Podcasts about ovf

Operation Veteran Freedom is a workshop that brings healing to veterans and their families. founder Jan McHenry, is a Vietnam combat veteran who has dedicated himself to supporting fellow veterans in their journey of healing. Having experiencing the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life himself, Jan supports other veterans in navigating the often overwhelming terrain of PTSD. With personal experience of the battles that don't end when the war is over, Jan is committed to ensuring veterans get the support, resources, and compassion that each of them deserves. Together with fellow veteran Rod Wittmier the founder of the National Alliance to End Veteran Suicide, our discussion sheds light on a range of issues unique to the veteran community. Learn More: https://www.na2evs.org/OVF

Fra Opplysningsvesenets fond (OVF) til Allstad AS. Det er forandringer på gang for det kirkelige fondet som har eiendom i nesten alle kommuner. Direktør Ole-Wilhelm Meyer forteller hva det betyr. Hvordan få en ny russefeiring? Ombud for barn og unge Henrikke Bugdø- Aarseth har vært med i en gruppe som har konkrete forslag. Eventuelt: Hvordan skal kommunalt ansatte ha det på pulten sin? Lyngdal kommune vedtar retningslinjer.

Throughout the summer, it is easy to slide back into old patterns and ways of living that aren't consistent with the people God is calling us to become! On this episode of Overflow Unplugged, Lexi, Anna, Jake, and Carson dive into what they are learning this summer in their faith and some ways to keep growing into the people God is forming you into! We are so glad that you are listening to the Overflow Unplugged Podcast!  We hope this episode encourages you where you are in your faith! If you would like to connect with someone on our team, you can simply text "OVF" to 910-727-1160 or follow us on Instagram @pc3overflow!  ---- Give towards what God is doing at Overflow and Port City Community Church! portcity.church/give  ---- Watch Overflow Online on YouTube on Tuesdays at 7:30p EST!  https://www.youtube.com/c/pc3overflow

 Ángel Alvarado, dirigente político, economista y miembro fundador del Observatorio Venezolano de Finanzas (OVF), señaló que los venezolanos deben aprovechar la disposición de EE.UU. de lograr un acuerdo en Venezuela. Aseguró que sin importar la motivación que ha llevado a Estados Unidos a cambiar de parecer y empujar a un acuerdo, los venezolanos deben tomar esa oportunidad. El fundador de OVF recalcó que Venezuela tiene una gran oportunidad de avanzar y resolver, insistiendo en que hay que recordar que no hay transición sin transacción. «Un crecimiento petrolero tremendo en Venezuela, no necesariamente va a beneficiar a todos por igual» dijo. Explicó que no todos los venezolanos se benefician de la misma manera del crecimiento económico que ha tenido el país. Alvarado indicó que hay un crecimiento y una mejora financiera que está sustentada con cifras. Destacó que este desarrollo ha dependido de lo mismo que ha dependido Venezuela en los últimos años, el petróleo, que partiendo de una base baja, ha sido relativamente fácil generar incremento en volumen de importaciones. «La sostenibilidad del crecimiento depende de si el nivel de exportaciones petroleras puede seguir creciendo» añadió. El economista advirtió que se ha visto, con mucha preocupación, que el nivel de exportaciones se ha estancado 700 mil barriles y es difícil superarlo. También resaltó que este desarrollo dependerá de si se dan licencias para que empresas internacionales operen en Venezuela. También te puede interesar: Blinken insiste: La política de EE.UU. sobre Venezuela no ha cambiado  El dirigente político recordó que se empezó a reportar crecimiento a finales de 2021, proyectando a 2022. «El consenso de los economistas es que Venezuela crecerá económicamente este 2022» acotó.

Kris Murray is the OVF Power Lunch Presenter on October 12th, 2022 to discuss Building and Consolidating Brands plus his recent exit from the Flight agency. Kris has built multiple million-dollar businesses with a unique focus on growth through acquisition and consolidation. Day to day, Kris dreams big for both companies and their clients by helping to develop business-building ideas that they can put into motion. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. https://ovf.org/

Everything you need to know about Venture Capital (Pt3) with Justin Wilson, Managing Partner and President of Plains Venture Partners, a growth-oriented venture fund focused on investing in entrepreneurs and technologies with a strong potential for disruption. Plains Venture Partners was spun out of i2E in 2019 and represents the next natural progression in i2E's evolution as a proven venture investor. https://plainsventurepartners.com/ With more than $90 million in assets under management and dozens of portfolio companies, i2E has a track record of sourcing, vetting, and investing in early-stage companies across many sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, software/IT, energy, and advanced materials. https://i2e.org/ Wilson is responsible for leading the private, for-profit Fund portfolio that supports innovative entrepreneurs who are making an incredible impact here in Oklahoma. With a background in private equity, the medical field, federal government, and non-profit leadership, Wilson brings a variety of perspectives to the firm. He is a proud Tribal Member of the Choctaw Nation, where he served as Director of Strategic Investments at Choctaw Global. Prior to his time with his Tribe, he served as Advisor to the Special Trustee for American Indians in the Federal Government. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Science in Physiology from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. https://ovf.org/

A brief preview of the upcoming 2022 OVF Awards event on May 18, 2022 with Jennifer Hankins, Head of Partnerships at Tulsa Innovation Labs. Hankins will be joined by Cody Dupler of Summit Utilities in Lawton and Josh Merrill of Echo Investment Capital for a discussion on the importance of collaboration for innovation in Oklahoma. The OVF Awards incorporate some of the most prestigious recognitions a company can receive because they represent the triumph of the entrepreneurial dream and spirit. Evaluation criteria for the Economic Impact Award, the Venture of the Year Award, and the Most Promising New Venture award are based on: product or service innovation, market potential, potential economic impact, and more. OVF is partnering with Oklahoma Innovate Technology Alliance (OITA) to present the Entrepreneurial Champion Award. This award will recognize an Oklahoma Legislator distinguishing themselves as entrepreneurial champions supporting and growing opportunities, ecosystems, and growth potential for IT & Technology small businesses and economic entrepreneurship within Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. https://ovf.org/

Everything you need to know about Venture Capital with Kevin Moore, Partner at Spur Capital Partners. Moore is one of three VCs on a panel discussion at the April 2022 OVF Power Lunch. This is the second VC panel discussion for the 2021-22 session. We discuss the "big picture" of venture funding plus changes being created by COVID-19, the rise of cryptocurrency, blockchain, cloud computing, etc... Kevin has over 14 years of experience in finance having worked at i2E as the Director of Angel Investments, the Federal Reserve Bank as a Supervisory Analyst, and an Investment Advisor with Morgan Stanley and Northwestern Mutual in Chicago. Spur Capital Partners was founded in 2001 and has a successful history of building durable relationships with top-tier venture capital firms in early-stage technology and life science as well as uncovering up-and-coming firms. Limited partners are leading endowments, family offices, foundations, and institutional investors in the United States and abroad. https://www.spurcapital.com/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. https://ovf.org/

Everything you need to know about Venture Capital with Aaron Webster, Managing Director at Cameron Ventures. Webster is one of three VCs on a panel discussion at the April 2022 OVF Power Lunch. This is the second VC panel discussion for the 2021-22 session. We discuss what leading Oklahoma venture funders look for in pitches, what makes them want to learn more and what gets an automatic "no" response. Cameron Ventures is an early-stage venture fund with affiliate operating companies that serve customers across the United States, primarily in insurance, banking and asset management. The Cameron team is able to empower its portfolio companies with access to financial and strategic capital, seasoned real-world management teams and a substantial customer base. https://www.cameronvc.com/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

In 2017, the Brookings Institution and Project for Public Spaces completed an 18-month study of Oklahoma City and its Innovation District potential. Katy Boren seized the opportunity to guide the creation of a collaborative ecosystem in Oklahoma City around knowledge-based and STEM economies. Every innovation district is a unique undertaking. Boren shares with us the vision, actions and motivation behind the OKC Innovation District. The Oklahoma City Innovation District, a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2019, is a thriving, 1.3 square mile ecosystem of collaboration, innovation and economic growth located in historic Northeast Oklahoma City, surrounded by internationally acclaimed organizations spanning Oklahoma's diverse sectors – healthcare, bioscience, aerospace & unmanned systems, specialized manufacturing, academia, technology and energy. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

Factory Obscura is an Oklahoma City-based art collective creating immersive experiences that awaken wonder, build community, and make the world better. Factory Obscura, Inc was founded as a B-Corporation, existing to create fully immersive art environments and events that awaken joy and wonder, while supporting artists and arts education. Factory Obscura co-founders Laura Phillips and Laurent Massenat discuss bigger plans for a new facility, expanded programming and a major economic impact in Norman, OK. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

On this podcast episode, we revisit the teen entrepreneurs responsible for Wristworld AR game and their adult mentors at Loveworks Leadership. Wristworld is an augmented reality puzzle RPG using wristbands. Created by students who are participating in the Loveworks Leadership, a program designed to empower the creativity, resourcefulness, and potential within each student in an effort to develop their character, academic, and leadership abilities to ensure future success. What better way to design a toy line than to let kids be the creators? That's the idea behind Wristworld. www.wrist.world Loveworks Leadership is a youth leadership organization committed to helping middle school students discover their potential and live into their dreams. Our vision is to empower youth to become leaders by giving every student an opportunity to lead. www.loveworksleadership.org The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

Venture Capital Investors: What do leading Oklahoma venture funders look for? The January 12, 2022 OVF Power Lunch will feature a panel discussion by three VCs in Oklahoma who will discuss what type of deals they are looking for, what make's them want to “learn more” and what makes them want to say “Yes”! On this podcast episode, we talk with panelist Nathaniel Harding, a managing partner at Cortado Ventures. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

November Power Lunch presenter Devon Laney is President and CEO of 36 Degrees North in Tulsa, OK. Known as Tulsa's base camp for entrepreneurs, innovators and startups, 36 Degrees North is an entrepreneurial support organization focused on providing the resources, the community and the programs needed to support entrepreneurs as they build, grow and scale businesses. "36 Degrees North is a non-profit, 501C3, and it would not exist without the public and the private partnership together,” says Laney. “In 2017, when 36 Degrees North launched, you had philanthropic community, public, private, chamber. They all came together to create this thing, and it's a success story." https://www.36n.co/ November Pitch Presenters Luke Simkins and Grant DeLozier are co-founders of OKC startup AnnoLab. Simkins and DeLozier cut their teeth building software to automate document processing tasks in Oil and Gas. Eventually, they realized that lots of companies face issues scaling business processes to extract actionable data from documents, images and text. AI and Machine Learning can help solve these problems, but using them is far from easy. AnnoLab offers simpler, less costly ways for businesses to start building custom document AI models. Once an AI model is built, the platform allows them to be used at scale in a safe, human-in-the-loop way. https://annolab.ai/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

We're joined by friend of the show Andy (aka Santa on OVF) to look back at the week just gone. We discuss if we've been found out a little bit and need to change things up and whether Rodney deserves to go straight back in with Proctor likely out for a while. We then look at the Colchester game. It looks like a great game to get back on track for Vale, with Colchester languishing in 19th position. What do you think?   Sponsored by   Johny's Micro Pub. Enjoy a socially distanced pint on St John's Square in Burslem!   Inplayman (https://www.inplayman.com/) - Daily Football Betting Tips & Stats   Home Choose Carpets (https://www.homechoose-carpets.com/) 30 year family business of Vale fans providing great quality and great service!

Rick Nagel is the Managing Partner of Acorn Growth Companies. This small middle-market private equity firm focuses exclusively on ladder stage and growth investments in the aerospace, defense, and intelligence sectors. The company has been around since 2000, starting as the first privately certified incubator in the state of Oklahoma. After 30 deals and on their fifth fund, the firm seeks opportunities to add value as an operating team. Nagel said OVF is great for entrepreneurs and potential investors. “My advice to anybody that might be reading this that's not currently engaged would be to get engaged,” said Nagel. “If you're an early-stage investor, whether you do a deal or not, you'll see things that will make you smarter in that process by listening to these presentations.” www.OVF.org The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries.

With over 20 years of experience, Melissa Houston has made a career in public service in various roles. She has recently served as the Oklahoma Labor Commissioner, Secretary for Education and Workforce Development, and previously as Chief of Staff for the Oklahoma Attorney General and the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security. She's worked under four governors, both Democrat and Republican, and has been referred to as the Swiss army knife of public policy. www.OVF.org The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries.

We're joined by Daily Star reporter and avid Valiant Alex Wood to look at the weeks news, including Tom Pope staying local, a new kit and interesting interviews with David Flitcroft and Darrell Clarke. Then we try to go around League Two in 48 minutes (ish - More like 66!) We've doing our 1-24 predictions, combined them and count down from our predicted 24th place team all the way down to our champions! Including some players to watch, manager ratings and our 'surprise packages'! Alex's national football knowledge certainly helps! To join in the comp, simply send us your top 7 (in order) and your bottom 2 (in order) predictions for League 2 this season either on OVF , Twitter or Facebook. Scoring works as follows, if you get the team's predicted league finish spot on, you get 0 points, if you are 3 places out, you get 3 penalty points. The person with the lowest penalty points wins! We'll keep track over the season!   Sponsored by   Johny's Micro Pub. Enjoy a socially distanced pint on St John's Square in Burslem!   Inplayman (https://www.inplayman.com/) - Daily Football Betting Tips & Stats   Home Choose Carpets (https://www.homechoose-carpets.com/) 30 year family business of Vale fans providing great quality and great service!

Free Brewdog has appeared, but we promise to present the show sober! This week, the big question: Just HOW can you become a Fujifilm brand ambassador? We also talk custom settings, how to ‘raise' the buttons on the back of your cameras, mask wearing on jobs, EVF v OVF, keeping or selling cameras, the state of Kev's kit and we ask; “Is every picture a story?” We return to the subject of a 'new' Instagram dawn too. Book of the week is Joel Meyerowitz with Wild Flowers and our guest is Matt Searles, a phenomenal photographer from New Zealand, who takes his camera on a mail run each day producing the most incredible documentary and landscape pictures of Mesopotamia.

A shocking game and result from Vale to finish the season. Not many coming out of the game with much credit and not many helping themselves earning a contract! We run through the game, before running through what we think Vale do with each player out of contract, and you can join in too! Listen to the list, and then tell us on Twitter, Facebook or OVF what you would do with each player. Most correct predictions gets a free pint with us at Johny's when the season starts!   Sponsored by   Johny’s Micro Pub. Enjoy a socially distanced pint on St John’s Square in Burslem!   Inplayman (https://www.inplayman.com/) - Daily Football Betting Tips & Stats   Home Choose Carpets (https://www.homechoose-carpets.com/) 30 year family business of Vale fans providing great quality and great service!

During Jay Martin's early days of his clinical work in prosthetics, he learned his patients' functional abilities were limited not as much by their amputation as by the lack of technology available in the field. With his love of inventing, Martin saw an opportunity to advance the field of prosthetics to provide more comfort, more functional abilities, and quality of life back to amputees. “We think of prosthetics as being a very high-tech field, there are some great advancements have been made in recent years, artificial intelligence and new control systems and robotic devices, but prosthetics, in my opinion, has really been a very stagnant field, and it's very much in its infancy still,” said Jay Martin, founder of Martin Bionics. “I'd argue the vast majority of amputees, quality of life with prosthetics is but a shadow of what it could or should be if technology were further along.” The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

Another 3 points for the Vale after a game of two halves in Harrogate! Vale deal with the conditions in the first half, before making them work for us in the 2nd! And another surprise goalscorer! We reach 50 points and feel suitably safe. Who'd have thought that a month ago?! Thanks to PV1973 from OVF for his ratings!   Sponsored by   Johny’s Micro Pub. Enjoy a socially distanced pint on St John’s Square in Burslem!   Inplayman (https://www.inplayman.com/) - Daily Football Betting Tips & Stats   Home Choose Carpets (https://www.homechoose-carpets.com/) 30 year family business of Vale fans providing great quality and great service!

Join Dr. Greg Linville and Andrew Fouts on this special edition of the CSRM Podcast. In this episode we talk about where CSRM has been and where we are going, as well as introduce you to the latest project of OVF and OVRadio.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #781, March 9, 2021. Today's theme is "A Growing Interest in Fixed-Lens Cameras" I'm Derrick Story. Opening Monologue Whether it's a super-compact Sony RX-100, a handsome Canon G5X, or a posh Leica Q2, fixed-lens cameras are more and more part of the conversation among photographers who want to combine imaging power with portability. On today's show, we'll examine some of the thinking behind their popularity and my recommendations if you're in the market for one yourself. I hope you enjoy the show. Digital Photography Podcast 781 Tune-In Via Your Favorite Podcast App! Apple Podcasts -- Spotify Podcasts -- Stitcher Podbean Podcasts -- Podbay FM -- Tune In A Growing Interest in Fixed-Lens Cameras One of the most popular questions during the recent iPhone Pro Workshop was inquires about great fixed lens cameras to complement an advanced smartphone (itself a fixed-lens device). The thinking being, I really like my iPhone, but I also want an excellent digital camera. And if I don't have to buy a bunch of lenses and accessories, I can spend a bit more on the camera itself. That perfectly reasonable thinking. Another viewpoint was" "I already have an interchangeable lens system that I like. I don't plan on starting over. But I would like a more compact camera for those times I don't want to lug my system around." Yet another common sense approach. There is something appealing about a camera that only needs a spare battery as a accessory. It's easy to grab on the way out the door, stash in your jacket pocket, and call it a day. Plus, there are some great cameras to choose from. Here are my five favorite fixed lens models, ranging from the most expensive to downright affordable. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II $3,298 - The Sony RX1R gets the nod over the Leica Q2 because of its more versatile 35mm Zeiss lens (compared to 28mm), lower price tag (compared to $4,995), and tilting LCD. This is a beautiful full frame 42MP camera that will be used and cherished for years to come. Fujifilm X100V $1,399 - I think Fujifilm comes closest to the Leica rangefinder look and feel of any competitor, but without the steep price tag. Start with the Hybrid 0.52x OVF with 3.69m-Dot OLED EVF, add an impressive 35mm equivalent f/2 lens, tilting LCD, and a 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans BSI CMOS 4 Sensor, and you have an impressive work of art that happens to take great pictures. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII $1,298 - If you want a more versatile zoom, then the RX100 is a top quality choice. Its 24-200mm Zeiss optic has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at the wide end. Plus you get a 20.1MP 1" Exmor RS BSI CMOS Sensor, popup EVF, tilting LCD, and Fast Hybrid AF System with 315 Phase-Detection Points - all packed into a compact package that you can stash in your front jeans pocket. Ricoh GR III Digital Camera with GW-4 Wide Conversion Lens Kit $1,149 - This super-compact and discreet GRIII provides plenty of punch with its 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a fast f/2.8 28mm prime lens with image stabilization. You don't get a tilting LCD or integrated flash, but you do get an accessory 21mm wide lens for some very exciting imagery, especially in the urban environment. Canon PowerShot G5 X $899 This handsome, compact Canon is a great deal. For $700, you get a 20.2MP 1" CMOS sensor, 24-120mm zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8 at the wide end, terrific image stabilization, tilting LCD and pop up EVF, plus in-camera charging. - There are other excellent contenders such as the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II ($797) that didn't make the top five for features such as a fixed LCD, that may not be an issue for you. Any of these choices would make an excellent single-camera companion to your smartphone, and provide lots of enjoyment along the way. My Writing on Medium.com I now have more than 25 published articles on Medium.com. And if you haven't visited the site, and enjoy good writing on a variety of topics, I suggest that you may want to take a look. You can just go to the home page and enter "Derrick Story" in the search field. And if you like what you read, then follow me! Second Session of Integrating iPhone into a Pro Photography Workflow Online Workshop - April 21 to May 15, 2021 The first session of "Integrating iPhone into a Pro Photography Workflow" Online Workshop has sold out. But now I've posted a second session that begins April 21, 2021. If you're interested in attending, just go to catalog page. In this workshop you will explore: Working with just one digital camera and an iPhone. Taking advantage of a versatile fast prime lens on your digital camera and using iPhone for additional focal lengths. Perfecting a RAW workflow with the iPhone. Leveraging Apple ProRAW for those who have iPhone 12 Pro. Building a kit that allows you to travel lighter without compromising capability. Post processing tips and techniques using Photos on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Investigating other software and workflows to augment your imaging prowess. You can sign up by visiting the workshop catalog page. Sennheiser MKE 200 review You can read the entire article on Digital Camera World. The Verdict: The Sennheiser MKE 200 is an instant upgrade microphone that will level up your camera or smartphone audio recording. For novices looking to match it with their mobile, Sennheiser doesn't offer the suite of solutions Shure does with the pricier MV88+ -- a mount, mini tripod, and an app to manage audio recording. What saves the MKE 200, therefore, other than its value is that it also doubles up as a DSLR or mirrorless camera microphone, and works a treat at improving audio capture at a relatively low cost. Pros: Instantly upgrades audio capture quality, Battery-free solution, Smartphone and camera support. Cons: Confusing front to back design, No on-body gain control. Compact, the Sennheiser MKE 200 weighs just 48g, and measures 69 x 60 x 39mm. No batteries required, it's a plug and record solution, and it's totally fuss-free. There aren't any gain control settings on the mic, it's available in black and black alone, and the one visual flourish comes in the form of its blue coiled cables. The Sennheiser MKE 200 attaches to a cold shoe adapter, which makes it ideal for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Smartphone users will want to pick it up with a phone mount sporting one, so factor that into the cost of your microphone setup. Alternatively, you can thread the mic onto a tripod, so if you have a dual tripod mount, you could also be sorted. EV Explorers for Those Who Are Interested in Electric Cars I've created a new group on DerrickStoryOnline titled EV Explorers. The tagline for this group is: "Bringing Curiosity and Nimbleosity to the World of Electric Vehicle Transportation." Here we can share information, tips, discoveries and more about using electric vehicles for our photography adventures. If you want to join this group, click on this link for an invite. We're going to keep this as a private group for now, but you are invited to join us. I'll be sharing my story of going through the process of buying the VW ID.4. We're also going to talk about travel tips with EVs, and the different models available in 2021 including Tesslas, the Ford Mustang Mach, the Bolt EUV, and emerging car manufacturers as well. As the group and our knowledge grows, we'll see where this takes us. I'm sure we'll have meetups and workshops that focus both on EV travel and photography. I have secured the domain EVexplorer.com if a dedicated website seems appropriate. Really, there is no limit to this. The bottom line is that we've been a part of the photography revolution that has moved us to smartphones and mirrorless cameras. Now it's time for the automobile revolution to get us where we want to go without killing the very planet we want to enjoy. If this sounds appealing to you, then join us at EV Explorers. The New Donation Kit for Carefree Shipping of Found Film Cameras We have more time around the house than ever. And you finally dove into that bedroom closet that's been begging for some organization. If you found a film camera that you're no longer using, our new Donation Kit makes it easy to pack and ship. Just visit the Contact Form on

Final thoughts on the Salford game, before talking through a few news items, a OVF post that made a lot of sense and Scott Brown's surprising words at his pre-match press conference today. Then it's on to a Cheltenham preview, another team top of the league when we play them! Not a lot of goals in their games, but we need to get a goal from somewhere. Can we do it?   Sponsored by   Johny’s Micro Pub. Enjoy a socially distanced pint on St John’s Square in Burslem!   Inplayman (https://www.inplayman.com/) - Daily Football Betting Tips & Stats   Home Choose Carpets (https://www.homechoose-carpets.com/) 30 year family business of Vale fans providing great quality and great service!   Drink & Gamble Responsibly!   Follow us on twitter @aleandvalepod - Feedback welcome!  

While headquartered in Oklahoma City, Daniel Maloney was a transplant born in New York, who grew up in South Florida, went to school in Philly, and then made his career in either New York and Silicon Valley before moving to Oklahoma. When he came to the state about a decade ago, Maloney came with the perspective of needing to build a community, build a friend network, and figuring out how to build a company somewhere where you don't necessarily have deep roots. “I always found the community incredibly welcoming and was grateful for that,” said Daniel Maloney. “But that said, it's been a really fun ride, fun journey so far, and I'm excited for what's coming up.” Maloney is one of the co-founders of Tailwind, whose mission is to make world-class marketing easy for everyone. That word, everyone, is essential to them. When Maloney initially looked at the digital marketing landscape, he saw that the vast majority of tools were geared at larger enterprise-tier businesses with complex needs and sophisticated marketing functions. The tools available at the time created an unlevel playing field as well. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

With the experience of having raised nearly $800 million for companies, and buying and selling approximately 40 companies, Tra Pippin considers himself qualified in the turnaround industry arena. He's also turned around businesses that ranged from a low of 1 million in revenue to a high of about $150 million. Pippin got into the industry happenstance manner. “I bought a company back in June of 1982 called Perfection Equipment Company,” said Pippin. “And at the time, I think our revenues were roughly $2 million a month. Well, there was a little shopping center bank here in Oklahoma City called Penn Square Bank that crashed on July 5, 1982. And I don't think either myself or my partner recognized the fact that a little shopping center bank could have the impact that it did, but it caused probably the greatest crash in the oil industry, certainly in my lifetime.” Their revenue went from two to two-and-a-half million dollars a month to approximately $300,000 a month. Based on that, at the time, Pippin purchased the company. They had about 130 employees. A year later, they were down to 30 employees and were making decisions on how to cut based on whether someone had been there 15 years or 20 years. The industry turned around, and Perfection Equipment Company today is a lively, growing company in Oklahoma City. Pippin said he learned how to save a company before there were associations, conventions, and resources dedicated to the turnaround industry. When buying a company now, Pippin has several things he looks for to inform his decision. If you're considering attending Pippin's OVF talk, he said he could help give broad-brush solutions to their issue with their company. Tra Pippin will be speaking at the Oklahoma Venture Forum Power Lunch on Wednesday, February 10, 2021. Be sure to register for the online ZOOM event to learn more about turning around a business, asking your questions, and networking with entrepreneurs in Oklahoma. https://ovf.org/Blog/10043372 https://ovf.org/

We quickly catch up from Tuesday, and then do a deep dive on the 5 most suggested manager appointments on OVF, Twitter and Facebook the last 24 hours! Plenty of discussion on whether they fit the criteria set out by Vale before a quick rundown of some wild-card picks. Then we discuss the Southend game, they're back on a bad run. Is it time for wholesale changes, or do you think with the new manager watching the players will be pumped up for victory? Sponsored by Johny’s Micro Pub. Enjoy a socially distanced pint on St John’s Square in Burslem! Inplayman (https://www.inplayman.com/) - Daily Football Betting Tips & Stats Drink & Gamble Responsibly! Follow us on twitter @aleandvalepod - Feedback welcome!

With a background in government and public affairs, Tom Robins is putting his political knowledge to help Oklahoma grow as a Top 10 place for IT. In the fall of 2019, Robins started the OITA, the Oklahoma Innovative Technology Alliance, to give Oklahoma IT companies a voice in the public policy process. As part of his presentation for the Oklahoma Venture Forum Power Lunch, Robins will highlight the gist of their mission statement and how they educate policy members, members of the legislature, and others, the best way to create an environment for IT and technology in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

With a background in government and public affairs, Tom Robins is putting his political knowledge to help Oklahoma grow as a Top 10 place for IT. In the fall of 2019, Robins started the OITA, the Oklahoma Innovative Technology Alliance, to give Oklahoma IT companies a voice in the public policy process. As part of his presentation for the Oklahoma Venture Forum Power Lunch, Robins will highlight the gist of their mission statement and how they educate policy members, members of the legislature, and others, the best way to create an environment for IT and technology in Oklahoma.“We got organized at the end of this last year, and we’re really kicking things off in January,” said Robins. “We’re going to be doing a coffee and conversation with the Oklahoma legislators, with Oklahoma IT leaders. So I think that’ll be a great thing for investment, the investment community in Oklahoma, for OVF members, for people that are involved with businesses that have an IT innovative component that are either just starting or that are established, that want to network with other companies, but also want to start talking to policymakers about that.”Robins’ main topic of his presentation will be on the autonomous vehicle side. As president of the consulting company, Solid Foundation Consulting, Robins helps build projects and coalitions around different issues. One of those he got tapped to lead was on behalf of the secretary of transportation, was to head the Oklahoma autonomous vehicle working group. The purpose of the group is to signal to the markets, signal to investments, and signal to people who are interested that Oklahoma is open for business when it comes to autonomous vehicle technology.An example of the group’s earliest win they had was the issue on truck platooning. Similar to how flocks of birds drift off of each other to converse energy, the state of Oklahoma passed a bill that allowed for that technology with trucks.Tom Robins, along with Jim Grimsley, will be speaking at the Oklahoma Venture Forum Power Lunch on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. Be sure to register for the online ZOOM event to learn more about how technology is shifting in Oklahoma, ask your questions, and network with entrepreneurs in Oklahoma.https://ovf.org/

Before becoming an International Business Coach, Stacy Eads had been the CEO of a Norman technology company for over a decade when she fell in love with the book, Scaling Up by Verne Harnish. For Eads' presentation for December's OVF power lunch, she will teach a tool that helps expedite decision-making processes during stressful times, especially with all of the pandemic's pivots. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

Quick catchup after a midweek off, and a quick discussion on what we've seen on social media and OVF since last Saturday. We chat about the rescue package for EFL teams, and fans finally making it back into stadiums before cracking into a Bolton preview. They've done well recently after a poor start. Why do we keep meeting teams on form?! Inverted wing-backs makes an appearance and have a good at predicting the Vale team and the score! Sponsored by Johny’s Micro Pub. Enjoy a socially distanced pint on St John’s Square in Burslem! Inplayman (https://www.inplayman.com/) - Daily Football Betting Tips & Stats Drink & Gamble Responsibly! Follow us on twitter @aleandvalepod - Feedback welcome!

Before becoming an International Business Coach, Stacy Eads had been the CEO of a Norman technology company for over a decade when she fell in love with the book, Scaling Up by Verne Harnish.For Eads’ presentation for December’s OVF power lunch, she will teach a tool that helps expedite decision-making processes during stressful times, especially with all of the pandemic’s pivots. The OODA Loop, which stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act, has helped her clientele make better designs during moments of fight or flight.Eads said one of the things she loves about the tool is that the first step is to make sure that you observe that you’re observing facts only. She explained that when people are in a crisis mode, their emotions are at play or there is competing information, and they’re unsure which way to go.Stacy Eads will be speaking at the Oklahoma Venture Forum Power Lunch on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. Be sure to register for the online ZOOM event to learn more about OODA, ask your questions, and network with entrepreneurs in Oklahoma.“Many of them might’ve even heard of the OODA loop before, but maybe they have not put it into the perspective of how to use the OODA loop within the year 2020, and within the type of anxiety that CEOs are having these days,” Eads said. “The types of pivots that they’re making during this pandemic. So I’m excited to take an old concept that’s been around for decades and maybe breathe in some new life into what the year 2020 has to offer.”OVF.org

As a smart truck and trailer movement leader, Drōv Technologies enables intelligent and safe technology in the transportation industry. They're developing the AirBoxOne, which controls tire inflation and deflation on the trailer dynamically based on the vehicle's load. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

For over 30 years, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) has been the state's agency for technology development, technology transfer, and technology commercialization. With Governor Kevin Stitt's goal to make Oklahoma a Top 10 state, OCAST is doing its part through partnerships and collaborations to stimulate economic development and technology-based economic development. “We help to get science and technology projects, support those through our grant process and elevate Oklahoma's science and technology community so that we're competitive nationally as well as globally,” explained OCAST's Executive Director, Michael Carolina. “We have some leading-edge researchers and research companies that benefit from OCAST's grants, and they're able to attract federal grants as well as private money from the private sector to accelerate research to commercialization or conversion; the conversion of technology to the marketplace.” The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

For over 30 years, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) has been the state’s agency for technology development, technology transfer, and technology commercialization. With Governor Kevin Stitt’s goal to make Oklahoma a Top 10 state, OCAST is doing its part through partnerships and collaborations to stimulate economic development and technology-based economic development.“We help to get science and technology projects, support those through our grant process and elevate Oklahoma’s science and technology community so that we’re competitive nationally as well as globally,” explained OCAST’s Executive Director, Michael Carolina. “We have some leading-edge researchers and research companies that benefit from OCAST’s grants, and they’re able to attract federal grants as well as private money from the private sector to accelerate research to commercialization or conversion; the conversion of technology to the marketplace.”With the task to grow and diversify Oklahoma’s economy, Carolina described his job as atypical. Before joining OCAST, he worked in management and executive positions with the Western Electric Company, AT&T and Lucent Technologies. While with AT&T and Lucent Technologies, he was involved in engineering, strategic planning, new product design and introduction, manufacturing, technology transfer, and joint venture operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America.“I think in Oklahoma, we have an asset base here that’s pretty rich. Again, with our higher education system, with our industrial complex that includes energy and includes aerospace and defense, bio-science, biotechnology, information technology, manufacturing, healthcare,” Carolina said. “The healthcare industry is growing, and so I think there are a lot of things that we can point to that are strengths in a global economy.”One example of OCAST’s success stories, which Carolina plans to discuss during his presentation for OVF, is the work of Craig Shimasaki at Moleculera Labs.“[Moleculera Labs] is doing some work now on the impact of COVID or the correlation of COVID and brain health and mental health,” Carolina said. “That’s a real success story. Craig Shimasaki was able to take an OCAST grant and leverage that with federal dollars as well as private investment to move the autism spectrum along. Hopefully, we’ll have some effective treatments for it.”From research to pre-seed dollars to seed capital dollars to manufacturing through intern partnerships, OCAST is developing the local talent base Oklahoma needs to go forward and keep the state from losing engineering STEM talent.“If we have the kind of industrial base that’s attractive to our graduates when they leave our higher education system, they’re more likely to stay in the state because they have jobs in their specific areas of study,” explained Carolina. “We can organically grow our own businesses from scratch. And that's basically our task as OCAST, to help businesses grow organically.”For Oklahoma to be top 10 in more areas, Carolina said it would require some strategic investment. By taking advantage of our geography, educational assets at the university level, industrial base, and the pioneer spirit of Oklahoma’s citizens, he believes we can make a difference and make Oklahoma relevant and competitive on a national and international scale.“It requires working with our politicians, our legislature, the governor, and his team saying, how do we coalesce those assets, so that Oklahoma becomes not a Silicon Valley, but we can become a technology corridor,” Carolina said.Michael Carolina will be speaking at the Oklahoma Venture Forum Power Lunch on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Be sure to register for the online ZOOM event to learn more about OCAST, ask your questions, and network with entrepreneurs in Oklahoma. As a member, he encourages others to join the community and help with new ideas. He is looking to addressing the OVF and having some dialogue about where people think we should go next. https://ovf.org/

With origins in the solar-power industry, David Jankowsky saw a problem in the electric vehicle market. With billions going into EV technology, Jankowsky noticed little of that funding was going towards infrastructure. While Tesla Motors may have popularized the electric car and built their superchargers, they're all closed source. “We know there's literally going to be hundreds of car manufacturers in the next five, ten years coming out with electric vehicles, and they would not be able to use the Tesla superchargers, so we solved that problem,” said Jankowsky.“We developed and installed universal chargers, so any car in the world can use them, including Tesla drivers. We solved the range-anxiety issue, meaning no one's going to buy a car if there's no infrastructure to fuel them if they're away from their home.” The Francis EV Charging Network solved range anxiety in Oklahoma by having a charging station every 50 miles. One could travel from Broken Bow to Guymon in their electric car. Jankowsky notes that one may have to drive 10 to 20 miles out of the way to access a charger because they currently don't have enough in Oklahoma. The first phase of the network features 225 fast-charging stations across 109 strategically located sites in Oklahoma, including small towns. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

September 2020 Virtual Power Lunch Guest Speaker David Jankowsky, President of Francis Renewable Energy. With origins in the solar-power industry, David Jankowsky saw a problem in the electric vehicle market. With billions going into EV technology, Jankowsky noticed little of that funding was going towards infrastructure. While Tesla Motors may have popularized the electric car and built their superchargers, they’re all closed source.“We know there’s literally going to be hundreds of car manufacturers in the next five, ten years coming out with electric vehicles, and they would not be able to use the Tesla superchargers, so we solved that problem,” said Jankowsky.“We developed and installed universal chargers, so any car in the world can use them, including Tesla drivers. We solved the range-anxiety issue, meaning no one’s going to buy a car if there’s no infrastructure to fuel them if they’re away from their home.”The Francis EV Charging Network solved range anxiety in Oklahoma by having a charging station every 50 miles. One could travel from Broken Bow to Guymon in their electric car. Jankowsky notes that one may have to drive 10 to 20 miles out of the way to access a charger because they currently don’t have enough in Oklahoma. The first phase of the network features 225 fast-charging stations across 109 strategically located sites in Oklahoma, including small towns.The Oklahoma Venture Forum offers a combination of peer-to-peer conversation, Pitch Presentations of viable business scenarios (not just potential) and Success Stories. OVF promotes the economic development of Oklahoma. OVF.org

KItt Letcher, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma details her appreciation for the efforts of OVF to provide exceptional value for BBB as the Most Promising New Business Award sponsor during changes in the annual VOTY/MPNB event forced by COVID-19 in 2020.The 2020 finalists for Most Promising New Business, presented by the Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma, included Galvanic Energy and Canopy Weather, LLC. Galvanic Energy addresses economic and technical barriers to create an abundant domestic supply of raw materials for alternative-energy future. Canopy Weather identifies roof condition and damage within 1 hour of hailstorms by using innovation within the data science and AI required to create the original dataset.The Oklahoma Venture Forum annual awards event was developed to recognize the achievements of successful Oklahoma companies. These awards encourage and identify the importance of entrepreneurship in our state. Each of the recipients is an outstanding Oklahoma success story with a bright future.The Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma’s mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust.• Setting standards for marketplace trust• Encouraging and supporting best practices by engaging with and educating consumers and businesses• Celebrating marketplace role models• Calling out and addressing substandard marketplace behavior• Creating a community of trustworthy businesses and charitiesOklahoma Venture Forum is the oldest organization of its kind. The organization was founded in 1987 and will continue to be the champion for small business ventures and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents in Oklahoma for many years to come. Since its beginning, the Oklahoma Venture Forum has been the preeminent Oklahoma organization promoting the formation of venture capital and development of entrepreneurship.BBB sees trust as a function of two primary factors – integrity and performance. Integrity includes respect, ethics and intent. Performance speaks to a business’s track record of delivering results in accordance with BBB standards and/or addressing customer concerns in a timely, satisfactory manner. We foster new and existing business ventures in Oklahoma through monthly Power Lunches, OVF After Hours and annual recognition awards. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs and service providers from across Oklahoma representing the wide array of business interests in our state. OVF programs create awareness of business opportunities and trends and offer purposeful networking for leaders of commerce. https://ovf.org/

Diversifying Oklahoma's economic opportunities via brewing, tourism and taking chances. What started with “poor decisions and lots of circumstances,” COOP Ale Works has grown into a company with a $20 million expansion plan at the former 45th Infantry Armory. Despite feeling like an outsider in the brewing community from not being a brewer himself, Daniel Mercer, CEO of Coop Ale Works, sees positives in his business-focused skill set. https://coopaleworks.com/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

What started with “poor decisions and lots of circumstances,” COOP Ale Works has grown into a company with a $20 million expansion plan at the former 45th Infantry Armory. Despite feeling like an outsider in the brewing community from not being a brewer himself, Daniel Mercer, CEO of Coop Ale Works, sees positives in his business-focused skill set.“Once you get into the core of it, we ’re taking this brewery model, and we ’re expanding it and adding other new businesses to our model that put us right back in the same boat that we were in 10, 12 years ago,” Mercer explained. “We ’re getting into the hotel business or we ’re getting into this culinary business that involves a taproom in a restaurant and a speakeasy and all these event support spaces that have culinary features and a pool club, bar. Banks have been interested but not receptive to the total deal structure and scale. It ’s a large deal, and when you take a package to a bank that says you ’re going to spend $36 million over 20 months, including the money we ’ve already spent over the past couple of years in development, it becomes a scenario where virtually every bank is casting doubt, and then your solution, there, is to try to find alternative methods to finance your deal.”“We spend a lot of time talking about diversifying industry in Oklahoma, and a lot of that talk is around, either, high-impact or high-level concept industries,” Mercer said. “Whether it ’s biomedical research or autoimmune disease treatment or mechanical devices... things centered around the oil and gas industry that may be new technologies and hardware technologies. But there are also plenty of other industries that just aren't ’t near as sexy, frankly. And I think, in Oklahoma in particular, we ’ve done a great job of focusing on the resources that we have. Particularly around the OU Health Science Center, around the oil and gas base that exists here and all the new technologies that have sprung out of that industry over the past, say, 20 years.”https://coopaleworks.com/

The Oklahoma Women's Coalition's mission is “to champion the collective power of Oklahomans to advance gender equity and justice.” Underscoring this mission are two key initiatives: Pay transparency legislation and a pipeline to politics. “There's a lot of mania around the topic of pay transparency,” says Liz Charles, who is eager to clarify the language of two bills being considered by Oklahoma House Committees. One of the bills seeks to raise fines charged for violations against the Equal Pay Act. “These fines haven't been raised since the Act became law in 1963,” says Charles. “Though we aren't asking for numbers in line with inflation, we are asking for a bit of an increase for employers who discriminate against women.” https://www.okwc.org/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

Purse Power is now working to become the primary source to find and buy from women-owned and women-led companies in the United States. We dream of playing a part in creating a day when our daughters, granddaughters, sons and grandsons can achieve their dreams irrespective of gender. https://www.pursepower.com/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

As young Liz Charles traveled the world, she noticed a pattern: “People would tease my mom and they wouldn’t let her speak. So I saw her own personal fight with trying to have her space and equal opportunity. Both my parents were pastors and missionaries, but my mom got shot down because she was a woman.” Now Liz is in Oklahoma, and she is continuing the fight for women’s rights in her position as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition, The coalition’s mission is “to champion the collective power of Oklahomans to advance gender equity and justice.” Underscoring this mission are two key initiatives: Pay transparency legislation and a pipeline to politics. “There’s a lot of mania around the topic of pay transparency,” says Liz Charles, who is eager to clarify the language of two bills being considered by Oklahoma House Committees. One of the bills seeks to raise fines charged for violations against the Equal Pay Act. “These fines haven’t been raised since the Act became law in 1963,” says Charles. “Though we aren’t asking for numbers in line with inflation, we are asking for a bit of an increase for employers who discriminate against women.” The Coalition is championing another piece of legislation that falls along the same lines. “We want folks to be allowed to inquire, through proper, established channels, about the salary ranges at their workplace. Right now, asking someone with your same experience and education about their salary can get you fired. So we are working on a bill that would allow for more transparent conversations.” And it takes many conversations to get to that level of transparency. “We’ve introduced these bills during the last four legislative sessions,” says Liz Charles, “and there have been amendments along the way.” In contrast to a legislative process that may take years and conclude with an unexpected outcome, the annual Pipeline to Politics Conference delivers every time. “It’s a win-win,” declares Charles, “because every woman who attends leaves with an understanding of local-level politics. The conference is for any woman of any age who is interested in public service. The speakers are from all levels of government, from school board members to legislators.” Not surprisingly, the conversations at this one-day conference are very transparent. Topics include how to campaign for yourself, what to do when you win, what to do you when you lose, and how to campaign for another candidate. The full circle conversations are the best. Says the Executive Director, “It’s awesome when former attendees decide to run for office, get elected, and then come back as conference speakers. I think this belief in equality has always been ingrained in me,” she says. “Women deserve a face and we deserve to have influence and positions of leadership because of our experiences matter and our voice matters. There are people who need to hear from us. People need to put women in those positions so those little girls can see women doing things we think only men can do. Because you can’t be what you can’t see.” Interviewed by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group.

Our March 2020 Pitch Presentation comes from Donna Miller with Purse Power.It's never too late to live your dream. Our dream is to make a difference for women. A few years ago the three Babcock sisters (Donna Miller, Dr. Karen Nern and Dr. Phyllis (Freddi) Pennington) were on vacation in Miami. We were discussing our frustration with the lack of women in senior leadership positions and the 1 out of 4 women impacted by domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Our mother was a brilliant, beautiful nursing professor, author and activist who was also a survivor. All three of us have MBAs and two are medical doctors. Our mother raised us to be strong, independent women. Her battle cry was “To whom much is given, much is expected.” We have all taken this to heart and want to make a difference in this world.Even though women make between 73-85% of all purchasing decisions, have trillions of dollars in spending power, control 51% of the private wealth and make or influence 67% of investment decisions, we hold less than 5% of the CEO jobs and around 21% of the board seats. The gap between our spending power and our representation in senior leadership is indefensible particularly since research has proven that companies perform better when there are more women in leadership roles.When we began to discuss what could be done to drive positive change, we realized that the power was already in women’s hands. If we could get women to use their enormous economic power to buy from companies that actively create opportunities for women, we could shatter glass ceilings in a matter of quarters rather than decades. If we could also use a portion of the proceeds to create a funding stream that supported battered women’s shelters and programs that keep women safer, we could make this world a better place for all of us. Purse Power was born.Purse Power is now working to become the primary source to find and buy from women-owned and women-led companies in the United States. We dream of playing a part in creating a day when our daughters, granddaughters, sons and grandsons can achieve their dreams irrespective of gender. https://www.pursepower.com/Interviewed by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group.

Oklahoma startup Viribus VR Labs is a company dedicated to helping people with disabilities and their therapists. By creating a unique platform of fully immersive virtual reality games wirelessly connected to a sensor suit, Viribus makes performing home therapy programs fun! When it's fun, more gets done...and that makes movements stronger and more controlled. Through a process called “neuroplasticity,” new brain connections are formed, improving functional pathways and facilitating better therapy results. https://www.viribusvr.com/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

Jeff Price has an extensive background in game design, electronic media, interactive communications, and graphic design. Teaching at Oklahoma City University, Jeff draws from 20+ years of experience as an Associate Professor of Gaming and Animation at Sam Houston State University and Oklahoma State University, Assistant Professor of Interactive Design at Virginia Commonwealth University, and his experience as the owner of Price Media Group. Jeff's experience in the design and development of websites and web-based communications, as well as interactive multimedia and CD-ROM projects, led him to launch Price Media Group in 2000. As principal of PMG, Price has won several industry awards in video, animation, interactive, and print design. At VCU, Jeff was the director of the Advanced Visualization Lab, focusing on the delivery of traditional and 3d computer animation and virtual reality applications. He has worked for multi-service design and advertising agencies and has developed print design, signage, logos, and a/v presentations. Jeff's students have gone on to work at industry giants such as Dreamworks, Sony Imageworks, Digital Domain, ID Software, Imaginary Forces, Magnet Interactive, Organic, Blur, Midway Games, and Big Idea. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org

Dr. Vasan is a Board-Certified Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgeon at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Vasan was born and raised in New Zealand and is a member of The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He has authored numerous papers and book chapters in the field of Head and Neck Surgery and performs Head and Neck Robotic Surgery.Dr. Vasan has developed medical devices for robotic surgery with the University.He founded Adroit Surgical LLC, a private company in 2010 to develop and commercialize patented emergency airway management devices.Dr. Vasan is an Associate Professor who specializes in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery and serves as Program Director for the Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Residency Program. There is a problem with our medical residency programs in the United States. Governing bodies determine duty hours standards and resident physicians are tasked to follow them. But are they? The majority of Program Directors interviewed state that there are errors in the reporting process. Delayed time entries and honor-based systems do not provide accurate information to the institution or the governing bodies, and inaccurate data is the byproduct.WorkOur has developed a product that eliminates this broken system and allows medical residents and physicians to seamlessly record and track duty hours details in real-time through location-based technology and their phones. The data generated provides valuable information to the programs and institutions, helping them make critical decisions about staffing and quality of care. WorkOur’s ultimate goal is to use this data to effect change by promoting flexibility in the current duty-hour standards in the US and around the globe.Interviewed by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group.

As Matt Williamson swings over the Oklahoma City skyline and grabs hold of the International Space Station, he's already thinking about his next move. “I'm definitely like the blue-sky guy,” says the founder and CEO of Clevyr. “My company is aggressive in moving deeper into new technology. We've always been that firm in Oklahoma City that says, ‘Cool! We can do that! We'll figure it out.'” The team at Clevyr visualizes and then creates software to streamline processes and improve lives. They excel at workflow automation, web design, facial recognition, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). The latter put Williamson at the OKC skyline and beyond, but Clevyr-style VR can also land you courtside at a Thunder game or behind the controls of a powerful machine. For example, Clevyr has created a couple of VR training environments for warehouse and manufacturing facilities. Multiple trainees can learn how to operate vehicles or presses in a realistic environment. If accidents happen, everyone learns but no one gets hurt. While the training continues, the actual machines are available for day-to-day operations. Daily learning tasks at school are also enhanced by Clevyr software solutions. “My favorite AR application is actually one we're doing right now in the education space,” says Matt Williamson, “so I can't talk much about it. But I can tell you that this kind of learning allows children to see things in real-time while engaging a different part of their brain.” https://ovf.org/BLOG/8437547 The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interview by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group

Dr. Vasan is a Board-Certified Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgeon at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Vasan was born and raised in New Zealand and is a member of The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He has authored numerous papers and book chapters in the field of Head and Neck Surgery and performs Head and Neck Robotic Surgery. Dr. Vasan has developed medical devices for robotic surgery with the University. He founded Adroit Surgical LLC, a private company in 2010 to develop and commercialize patented emergency airway management devices. Dr. Vasan is an Associate Professor who specializes in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery and serves as Program Director for the Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Residency Program. There is a problem with our medical residency programs in the United States. Governing bodies determine duty hours standards and resident physicians are tasked to follow them. But are they? The majority of Program Directors interviewed state that there are errors in the reporting process. Delayed time entries and honor-based systems do not provide accurate information to the institution or the governing bodies, and inaccurate data is the byproduct. WorkOur has developed a product that eliminates this broken system and allows medical residents and physicians to seamlessly record and track duty hours details in real-time through location-based technology and their phones. The data generated provides valuable information to the programs and institutions, helping them make critical decisions about staffing and quality of care. WorkOur's ultimate goal is to use this data to effect change by promoting flexibility in the current duty-hour standards in the US and around the globe. https://ovf.org/BLOG/8437554 The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interview by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group

Canon's building a new camera (a Canon 5D Mk V?) that attaches both DSLR and mirrorless lenses with NO adapter - the best of both worlds. I think I figured out their design. Watch a video of this episode: http://sdp.io/Hybrid Go to http://squarespace.com/Tony & save 10% off your first website or domain with code “TONY” Enter our Mavic Mini giveaway at http://FreeSDP.com Music provided by Epidemic Sound (affiliate): https://bit.ly/2MwDey7

Douglas Sorocco is owner of Dunlap Codding in Oklahoma City, an intellectual property attorney, PHOSITA blogger, chemist, visionary, social entrepreneur and creator of DC on Film Row. He’s also one of the volunteer co-directors of the new Oklahoma Entrepreneurship Mentoring Program (OKEMP). Modeled after MIT’s Venture Mentoring Service (MIT VMS), OKEMP matches an entrepreneur with a team of unbiased, experienced mentors.“This type of commitment is what’s been missing in Oklahoma,” he says. “OKEMP provides mentoring teams who follow entrepreneurs throughout their whole career. Because true entrepreneurs don’t stop with just one idea.”“One of the beauties of the program is that no matter where the entrepreneurs are in their life cycle, they’re getting matched up with mentors who can offer unbiased, unconflicted advice.”What mentors also offer is access to their experiences as successful entrepreneurs, delivered during regularly scheduled 90-minute meetings. “There is a curriculum,” explains Sorocco, “but it is driven by the entrepreneurs who are coming with questions and concerns.”“For example, the first entrepreneur may already have a prototype without ever looking at markets. So it’s backward! So the mentor helps identify who’s going to buy the product. Whereas the second entrepreneur may be a programmer who’s never sold anything. So the mentoring team teaches how to develop relationships that don’t seem too transactional.”“Most entrepreneurs are going to fail with their first or second company. What we need for them to do is learn along the way so that when they get to number three or four, they’re more likely to succeed.”https://creativeoklahoma.org/okemp/Interviewed by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group.

Dr. Nguyen launched Mimosa Health in May 2017 with a mission to provide expert advice on the use of medications by older adults. Mimosa Health utilizes specialized knowledge in geriatrics and the unique medication-related needs of the senior population. Dr. Nguyen helps seniors reduce medication-related problems, reduce healthcare costs, and improve their quality of life through our community medication education seminars and personalized senior health services. https://mimosahealth.com/ Interviewed by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group.

Dr. Nguyen launched Mimosa Health in May 2017 with a mission to provide expert advice on the use of medications by older adults. Mimosa Health utilizes specialized knowledge in geriatrics and the unique medication-related needs of the senior population. Dr. Nguyen helps seniors reduce medication-related problems, reduce healthcare costs, and improve their quality of life through our community medication education seminars and personalized senior health services. https://mimosahealth.com/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interview by Dennis Spielman for The Golding Group

Transparency, trust, and transformation at the Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma. How does an Oklahoma organization anticipate its 90th birthday? In the case of the Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma, it stays true to the core values established in 1930 while continually adapting its services to the business community. “Transparency is one of the core values of our business,” says Kitt Letcher, the CEO and President of the Bureau. “And our standards of trust must be met before a business can earn BBB accreditation. But we're also really trying to transform our image to business owners.” “We're really trying to transform our image to business owners. We want them to see us as a resource for helping and/or stabilizing their businesses.” The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interview by Pritch Pritchard for The Golding Group

After earning his Ph.D. in Spanish at the University of Texas at Austin, Rob Reynolds began his career as a university faculty member teaching languages and literature. He has also served in university administration, as a textbook publishing executive, and as a co-founder and/or leader of multiple educational technology startups. Reynolds currently serves as Executive Director of TEL Library, a non-profit, public library dedicated to providing affordable learning to anyone, anywhere. TEL Library continues to innovate content management and publishing with a goal of making high-quality education affordable and easily accessible for everyone, everywhere. They are currently building a library of high-quality, low-cost learning content that can be repurposed and distributed quickly and efficiently across multiple product types and markets. In the next phase, TEL Library's long-term goal is to leverage its structured data framework and make its structured content available to third-party AI systems to make high-quality, affordable education accessible worldwide. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interview by Pritch Pritchard for The Golding Group

Serial Entrepreneur Philip Kurtz On Navigating a Graceful Exit.After a 30 year journey, Philip Kurtz found his exit. “When I got to CareATC,” says Kurtz of the company he recently exited, “it was like everything I’d done in my life had prepared me for this particular job. I believed if I could blend a lot of the tools I’d learned over the last 30 years, I could have a major impact.”Those skill sets enabled Kurtz to grow a successful population health management company. At the October OVF Power Lunch, he outlined key steps that need to be added to your itinerary long before you reach your exit. The easy to remember checklist includes momentum, market, and management.CareATC tailors health care to the specific needs of employees. When CareATC partners with a company, it reduces the overall costs of healthcare while providing on-site clinics that offer opportunities for disease prevention and/or intervention. The population health management company cares for more than 250,000 patients through its partnership with 150 clients in 35 states.Recorded October 9th, 2019. Interview by Pritch Pritchard for The Golding Group.

Serial Entrepreneur Philip Kurtz on navigating a graceful exit. After a 30 year journey, Philip Kurtz found his exit. “When I got to CareATC,” says Kurtz of the company he recently exited, “it was like everything I'd done in my life had prepared me for this particular job. I believed if I could blend a lot of the tools I'd learned over the last 30 years, I could have a major impact.” Those skill sets enabled Kurtz to grow a successful population health management company. At the October OVF Power Lunch, he outlined key steps that need to be added to your itinerary long before you reach your exit. The easy to remember checklist includes momentum, market, and management. CareATC tailors health care to the specific needs of employees. When CareATC partners with a company, it reduces the overall costs of healthcare while providing on-site clinics that offer opportunities for disease prevention and/or intervention. The population health management company cares for more than 250,000 patients through its partnership with 150 clients in 35 states. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interview by Pritch Pritchard for The Golding Group

OKC's newest (and youngest) toy-tech startup Wristworld is an augmented reality puzzle RPG using wristbands. Travel through four holographic lands, interact with characters to solve the mystery, show off your 3D character and carry a whole world...on your wrist! What better way to design a toy-line than let kids be the creators? That's the idea behind Wristworld, the first product of a new company called Real Tech. Real Tech is a spin-off of Loveworks Leadership (www.loveworksleadership.org), an organization teaching leadership and entrepreneurialism to middle school students. Michael Hirsch is the Loveworks Executive Director. Hirsch is passionate about seeing dreams come true in the hearts and lives of youth. Seven years ago he launched Loveworks with the focus to start an afterschool program for middle school students. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interview by Pritch Pritchard for The Golding Group

OKC's newest (and youngest) toy-tech startup Wristworld is an augmented reality puzzle RPG using wristbands. Travel through four holographic lands, interact with characters to solve the mystery, show off your 3D character and carry a whole world...on your wrist! What better way to design a toy-line than let kids be the creators? That’s the idea behind Wristworld, the first product of a new company called Real Tech. Real Tech is a spin-off of Loveworks Leadership (www.loveworksleadership.org), an organization teaching leadership and entrepreneurialism to middle school students.Michael Hirsch is the Loveworks Executive Director. Hirsch is passionate about seeing dreams come true in the hearts and lives of youth. Seven years ago he launched Loveworks with the focus to start an afterschool program for middle school students.Recorded September 11th, 2019. Interview by Pritch Pritchard for The Golding Group.

* Trump avblåste angrep * - Norsk Tipping tåkelegger * Bergen vil ikke ha stripping * OVF deles opp * Arendalsuka mot Normal

Craig Watters circles the globe. His journey may take him to Pakistan or India before he stops to form rings in Africa. Along the way, the Director of Oklahoma State University's new Riata Institute for Global Social Entrepreneurship connects individuals to technologies uniquely suited to their communities and cultures. “I like what I do because it gets to the heart of what I think entrepreneurship should be,” he says. The rings in Africa are an ideal example of that connection. “Technology is limited in South Africa,” says Dr. Watters. “I spent nine summers teaching there, and it was challenging. How do you help develop a marketing strategy for a business owner in an outdoor market where there is no internet connection? We had to go to an internet café, and even then it was dial-up.” So Craig Watters took the problem to Syracuse University, his alma mater, where they worked on a solution. “We created an internet backpack,” he explains. “When individuals wear them and spread out, it forms a ring. A hot spot. So the internet becomes part of their appropriate technology and they are able to build their businesses out.” But the backpacks include this caveat: “Individuals have to explain how their business is going to help their community, their tribe, their country,” states Watters. “When we have those conversations, many have changed from just saying they are going to make money to saying they will train people and/or hire women.” “That's significant because my students and I help people in countries where women are not allowed to read or learn.” That's one reason why those places are not always accessible to the students in the Riata Institute for Global Social Entrepreneurship program. But until that changes, there's a solution for that problem as well. “My students at OSU are part of a social entrepreneurship club and a class called Enactus,” explains Craig. “The goal is to incubate businesses in other places. So the students are actually working as consultants for entrepreneurs in countries like Pakistan, Peru, Costa Rica and India.” Still, there are more solutions to be found. “My class did all this workaround waste in India. And we quickly learned the importance of understanding the culture.” “Even though the caste system is supposed to be abolished in India, it's still very much alive. That means if you're not from the lowest caste, the untouchables, you're not allowed to touch the waste.” “So that made us go back to the drawing board and think some more.” As Craig Watters continues to circle the globe and connect the dots between social impact and global entrepreneurship, he and his students will have to be creative. To be successful, their technologies need to be culturally specific and appropriate to the situation. “Our solutions must be locally owned so that the community has ownership,” says the Director of the Riata Institute. “We also have to create technologies that are environmentally safe and gender safe.” “Most of all, we remember that it's not just about making money. It's about social impact and social mission.” The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group

Goggle Auctions is a virtual reality application hosting live, weekly auto auctions empowering car dealerships and other wholesale used vehicle purchasers to purchase pre-owned vehicles from the convenience of their own office through an intelligent, immersive, and engaging live auction experience in a VR headset. https://www.goggleauctions.com/ The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group

Craig Watters circles the globe. His journey may take him to Pakistan or India before he stops to form rings in Africa. Along the way, the Director of Oklahoma State University’s new Riata Institute for Global Social Entrepreneurship connects individuals to technologies uniquely suited to their communities and cultures. “I like what I do because it gets to the heart of what I think entrepreneurship should be,” he says. The rings in Africa are an ideal example of that connection. “Technology is limited in South Africa,” says Dr. Watters. “I spent nine summers teaching there, and it was challenging. How do you help develop a marketing strategy for a business owner in an outdoor market where there is no internet connection? We had to go to an internet café, and even then it was dial-up.”So Craig Watters took the problem to Syracuse University, his alma mater, where they worked on a solution. “We created an internet backpack,” he explains. “When individuals wear them and spread out, it forms a ring. A hot spot. So the internet becomes part of their appropriate technology and they are able to build their businesses out.”But the backpacks include this caveat: “Individuals have to explain how their business is going to help their community, their tribe, their country,” states Watters. “When we have those conversations, many have changed from just saying they are going to make money to saying they will train people and/or hire women.”“That’s significant because my students and I help people in countries where women are not allowed to read or learn.”That’s one reason why those places are not always accessible to the students in the Riata Institute for Global Social Entrepreneurship program. But until that changes, there’s a solution for that problem as well.“My students at OSU are part of a social entrepreneurship club and a class called Enactus,” explains Craig. “The goal is to incubate businesses in other places. So the students are actually working as consultants for entrepreneurs in countries like Pakistan, Peru, Costa Rica and India.”Still, there are more solutions to be found. “My class did all this workaround waste in India. And we quickly learned the importance of understanding the culture.”“Even though the caste system is supposed to be abolished in India, it’s still very much alive. That means if you’re not from the lowest caste, the untouchables, you’re not allowed to touch the waste.”“So that made us go back to the drawing board and think some more.”As Craig Watters continues to circle the globe and connect the dots between social impact and global entrepreneurship, he and his students will have to be creative. To be successful, their technologies need to be culturally specific and appropriate to the situation. “Our solutions must be locally owned so that the community has ownership,” says the Director of the Riata Institute. “We also have to create technologies that are environmentally safe and gender safe.”“Most of all, we remember that it’s not just about making money. It’s about social impact and social mission.”Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

Ben Schwartz is the Founder and CEO of Goggle Auctions, a virtual reality application hosting live, weekly auto auctions empowering car dealerships and other wholesale used vehicle purchasers to purchase pre-owned vehicles from the convenience of their own office through an intelligent, immersive, and engaging live auction experience in a VR headset. https://www.goggleauctions.com/Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

The keynote speaker for the OVF Chairman's Award for Economic Impact event on May 08, 2019 will be Piyush Patel, Speaker, Angel Investor and Best-Selling Author of Lead Your Tribe, Love Your Work. Mr. Patel has 20 years' experience as an entrepreneur and is the former CEO of Digital-Tutors. It is with great distinction and great humility that the Oklahoma Venture Forum honors the Chickasaw Nation with this year's OVF Chairman's Award for Economic Impact presented by Insperity. The Award for Economic Impact recognizes an individual or an organization for exceptional contributions to the Oklahoma economy. This award honors those who do more than run a business. It celebrates the achievement of industrial progress balanced with compassionate leadership and it honors those who emphasize investments in the human spirit as well as the bottom line. The Oklahoma Venture Forum's Award for Economic Impact has been bestowed to many impactful organizations including The Oklahoma Thunder and Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores. This year our esteemed Award Sponsor, the Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma, will present the bi-annual award to Governor Bill Anoatubby, who will receive the award on behalf of the Chickasaw Nation. Bill Anoatubby is the current governor of the Chickasaw Nation and has served in this position since 1987. Prior to his governorship, Anoatubby served as lieutenant governor in Overton James' administration for two terms. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group

“Oklahoma now has a Lieutenant Governor who is also a small business owner,” says Matt Pinnell. “So, naturally, I’m going to be going around the state seeking out opportunities to speak to entrepreneurs.” Before he was Lieutenant Governor, Matt Pinnell and his wife Lisa launched Binxy Baby, a company that sells baby hammocks that fit into shopping carts. Today the business is thriving and there are plans to launch two new products later this year. But the Lieutenant Governor still remembers what it was like at the beginning. “The attention to detail when you’re building a business is so important,” he says. In an interview ahead of his presentation at the March OVF luncheon, the Lieutenant Governor shares what those details look like. “I want to help entrepreneurs connect with the resources they need,” he says. “We have the best career tech infrastructure in the country,” says the Lt. Governor. “Many classes are available to help start-ups bolster their businesses.” The Lieutenant Governor also wants entrepreneurs to tap into the accelerators in the state. “The Thunder Launchpad and OK Innovate are raising money for investment funds. i2E also does a good job in that area. But we need more accelerators.” “We have one of the best states in the country for philanthropic activity. So we need to get those people much more engaged in investing in business ventures.” Engagement is key, especially when it involves connecting with the right people and resources. “When Lisa and I decided to launch our business,” recalls the Lieutenant Governor, “it was a slow build process.” For example, it took time to work through the patent protocol for Lisa’s invention. But that investment, which secured a lockproof patent, means that the Pinnells are able to deal effectively with the legal issues that come with the territory. “It’s very frustrating,” says the Lt. Governor, “to see so many knockoff products on places like Amazon. I want small business owners to realize how important it is to find an attorney who specializes in patent infringement issues.” “We went to experts in different fields very early in the process of building our business,” he recalls. “We identified a professional vendor in New York who specializes in manufacturing facilities in China. She helped us through that process.” “It probably took us an extra year to get our product off the ground, but it paid off for us.”Finding customers and making it easy for them to pay for products is another detail that must be carefully considered. “Shopify has made it easy for us to build the e-commerce side of our business,” says the Lt. Governor. “Another thing that has helped us is social media.” “It is critical for entrepreneurs to quickly find someone who is technology proficient. When social media is done well, it’s a lot easier to grow a business.” Growing a business, it seems, is a lot like growing Oklahoma. That’s why the newly elected Lt. Governor is seeking occasions to speak to individuals who want to invest in entrepreneurship. “I never turn down an interview,” he says, “and I’m always looking for opportunities to speak to people who care about these issues. Reach out to my office* and let’s talk. Because entrepreneurship is the future of Oklahoma.” www.ok.gov/ltgovpinnellInterviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

“Oklahoma now has a Lieutenant Governor who is also a small business owner,” says Matt Pinnell. “So, naturally, I'm going to be going around the state seeking out opportunities to speak to entrepreneurs.” Before he was Lieutenant Governor, Matt Pinnell and his wife Lisa launched Binxy Baby, a company that sells baby hammocks that fit into shopping carts. Today the business is thriving and there are plans to launch two new products later this year. But the Lieutenant Governor still remembers what it was like at the beginning. “The attention to detail when you're building a business is so important,” he says. In an interview ahead of his presentation at the March OVF luncheon, the Lieutenant Governor shares what those details look like. “I want to help entrepreneurs connect with the resources they need,” he says. “We have the best career tech infrastructure in the country,” says the Lt. Governor. “Many classes are available to help start-ups bolster their businesses.” The Lieutenant Governor also wants entrepreneurs to tap into the accelerators in the state. “The Thunder Launchpad and OK Innovate are raising money for investment funds. i2E also does a good job in that area. But we need more accelerators.” “We have one of the best states in the country for philanthropic activity. So we need to get those people much more engaged in investing in business ventures.” Engagement is key, especially when it involves connecting with the right people and resources. “When Lisa and I decided to launch our business,” recalls the Lieutenant Governor, “it was a slow build process.” For example, it took time to work through the patent protocol for Lisa's invention. But that investment, which secured a lockproof patent, means that the Pinnells are able to deal effectively with the legal issues that come with the territory. “It's very frustrating,” says the Lt. Governor, “to see so many knockoff products on places like Amazon. I want small business owners to realize how important it is to find an attorney who specializes in patent infringement issues.” “We went to experts in different fields very early in the process of building our business,” he recalls. “We identified a professional vendor in New York who specializes in manufacturing facilities in China. She helped us through that process.” “It probably took us an extra year to get our product off the ground, but it paid off for us.” Finding customers and making it easy for them to pay for products is another detail that must be carefully considered. “Shopify has made it easy for us to build the e-commerce side of our business,” says the Lt. Governor. “Another thing that has helped us is social media.” “It is critical for entrepreneurs to quickly find someone who is technically proficient. When social media is done well, it's a lot easier to grow a business.” Growing a business, it seems, is a lot like growing Oklahoma. That's why the newly elected Lt. Governor is seeking occasions to speak to individuals who want to invest in entrepreneurship. “I never turn down an interview,” he says, “and I'm always looking for opportunities to speak to people who care about these issues. Reach out to my office* and let's talk. Because entrepreneurship is the future of Oklahoma.” www.ok.gov/ltgovpinnell/ www.OVF.org Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

Is anything bigger than basketball in Oklahoma City? Ask Brian Byrnes, the senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for the Thunder, and the answer might surprise you. “The Thunder has made a community investment play that is beyond basketball,” says Byrnes. “It's called the Thunder Launchpad.” Introduced in January of 2018 as part of the Thunder's 10th season, The Launchpad is an accelerator program located in OKC's Midtown district. “We are inspired by the other entities that are driving the future of our state's economy,” says Byrnes, “and we wanted to use the marketing and media power of the Thunder to elevate Oklahoma City's entrepreneurial ecosystem.” To make the Launchpad a reality, the Thunder has teamed up with StitchCrew. This is a company that helps technology-minded entrepreneurs launch their ideas and obtain venture capital. So far, 18 have passed through the program; another group is being vetted to begin in the spring of 2019. The participants receive a space in which to work as well as other needed resources. They also are matched with mentors. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group

Paelode Systems is an Oklahoma-based startup company that creates efficiencies in the oil & gas sector by applying technology to solve business-critical problems in innovative ways. With a combined 40 years of experience in the information technology and oil & gas sectors, the founders of Paelode Systems have witnessed many of these inefficient processes first-hand, and in late 2017, decided to do something about it. Paelode's flagship, end-to-end electronic ticketing and data workflow solution, known as lodeX, was brought to market in Q3/2018 and offers a reduction in administrative costs of up to 75%. Rather than being quick to offer a one-size-fits-all solution, however, Paelode Systems takes a step back by approaching opportunities from a more "consultative" perspective. Only by understanding the customer's business, inside and out, should appropriate solutions be offered -- solutions which often involve the application of proven technologies, tailored to meet the customer's specific business needs. The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. www.OVF.org Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group

“I can see the curve of the earth from up here,” says Todd Blasdel of the view from his office in Oklahoma City. “It's quite spectacular.” The Lead for Strategic Innovation at Devon Energy has a 42nd-floor office in Oklahoma's tallest building, and his window on the world is a lot like his job description: “I not only scout external innovations, but I also facilitate internal innovations,” he says, “while always keeping in mind a couple of strategic problems Devon needs to solve.” As Blasdel focuses on the big picture, he envisions how the smaller pieces fit together. “I would say that our most successful internal projects have occurred when we take new technologies from several different areas and put them together to address our unique needs at Devon.” “Another innovative thing we do is to make a different application of emerging technology.” The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. https://ovf.org/ Interview by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group

NextStream is the new kid on the block in downtown Oklahoma City’s Innovation District, but it’s already developing five new technologies for the oil and gas industry. “Those technologies will soon make their own splash,” says James Roller, NextStream’s Managing Director. “I can’t tell you what they are, but I can tell you that they will fit into the continued evolution of the oil and gas industry.” Founded by Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE), NextStream is a holding company for emerging technologies. “We are a catalyst,” Roller says, “and each of our companies is a start-up. When someone chooses to partner with us, they look to us to support their development, not just financially, but in setting up systems, process and the focus to grow their products into sustainable, large scale businesses that are truly successful in the market.” NextStream purchased its first set of technologies from Baker Hughes, a GE Company. “It’s very important to us to be located in BHGE’s Energy Innovation Center, which is in the Innovation District,” says Roller. “Being next door to other individuals who are developing technology is highly valuable to our scientists and our business leaders.” “There are continued opportunities to enhance skill sets and find additional resources that are beneficial to the overall environment.” NextStream’s location is a perfect fit for the Managing Director who identifies his role as that of, “the tip of the spear for our teams to help them be successful in their ventures. At this point, NextStream is ensuring that our technologists are enabled, empowered and have the strategic resources to develop their products. NextStream helps teams develop their path to market, commercialization, product segmentation, and sales and deliverables to customers.” “One of my most important responsibilities,” he says, “is to align the progression of our technical development with financial accountability.” Given its robust suite of services, it’s not surprising that Roller says, “NextStream is not your traditional venture capital group. NextStream pairs the resources of a leading global technology company with the DNA of a startup. NextStream is not required to exit any of our investments in a short time period. That doesn’t mean we won’t, though, if the right opportunities are there to return capital to our investors. Our priority is to build sustainable companies, whether that means companies are maintained within NextStream for a period of time or sold to another company at a later date.” Of the time when the NextStream’s first five acquisitions reach sustainability, Roller has this to say: “I anticipate that the Oklahoma Venture Forum will feature those companies in this newsletter. Those technologies have a story to tell.” “Technology is the leader that brought the oil and gas industry to where it is today. As we move forward, NextStream will be pursuing additional opportunities in the industrial energy space. NextStream has a world-class technology pipeline and is partnering with world-class operators and investors. We are excited to help develop the future of energy.”Interview by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

"Evolving to Capture New Opportunities in a Dynamic Market."The November long presenter was Braden Merritt, Director of Investor Relations of Humphreys Capital. In this role, he communicates fund strategy and performance, coordinates fund offering materials and investor correspondence, and reports to the Investment Committee.Braden is a 7-year combat veteran who began his career as a reconnaissance officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and at sea with the U.S. Fifth Fleet. In 2013 Braden attended graduate school before transitioning into management consulting with The Boston Consulting Group, where he focused on strategic growth across diverse industries. He later served as a regional program manager for Google Fiber, spanning five markets, improving the efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of operating cost management and capital expense reporting in a startup environment. Braden joined Humphreys Capital in 2017.Braden earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Petroleum Economics and Management from the French Institute of Petroleum in 2014 and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from the United States Naval Academy in 2006.Interview by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

Have you ever wondered what Top Producers are doing differently? Year after year, they close an extraordinary amount of loans, receive an extraordinary amount of referrals, and make an extraordinary amount of money. But, what makes them so extraordinary?Brian Bomar spent two years following some of these Top Producers to learn what it was that set them apart. He examined their behaviors, studied their processes, and spoke with them about their successes (and failures). Then, we worked with a team of developers to create a system that would allow anyone to replicate the work they do on a daily basis: Whiteboard CRM. Interviewed by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

This month, we hear from Jason Shultz, a Partner at HoganTaylor and the Director of their technology spin-off myPortal. Shultz has been a key driver of HoganTaylor’s use of national, cutting-edge technology in its audit processes, which allows audit engagement teams to perform focused, risk-based testing, address specific fraud risk factors, and identify potential operational inefficiencies.HoganTaylor is committed to investing in innovative technology that improves the efficiency of service and reduces the burden placed on clients throughout engagement processes. That is why they developed myPortal, a new, accessible-anywhere, document transfer and storage portal designed specifically to manage complex financial projects like audits, reviews and tax returns.https://hogantaylor.com/about/myportal/

Our long presentation speaker for September 2018 was Kedar Pai from Plasma Bionics, the Winner of Most Promising Business from the Oklahoma Venture Forum 2018 Awards.It took eight years and more than one pivot to get Plasma Bionics to where they are today: A high-tech manufacturing company that utilizes portable cold plasma technology to sterilize veterinary instruments.Pai gives us an update on the company, their products and what's next for Plasma Bionics.“The trial customers we’ve had, and their positive attitude towards our device, is very reassuring,” says Pai. “A promising technology can be created, but customer support makes a company promising.” https://plasmabionics.com/https://ovf.org/

Taking a closer look at Economic Growth in local communities: Featuring Enid, Oklahoma. We visit with Brent Kisling of GrowEnid, Enid's Regional Development Alliance. https://growenid.com/https://ovf.org/

Taking a closer look at Economic Growth in local communities: Featuring Enid, Oklahoma. We visit with Brent Kisling of GrowEnid, Enid's Regional Development Alliance. https://growenid.com/ www.OVF.org The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. Interview by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

For our July 2018 meeting, we take a closer look at Economic Growth in local communities featuring Enid, Oklahoma. Pete Dillingham from No Man's Land Beef Jerky speaks with us about his journey to this place in his career and this business venture. https://www.nmlbeefjerky.com/ www.OVF.org The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is the state's preeminent organization fostering innovation and economic growth. We introduce investors, mentors and support organizations to entrepreneurs, providing collaborative venues for sharing ideas. OVF champions small businesses and economic development by connecting and recognizing venture talents. Since our beginning, we have acted as the preeminent ecosystem for business innovation and entrepreneurship development. Our diverse membership includes investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers from a wide array of statewide industries. Interview by Kyle Golding for The Golding Group.

Brian talks with Madhura Maskasky (@madhuramaskasky, Co-Founder/ VP Product @Platform9) about the evolution of Platform9, offloading the Private Cloud learning curve, SaaS management, and the intersection of VMware and OpenStack for customers. Links from the show: Platform9 Website Madhura’s Bio Kenneth Hui's Platform9 Blog Topic 1 - We had your Co-Founder, Sirish Raghuram, on the show back in August 2014 when you were just going out of stealth. Tell us about your background and some of the lessons the team learned in getting from Beta to GA and early customers. Topic 2 - It’s nice to see the Cloud-Management-as-a-Service trend gain traction. How challenging has it been to get customers to understand the concept of on-premises hardware, but SaaS-based management? Topic 3 - We often talk about companies like Uber or AirBnB, that have taken the concept of “asset-less” and make it very disruptive and successful in their specific industries. Platform9 has a similar concept, in that the customer still owns the equipment. How much economic flexibility do that give you as a company? Topic 4 - One of the things you’re announcing this week, as well as a new round of funding, is interoperability with VMware. As you talk to customers, what problems are they trying to solve by co-existing VMware and OpenStack? And what does “interoperability” mean? Topic 5 - OpenStack is starting to explore how container technology might fit into that architecture. You’ve written about container standards before, having been through the OVF “standard” at VMware. Should customers care about container standards at this point, or is this mostly a vendor/community issue?