They Kill Like Men, They Die Like Boys, The Dream That Fills My Head

My staff at UNC Greensboro is doing more and more with social media to support our various distance education and extension programs. Our programs are very divergent and attract a variety of folks from all demographics-- we have programs for folks as young as 6 to 18 (we run some summer kids camps and we offer college classes to high schoolers), we offer online degree programs for working adults , and we offer extension programs for older adults (e.g., our Emeritus lecture series).

As part of our social media initiative, we are working with the staff of each of these programs to develop a blog, twitter, and facebook presence. Recently, I was fortunate enough to be featured in one of the videos we put together for our young adult population--it's a short video featuring some of my staff (and me) giving our impressions of this year's summer blockbuster movies. You can check out the video in this post...


Click the Image Above To Watch Our Summer Blockbuster Movie Reviews on YouTube

Starcast 197: Nothing I Want Is Out of My Reach. I'm Free.

A short while ago, Ryan Robbins found a cute turtle on the side of the road and proclaimed that it must have been a pet that had been set free by its owner. I was skeptical, but I let her convince me. She claimed that selling turtles as pets in the state of North Carolina was not legal and that "Hugo has to be a domesticated turtle that was either set free or escaped." Well, after a few weeks (and a little turtle education from the pet store), it was determined that the turtle was probably a wild turtle and that this particular breed, while once was mostly a breed sold as pets, is now found in the wild in NC and common in ponds and lakes around the state.

Ryan kept Hugo in a small make-shift pond for a few weeks but started feeling guilty about keeping him in the confined environment. Therefore, she decided to let Hugo go free. In the current video podcast, you find Ryan telling the story of Hugo's release. It's kinda sad (well, maybe not THAT sad)....

Oh, before, I forget, at this end of this episode, I feature a shout out to TweedleDM. In case you missed it, TweedleDM is a new service developed at Startup Weekend Holden Beach that allows users to search their Twitter direct messages.



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Starcast 196: Every 1's a winner, Baby, That's the Truth

I finally had a few minutes to pull some of the final presentation footage together from the last day of Startup Weekend Holden Beach. Eventually, you will be able to see all of the final presentation footage at on the StartupHB site, but this should tide you over until then. See below.



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Starcast 195: He Says, "Lord, This Must Be My Destination"

We're all sad that Startup Weekend Holden Beach is coming to a close. In this video, you will see some footage of our last group beach walk... and a little footage of the BoomClickaBoom team working on TweedleDM.



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Two Trailer Park Girls Go Round the Outside

Two teams formed at Startup Weekend Holden Beach this weekend: BoomClickaBoom and PayToPerfect. The BoomClickaBoom company actually worked on two projects-- PracticePlanr (a soccer-related app) and TweedleDM (a Web service for searching Twitter direct messages). The PayToPerfect team put together a Web-based service designed to crowdsource the writing of blogs to improve content in the blogosphere. Bloggers who are active with PayToPerfect can get paid for their participation.

In the following videos, you will see Adam Arney report on BoomClickaBoom's Day 3 progress and Brett Bumeter do the same thing for PayToPerfect.

Let's Go Outside in the Sunshine

From earlier today: An interview with Adam Arney where he talks about 2 projects that his StartupHB team is developing.



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Starcast 194: While I Turn Around You Watch Me Check Up On It

In the latest podcast, you see Adam Arney and Brett Bumeter report on their teams' progress on startup projects at this weekend's Startup Weekend Holden Beach.



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Starcast 193: A Toast To That Invincible Bunch, The Dinosaurs Surviving the Crunch.

Josh Holden and I ordered pizza for the StartupHB group today and hosted lunch right on the beach! So, if you were wondering just what makes our event unique compared to other Startup Weekends, wonder no more!! :-)

As you might guess, I recorded some video footage of our pizza luncheon on the beach, and I've included the video in the latest podcast (see below). Btw, if you are in NC or close by and interested in attending future Startup Weekend events in Holden Beach, we plan on hosting future events here-- just go to our http://startuphb.com, click on "contact us," and fill out the information form.



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Power To the People, Right On

In the following video that was filmed today at Startup Weekend Holden Beach, I interview Brett Bumeter, business developer, writer, blogger, and social media marketing expert, who discusses his team's startup--a system to crowdsource and monetize the editing of blog content.

Starcast 192: Close Your Eyes and Use Your Mouth and Tell Me About Your Song

The 2nd day of Startup Weekend Holden Beach is underway. The current video podcast features footage filmed this morning as the teams were reconvening for Day 2.



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There's a Freakout Brewin' at My House, My House

In this video, Josh Holden and I reflect on the pitching session from the first night of Startup Weekend Holden Beach. Eleven ideas were pitched and then narrowed down to three: TweetleDM (a service that sorts Twitter direct messages), PracticePlanr (a sports-related iPhone app), and a yet-to-be titled service that connects the blogosphere with more robust content via crowdsourcing. Watch the video below and look out for more as the weekend progresses.



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Starcast 191: Hey, Hey, Give 'Em What They Want

See how the pitching session went last night at Startup Weekend Holden Beach in the current video podcast.



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I Say Hello, Hello, Hello

Below is the first video official from our Startup Weekend Blog site. In this video, you will see Josh Holden and me introduce the weekend event.



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Starcast 190: Kick on the Starter, Give It All You Got

I've posted the first video podcast from Holden Beach Startup Weekend in the current blog post, so check it out below. In the video, you'll see us getting things started... the first guests arriving... and then Adam and I getting room assignments ready. If you haven't heard, Josh Holden and I procured a couple of beach houses for the event! FTW!



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Follow Your Heart, Your intuition, It Will Lead You in the Right Direction

I'm at Holden Beach for the 2nd weekend in a row working with Josh Holden to finalize plans for Startup Weekend Holden Beach. We're also working on our new company TapTrend. Hehe... I know you're thinking, "Hell, Scott, how many companies can you be involved with?" I guess I sometimes spread myself too thin, but eventually one of my endeavors will rise to the top... and I'll then know that's where I need to put the majority of my focus. :-) Maybe that's a bassackward approach, but it's how I do. :-) So, what is TapTrend? Well, I'm gonna keep quiet about this project for a while--if you're a regular reader of my blog (or if you catch my podcasts), you'll find out soon enough. :-)

Starcast 189: I'm a Fine-Tuned Supersonic Speed Machine With a Sunroof Top and a Gangster Lean

April was a crazy month for me in terms of traveling, and May looks like it's going to be just as busy! I guess that's the price I pay for being involved in so many things, so I can't complain. One of the highlights of this month will be a visit from my mom (she arrives this Thursday). I must admit that I'm kinda bummed that she's visiting over a weekend when I was invited to two parties; nonetheless, I'm grateful to have her visit. We don't see each other often, so the visit will be nice. And, anyway, there's plenty of time for partying later, right? ;)

Speaking of partying, today is Cinco de Mayo, and our Taco Tuesday group is gearing up for a big night. In fact, the plan is to start the festivities at David & Elizabeth's house at 5:30 p.m. and then head over to eat $1 tacos at 8 p.m. I don't like to drink that early b/c it makes me tired too early... and I will be especially tired tonight b/c I woke up at 5:30 a.m. this morning to get my workout out of the way!!

Ok, I've blabbered on long enough. Now, it's video podcast time! In this episode, you will see me, Ryan Robbins, and Joel Smith on the last day of the Kansas City Startup Weekend event getting a little crazy--we were majorly hyper from the natural high of the weekend.



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Starcast 188: If You've Thought It, It Better Be What You Want

A good friend of mine, Josh Holden, and I are coordinating our own Startup Weekend for what the SW folks are calling Startup Weekend World. The goal is for cities around the world to host their own SW events the first weekend in June of this year. We're hosting our SW event at Holden Beach, NC, at two beach houses, and we are pscyhed! Because of space limitations, our event will be invite only; however, you can still score an invite. Here are the deets: If you are in NC and are a coder/programmer, designer, project manager, or business developer, email me with a short bio. If you fit well into one of our open slots, we'll send an invite out to you.

Even though some of the video footage I've collected from the Startup Weekends I've attended is kinda crazy, that's just how I roll. If you attend one of these events yourself, you'll quickly see that everyone who attends is really serious about putting together Web-related businesses over the span of a weekend. I've now been to enough of these events now to know that it can really be done! Anyway, if you're interested in the entrepreneurship and Web-related services, you should check the SW site to see what other cities are sponsoring events at the beginning of June for Startup Weekend World.

Ok, enough of the serious talk for a while! I've been tearing up my blog lately w/ lots of SW talk, so you guys deserve a little comedy break. Check out my latest video podcast below for a little craziness from me and Ryan Robbins. Again, this is footage I filmed at SW Kansas City, but this is some of the fun footage I picked up during some of our breaks! ;-) Enjoy!



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Starcast 187: Just Tea for Two and Two for Tea

If you have kept up with my last few blog posts and/or video podcasts, you are aware that I was away at yet another Startup Weekend recently--this time in Kansas City. In my latest video podcast, I feature team members from my new startup, Rare Brew, discussing the concept of Rare Brew--a tea lover's community. You may or may not know this but tea (and I'm not talkin' about your mama's good ol' sweet tea) is one of the biggest growth beverages in the world. More and more people are discovering exotic teas, learning the health benefits of teas, and/or replacing some or all of their coffee consumption with tea. So, we think we're hitting on a trend here! Hopefully, you will agree. Anyway, check out my latest podcast below and then check out Rare Brew and join the tea community. ;)



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I Get Delirious Whenever U're Near

Since our pitches weren't chosen at Kansas City Startup Weekend, Ryan Robbins and our friends Joel, Graham, Andrew, and Josh decided to form our own rogue startup--Rare Brew. Find out more about our tea lover's community startup below. Note: this video was filmed late last night, so we were a little delirious. Also, please be sure to look out for our tea-loving "chai"leader, Chai Lattia (believe me, you'll know which one she is when you see her).


RareBrew Team from Dan Melton on Vimeo.

Starcast 186: It's a Bitch Girl, But It's Gone Too Far

Ryan Robbins and I are having a great time here in KCSW even though neither of our startup ideas were chosen for development. We're not bitter, though ;-) We know our ideas rocked and will work on them when we get back home. Maybe we were just a little too controversial for the conservative Kansas City... I mean, who else but the two of us would ever pitch a potential business idea using a dildo as a prop?!?! Ha! So, have I peaked your curiosity enough for you to wanna know what we pitched??? As you might suspect, I picked up a little footage from pitch night, and you can see it in my latest podcast episode. In this video, you will see Ryan Robbins pitch Tweetabitch, an idea that might be dead for now... but not for long. Enjoy by clicking below.



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A Kiss for Luck and We're on Our Way. And, Yes, We've Just Begun.

Click the vimeo player below for more pre-conference video footage taken by Dan Melton, one of the coordinators at Startup Weekend Kansas City. Ryan Robbins and I give hints about our upcoming pitches... but we don't give too much away just yet. :-)


Hanging with Raleigh and Indy Crowd before KCSW from Dan Melton on Vimeo.

Starcast 185: Inch by Inch with the New Solution, Transmit Hits, with No Delusion

Ryan Robbins and I are now in Kansas City for our 2nd Startup Weekend of the year. Recently, I've blogged about our latest new endeavors--Miss Pivot and Startup Junkyard (Web site coming soon)--projects that we started at Startup Weekend in Raleigh a few weeks ago. Well, just hold onto your seats because a little while later today, I'll be bringing your our idea pitches from the Kansas City Startup Weekend (KCSW) event!! In the mean time, enjoy the video footage below of our trip to Kansas City. The final bit of footage you'll see in this video is after we arrived today; we were having lunch with our friends Joel and Graham who will also be attending KCSW.



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Starcast 184: It's So Sad, But It Prepares Them for the Mould

Last night, I had a business meeting at Wasabi sushi restaurant in Greensboro--the very same place where the sushi stealing incident took place. I was a little nervous at first, but I decided to own it. I went right up in Wasabi, sat down, and started joking with the wait staff and owners about the crazy night. I said, "Don't let me drink too much tonight." Hehe. Anyway, even if I had consumed too much alcohol last night, I don't think I would have been in the business of repeating the same sushi stealing mistake again!

Speaking of the sushi stealing incident, as promised, I have more footage from that night. Click below to view the latest video podcast and see the crazy footage.



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Starcast 183: She'll Go and Get Her a Shirt, Stick It Under Her Skirt

A situation happened a couple of weeks back that I'm totally embarrassed about, but you know me--I'm still gonna blog about it!! Some friends and I were eating in a sushi restaurant and saw that the girls sitting at the table next to us had left and had not eaten all their sushi. Well, we proceed to take the sushi, and.... you'll have to watch my latest video podcast to find out the rest of the story! It's crazy, and I'm totally embarrassed. [Note: this is only part one of the video footage I have relating to the sushi incident. I'm publishing part two tomorrow.]



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Starcast 182: There Is Fiction in the Space Between You and Me

Damn, the Raleigh Startup Weekend footage is neverending. I hope you don't mind! ;-) It's all good, right? Anyway, this time, I did manage to infuse a bit of video I recorded back in Greensboro... you know me, I often can't resist merging in a little comic relief.

In this episode, the group from Tweetasy talk more in depth about their new startup--a Twitter-based site that challenges authors to compose an entire story in 140 characters or less! For real! :) Anyway, you have to see for yourself in the latest video podcast below... or, of course, by visiting Tweetasy at http://www.tweetasy.com.



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