SXSW: The New Frontier For Creatives

"SXSW is where the future hatches." -SF Chronicle.

The Hotbed For Creatives

SXSW was started in 1987 as a way to fill the void of isolation that the TX independent music scene felt from the rest of the world. Over the last decade it has become the goto destination for creative people and the companies they work with to develop their careers, also to be the bridge of communication with creatives from all over the world to meet and share ideas.

SXSW has developed events, trade shows, and festivals in the following niches:

-Film

-Music

-Gaming

-Interactive

-Eco

The demographics that they serve are second to none as well:

-39% ages 31-40

-82% Industry execs

-35% household income of $100K-$150K

-33% have a purchasing power of $1000K or more

-39% have a job function in the creative field

Multi-Wide Industry Impact

SXSW has had a multi-fold impact on the industry, for example Twitter was first launched at SXSWi. Twitter has gone on to impact every industry as a communication tool for brands and individuals.

They make this level of impact because , according to Josh Jones-Dilworth, who has worked on SXSW’s PR and serves on the SXSW Accelerator advisory board. “If anything, SXSW-goers are marketing-averse, super-savvy and able to triage credibility (or lack thereof) with a sniff.”

This multi-industry experience is  craving for the next big thing and that alone sets the tone for more innovation.

My Strategic Postioning

As a creative entrepreneur that is offering branding and consulting services to these creative-types positioning myself among the creative elite would be a giant step in the right direction.

 The events that attract the creatives that I would serve the best would be involved in Film, Music or Interactive events. 

One of the things I will do is to begin to is sign up for their newsletter and also connect with them on their social network channels to stay up to date with the latest happenings.

What are your thoughts?

• How can positioning your creative business or services at SXSW impact your product or services?

TED PROFILE: Simon Sinek

Simon caught the attention of the audience from the very beginning by challenging the assumptions and belief systems of why some people or organizations succeed and others do not. He sets this up by using illustrations of the success of Apple, The Wright Brothers and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He will allude to these examples throughout the speech.

He developed a passion for answering this burning question because he began to notice patterns. After intense research, he discovered that those that aspire and achieve great success is because they think, act and communicate totally opposite of the masses.

He explained these communication patterns through his concept called the 'Golden Circle'. That's based on 3 components of perspective, what, how, and why. He explains that companies that struggle and even fail is that they focus more on the what and the how of 

their product, service, mission.

Where on the other hand leaders that focus on the why inspire people with similar beliefs to action. He continues to explain that these leaders have master the art of communicating from the inside out, rather than from the outside in. These leaders realize that people don't buy the what or the how, but the why. 

People show up not for the leader, but for themselves. Simon did a brilliant job of building trust  by his choices of illustrations that he used to get his point of cross. For instance, when he explained the context that surrounded hthe civil rights movement and the Martin Luther King speech he points out that the people showed up not for Dr. King, but for themselves. They believed within themselves of picture of America that he painted  on the steps of the Lincoln memorial.

The way Simon's speech helped me is by giving me a insight into how I should craft my leadership style. In the past, I could see how in the different leadership roles that I served in where I focused on the how, and the what, but briefly going over the why. The more I think about it the more I am aware of insecurities play a role of sticking with the how and the what. Really operating from your authentic self requires you to become more transparent and vulnerable, in which most people don't flock leadership positions.

What are your thoughts?

• What is your why?