Schedule

MiniTrends 2012: A Conference on Translating Emerging Trends into Business Opportunities

October 17-18, 2012, Omni Austin Hotel, Downtown, Austin, TX

Final Schedule

DAY ONE: Wednesday, October 17, 2012

1:30–2:20 pm
Succeeding in the Age of Imagination with Minitrends: How you can use a MiniTrends Mindset to imaginatively take advantage of the enormous, ever-increasing volume of information available to all.
—Dr. John Vanston, Chairman, Technology Futures, Inc.; Author, MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends

2:20–3:20 pm
Opening Keynote Speaker: Welcome to the “New Normal”—A Strategic Assessment of the Next Ten Years
—David Pearce Snyder, Consulting Futurist, The Snyder Family Enterprise; Contributing Editor, The Futurist

3:20–3:40 pm
Networking Break

3:40–4:35 pm
Expert Panel One: Scanning the MiniTrends WorldSocial, business, and technical trends that can help you target your minitrends searches.

Vicki @Smartwoman Flauger, Digital Strategist, Speaker, and Author of “Famous in Your Niche: Building Your Digital Celebrity For Fun and Profit.”
—Christopher Justice, Chief Executive Officer at Sparksight, Inc.; Founder, Justice Pest Services  
David Smith, CEO, HBMG Inc.  
—Dr. Lawrence Vanston, President, Technology Futures, Inc.

4:35–5:30 pm
A Practical Exercise for Uncovering Attractive MiniTrends
—Carrie Vanston, Mkt./Media Director, Technology Futures, Inc.; Co-Author, MINITRENDS
Conference Participants

DAY TWO: Thursday, October 18, 2012

8:30–9:10 am
How and Where to Search for MiniTrends: Approaches and sources for finding minitrends for new ventures and established organizations.
—Dr. John Vanston, Chairman, Technology Futures, Inc.; Author, MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends

9:10–10:05 am
Expert Panel Two: Taking the Plunge: What you can learn from those who have initiated or helped initiate new ventures.

Wayne Caswell, Founder & Senior Editor, Modern Health Talk, LLC, Founder & Principal Consultant, CAZITech Consulting
Andy Fish, President, Formula Austin, LLC; President and CEO, LISA – Legislative Information Services of America
Dr. Luis Medina, CEO, TechBA – an Initiative of the Government of Mexico partnering with the IC2 Institute of The University of Texas
Charles Studor, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Briggo, Inc.

10:05–10:20 am
Networking Break

10:20–10:45 am
Featured Speaker:
Early Discovery of Attractive MiniTrends: How you can identify minitrend precursors.

Rick Smyre, President, Center for Communities of the Future; Owner, Strategic Concepts, Inc

10:45 am–11:40 am
Expert Panel Three: Keeping the Fire Hot: 
How you can maintain a MiniTrends Mindset in a growing organization.

Michael Bettersworth, Associate Vice Chancellor for Technology Advancement, Texas State Technical College (TSTC)
—Christopher Justice, Chief Executive Officer at Sparksight, Inc.; Founder, Justice Pest Services  

11:40-12:00 pm
Featured Speaker: Evaluating an Identified MiniTrend: 
Determining the value of a minitrend to you and your organization.
—Dr. Lawrence Vanston, President, Technology Futures, Inc.

12:00–1:00 pm Lunch (Provided)

1:00–1:50 pm
Keynote SpeakerA More Perfect World: Emerging Trends and the Coming Golden Age of Humanity
Byron Reese, Chief Innovation Officer, Demand Media; Author, Infinite Progress: How Technology and the Internet Will End Ignorance, Disease, Hunger, Poverty, and War

1:50–2:45 pm Expert Panel Four: Help is Here: How and where you can get advice and assistance for translating an uncovered minitrend into a successful business opportunity.
Tina Cannon,
Joy Miller, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, City of Austin Small Business Development Program
Kat Mandelstein, Director of Social Business, PwC; President, Austin Chapter of Social Media Club
Dr. Peter Zandan, Angel Investor; Global Vice Chairman at Hill + Knowlton, Board member at Next Big Sound, Inc., Investor at Klout, Sr. Advisor at Public Strategies Inc., Sr. Advisor/Chairman at EarthSky

2:45–3:00 pm
Networking Break

 

3:00–3:25
Featured Speaker: Exogenous Factors Impacting MiniTrends: How you can identify and evaluate factors that may support or hinder successful application of a minitrend
Professor August E. (“Augie”) Grant, 

 

3:25–4:15 pm
Fitting it All Together: 
How you can integrate the information, the insight, and ideas presented in this conference to assist you in taking advantage of the MiniTrend Concept.
—Speakers and Participants

4:15–5:00 pm
Making Your Own Personal MiniTrend Action Plan
—Moderator: David Pearce Snyder, Consulting Futurist, The Snyder Family Enterprise; Contributing Editor, The Futurist
—Participants

5:00–5:30 pm
Becoming a MiniTrends Master: How you can “Follow your Bliss” by launching your own MiniTrends Adventure.
Dr. John H. Vanston, Chairman, Technology Futures, Inc.; Author, MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends

5:45–7:15 pm
Conference Reception (on site at Omni Downtown)

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