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 World: Social, 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 Speaker: A 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)