5 Easy Steps”
  • Mario Schulzke for “Why Deutschland Loves David Hasselhoff”
  • Eva Schweber of CubeSpace for “How To Run a Startup and Not Lose Your Mind”

I’ll be up at Gnomedex, this year, as well. And I’m really look forward to seeing these folks present again—and to get the chance to see our compatriots from Ignite Seattle giving their presentations, as well.

Like every other Ignite, I can’t hardly wait for the show.

On a tangential note, I just noticed that there is an Ignite Portland 4 planning meeting tonight. If you are interested in helping the Legion of Tech plan the next Ignite, RSVP on Upcoming.

Ignite Portland 4: Thanksgiving comes two weeks early

Rick Turoczy on July 11, 2008

Ignite Portland 4Seems like it was just yesterday that we were still basking in the afterglow of the last Ignite Portland.

But, as well all know, that Ignite Portland blaze is a hard one to keep under control. So it comes as no surprise that, fast on the heels of the last event, the Legion of Tech has announced the date and location for Ignite Portland 4.

So mark your calendars, kids. It’s two weeks before Thanksgiving, November 13. And as with the past two, the Bagdad Theater will serve as the venue.

Other details? You know the drill.

First, RSVP for Ignite Portland 4 on Upcoming.

Second, start thinking up your presentation ideas. Like now.

And I’ll make sure to give you a heads up as to when it’s time to submit. Because I’m looking forward to seeing your proposal.

Ignite Portland 3: Third time easily as charming as the first two

Rick Turoczy on June 19, 2008

To those of you who attended Ignite Portland 3, let me start out by apologizing. Because honestly, I feel like a complete ass. When I stepped on to the stage to give my little sponsor pitch, the last thing I expected was the incredibly kind response I received from you. And it kind of took me by surprise.

Okay. Not kind of. It downright flustered me.

So, I’d like to do now what I should have done then—but failed to do. And that is to say “Thank you.”

Thank you so much for the encouragement and support. I can’t really explain how much it means or how humbling it is to have had this really random chance to meet so many of you, the amazing, intelligent, and incredible people of Portland and Silicon Forest. Please know that I really, really appreciate the fact that you take the time to swing by here from time to time. And I feel really lucky to have had the chance to be part of that.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

And I really do follow you on Twitter.

So, now where were we? Oh yes! The Ignite Portland 3 round-up.

Well, it seems that the Strands Ignite Portland After Party cut into the amount of blogging that usually occurs after Ignite events. Apparently, everyone was waxing poetic about the event vocally instead of bloggily.

But be that as it may, there are a few posts streaming through. And of course the videos, the pictures, and the tweets. (The usual caveats apply. If I’ve missed your post, photo, tweet, or anything else, please comment and I’ll add it to the list.)

First and foremost, the videos of the presentations…
http://web.splashcast.net/go/so/1/c/PKPF6226XX

Add Ignite Portland 3 to your page

And here’s more on Ignite Portland from the folks who attended

Finally, thanks again to all of the amazing work, countless hours of stress, and “making a great thing even better” effort from the Legion of Tech. You did it again. And for that, you should be congratulated.

Looking forward to Ignite Portland 4.

Ignite Portland 3: Tips and Tricks

Rick Turoczy on June 18, 2008

Finally! It’s time for Ignite Portland 3. That’s right folks. Tonight! One night only! Tons and tons of pulse pounding action! We’ll sell give you the whole seat but you’ll only need the edge!

Oh, I’m sorry. I might have gotten a tad carried away there.

But, seriously, Ignite Portland is a great event. And I’m looking forward to seeing you there. But—like the presentation format—it’s quick. So I thought it might helpful to give you a few tips to get the most out of your experience.

First, the venue info:

Bagdad Theater
3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97214
7:00 – 10:00 PM

Ticketholders get in at 5:30 PM
General Admission at 6:15 PM
Admission is always FREE

Here are some “Do”s and “Don’t”s that will help you get the most out of your first, second, or third Ignite Portland experience:

  • DO rest up. You’ll need all the energy you can muster. Plus, there’s the after party.
  • DO read the tagging guidance from the Ignite Portland folks.
  • DON’T bring your laptop.*
  • DO bring your camera, your phone, or any other way of capturing the event. Then upload it and tag it using the guidance from the Ignite Portland folks.
  • DO get there early. Really early. I’m serious. Early. Did I say “Early”?
  • DO be prepared to give everyone and anyone your Twitter name. (Don’t use Twitter? Get on it.)
  • DO be nice to all the Legion of Tech folks and volunteers. (They’re all volunteers, actually. And they’re doing this in their free time.)
  • DO talk to Kelly Guimont/@verso/Banana Lee Fishbones (she’s working the door) about Star Wars. (If all else fails, “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for,” or “I find your lack of faith disturbing,” may work.)
  • DON’T be a wallflower. Talk to people in line while you’re waiting to get into the venue. Talk to people while you’re waiting in the food line. The Bagdad is a great venue for presenting, but talking to folks at breaks will take some doing.
  • Now that you’re on Twitter, DO try to tweet about the event and hashtag it #ip3.
  • DO try to get in front of Aaron Hockley and his camera. I swear, that guy even makes me look good. If not him, Kveton will make you look good too.
  • DO take the chance to introduce yourself to me and tell me about the cool side projects you’re pursuing.

It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

* Unless you’re Jason Harris.

Ignite Portland 3: And the burning ideas are…

Rick Turoczy on June 5, 2008

Ignite Portland 3Who could top the presentations of Ignite Portland and Ignite Portland 2?

Well, if anyone has a chance, it’s these fine folks who’ve been selected to present at Ignite Portland 3.

That’s right. The Ignite Portland 3 presentations have been announced.

Drum roll please. And the lucky 13 are (in order of appearance):

And, while the free “guaranteed entrance” tickets sold out in a little over 24 hours, there’s still room for you to attend Ignite Portland 3. Get there early and I’m sure you’ll get into the venue.

If you’re even considering attending, please take a second to RSVP for Ignite Portland 3 on Upcoming so the organizers have an accurate count of how many people they’ll have to turn away will be showing up.

I’m looking forward to seeing you there.

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