Last night marked the first meeting for the new Reno-Tahoe Young Professional Network (YPN). For those not familiar, YPN was recently created to serve as a driving force for attracting and retaining young professional talent in Northern Nevada.

There is a demographic deficit as it relates to young professionals and the size of Northern Nevada’s economy, so it is imperative that the area address the issue. The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) has been a huge catalyst for the creation of YPN, and you can read more about why in a post I wrote last week regarding Directions 2007. 

More than one-hundred of us gathered at 210 North, which is a new “lounge” located in downtown Reno. It was a  befitting setting considering the fact that the place absolutely exudes chic youth.

The primary focus of the meeting was to introduce the board members and all of the attendees, as well and explain the general purpose and direction of the group. There was much emphasis on the desire for it to be a collaborative organization  where anyone can be involved and make a difference.

YPN will be supported by an outside advisory board made up of senior professionals who will serve as mentors to the  group. Additionally, several large entities, including Charter Communications, Sierra Pacific Power, and EDAWN are providing significant monetary support, and everyone is encouraged to identify and solicit more benefactors to keep the group well-fueled.

My hope is that YPN can not only mentor other up-and-coming  professionals and provide valuable networking opportunities, but also pool its intellectual capital and  influence to effect positive change in public policy.

Working as a group to draft strategic recommendations to and for the City of Reno and Northern  Nevada is where I would like to see YPN heading. After last night’s meeting I am very optimistic that it is indeed where the group will eventually be.

tags: reno-tahoe, ypn, young professional network, northern nevada, edawn, city of reno

This video does a fantastic job showing what is so exciting and promising about the current iteration of the web. To me, what is more exciting, is that this is only the second iteration (web 2.0). I can’t wait to see - and participate in - what comes next.

This year’s Governor’s Conference was themed, “It’s All About You,” which was meant to convey that it is the citizens and business professionals of Nevada that make it a great place to live and work.

The conference was was well-attended and featured uplifting speakers and performers.

Some of the speakers included, Mayor, Bob Cashell; Lieutenant Governor, Brian Kroliki; and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority (RSCVA), Ellen Oppenheim.

Each presentation was very positive and demonstrated the success of the state as a whole, as well as the impressive renaissance that is occurring in Reno, Nevada in regards to redevelopment, tourism, and the economy.

Two other speakers that I especially enjoyed were Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, and Guy Kawasaki, managing director of Garage Technology Ventures and former affiliate of Macintosh.

While their presentations were certainly different, both speakers shared similar central themes to their presentations - Differentiation and Making a Mantra.  Southwest and Macintosh have succeeded in large part because they provided a service or product that did not exist before, and they built a company culture that was unique from their competitors. Think laid back atmosphere, affordable direct flights, empowering creative minds, and iPods.

As Guy explains it, they “jump(ed) to the next curve.” Here’s me with him after his speech.

Twelve Horses own CEO, David LaPlante was also a featured speaker.  His presentation was titled, “Web 2.0: It’s All About the Relationship.” He covered the importance of consumer generated media and managing relationships online. Brands can either hide behind a veil of carefully crafted corporate speak, or they can get out there for instance, with a blog, which enables them to personalize their brand and interact with customers.

The dichotomy consists of fear and isolation on one side, and openness and sharing on the other side. Obviously, companies must be careful about what they say and do; but what do your customers want?

All in all the conference was a great time, and it brought many people from Las Vegas, Reno, and rural cities around Nevada together. There is a lot of positive change happening in the State, and it will be exciting to see what is in store for the future.

In the meantime, the ski resorts are all open and beginning to receive copious amounts of snow. So come visit!

 tags: governor’s conference, tourism, reno, las vegas, nevada, guy kawasaki, consumer generated media, blog

One of Reno’s beloved hang-outs and eateries closed it’s doors last week. The Deux Gros Nez was a trendy restaurant that had a unique atmosphere that locals loved to patronize. It opened in the summer of 1985 on California Avenue and closed November 30, 2006.

The Deux Gros Nez has been a long time client of Twelve Horses and we’ve enjoyed working with Tim and his team over the years. Tim penned a very nice letter to all his loyal customers that we’ve posted on the Deux website. As a tribute to Tim and his passion, Twelve Horses has decided to continue to host the website and we’ve added a guestbook where visitors can post their fondest memories of the Deux. This will provide a running legacy of what the Deux meant to so many people here in Reno. You can also subscribe to the guestbook via RSS so you can be notified of each new memory added.

Gannett plans on exploding the newsroom.  In the wake and rubble will grow a new type of organization focused more on “information centers.”  They will no longer organize their editors into groups like metro, state and sports but instead will use names like “data,” “digital” and “community conversations.”  There focus will be more on local then national news and user-generated content will take an even larger role. 

I would treat this as basic lip service if it weren’t for the changes I have already seen in our local Gannett publication, The Reno Gazette Journal.  They now have a section that covers geographic areas by neighborhoods.  Each neighborhood section features area content including: news, photo galleries, real estate commentary and events.  This is definitely localized.

The Gazette Journal is now requiring reporters to run around with cameras and video cameras to create even more content.  They have added a photo and video section to the site.

I’m excited by this because it puts content and distribution fore front.  It removes artificial filters and lets readers filter content how they want.  Do they want to view neighborhood news, local news, photos from yesterday’s events or video from reporter’s latest interview?  Obviously, you can do this on various sites around the Internet but having your local publication bring this forward to the non-techies and have actual people on the street getting paid to gather this information is a huge advantage.

tags: Journalism, News, RGJ

Today, Willie Nelson’s article on the protection of horses under the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act appeared on CNN.com. Nelson has taken up the pen instead of his guitar to raise awareness for the mistreatment of horses in America.

As soon the Habitat for Horses can get their website up - let us know if you need some help! - I’ll send them a check.

We are often asked, why the name Twelve Horses? Willie Nelson’s article does a lot to explain it. He quotes Will Rogers who said, “You know horses are smarter than people.” Nelson even goes so far as to say, “I’d rather be a horse.”

Horses are undoubtedly a great animal, and they have played an instrumental role in human progress.  

For Twelve Horses, it is about:

• Power
• Speed
• Intelligence
• Creativity

You can check out the legend of Twelve Horses here.

We are headquartered in Reno, Nevada, a place that still has wild Mustangs roaming the land just outside of the city limits. They are protected just as the rest should be.

tags: american horse slaughter prevention act, willie nelson, twelve horses, reno, nevada

Google’s recent purchase of YouTube for $1.65 billion in shares has sparked increased scrutiny over what content is actually being syndicated through this popular video sharing site.

Over this past weekend, Comedy Central, a division of Viacom ordered YouTube to remove any content belonging to them. Thousands of clips from “The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report,” and “South Park” were removed and replaced with the message, “This video has been removed due to terms of use violation.”

Each one of these shows enjoyed incredible, viral exposure because of video sharing on YouTube. In fact, Stephen Colbert often made mention of YouTube on his show and joked that he should be on their payroll.

I suspect that Viacom was warned by their attorneys of the possible precedent that could be set by not enforcing their copyright to this content; however, I can’t believe that a more strategic settlement couldn’t be achieved. Comedy Central was benefiting immensely from this exposure.

Personally, I have used YouTube many times as a means of demonstrating the hilarity of John Stewart, or convincing someone they should witness Colbert’s wit. I simply pull up a popular clip and show it to them. I am sure there have been numerous YouTube clips that have been shared and emailed to friends, which have only further increased the exposure of these shows.

Without access to the data, I can only surmise what viewer stats have been since Comedy Central content began appearing on YouTube. If I had to guess, I can only assume that it has increased viewers to the show, not decreased it.

Comedy Central has historically done a pretty good job of creating the sense that they are not your average network channel, but this recent move could impact that image. 

At the very least, Viacom could have worked out an agreement with YouTube where they featured advertisements in conjunction with the existing clips. I am hoping this is simply a legal matter that will be resolved.

I like watching these shows, but my schedule does not always allow time for them. It is nice to know that the especially amusing or poignant clips will be in a place where I can view and share them with friends.

While Comedy Central already shares clips on their site, it is not the same as a user-generated place where visitors can truly get a sense of what resonates with others out there in the online world. I suspect that this is the one major thing that Viacom just doesn’t get.

tags: youtube, viacom, comedy central, the daily show, colbert report

Yesterday, I received a call from a valued local contact.  She called on my cell phone because earlier in the day she tried my desk and I wasn’t there.  For me, this is completely normal.  I often work productively from Starbucks, the Airport, the Gym or anywhere I can get WiFi or use my mobile data card.  Her comment to me was, "Are you ever at your desk?"  She asked it with more meaning than just an off-handed joking way.  She was generally surprised that I am requently not reachable on my desk phone.

I think the difference stems from a generational divide.  The generation or two before my generation viewed a hard day’s work as being in front of your desk grinding out your productivity.  I have no doubt that my contact can be found at her desk between the hours of 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM five - if not six - days a week. 

For me, eight hours at my desk means I didn’t create or extend any relationships or participate in the community.  Whether it’s a meeting, catching up on email after a workout or sitting in Starbucks enjoying overpriced coffee, I feel just as productive but have the added opportunity of running into someone I know or meeting someone I don’t.

Plus, if your job requires any "outside the box" thinking, get out of the office once in a while.  We have nice offices, but the day-to-day grind kills creativity.

Reno and Its Discontents, a popular local Reno blog that discusses politics, development, culture, media and various other issues affecting the area, and was recently featured on CNN, gave us and our interviewee, Jim Litchfield a little proverbial ink yesterday regarding our podcast interview with him.In the interview, we talk with Jim about his involvement with the implementation of the $1.5 million Reno Whitewater Park, which has been a phenomenal improvement to the downtown core. It has stimulated new development consisting of condos, restaurants, bars and shops, and it has also garnered an impressive amount of PR for the region. Just Google Jim Litchfield or Reno River Festival, and you will see. Since its inception, there has been a river festival each May where professional kayakers from around the country come to compete in the Truckee River.While Reno is definitely still holding on to its roots in the gaming industry, there is a lot of change happening to the City, which is diversifying its image. With close access to 13 different world-class ski resorts, Lake Tahoe, whitewater kayaking, fishing, mountain biking, and more, it is truly “America’s Adventure Place.”I’ve got to say, it is also pretty awesome when your CEO let’s you go skiing on a work day. With a little bit of snow yesterday in the high elevations, I am beginning to feel the itch.

51.6% of visitors to MySpace.com in August were 35 or older according to comScore Media Metrix.  "Older" people are starting to use and participate in social networking, a phenomenon that has previously been thought to be a "kids" thing.

This is huge news for businesses who have been contemplating a MySpace strategy.  It shows that this "older" generation likes to connect, chat and share information about themselves.  Now it’s businesses turn to embrace and adopt this form of communication - to get into this dialog.  Businesses, now more then ever before, can show they are made up of a collection of people and personalities and not just penny pushers and tight CEOs.

I think the other implication here is that MySpace isn’t going to go away as fast as many people have hoped.