I had the incredible opportunity of representing TinyCo at the Designer Fair with my co-worker Laurie today. Stanford is a lovely campus, although confusing streets! The weather was incredible and the amount of people that showed up was amazing. There must have been at least 500 + people. I met some many people and hope to build upon those connections made.
Here is the presentation on the topic I spoke about!
Living in San Francisco, I can’t help but sense the energy of wanting to create something, anything. There is as pulse in the city that cannot be described but it is certainly evident. Just like NYC has a pulse, and so many other cities, so does SF. Before moving to SF I didn’t have any “ideas” inspirations to build anything. Building an idea is like sailing into uncharted waters. You really don’t know what will happen till you’re there. But once I moved into the city, it was like a contagious cold. I got the start-up bug, that feeling of freedom from not working that boring 9-5 job. Moving to SF actual made my ideas tangible. It’s funny when people say “You need to move to San Francisco, it’s where it’s all happening.” but it’s nothing but the truth. Now is the time to get funding, to be a designer or engineer. Start-ups all over the city are lurking for designers left and right, if you have talent and a keen eye for detail, you have already paved your way. Great engineers are sought out even more. If you want to get your foot in the door this is the place to be. The small city, foggy weather and the sad amount of homeless people may not be your thing. But it if you can overcome that with incredible food, great dive bars, endless things to do and start-up parties, you’ll be very happy. I promise you, you’ll never run out of t-shirts from all the parties you will be going to. There is something about the heartbeat of San Francisco that urges you to create anything. You can’t live here and not be motivated.
Building an idea is like sailing into uncharted waters. You really don’t know what will happen till you’re there.
Rent in the city is pretty intense, but when you think that you won’t own a car and won’t be paying for parking, it all is relative. Although a lot of people do prefer to live outside the city, which us urban folk call bridge and tunnel people. Rent this year has considerably gone up, thankfully for people that got their places before this year, have rent control. I personally like living in the city, it’s easier to meet people, get together to work on projects and it’s great living so close to everything.
There is something about the heartbeat of San Francisco that urges you to create anything. You can’t live here and not be motivated.
Sure SF is cold and foggy, but it has a lot of diversity (Which I love) so you can always find the right place for you. Overall, this city is the place to be if you want to build a new idea, get a round of funding and learn from the brightest people in your industry. There is something about the heartbeat of San Francisco that urges you to create anything. You can’t live here and not be motivated. I wouldn’t pass up a job offer for here if I was you, and you were able to move. Just to even test the city out for year, you don’t have to stay. Most people I know that have moved here, love it and never want to leave. But like a lot of cities, you have to find the one that works best for you and your dreams.
I had the pleasure of making new friends at the start of the week due to the AEA conference. Friends that I have met on Twitter, but hadn’t yet had the opportunity to spend time with in person. I’ve come to realize that one of the most important details in life is creating new friendships and laughing. I certainty had a lot of that the past two days. From meeting up with friends at the Media Temple party in SOMA to going to the Typekit closing party in the Mission. The in between stages of dinner, taking BART and enjoying life with people was certainly the highlight of my week
I have decided that instead of just talking about things I want to do, I am really putting my foot down for 2012 and really doing them. It may mean less tweeting (Yay for you guys! I know I tweet often) and less time on social media. But it will also increase social media. By doing, and then displaying what I am completing, it will bring a lot more influence and insight to you. I figure, it’s a win, win situation! So this week, making new friends and going to events was apart of my #DoNotTalk goal. Sometimes I just want to curl up in my bed and watch Ancient Aliens all night. But it’s great to get out and meet new people and build relationships that I’ll have for the rest of my life.
On the other hand, I do make bad decisions. I wore the wrong shoes.
I wore them to work, wore them to dinner, then wore them to the Mission for the Typekit closing party. I am way home, I had an older business man walk me to my stop, to make sure I got on my cable car safely. He said he saw me struggling in my shoes and suggested that I keep an extra pair of flats in my purse next time. Then after said I was an angel. It was so kind and not creepy. It’s amazing the quality of people you meet in the city. We didn’t exchange names, it was very un formal, but he left as soon as my cable car appeared. Almost as if he was an angel. I was really thankful for that, because I was feeling uneasy walking home late at night, in shoes I could hardly walk in. Yet someone, kind enough, took the courtesy to walk me my stop.
Overall, I’ve learned many lessons this week. Which will always some how tie into design, work and moving towards my goals.
Enjoy the photos I have posted above in the slide!
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