Who are you and what do you do?

Tomorrow I'll record (another) CoffeeInTheClouds video podcast interview. This time with the amazing Judah Taub, Managing Partner at Hertz Ventures (Forbes 30 Under 30).

When I first started doing my podcast it was audio only. Then it became a video podcast, Powered by Zoom. I am pretty sure that over the course of 100+ interviews, I always open with the same question:

"Who are you and what do you do?"

I'll do the interview from my home office in BOONTON USA. There is only 'one' Boonton in the entire USA, and it is always nice to make a note of that. 

Boonton New Jersey is around 30 miles West of New York City. The Big Apple. The 'Center of the Known Universe' if you want to be cute about it. Now that I get the Senior Discount (sigh) round-trip from BOONTON USA to THE BIG APPLE is around $18. This past Thursday we had event(s) plural at Chelsea Piers and at Javits Convention Center. In a typical year, prior to COVID-19 Javits Center would host 175+ events, up to 40,000 exhibiting companies and more than two million visitors. I thought to myself how many times did I attend an event at Javits Convention Center, and walk 'serpentine' up and down the rows of booths, working the entire room (like a good salesman should). Now at 64 walking a trade show floor like that is just a distant memory. 

The main reason for going to NYC on Thursday was our 'kick-off' of nationwide marketing for IoT. Internet of Things. Energy. Solar. All things telecom and technology, with a twist. There were around 25 people invited to the kick off of NADLA.org IoT marketing from Chelsea Piers, and I would say that around 50% showed up. That is pretty normal attendance for 'live' events. 

Last week was also the annual Zoomtopia event with people both attending LIVE and virtually from all around the world. I attended THAT one via Zoom, from.... BOONTON USA. No need for me to fly to CA for that one. Last year I did attend Zoomtopia LIVE in CA with 3,500 onsite/60,000 virtual reported attendees. Not sure about the numbers for this year, but I would predict higher. Short version: Virtual event companies beware. Zoom has remarkable hybrid implementation.

As I write my Sunday Blog from good ol' BOONTON USA I think about how I saw a 'video phone' for the first time at the 1964 World's Fair. So around 59 years ago we went from thinking about the amazing future of video, to in 2024 telling the entire world to GetZoom.us  And maybe, if you do indeed GetZoom.us you don't need to get a hotel room, or buy an airplane ticket. You can do it all from home. 

And, I am thinking about how for the first time in history, more people are paying tuition for an online education, from anywhere in the world. They will never step foot in North America for their education. So, you can attend a school like Harvard.edu or PURDUE.edu or NYU.edu from Nigeria, or Nepal. And of course from Nebraska. 

I walked from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to Chelsea Piers, with my first stop at Javits Convention Center. I walked the Hudson River, watching the helicopters land, with their VIP passengers. And, when I got to our IoT event, I was able to watch 200' yachts come and go from the docks. And I thought to myself, would it not be cool to walk up to someone coming off their yacht, or deboarding from their 'chopper' to their waiting Black SUV (with driver) and ask them:

"Who are you, and what do you do?"

Chelsea Piers NYC

How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

I walk my dog every day. Our current dog 'Konta' is a rescue. Our dogs went as follows: Norton, Casey, Bella, Colin, Mandy, and now Konta. Our black lab Norton was a purchase - all others were rescues. There are several dog parks where I live in North New Jersey. There are a few where you can let the dog off leash, but most of the parks require a leash. Which is fine. 

I am a big fan of Audible. Especially when the books are read by the author. The ability to have a book - business book or fiction 'read to me' while I am walking Konta in the woods is, well, a little thing. 

But today something hit me. As I was walking in the woods, looking at the leaves falling, seeing the sun getting ready to set between the trees, it just felt very different this time. It felt like Malcolm Gladwell was walking along side me.

I read Malcolm's book 'The Tipping Point' when it first came out - hardcover. His new book, 

'Revenge of the Tipping Point' is in my Audible library. It came out on 10/1/2024 and I bought it that same day. So now, when I walk Konta, usually at around an hour before sunset, Malcolm Gladwell joins us.

This is going to be one of my shorter Sunday Blogs. I did not write it until 5:25 PM EST - after returning from the dog park. I was compelled to take pictures today, as we walked through the woods, just Konta and me. And, of course, Malcolm. 

It hit me when I got back to the car. About how the little things can indeed make such a big difference. How listening to a book on Audible - in the woods - away from people - is very different. I guess we could have been on the beach, or in Central Park in NYC, or just about anywhere. And I guess that there could be a million people right this minute listening to Malcolm's new book on Audible. They could be on a plane, in a car, or listening from anywhere in the world. 

Audible, Inc. was founded in 1995 by Don Katz, who came up with the idea while jogging in Riverside Park in Manhattan: 

1995: Audible is founded 

1997: Audible releases the Audible Mobile Player, the world's first commercially available portable digital audio player 

1999: Audible goes public on NASDAQ 

2000: Audible introduces its first subscription model 

2003: Audible becomes Apple's exclusive audiobook provider 

2004: Audible launches in Germany 

2005: Audible launches in the UK and France 

2008: Amazon buys Audible for $300 million 

The Audible early years were challenging, including a stock market crash and the death of its CEO, Andrew J. Huffman. It took the company 10 years to turn a profit. It was in the early to mid-2010s, that Audible service began to really take off. How much revenue does Audible generate? As of September 2024, annual revenue reached $750M.

So, I am a little reflective today. I am thinking about how Audible went from an idea while jogging in the park, to going public, to becoming part of Amazon. I am thinking about how Audible had a Tipping Point.

I am reflecting how I rarely read books any longer, but how much I enjoy having books 'read to me' by the author - folks like Malcolm Gladwell. And, I am reflecting how 'the little things' become the big things, like rescuing dogs and going to the dog park. Or walking in the woods. Every. Day. 

Just me, Konta and Malcolm.