From baseball statistics software to the $95.5 million purchase of Pardot by ExactTarget, David Cummings shares his journey at the inaugural Fireside Chat at Hypepotamus.
@QuitFor team at dinner on Saturday night, including @nikkitraino @joecurry @race30007 #atlsw (Taken with instagram)
Under30CEO Atlanta: Building from the Ground Up
Join the Atlanta Chapter of Under30CEO at 200 Office on Wednesday March 14 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Our speakers will discuss “Building from the Ground Up” based on their experiences as Under30CEOs. Under30 Following the Vision Magazine will explain how you can be one of 30 featured young visionaries in the publication. Please RSVP on MeetUp or Plancast.
6:30-7:00 Icebreaker/Networking
7:00-7:15 Welcome, Intro to Guests
7:15-7:20 Feature Business: A Proud Mother Candles
7:20-7:45 Guest Entrepreneur: Mike Stearns
7:45-8:00 Unveiling Under30 Following the Vision
8:00-8:30 Networking
Featured Business: A Proud Mother Candles – CEO Bernetta Waller
An Under30CEO Atlanta founding member and CEO of “A Proud Mother Candles”, Bernetta Waller is now based in Detroit and has built her business from the ground up. We are excited to hear from her during her brief visit in Atlanta. http://aproudmothercandles.com/
Under30 Entrepreneur Speaker: Mike Stearns “Starting from the Ground Up”
Honored as AJC’s Youth Entrepreneur of the Year at 18 years old, Mike Stearns’ entrepreneurial successes range from gumball machines to document imaging to traveling the world with a media company and working on sitcoms. He will be speaking on “Starting from the Ground Up”. Mike is a senior at Georgia State University with a double major in marketing and computer systems.
Featured Project: Under30 Following the Vision Magazine
It’s not just a magazine, It’s a movement. Our mission is to give recognition to individuals 30 years or younger that are following a road of excellence in different arenas of business, career path, or entrepreneurship. Our vision is to establish an annual publication that will produce mentors, and sponsorship to aid in the success of selected individuals 30 and under in Atlanta.
Atlanta events are coordinated by Maria Joyner. If you are interested in speaking at an event, having your business featured, or finding out more about the Under30CEO Atlanta Chapter connect with her on Twitter @mariajoyner or LinkedIn in/mariajoyner.
If you are interested in starting an Under30CEO chapter in your area, check out Meetup.com and contact Under30CEO founders Matt Wilson or Jared O’Toole.
Finding Good in Everything: How to Embrace the Atlanta Commute
A recent released study reaffirms what many Atlantans have known for years: Atlanta highways, notably 400 and I-75, are the most congested in the United States. They are far worse than NYC, LA, and San Francisco. Many Atlantans sit in a car for one to two hours a day, if not more. That is ten to twenty hours every week; forty to eighty hours a month! Since moving to Atlanta in 2004, I have battled with my bad attitude about traffic, specifically the copious amount of time it steals. I do not run errands during the work day in fear of raising my blood pressure over a 5 minute errand taking 30 minutes because only one lane of Peachtree is open. From moving into the heart of Buckhead to only scheduling meetings at low traffic times, I’ve tried it all. Sometimes there is just no getting around the congestion, particularly during the holiday season. In an attempt to find good in everything, here are the best ways to embrace the Atlanta traffic and lengthy commute.
Make the commute a “no phone zone” for business calls. Before you roll your eyes, hear me out. Do not talk on your cell phone during your commute. Try it for a week. I understand answering the phone but refrain from having conversations that require your attention. You cannot focus on the conversation and pay attention to the insane Atlanta driver who is merging 5 lanes over with no turn signal. By putting the phone down, you are proactively preparing for someone slamming on brakes for no apparent reason. Plus, you will learn to look forward to the peace and quiet of a “no phone zone” during your long hours in the car.
Set up a schedule for your commute to increase the productivity. Think about what gets you moving in the morning. Blast 15 minutes of music to wake you up then use the remainder of your commute listening to an audiobook. For the afternoon commute why not download a new album and listen to it in its entirety on the way home? You’ll be excited to get in the car and the drive won’t seem so bad. Fiction audiobooks are also great for the afternoon commute. They are a great way to forget about the day and relax your brain.
Turn your commute into a Masters Degree. Remember that set of personal growth audiobooks you still haven’t listened to? Now is the time. Turn your car into a moving university. Imagine what you could do with 20 hours of extra knowledge a week! There really is no better usage of a long, miserable commute than making your life better and increasing your wealth. If you carpool, get something related to your area in business in which everyone can benefit.
Reflection and thinking time. Use the hour or two in the car to reflect on your goals, aspirations, and plan of action. Make sure you have a voice recorder readily available on your phone to document any ideas. Practice your elevator pitch. Just think about whatever comes to mind! Trust me, if you can get past the idiot drivers and lack of intelligence on the road and immerse yourself in thought, the commute can be therapeutic.
What ways have you dealt with traffic and the chaotic commute in Atlanta?
Maria Joyner is an entrepreneur, documentary photographer, and social media strategist. You can follow her on twitter @mariajoyner or connect on LinkedIn .
“Pray for my friend Bennett Bacon”: A Zaarly with a Heart
On November 28, 2011, Bennett Bacon, a Tybee Island, GA native, was in a life threatening snowboarding accident in Breckenridge, CO. When the ski patrol found him he was without pulse and airlifted to the nearest trauma center. The doctors confirmed he had two broken femurs, a lacerated liver and kidney, massive internal bleeding, and copious blood loss. It did not look good.
Every time my phone rang for the next several days, my heart stopped. Racing through emotions of fear, panic, sadness, and hope, I felt helpless like many of his other friends. What could we do? Just pray. Send him as many positive and hopeful thoughts as possible. That’s where Zaarly came into the mix. Why not ask the thousands of Zaarly users to pray for Bennett as well? Thus, the “Pray for my friend Bennett Bacon” Zaarly request was conceived. For every response and positive thought send to Bennett through Zaarly, I pledged to donate $5 to his family to help them get through this monumental battle.
While the response was amazing, the most touching aspect of all was that, of the 30 people to wish Bennett and his family well, not a single person actually knew him. To that, I speak for his family in saying we are all eternally grateful. It has been two productive weeks now but the battle has just begun. Please continue to pray for Bennett Bacon, his family, and his recovery. To stay updated on his status and other ways to help, visit Bring the Bacon Home for Bennett. Below you can see the inundation of responses from the Zaarly family. I love you guys! Just another reason Zaarly rocks!
