OUT with the old hierarchy, IN with social! Qumu and Safeway!

For our Coffee Break this week we will explore the vast impact social is having on the structure of companies and how you can prepare your organization for collaboration.

Look to see how Qumu is revolutionizing internal communication.  I am here in California and Safeway's are everywhere!

Take a peek at what they are doing!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaAHdViIrJc]

As always, let me know your feedback!


IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge: Top 5 Finalists display powerful cognitive computing capabilities

First there were 25, and now there are just 5. Congratulations to the following teams on becoming the Top 5 finalists of the IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge!

•BrightMinded @BrightMindedLtd
•CrayonData @CrayonBigData
•GenieMD, Inc. @GenieMD
•Majestyk Apps @MajestykApps
•Red Ant @Red_Ant

Selected from hundreds of submissions, these finalists stood out for their ability to tap into the powerful cognitive computing capabilities of Watson to build innovative mobile consumer and business apps that span health & fitness, healthcare, retail, and education.

On Monday, June 2nd, at IBM Innovate in Orlando the Top 5 finalists will present their ideas to judges in a live-streamed event that begins at 5:30 pm ET. If you can't attend IBM Innovate, our live-stream feed is a great opportunity for you to watch the action! Then, on Tuesday, June 3rd, three of the finalists will be named the Grand Prize winners!

To learn more about our Top 5 finalists, go to the IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge website


Come to WITI! Our 25th Anniversary!

So, why am I so excited to be attending the WITI conference in a matter of days?

Check out this video to find out!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqBw4OXAUJs&w=560&h=315]

Hopefully see you at WITI in Santa Clara, CA!


TiEcon: 4K startups, Watson, BlueMix, IoT and more!

I really had a great time at TiEcon this past week. What an event! From my Internet of Things keynote to the Watson presence and BlueMix workshop, the largest entrepreneur conference in the world was packed with a phenomenal array of business and thought leaders from across the planet!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP-T0ijrtuE]

More on TiEcon


Alan Godfrey, Bazaarvoice: making the social firehose useful!

As Alan Godfrey, North American Retail, Bazaarvoice points out, digital engagement with the consumer is everything, whether it be via social, mobile or other channels.

Bazaarvoice, a word-of-mouth content company, helps brands understand who is buying what and why. Their ratings and reviews platform helps retailers in many ways, including the placement of products in stores!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLmt5Tiuf10]

Learn more about building customer engagement with Bazaarvoice!


Entrepreneur Huddle! Join us on May 22

Back in February during our big Entrepreneur Week, we hosted our first-ever Entrepreneur Huddle webcast! And now I'm so excited to invite you to our second Entrepreneur Huddle happening next week, presented by our IBM Global Entrepreneur program. This is a webcast for startups, tech enthusiasts, current IBM Global Entrepreneur members, and any other person involved or interested in the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. Coming on the heels of IBM's Smarter Commerce Global Summit taking place this week, this Entrepreneur Huddle will focus on themes in the commerce space, including the CMO point of view, creating a rewarding customer experience, and making moments matter using the right technology. So tune in to learn from commerce experts and a current IBM Global Entrepreneur startup who is using technology to shake up the fulfillment and supply chain model.

Huddle_promo image_hashtag

During the webcast, please chime in with questions and comments on Twitter using hashtag #IBMGEHuddle! And if you can't make the scheduled webcast time, don't worry. There will be a replay available for you to watch on-demand, and possibly another live broadcast option!

Can't wait to virtually see you there!

Event: Entrepreneur Huddle

Date: Thursday, May 22, 2014

Time: 11AM EDT

Registration URL: ibm.biz/ehuddle


Upcoming Cloud Webcasts!

I want you to be aware of some great opportunities on Codename: BlueMix and SoftLayer coming up in a matter of days. There are two webcasts you can attend to learn about our new and exciting cloud-based solutions!

BlueMix is fantastic for building, managing and running apps and services of all types (web, mobile, big data, new smart devices). The May 15th webcast will benefit developers and Business Partners alike on hearing how BlueMix offers a low-risk, secure, cost sensitive environment—using new capabilities and technologies geared towards the cloud.

Here's a brand new video to help you get up to speed on the power and potential of what BlueMix has done for others and what it can do for you!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbXN2mz90b0&w=560&h=315]

SoftLayer provides a robust, scalable and secure platform for born-on-the-cloud applications. The May 22nd webcast will provide an introduction to SoftLayer and cover the business strategy for Business Partners, the value proposition, and the subscription model.

Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to sign up for both webcasts. You don't want to miss them!


Digital tip of the week – LinkedIn netiquette: how to “behave” in LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups have become a good source of business information but could easily derive to an incorrect behavior (eg. Use posts for commercial advertising), which can be considered bad netiquette in this network. The LinkedIn Groups normally have their own rules, but there are some general tips to be a good “neighbor” on this social network:

Align the content of your post with the group mission and policies and try to add some value (check with the group manager if you are not sure your post is appropiate)

Try not to create more than one or two discussions per week (if you need more, maybe you should consider creating your own group)

If the group does not have policies, read the atmosphere and see what other people post or the content that seems to get a lot of people’s coments.