September 2008 Archive

World Economic Forum: Red (Lobster) Alert!

So just in case we hadn't mentioned it, Sarah and I went to Las Vegas this weekend. Contrary to popular opinion, Vegas is not just all bright lights and people running amok, fueled by whatever vice happens to engage them at that moment. It is, in fact, the perfect place to sit down and have an international, in-depth dialogue about our current economic status. No, not the Merrill Lynch buy-out, not the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy crisis, or even the U.S. government's proposed $700 billion dollar bailout, but the food-to-price ratio of the lobster salad at Spago. Robert Loch, the "Hugh Hefner" of the London tech scene as he is known, takes a minute out of his schedule this weekend to discuss his thoughts... (and because he is British, and very irate, be forewarned that the following contains some choice expletives) Bon appetit!

Robert Loch on Intercontinental Food Economics from sarah lacy on Vimeo.

Memphis to Las Vegas: A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Spy Camming

After spending only 24 jam-packed hours in our hometown of Memphis, Sarah and I hopped an early flight to Las Vegas last Friday to begin another epic UGBT tour stop. Flight-time is normally put to good use, with Sarah editing videos and updating blog posts (while I eavesdrop over her shoulder) but we found ourselves in separate seats during this particular trip. Naturally, she got right down to work, but I faced two huge distractions on my side of the plane. Now, let it be known that this is why Sarah and I adore Memphis and its idiosyncrasies. Quite simply, when you're visiting the M (or flying out of it for that matter) you just never know what you're gonna get...

On the Way to Vegas from sarah lacy on Vimeo.

Amazing Write-up...

...in my hometown paper, The Commercial Appeal, on my Launch Memphis event. Thanks, James! Now that the Vegas madness is over, I'm going to do some substantive blogging in the next few days about what I've seen on the road. Although fair-warning: There's more lifecasting to come as we wrap up our crazy 5-city jaunt of the User Generated Book Tour.

Anyway, thanks again to Eric Matthews, Gwin Scott, Barney DuBois, Elizabeth Lemmonds and the rest of the crew in Memphis' entrepreneur scene for an amazing event. I look forward to staying in touch with everyone and seeing how their projects pan out! If you'd like to write a UGBT testimonial go here.

UGBT: Back in Memphis. Two More Events to Go!

My, my, my. What a weekend. Olivia and I had a great time in Vegas at Blog World Expo-- not that we actually made it to much of the conference proper. Huge, HUGE thanks to Brian Solis and Stephanie Agresta for letting me sign books poolside at the TechSet party. And an even bigger thanks to Tony Hsieh of Zappos for co-hosting the party at Prive with me last night. I use the word "co-hosting" loosely, as Tony did all the work and I mostly showed up and tried to be charming. And in the picture below, strangely vampy. What can I say? Brian Solis brings out my frustrated inner super model.

Here's Tony with the Evolution of Dance guy who happened to be there. Tony barely uttered the words, "hey, would you mind..." and the guy was whipping out a CD and jumped on stage to do the routine live. The crowd went wild. Totally one of those rad moments for the Internet-meme obsessed. If only Tay Zonday or "I LIKE TURTLES!" had jumped out of the crowd next...

Evolution of Dance in action:

And Olivia in action FlipCamming away before a bouncer told her to stop. (She had a dress you can wear five ways- I think this is no. 3)

(Video from the party to come. Thanks to Brian Solis for the photos!)

We're back in Memphis now and in Toronto on Thursday.

The Man Who Brought You Sarah Lacy (tm)

I was supposed to have lunch with someone an hour ago, but well, this person hasn't shown up. So I've been plowing through Memphis video footage. Here's an interview that meant a lot to me, because it's with someone who means a lot to me. The man partially responsible for me being a journalist in the first place, Barney DuBois. He introduced me at my Launch Memphis event-- which was fabulous, by the way. I said a few words, answered some questions and signed a load of books while I gave some of the local entrepreneurs advice. I only had to yell at one of them, who said "Why not blow some money on a
Superbowl commercial if you have it?"

Barney and Me from sarah lacy on Vimeo.

This Video Is Making Me Even More Hungry...

I was so insanely tired and incoherent when I filmed this. Still, it was awesome to see my family.

Liquid Gold from sarah lacy on Vimeo.

BioWorks: Doing Everything Right

I have a much longer blog post I want to write about BioWorks, a foundation that's working to jump start innovation in Memphis-- and I have to say a highlight of my tour so far. But I have to run out to a lunch, so for now, just watch this.

Who Killed Baptist Central? from sarah lacy on Vimeo.

Do You Think My Brother and I Stopped at Alex's?

We also hit "the Cove," where I had to make up for missing my brother's birthday despite a raft of social networks to alert me it was Sept. 8. Enjoy.

Wish I Was at Alex's Now....

Hello, readers. I have to admit I'm a little beat from the last event-and-emotion-filled week. We just landed in Vegas not to long ago and fortified with a light meal and a few mimosas I'm trying to work through the amazing backlog of Memphis footage and videos. Annoyingly, I'm not poolside. Too hard to read the screen. What a nerd I've become!!

Speaking of, I kinda wish I was at Alex's right now. What's Alex's? Watch this. PS: at one point one of the ladies yell, "THIS GONNA BE ON THE YOUTUBE???" Unfortunately you can't hear it in the recording. But just trust me on this one.

UGBT: Keynote Angst? Done. Moving On.

The next emotional milestone (and a tiny one in comparison to Austin and the keynote) is going back to my hometown. I'm doing an event for Memphis entrepreneurs and Barney DuBois-- the man who told me I would be a journalist way back in my high school days and the publisher of my first gig, The Memphis Business Journal-- is doing my introduction tonight. I'm pretty unemotional, but I might tear up.

Also my hometown paper wrote about the event and -- I kid you not-- it was the first time my parents realized there was a controversy about the Zuckerberg keynote. That made me happy. Yes, they also had it clipped out and put it on the fridge. Bear in mind, I do not have gushing parents. This is highly unusual. They would only read what I wrote for BusinessWeek if I mailed them a copy with the page marked. (Also, I realized this morning that my father's uncanny ability to turn on the dishwasher the second I get in the shower has also persisted through time and space. Despite the shock of cold water with an eye-full of soap, it's nice to know there's an oasis of sameness in my ever-changing world.)

Tomorrow we take off for Vegas -- Blogworld!!!!! This was a late night Gnomedex addition to the tour, at the request of Mr. Brian Solis. We're signing books poolside at the TechSet party and only have about 20 so come and get 'em! $20 each. We will be grateful to stop lugging them around. Turns out books are heavy and cumbersome to travel with- Duh! Guess that's why the Kindle is almost a $1 billion business, right?

Saturday night, Tony Hsieh of Zappos -- sorry, ZAPPOS!-- and I are co-hosting a party at a very, very awesome spot that's a last minute Twitter surprise. So follow Tony or me if you want the deets! It's open to anyone and we'd love to see you there!! Tony knows how to party and Vegas is his turf so you do NOT want to miss this.

Then, Sunday night we come back to Memphis, just in time for a talk at my alma mater, Rhodes College, on Monday. That's incredibly weird. Typically your family and the people you grew up with are the ones who convince you you're not actually a big deal at all.

I've been saying for the last year that the incredibly life-changing year I've had was at some point going to hit me, and it's sort of hitting me this trip, between returning to Austin, doing my first big keynote, and now this hometown stuff. Anyway, below is a video Olivia and I shot after the keynote. We celebrated by going to a snooty restaurant Olivia worked at last year. She didn't have the greatest experience so we figured since I was going back and facing fears and stuff this trip, she should too.

Yeah, yeah, we'll get back to reporting on business soon. Again, just indulge us this month!

Post Keynote Confessions from sarah lacy on Vimeo.