Welcome to this issue of The Austin Business Review, a weekly roundup of great local events and insights for Austin business owners (plus some other cool stuff for your life outside of work).
Last week, I asked for your memories of Joshua Baer.
I heard back from all kinds of people – friends, competitors, students, and more. I heard from people who had just met him recently, and people who’d built with him for twenty years. People who had only ever seen him from afar, and people who were on the phone with him the day he died.
And as I read the stories, a picture started to take shape.
Of a man who created something huge, but was never too big to check in with others – even rivals – and offer help where he could. A man who was just as excited to build as ever. A man who was teaching, right up to the end (and indeed, beyond – as I write this, the leaderboard shows that somebody finished his AI Delegation Course 48 minutes ago).
I used to think the phrase, “the good die young,” was a jaded reference to the idea that being good in a world full of bad is a dangerous way to live.
There’s a second meaning though. Because when the good go, it is always too soon. Even if they’re ninety.
I never met Joshua Baer, but if your stories are any indicator, he was a good man. Like all good men, the world lost him too soon. But also, like all good men, his impact goes on, via the example he set, and the memories he left with the people around him.
Thank you for sharing them with me.
-Ethan
Upcoming Events
🗓️ TODAY: ExpandHers: Dana Takenaka is launching the new South Austin chapter of Megan Dupuis’ growing community for women in business (Meeting at GhostLine Kitchens, 3400 Comsouth Dr. 6-8pm. Tickets $30 at the door)
🗓️ TODAY: Women of Customer Success: Jennifer Bumgardner is leading an AI Open Mic, with attendees sharing post-sales CS prompts & workflows they use daily
🗓️ TODAY: Nerd NIte: Like a local version of TED (for nerds, by nerds) this month’s theme is a fascinating mash-up – from mountain climbing to the neuroscience of flavor
🗓️ TODAY: Founders & Funders Poker Night: Andrew Lane is hosting a table a the top floor of the Waller, $100 buy-in, blinds double every 30 mins, unlimited re-buys
🗓️ June 27: The Maker’s Bench: Kristen Pavle is testing a new event format with jewelry maker Kate Smith, founder of Red Desert Studio
🗓️ June 30: Podcast Lab - Mastering The Modern Tech Stack: Part panel, part round-table, this conversation with Jason Scharf and Adam Flagg will be great
🗓️ June 30: AI Against Trafficking: Jake OShea is hosting a build night for anyone interested in participating in this summer’s global hackathon
🗓️ June 30: Business After Hours: West Austin Chamber is hosting an early July 4 party and charity drive, collecting socks & underwear for their back-to-school effort
🗓️ June 30: Fridge Lab - Claude Second Brain: Thomas Lentine has been doing this talk all over town and people love it
🗓️ July 1: What Does Longevity Mean: Dr. Mike Hasegawa, founder of BodyTime, will help you separate the biomarkers that actually matter from the marketing fluff
🗓️ July 1: Thought Experiments On Patios: Nicole Forrester’s new series absolutely blew up! Join interesting people for cold drinks and philosophical quandaries
🗓️ July 1: AI Agent Security Documentary: Alex Kantrowitz, founder of the Big Technology newsletter, is coming into town to host a screening of Linus Hakansson’s new film. It’s invite-only, but you can get in touch with organizers here
🗓️ July 1: Referral Circle: Mike Staples leads this new group on the first and third Wednesday of every month. They meet up north in Cedar Park if you’re looking for stuff there
🗓️ July 2: AI Show & Tell: A mix of longer presentations and shorter open mic demo’s down at The Red Fridge
Data Centers Dissected
The sub-title to this event is, “Balancing the Digital Benefits with the Physical Requirements,” and I really don’t think it could have come at a better time.
Obviously, we need data centers somewhere. And yet, people are spooked. Last week, our neighbors down in San Marcos voted to prohibit them from all zoning districts.
Jimmy D. Pike, founding member and Chief Architect of Dell’s Data Center Solutions Group, and Michael Schulte, Senior Fellow leading advanced R&D for AMD, will cut through both the hype and hysteria to talk straight about legitimate considerations around grid strain, water use, and the innovations addressing both.
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Other Fun Stuff Coming Up
June 26: Yoga Retreat at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
June 26: Yeti x Recess Happy Hour at Yeti HQ
June 27: Block Printing For Beginners
June 27: Cake Terrarium Workshop
June 28: Varietal Tasting Master Class
June 29: Full Moon Swim at Motel Austin
June 29: Anti-Social Studies – Power Points, Beer, and Comedy
June 29: Functional Embroidery Workshop
July 1: ImproVintage - Like Antique Road Show (with comedians)
July 1: For Your Teen – 3D Printing Founder Class
July 2: Movies on the Lake – Pirates of the Caribbean
July 3: Monty Python & The Holy Grail Playing At State Theatre
July 3: Foodies & Fears – Dinner with the Paranormies
July 3: Eat The Movie – Legally Blonde 2
July 5: Oh Brother Where Art Thou At State Theatre
July 5: Sip ‘n Solder – Stained Glass Workshop
July 5: Garden Supper Club
Ringin’ In 250
July 4th is comin’ up, and this is a big one (start drugin’ your dog now). I predict you won’t be able to go anywhere without seeing fireworks, so rather than round up a listing of displays, here are a few unusual ways to celebrate the holiday…
Independence Day Express: Austin Historic Steam Train is running a special ride out to hill country
Field Day at Commodore Perry: Like a grown-up version of field day from school, with games and drinks in the sunken gardens of the Commodore Perry Estate
The Most Patriotic: Doc’s Drive-In Theatre has two options for ya – Raiders of the Lost Arc, or Captain America, followed by (you guessed it) fireworks
Also… Willie Nelson’s throwing a party. His annual 4th of July Picnic is taking place out near the airport.
Word On The Street
A roundup of cool local opportunities you should know about
💰 Cosmos Grants Are Back: Austin’s own Brendan McCord is kicking off the next round of grants for anyone building AI for truth seeking and human autonomy. Offers quick decisions on $1-$10k grants. Deadline to apply is July 26th!
🎤 Call For Speakers: One of my favorite newsletters in town, Sharí Alexander teaches execs how to get more ROI from their time on stage. She just posted her latest roundup of conferences and events looking for speakers, so if you’re trying to speak more this fall, check this out
📚 Quarterly Classics: Your friendly neighborhood bookstore tycoon, Ryan Holiday, just announced a new reading club focused on the classics of Western thought. Books are delivered straight to your door, there’s an online chat, and regular live discussion calls. I love this
Insights
Thought-provoking ideas and stories published by founders in ATX
1. Lost Confidence: Two-time unicorn founder, Jason Cohen, just published an excellent piece on his personal blog, about why confidence scores don’t mean much when you’re picking which projects to tackle in your business, and seven mental models to use instead.
2. What Makes Capital Cities Great? I’ve been enjoying Jason Scharf’s recent piece, exploring why some state capitals go on to become major culture & innovation hubs, while others (like Albany vs. NYC) lag. It’s an interesting question and a fun run through the history’s of several state capitals (for example, I never knew Atlanta’s original name was simply ‘Terminus’).
3. Building AI Loops: I’m still digesting Cathryn Lavery’s recent piece about building an AI Loop to observe how you work each day, and update/improve your AI infrastructure (context files, skills, slash-commands, etc.) accordingly.
That’s all for this week!
Email me here if you want to share any feedback, or let me know about an event you’re hosting.
Until next week,
-Ethan
