Tyler Bye
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RSSTim Cook, at the Celebrating Steve event, shared this audio clip 
of Steve reading the dialog he wrote for the crazy ones add.
Dreyfus’ voice was perfect and the messaging was correct for the time, but Apple, Tim, don’t pass up the opportunity to reprise the ad with this version.
The first time I shared a room, and arguably the closest I ever came to meeting Steve Jobs, was in the keynote address at WWDC in 2007. Although I’d owned a few Macs by then, starting with the “flower pot” iMac, I had only started exploring development on the platform.
My favorite anecdote about Steve was the story a client of ours told us about him using an app we’d written, on his couch at home, on an iPad, the night before the iPad launch. He was impressed with what we’d done. I was on cloud 9.
My father once told me, “A computer costs $50,000.00 or more. $2000.00 for the machine, and the rest to pay the person that runs it.” Despite the comment he did purchase a used Apple ][e for my brother and I to use. I wrote a lot of code in my single digit and teen years on that machine, or as my father put it, “Played games all day and all night.” I even worked around the fact that in an attempt to fix a broken ‘G’ key, he super glued the post and I never used the actual key again.
Years later I would be employed at a company that would sell for millions of dollars. Some of my proceeds of that money I spent on the new iMac I mentioned before. I also took the time to fax a copy of the check I received from the Bank of New York to my father, with the words, “I’m not playing video games!!” brutally scrawled on the sheet below the image.
Steve, I never met you, but you inspired me to stick with my instincts, against the odds I faced, and it has made all the difference in my life. I aspire to inspire as you did.
No rants, no raving, just the facts. LaunchUp brought the entrepreneur out in me.
I attended LaunchUp #1 in March of 2009. I learned that guys like me could pull off startups. I learned that because I’m a coder, I’ve got an advantage over a lot of the guys in the LaunchUp audience. I could take my ideas, prototype them, launch them and become the entrepreneur I wanted to be. I also learned that a lot of the folks in attendance had the sales, marketing and biz dev experience I needed to get my ideas in front of others. I needed to meet all these people. At that first meeting I met Blaine Nielsen, CEO of Doba. Here I was, an engineer by day, rubbing shoulders with guys I looked up to in the valley. LaunchUp is billed as a barn raising for the presenting companies, and this is spot on. However, LaunchUp is also therapy for entrepreneurs that are stuck in mundane corporate jobs too. That was me.
The next 6 months of work were abysmal. Sure I had previous plans to do my own thing. LaunchUp gave me a new found clarity though. Dave and I were full-time with Protoven the first week of September 2009.
Now my job was to be that guy, the “Goto Guy” for our company. I had to find clients. I had to build the foundation that would support our growth plans, and put us on a trajectory to meet our lofty goals.
Oh no! The engineer had to network! I started attending LaunchUp more regularly. My network was growing. Then the opportunity to present our new company, upLynk, was offered while I was at lunch with Jeremy Hanks, the LaunchUp Guy! Of course I wanted to present. I wanted others to kick the tires on this idea. Then I realized I’m an engineer. 2 seconds later I told myself I was a COO and that this was part of the job description. I started out fairly nervous presenting at LaunchUp #15, but then settled down as I started talking about the portion I was really passionate about. How was the response? Absolutely exceeded every expectation I had. I talked to folks from technology to finance. While our seed capital did not end up coming from LaunchUp, I felt very confident during our negotiations knowing we had great options if terms couldn’t be reached. If you’re starting a business anywhere along the Wasatch Front, you should present at LaunchUp.
A few months later I was invited to present the “In the Weeds” talk at LaunchUp #20. I presented along side Dr. Phil Windley, one of my local tech entrepreneur idols. I think he made me the most nervous of anyone in the room. I talked about a quick experience I had while working with a large customer, and how I’m heading off these tangential efforts this time around with upLynk. It was another great opportunity to get up in front of a lot of folks and speak. I was quicker to jump into the “passionate portion” which I’ve learned helps me to calm the nerves and connect with the audience better. For me, it’s about getting in front of a crowd one more time. The more I do that, the more comfortable I feel doing it. I hate doing it, but it is a necessary exercise in order reach my own personal goals.
I still have a lot of hard work and perseverance in front of me, but upLynk is really catching on with everyone we share the story with. We’re focused on lighting up some huge customers this fall. I look forward to the day when I can call upLynk, and myself, a LaunchUp success story.
As of this writing, LaunchUp #21 is scheduled for Thursday, August 4th at Neumont University. I encourage everyone to attend. You never know what it may do for you and your career.
Anticipation (Taken with Instagram at Eagle Summit Park)
The Prize is Mine! (Taken with Instagram at Eagle Summit Park)
Fi will hunt! (Taken with instagram)
For those of you weighing the benefits of an MBA program: join a startup instead.
James Yu Formerly of Scribd
We had the fortunate opportunity to work with ABC Digital on yet another fantastic app. The Oscar Backstage Pass is now available from the App Store for $0.99.
From the App Store Description of the app:
“Get the ultimate insider’s view of Hollywood’s biggest night with Oscar Backstage Pass! The Oscar Backstage Pass app is the perfect companion app to have when you are watching the 83rd Academy Awards® on February 27th. You’ll get access to live streams from exclusive cameras placed throughout the Red Carpet, the Kodak Theatre and the Governors Ball so you can go beyond the tv broadcast and watch more live Oscar action as it’s taking place. With Oscar Backstage Pass you get more stars, more glamour, more of everything you love about the Oscars®! The app is available for iPad, iPhone or iPod touch so you can take it with you wherever you’re watching the Oscars. Don’t miss out on a single moment of Oscar Night® fun! With Oscar Backstage Pass you will enjoy the most interactive Oscar Night experience ever. For more information on how to use the Oscar Backstage Pass app, go to www.oscar.com. You’re Invited. Oscar LIVE SUNDAY FEB 27 8et/5pt on ABC. Oscar Backstage Pass requires an Internet connection and iOS 4+. Camera availability and placement is subject to change.”Download it now and remember, you pay $0.99 only once, and can use it across all your iOS devices that use the same iTunes account.
I’ll be presenting at LaunchUp #15 this Thursday evening at 6:30pm at Noah’s in South Jordan. LaunchUp is akin to a barn raising for startups and entrepreneurs. We’re given 7 minutes to present the problem we solve, how we solve it and most importantly, what we need from the entrepreneurial community to make things happen. We followup with a few minutes of QA. After all the presentations attendees have a chance to sit down with each of the companies and talk more about their company and possibly offer up some of the help the company is looking for. It goes fast, and should be a lot of fun.
I’m actually working double duty that evening. I’ll also be taking part in the tech clinic before the presentations. The tech clinic aims to offer entrepreneurs a chance to sit down with technical folks to discuss implementation of their ideas, and help them inch forward on the technical details of their company.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Learn more about UpLynk.
The Short Version
If you’re willing to pay the “Apple Tax” to get the best technology experience available, then make sure you only deal with Apple directly. Whether it be your friendly neighborhood Apple Store (North Utahns look no further than the Gateway in Salt Lake City) or the online Apple store located at http://store.apple.com, that is the only way to guarantee you get all the benefits you are paying for when buying Apple products.
The Long Version
My dad calls me to tell me he’s going to upgrade his computer. ”But didn’t you just buy that MacBook Pro?” I ask him. After an affirmative answer, I begin to suggest that what he’s really after is a new 27” Apple Cinema Display. I send him to Simply Mac in Orem, Utah, a local reseller, because they can’t possibly botch this sale can they?
Yes, they can, and oh yes, they did.
I wasn’t present when the salesman spotted my Dad entering the store. I wasn’t there when he suggested that my Dad buy an iMac instead because he could give him a great discount… on END OF LIFE hardware. I wasn’t there when my dad claims he was told that everything he was buying was the latest and greatest, but knowing my dad, he would’ve asked this specific question. My mom does own an i7 15” MacBook Pro, for crying out loud.
Christmas eve I head over to inspect the hardware which unfortunately had been pulled out of the box. My brother-in-law, a super smart dude and long time Apple owner, had set the machine up. I was getting ready to copy my mom’s iPhoto Library when I realized her MacBook Pro was running iLife ‘11, while the “NEW” iMac came with iLife ‘09.
I told my folks that we were going to hold off till Monday with the photo copying, call Simply Mac up and I was sure they’d get us a copy of iLife ‘11 free of charge. I was looking past the fact that they sold my parents a Core 2 Duo despite the fact they already own current hardware. I looked past the fact they took advantage of consumers who didn’t know better. I gave them the benefit of the doubt that they would handle their oversight and make things right for my parents.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
My dad asked if I would head down to Orem with him to talk to the salesman at Simply Mac. I said sure, but thought I’d give them a call, explain the situation and then send my dad over to pick up the comlimentary copy of iLife ‘11. I talked to Isaac. We couldn’t find the order, so after a quick call to my dad I called Isaac back to look the order up under my mom’s name. Bingo, we had an order number. I asked him to make my life, and his life easy and give my dad a copy of iLife ‘11. He said, sure come by and grab it for $49.00. I said, “Oh no, I’ll return the hardware, buy a refurb from store.apple.com, and get iLife ‘11 in the box.” That’s when I found out about Simply Mac’s return policy on opened hardware. We could return it for a 15% restocking fee, maybe. Arguably this is End of Life hardware, and under the terms of their policy they could deem it as unsellable, thus also preventing us from returning the box. Rather than deal with Isaac’s short, curt answers concerning my issue any further I told my dad I’d order a copy of iLife ‘11 for him. He’s stuck with the hardware, which arguably, is more than they need anyway. (We started out with my recommending just the display, sigh.) One thing is for certain. When asked about buying a computer I’ll be saying, “Buy a Mac!” like I’ve been doing for years. Only now I’ll clarify, “Buy a Mac, but DO NOT buy it at Simply Mac.”
Don’t waste your time dealing with Simply Mac. Go to the Apple Store where keeping you as a repeat customer outweighs their return policy.
Update 12/28/2010 : Phone Call From Tyler Dickman
After my initial tweet I got a response from Tyler Dickman, who, according to their website, is Director of Operations. We exchanged emails and he called me this morning. We talked through the concerns and he kept telling me that this was providing a “training opportunity” for the company. He offered to get me some software. I told him Amazon would have it on my doorstep before I’d have a chance to get into the store anyway. At this point, he was unable to make it up to me, although he tried. I told him that the most impressive thing for me was him taking the time to give me a call. Time will tell if that’s sufficient enough to get me to shop there ever again.
