Enjoy what many have said was one of the highlights of the event…the afternoon panel which included Micah Baldwin, Jason Fried, Jeffrey Kalmikoff and Gary Vaynerchuk fielding the audience’s questions and more!
Micah Baldwin’s presentation was another one of the attendee’s favorites at Big Omaha! Micah Baldwin is the VP, Business Development and Chief Evangelist for Lijit Networks, a Boulder, CO startup. Lijit is the sixth startup Micah has been involved with. You can read more about Micah’s philosophy of “success through failure” on his blog.
The next in the series of videos, Jeffrey Kalmikoff, amazingly talented Partner & Chief Creative Officer at Threadless. Jeffrey’s presentation focused on transparency, accessibility as well as many more valuable takeaways.
There’s good reason that Inc Magazine named Threadless the “Most Innovative Small Company in America” and Big Omaha attendees were able to experience that same innovation!
The third video release in the series! Enjoy the clip from Adriana Gascoigne of Girls in Tech at Big Omaha 2009!
Here is the second in a series of talks from Big Omaha! Enjoy what many called an amazingly captivating and inspiring talk by one of the best, Jason Fried of 37 Signals.
Without further ado, we’re excited to release the first in a series of videos from Big Omaha 2009! A very special thanks to Torchwerks for their amazing recording and dedication to the event!
Sit back, relax and enjoy the first release of Gary Vaynerchuk’s keynote! Gary took it to another level in answering attendees questions around work, life, business and everything in between…
Strong, passionate language included — make sure you’re listening in a “strong, passionate language safe zone!”
Well, it’s probably not THE final word, but we wanted to share some of our thoughts on Big Omaha…
In short, we’re absolutely amazed, humbled and optimistic about the event we call Big Omaha. As we mentioned before it’s crazy to see how an idea that was initially thrown out there last August, then went live in late February, has now morphed into what many are calling the area’s freshest and most innovative new event to connect with the best & brightest from the region…all right here in Omaha!
This all started when I contacted Dusty Davidson last summer with the idea to launch a site, Silicon Prairie News, which would focus on telling the story about our city’s unique innovators, entrepreneurs and folks that would consider themselves part of the “creative class”. I don’t think either one of us had a firm grasp on how widely accepted the concept would be. I am amazed, but honestly not surprised, at the way our region has grouped together behind the events we produce and help organize, but also the way people are encouraged & motivated by the stories they read on Silicon Prairie News each month.
So after holding a few events last year and was seeing awesome support and turnout, I had a thought…”hey, let’s do something bigger!” We enjoyed hearing hearing Gary Vaynerchuk’s take on business, reading about Threadless in Inc. Magazine and being inspired by 37 Signals’s work. Wouldn’t it be rad to harness the energy and drive of these guys and bring them into our town so not only would we get a kick in the pants, but be able to build the community and allow for some awesome conversations and stories to be told…right here in the Midwest.
Fast forward to May 9th, 2009…wow, how time flies and words don’t do justice to how both Dusty and I feel after months of work, with a collection of great folks behind us, in putting together what we feel was something that was so needed for our community.
YOU supported Big Omaha, YOU built Big Omaha into what it was and will be — YOU are the reason Big Omaha and Silicon Prairie News exists! So a huge thank you goes to YOU, the community, the sponsors, the volunteers, the attendees, the innovators & creatives, those who are passionate about what you believe in and who are building amazing businesses, products, nonprofits and more day after day!
On one hand I want to do it all over again tomorrow, well maybe in a few months, on the other hand we’re fired up to continue this energy right through the rest of 2009 and up until Big Omaha 2010. Yes, you heard right, we’ll be releasing tentative dates for 2010 shortly and look forward to seeing all of you there!
Again, thank you for making Big Omaha an overwhelming success and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Words can not express how amazed we are at the overwhelming turnout, support and positive buzz from the last few days. So many exciting conversations, ideas and networks which were formed, and time will only tell what’s next.
Additional thoughts will come over the next few days, but from the entire BIG Omaha Team, thank YOU — the sponsors, speakers and over 450 of you in attendance for making BIG Omaha the tremendous success it was!
So for those of you coming out to see Gary Vaynerchuk tape an episode of his world famous Wine Library TV, stick around afterward for some great tunes from one of Omaha’s hottest bands, Shiver Shiver.
Take a listen to just a sampling of their tunes over at the Myspace page.
Also, don’t forget the What Cheer & Secret Penguin House Party which will go into the wee hours of the morning we’re sure….
We are amazingly excited to announce that BIG Omaha 2009 is officially SOLD OUT!
Those who are attending are in for a treat with several days of amazing parties, events and the opportunity to connect with many of the regions most innovative minds.
Thanks to those who registered, and we’ll be sending out additional details to you in the next few days. It’s thanks to YOU that we can humbly say that we’ve filled the place! It’s one thing to put on an event, it’s another to have the community support it….and not only support it, but to sell it out in the first year!!!
Hold on folks….this week will be fun!
