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Tag: tedxportland

Revisiting the Startup Champions Network Portland visit

Sometimes, it takes an outside perspective to help you better understand your world. Earlier this year, Portland had the opportunity to host the Startup Champions Network, a group of startup ecosystem builders who mentor one another on what’s working in their respective communities. And as much as it was a pleasure to introduce folks to what was happening in Portland, getting feedback and insights from a variety of viewpoints was the true reward of putting the event together.

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Some long listening for the long weekend: Rick Turoczy joins Saul Colt for the “We Now Join The Program Already In Progress” podcast

It’s a little weird when you meet someone who shares your birthday. It gets even weirder when that birthday is the exact same day. Like day, month, year. Same, same, same. And then, what if you were both working a similar sort of job? Now imagine putting those two — Libras, mind you — together on a podcast. And that’s pretty much what you get with Saul Colt’s “We now join the program already in progress” podcast — with me as a guest.

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Building community, an introvert’s guide. And a bunch of better talks from TEDxPortland 2018.

This Spring, I was given the opportunity to take the stage for TEDxPortland. Which, I later learned, is among the top three TEDx events in the world. And it’s a good thing that I learned that later, because that definitely would have tempered my acceptance of the opportunity. But as someone who suffers from stage fright—and someone who did not yet understand the stature of the event—it seemed like one of those interesting personal challenges. A growing experience. I mean, what could go wrong?

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Why small is huge

For many of us, our day to day is focused on very small early stage companies. Sometimes those companies are our own. Sometimes those are companies we know. Those companies we patronize. And those companies we try to help. But all of us could use a reminder about how powerful small businesses are. How important they are to our economy. And how much our support of them can mean.

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I respectfully ask that you stop what you’re doing and watch this. Right now.

I know you’re busy. I know you’ve got stuff to do. But you know, sometimes you just need to stop and take a minute. Like when Emma McIlroy of Wildfang takes the stage at TEDxPortland. So do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to listen to what she has to say. I promise it will be worth it.

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