Career & Small Business Development

With the high pace of change in the technology industry, there is a critical need for people who can not only think outside the box but those who can smash the concept of boxes in the first place. We need to not only get rid of the glass ceilings that may still exist in education, business, and government. We also need to recognize that there are "glass silos" shaped by individuals' career paths and experiences. How do we grow and encourage education and careers in the Hudson Valley to foster the multidisciplinary skills needed to attack the worlds array of complex problems?

Technology companies continue to prioritize flexible work-life balance and healthier lifestyles to help retain valuable employees. And given the easy access to metropolitan hubs, natural beauty, broadband infrastructure plans, and low cost of living, the Hudson Valley should be poised as a desirable region for businesses who prize this kind of culture as a path to growth. However, as local municipalities clamor for more tech talent to move here, the greatest barrier to starting or scaling a company in our area is access to a qualified talent pool.

Why do some teams become shining innovators and others struggle? This talk will help you understand the natural elements and flow of team problem-solving. We will examine techniques that can be used to tailor the process for each of your team members. By doing so, we will unlock the natural innovative nature of every team member and find the “wisdom of the crowd” — how the people on any team can wring out every last ounce of their creative best in service to their projects and each other.

Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving used by companies in many industries. It's a highly effective framework that yields better products and increased revenue. But introducing design thinking, especially at scale, can prove challenging. Inertia, risk aversion, and unclear first steps often stand in the way of organizations adopting new working styles. We'll discuss how IBM,have adopted design thinking practices and share tips and tricks on how any organization can begin its design thinking journey.

How do technology pros communicate their value? Usually by listing their development skills, programming languages they know, and technology domains in which they are experts. Communicating effectively to land a gig or a job requires a different approach, one that communicates the benefits of IT skills in a manner that everyone can appreciate, regardless of the listener's tech skills. I will teach effective approaches in this talk/workshop.

Today’s fast-moving economy requires business leaders to think proactively, act strategically and perform optimally in order to keep up with customer demands and stave off the competition. Yet many organizations are either struggling to realize the full value of their marketing technology investments or need help finding the right solutions for their business. Join Peter Ladka of GeekHive to hear how organizations are leveraging integrated and scalable technology solutions to accelerate business growth and increase customer engagement.

Google My Business Optimization, The Rise of Voice Search, and Augmented Reality are all changing the way small businesses interact with potential customers. But the question is, "Are they taking advantage of today's technology and if so, are they doing it correctly?" This overview will focus on simple tactics that are often overlooked by small business when building and curating their online presence using today's mobile focused toolbox.

An experienced freelancer provides a peek into his life. This talk will cover concerns like legal structure (such as LLCs), and go deeper into why one might choose to freelance, the pros and cons of freelancing, stories from the freelancing life, etc. 

Startups are leading the trend to hire internationally. This panel covers the international approach to building a technical workforce for new companies: sometimes, local resources are ideal; other times, they’re hard to find. What are the benefits and challenges of working on an international team?

This panel also discusses the dilemmas this trend creates for developers seeking opportunities locally: in a world without borders, how do local resources remain competitive?

How do technology pros communicate their value? Usually by listing their development skills, programming languages they know, and technology domains in which they are experts. Communicating effectively to land a gig or a job requires a different approach, one that communicates the benefits of IT skills in a manner that everyone can appreciate, regardless of the listener's tech skills. I will teach effective approaches in this talk/workshop.

Accel7 trains startup founders to utilize the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) method, founded by Dr. Clay Christensen and backed by Harvard Business School (HBS), to prepare founders for product development and launch in the market. Accel7's Managing Director will lead an interactive, engaging design sprint with JTBD experts who work with startup founders in the Hudson Valley region. Participants will leave the session with a clear approach to engaging prospective clients and/or users, and a task to complete to support their startup build.