Dr. CK Lin | Productivity. Innovation. Entrepreneur Profiles

Making Connections and Knowing Your Market : Interview with Ben Kuo of socalTECH.com

socalTECH Founder, Publisher, Editor, Ben Kuo

“Because the barrier to entry is not the idea it’s the execution.”

Ben Kuo founded socalTECH in 1998 more or less as a hobby. Entrenched in new technology as in electrical engineer, Ben wanted to provide Southern California tech companies, innovators and entrepreneurs with a comprehensive database, for local technology groups and companies, VC and private financing firms, and service providers.

Now his site is a leading resource for finding venture funding and business news, a calendar of local events, and interviews with local technology entrepreneurs and champions of innovation.

Ben shares his personal observations of current market trends and lends some of his professional advice to all innovators looking to turn their ideas into sustainable businesses.

Website: http://socaltech.com/
Blog: http://blog.socaltech.com/

Cell Phone by KB35

Advertising Gone Mobile: Get in the know, while you’re on the go

Businesses know that the hottest and most innovative way to reach you (the consumer) is that handy cellular device that you probably have on your person as you read this, my latest and greatest blog.

The “cell phone audience” is that rather small minority of us that have our cell phones with us at all times.

As a result, ad agencies are aiming more and more of their products toward this cultural tech boom.

Companies like YuMe that are Read the rest of this entry »

Entrepreneurial Trailblazing: How to Stimulate a Dwindling Economy

President Obama’s approval rating is already down, the stock market has not hit this sort of low since ‘97, and many are fearful for their jobs.

Not to sound like a character from the computer game Oregon Trail, but morale is low.

The silver lining, however, is that there are entrepreneurs aplenty that are optimistic about turning all this around.

How? Innovations, of course.

There are many up and coming entrepreneurs that are bringing new ideas to the table, such as Shai Agassi and Rob Shields. Each has a long term strategy that will work with the economic flow, and draw consumers.

Agassi’s concept is Read the rest of this entry »

Helios House by mello yello

“Green” Gas? A not so Current look at BP’s HELIOS HOUSE

This not so current clip from Current TV is an expanded look at British Petroleum’s Helios House in downtown Los Angeles. It’s a “green” gas station, built almost entirely of recycled or recyclable materials.

First off, if you’re not familiar with Current TV it’s certainly worth purchasing the satellite/cable tier that supplies it or check them out online.

The channel, which is essentially Youtube meets PBS meets MTV news circa 15 years ago, is a collection of “pods”, or short 3-5 minute clips that are created largely by viewers and users themselves.

Al Gore is credited with the creation of Current, but I swear I came up with the idea for a Current-like channel format years ago (I still have the napkin and everything). So if he gets to claim that he invented the Internet, then I’m telling people this channel was my idea.

But I digress…

Anyway, the video, right. Well certainly the effort and the message are quite novel, as for the (Alanis Morissette-esque) irony of a “green” gas station…

BP spokeswoman, Irina Filippova claims:

“Tomorrow’s technologies are not available to us yet… What we’re trying to do is take a small step today to improve our impact on the environment and educate our consumers about the small things they can do in their daily lives to be greener themselves.”

Sure, but did you see those bathrooms? Outrageous. When I use a public bathroom I expect to have to hold my breath and hopscotch around murky puddles, not walk into something that resembles a Viking kitchen/sushi bar.

Thanks, but no thanks BP.

Unity in Diversity by Untitled blue

Why All Your Smart Friends are Talking about Seth Godin: Tips from “Tribes”

2008 was a pretty great year for Seths. 20th Century Fox made “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane the highest-paid writer-producer on planet earth, Seth Rogen proved moreover that he’s worth his (considerable) weight in box-office gold, and Seth Godin’s book Tribes became a consensus must-read in business and innovation circles.

Ok, so the latter Seth might not exactly be a household name just yet, but I’m sure some of your friends are talking about him…at least the smart ones are.

If you haven’t read Tribes, buy it or stea-…I…uh… mean borrow it from a friend… YESTERDAY.

Seriously.

I just finished the book and it speaks to me on several levels AND I want to share with you some of the more critical points and highlights that will help you grow as an innovator and as a leader.

Read the rest of this entry »