Ignite Phoenix
This post is obviously a little late but here nonetheless. I am amped to be presenting tonight at Ignite Phoenix ASU at the ASU Education Lecture Hall. I’m surrounded by phenomenal presenters and honored to be among them. I will be presenting on creating a collaborative incubation culture in Phoenix. Don’t know what that is? Then you need to RSVP (or just show up) for the event tonight at the ASU Main Campus.

Here’s the title and description of my 5-minute Ignite talk:

Archipelago: we are islands, together.

Biography: Brandon is an ASU alum, father, musician, and entrepreneur. He has a passion for connecting people and making Phoenix awesome.

Description: The very gifts and strengths that make for a good entrepreneur, can make us lone wolves. While you need to be confident and self-reliant, you cannot make it on your own. Let’s talk about bringing entrepreneurs together, young, old, new, experienced, successful, and struggling. We can make each other better, and by extension, make Phoenix better.

And here’s the full lineup:

  • Live together, die alone: Island survival for non-profits – John Mather
  • The burgeoning Phoenix Design scene, and how you can be involved – Mark Dudlik & Andrew Coppola
  • Archipelago: we are islands, together – Brandon Willey
  • How TED Built Their Community of TED Addicts – Tomas Carrillo
  • Prison 101: Interns Behind the Wire – Sue Ellen Allen
  • Design Bridges the Gap Between Universities and Communities – John Takamura
  • Trust NASA To Get Us Out Of Here? Or The Cultural Impetus For Sustainability – Andrew Latimer
  • Guerrilla Marketing: Reaching Out to Homeless Youth – Tim Huffman
  • Improvisation as a collaborative tool – Nina Miller
  • Poverty. What it looks like and what I can do? – Brian McCollow

I’m excited about sitting on the Judging Panel for the World Entrepreneurship Day Elevator Pitch Competition. Later that afternoon, as a part of the event, I will be speaking at a session on “Leveraging Your Network and Your Current Resources to Make Your Passion Happen.”

With experience in several start-ups, Brandon has been able to transform his ideas into reality – without waiting for a golden ticket. In this session, he’ll talk about what it takes to make ideas happen sooner rather than later, using what you already have. Learn from his expertise to accelerate the impact of your idea!

Update:
So it also looks like I will be sitting on a panel of startup entrepreneurs that evening during the culminating event for World Entrepreneurship Day at Tempe Center for the Arts. Here’s a link (http://wedasu.eventbrite.com/) to more information and registration. There is no cost to attend and would be a great event for anyone interested in entrepreneurship in Phoenix.

Another Update:
Here are a few links about the event:
ASU’s World Entrepreneurship Day Site
ASU News Article
GetOut article

I’m excited to be speaking at one session and two panels at LaidOffCamp Phoenix this Saturday. Get the full agenda here (pdf).

  • Getting a Job with a Small Business (panel) 9:30am
  • Starting Your Own Biz (panel) 10:20 & 11:10am
  • Leveraging LinkedIn 12:50pm

Laid Off Camp Phoenix is an extension of a national effort to help people find work — full-time work, freelance work, volunteer work, or whatever’s next for them.  Like other Laid Off Camp events, is a locally-based, community-supported effort to offer resources and reassurance to job seekers.