Frankly, its been a nice break.

Should I come back?

What say you?

Yes, you…the person reading this right now.

Comments below.

Thanks.

See you there!

I think we’re see the new dawn of social media - that is mass adoption of social media and micro-blogging outside the tech crowd and early adopters. Blogs will still be around. They will melt into many corporate Web sites as people come to expect to find them there. The high traffic blogs will still exist but will also morph into more than just blogs. Many already have. Millions of smaller blogs, like chrisknudsen.biz, will continue to stick around but will be less and less relevant in the world (if they ever had any relevance in the first place). My blog traffic has dropped off dramatically in the last couple of months and I don’t care. I get a couple thousand unique visitors per month. Most of that coming in from searches for old topics I blogged about long ago. So who cares? You can only talk to a wall for so long before you start to lose interest.

At any rate, please drop by occasionally. I’ll post something a couple times a month - maybe - but the days of blogging daily and spending hours of time creating original posts are probably over. A part of me will miss that but a big part of me is excited about moving on to other things.

Please follow me on Facebook here or on Twitter at twitter.com/chrisknudsen as I evolve my social media footprint on the Web.

Out…

Specifics:

Date: Wednesday March 25th

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Doba - 1530 N Technology Way, Orem, UT 84097 - Canyon Park Technology Center Building D (or online) - third floor conf. area.

RSVP: If attending in person, PLEASE RSVP. If on Twitter, tweet: I’m going to #LaunchUp, are you? If not on Twitter, email jeremy @ jeremyhanks . com.

You can attend the event online at http://doba.acrobat.com/launchup1/

Agenda:

Amp Session: 15 minutes: Ben Peterson  Ben is one of the smartest and successful entrepreneurs I know. He also knows a thing or two about online marketing. He started MingleMatch in 2000 which he sold to Spark Networks in 2005. He’s been active with the Utah Angels since then, and is currently working on his new startup, Human Services HQ.

Barn 1: 15 minutes: Tweetbooty  http://tweetbooty.com/ Tweetbooty is a new way to access amazing discounts and giveaways from qualified local retailers. Our users want to know the answer to one simple question: What are you offering us right now?

Barn 2: 15 minutes: Entice Labs  http://www.enticelabs.com/ TalentSeekr™, a patent pending technology from EnticeLabs, connects employers with these “passive candidates” by placing relevant and enticing career opportunities directly in front of them. Both employers and job candidates are given opportunities neither would have had otherwise.

Open Ideas 10 Minutes: we’re going to try an Open Idea period where the floor is anyone’s for 15 seconds

Break for Food: around 7:30, pizza/drinks

Networking: till whenever

I’ll be moderating one of the Barn sessions so I hope to see you there!

The show was busy and most of the booth space was filled. That’s a good sign.

I talked to several accounting firms at the show. They say business is stead but for the most part they weren’t hiring or taking on new clients.

Rand Bateman of Bateman IP Law had a great booth. We played some blackjack and caught up on events. He said he was tired of people being so down on the economy and decided to do his part by exhibiting at the show. Good stuff!

I ran into my old partner in crime - Benoy Tamang of Sapha. Sapha seems to be keeping up and doing well.

The guys from Griffen Hill were exhibiting. If you need a good consultative sales training program they are the guys to talk to.

I ran into Lance Black from Eli Kirk. Their business seems to be doing very well. We mainly talked about what a studly programmer Connor Boyack is and how the only time he and I ever see each other is at the Big Business Expo. It was good to catch up.

I also ran into a guy who was my neighbor when I lived in Springville five years ago. He was an electrician back then but graduated from school and started working in marketing for a very well known Utah company. That company has since laid off all their marketing staff except for my friend. He said he tries to do some side electrical work but the market is completely dead.

In Utah, our unemployment rate is up but we seem to be doing better than most places. If you look at the unemployment numbers only Wyoming and the Dakotas are doing better than us. So in my assessment, that means the Wasatch Front probably has the best employment situation for a large metro area in the United States. Maybe that’s one of the reasons we were recently observed as being some of the happiest people in America.

Go team!

Date: Wednesday March 25th

Location: Still planning on Doba, although we’re checking on one other option here at the auditorium at Canyon Park in Orem. Stay tuned.

Technology: We will be streaming the event in case you can’t make it in person. More details to come.

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Session Presenter: Ben Peterson (Sold MingleMatch to Spark about four years ago - awesome under the radar Utah entrepreneur).

Barns: I’m not sure if I can announce what start ups will be presenting at this time. We have two great companies in the bullpen. More details to come.

Open Mic/Ideas

Break for Food: pizza/drinks after event

Networking

So mark your calander for March 25th and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

This life has a purpose. What’s yours?

“This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.”

- Thomas S. Monson

Steve Spencer - Twelve Horses

As President and CTO, Steve Spencer determines the technological direction of the company, while holding all business units within Twelve Horses to their financial and strategic goals.  Spencer has more than 18 years of leadership experience in the messaging and data replication industries where he has successfully built various industrial strength messaging solutions sold by such companies as Premier Global Services, MCI WorldCom, Sprint, Pitney Bowes, and Qwest; and data integration products for dotOne Corporation, MCI WorldCom, and Critical Path.  He was recently featured in the Utah Business magazine’s cover story,“Forty Under 40: Utah’sRising Stars” - the sixth annual 40 Under 40 list assembles the key leaders andentrepreneurs from the state of Utah. Spencer shares his experience, dedication, and passion for technology with the Email Service Provider Coalition (ESPC), Young Entrepreneurs Organization (YEO), Utah Technology Council (UTC), as well as his new pursuit, the Utah Tech Spotlight.

Blaine Neilson - Doba

As Chief Executive Officer, Blaine Nielsen leads the company in executing against its strategic vision and coordinates and oversees day-to-day operations of the business. Blaine has been instrumental in building the company’s operations to facilitate the rapid growth the company has realized. Blaine has a wide range of financial management, strategic and operational experience. Blaine came to Doba from Dell where he was responsible for conducting financial/operational audits of various business segments and departments, and providing operational and business controls recommendations. Prior to Dell, Blaine served as a senior auditor with Ernst & Young where he supervised and performed financial audits of SEC and privately held companies. Blaine holds a Masters of Accountancy in Professional Accounting degree and a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University.

Justin McHood - Fast Dynamite

I’ve been working with Justin on various projects over the last two years. He is currently building some cool technology that could revolutionize content distribution on the Web. His previous background is in mortgage banking and lead generation. Justin has also worked for companies like Oracle and Novell. Give him a vote.

Russ Page - FiftyStudio and RegMeUp

From Russ Page’s Bio: Russell Page is a founder and the COO of Fifty Studio, a web development and internet marketing firm based in Salt Lake City. He is also a member of the Utah Jazz game night staff and a partner in a home theater and home automation company.

Russ also has a new start up - RegMeUp - keep an eye out for that one!

Let’s make the 2009 v|100 list the best list yet!

So I am very concerned about the future of venture backed startups and I think we need a community voice around it. Here is the issue (and it is a tad long)

Instead of losing 65k jobs this week give me a $1.5Billion and I will find some great companies to build. But do not even think that $150M at the Smithsonian is doing one thing for the economy – give me that and I will create 1500 jobs, sounds like a better deal to me. Don’t spend the money to increase unemployment benefits – hello – put the money into hands of the people who create economy.

Great analysis. Nice work, Cyd. Now maybe you ought to get that blog up and running