Top 10 reasons to attend MiniTrends 2013 – Oct 2-3, Austin, TX

September 26, 2013

1: Get 1/2 off by registering now! Limited number of passes. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we have a limited number of 1/2 price passes to MiniTrends 2013 Conference & Master Workshop. Use Code  “SuperHalfOff” while they last! For maximum savings, combine with Early Bird Special which ends tomorrow, Sept 26, at 11:55 pm and attend MiniTrends 2013Conference (Oct 2) for $148 or the Conference & Master Workshop (Oct 2-3) for $173. Prices for Non-profits, Academic, Government, and Students are even lower.

2: Listen to Outstanding Keynote Speakers.

—Jani Byrne, Ph.D. is Director, Marketing – Global Mid-Market, MSP, and Enterprise at IBM. A visionary who marries deep technological innovations and insights with a profound understanding of human and market psychology… an extraordinarily passionate thought-leader who can also simply “get stuff done.” Jani is our morning keynote speaking on “The Next Generation IT Innovations and What’s In It ForYou.” —Gary Hoover is Founder, CEO, Chief Game Designer at Bigwig Games, Inc.; Entrepreneurship Teacher, Hoover Institute; Entrepreneur-in-Residence, School of Information, The University of Texas. He is renowned for founding BOOKSTOP, the leading-edge book superstore that revolutionized the nature of bookshopping, and Hoover’s, the world’s largest Internet-based provider of information about enterprises. Gary’s afternoon keynote is “Making a Difference Through Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Leadership.” —John H. Vanston, Ph.D., MiniTrends Conference Chair, Founder and Chairman of Technology Futures, Inc. (celebrating it’s 35th year), and author of the award winning book, MINITRENDS, kicks off the Conference with “The Importance of MiniTrends and Seven Ways You Can Find Them.”  Other presentations include “Becoming a MiniTrends Master,” and “Planning Your MiniTrends Success.”

3: Great Networking Opportunities.  Meet, mingle, network, and share ideas with speakers and other innovative and entrepreneurial-minded individuals during continental breakfasts, break out groups, breaks, discussions, provided lunch, and the MiniTrends 2013 reception overlooking beautiful Lady Bird Lake. See what all the excitement is about! Watch the video and hear what our MiniTrends 2012 Conference attendees say!! 4: Meet Inspiring Featured Speakers. At the MiniTrends Conference (October 2)

–Jeffrey Fry, Principal, Help Find Care; Chief Executive, Profit Prophet; Director/CMO, MainGain; Executive Director, Firefly Funds; Executive Director, SHINE Night; President, SEDA RICO, LLC. Jeffrey will present “Detecting 10 MiniTrends Using a Tachyon Field.”  –Tarja Meristö, Corporate Futurist, Principal Lecturer at Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland. Tarja will present “Exploiting Trends for the Future – Finnish Experiences.” At the MiniTrends Master Workshop (October 3)

—Steve Pearson, Lead Strategist, Founder, The Pearson Strategy Group, “Monitoring Your MiniTrends for Success.” –Carrie Vanston, MiniTrends 2013 Conference Director and Media and Marketing Director, Technology Futures, Inc., “Where MiniTrends Hide: Eight Information Sources.”  –Lawrence Vanston, Ph.D. , President, Technology Futures, Inc., “Analyzing MiniTrends: Drivers & Constraints” 5: Meet and listen to expert panelists discussing how profit and social good combine for the good of all stakeholders. Expert Panel One: The Integration of Profit and Social Responsibility

–(Moderator) Ty Rarick, Founder/CEO TSR Consulting –Amy George, Founder/CEO, Blue Avocado –Elijah May, Chief Brand Officer & Host, SocialGood.TV –Cristián Méndez Sâbre, Chief Marketing Officer, Verb Inc.— Dell Education Challenge and Dell Empowering Women Challenge –Joy Stoddard, Development & Outreach Director, Whole Foods Foundationat Whole Foods Market 6: Visit with representatives of our sponsor/partners who share our vision and have helped develop and ensure the success of MiniTrends 2013.

7: Learn how other organizations are being profitable while also being socially responsible. Expert Panel Two: Taking the Plunge: What you can learn from those who have initiated successful value-driven businesses

–(Moderator) Steve Pearson, Lead Strategist, Founder, The Pearson Strategy Group –Andre Angel, Co-founder/CEO at TangoTab; Co-Founder/Chairman, WorkMeter; Co-founder, Servoyant, LLC; Co-Founder/Chairman, CODEKKO Software –Jeffrey Fry, Principal, Help Find Care; Chief Executive, Profit Prophet; Director/CMO, MainGain; Executive Director, Firefly Funds; Executive Director, SHINE Night; President, SEDA RICO, LLC; –Christopher Justice, Chief Executive Officer at Sparksight, Inc.–Stacy Zoern, CEO, Community Cars (Kengura “drive from wheelchair” vehicles)

8: Join in fun group and individual exercises that help you create ideas and provide opportunities to follow your bliss! Individual and group activities at the MiniTrends 2013 Conference & Master Workshopwill help you generate ideas, consider their potential as MiniTrends, develop partnerships, and leave with actionable plans. 9: Hear how and where innovators and entrepreneurs like yourself can get advice and assistance for translating your ideas into successful and satisfying endeavors. Expert Panel Three: Help is Here: How and where you can get advice and assistance for translating an uncovered minitrend into a successful, value-driven business opportunity

–(Moderator) Vicki Flaugher, Digital Strategist, Speaker, and Author of “Famous in Your Niche: Building Your Digital Celebrity For Fun and Profit.” –Bijoy Goswami, Cofounder & Evangelist at ATX Equation, The Bootstrap, Aviri Consulting; Founder/Organizer, Bootstrap Network; CEO, Aviri Inc. –Joy Miller, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, City of Austin Small Business Development Program –Eve Richter, VP of Community & Partnerships, door64; Executive Director at Austin Economic Club

11: Bonus!! A chance to enjoy beautiful Austin Texas! Our MiniTrends 2013 meeting and reception will overlook beautiful Lady Bird Lake. The Holiday Inn Austin Town Lake (800-593-5676) is in a wonderful location to experience Austin’s major attractions. The hotel has direct access to the lake’s hike & bike trails and is a mile from Austin’s famous 6th Street entertainment district.

Again, get ½ off by registering today!! Use Code “SuperHalfOff” while they last! For maximum savings, combine with Early Bird Special which ends tomorrow, Sept 26, at 11:55 pm and attend MiniTrends 2013 Conference (Oct 2) for $148 or the Conference & Master Workshop (Oct 2-3) for $173. Prices for Non-profits, Academic, and Government are $98 and $123, and Students $45 and $53. Early bird ends 9/26, but 1/2 off discount good until event starts or special passes are gone. Day 1: MiniTrends 2013 Conference Wed., Oct. 2, 8:30 am-5:30 pm followed by reception (lunch provided)  Day 1 & 2: MiniTrends 2013 Conference & Master Workshop Wed., Oct. 2, 8:30 am-5:30 pm followed by reception (lunch provided) and Thurs., Oct 3, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm Contact TFI at info@tfi.com or (512) 258-8898 or visit Minitrends 2013 for more information.

Oct. 2-3: MiniTrends 2013: The Integration of Profit & Social Responsibility

June 21, 2013

Second Annual MiniTrends Conference

MiniTrends 2013: The Integration of Profit & Social Responsibility

October 2-3, Holiday Inn Town Lake, Austin, Texas

Discover, Profit, Do Good!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013
8:30 am – 5:30 pm, Reception 5:30 – 7:15 pm

You CAN be profitable and socially responsible. This event exposes that sweet spot where new and established businesses can find the tools and directional choices to profit and inspire themselves and their employees in whatever their line of business.

Join us in Austin, the place Forbes’ calls the “Best Big City for Jobs,” to listen and participate as all-star business leaders and forward thinkers reveal how to start new ventures and grow established organizations leveraging MiniTrends.

By understanding MiniTrends—emerging trends that will soon become important, but not yet widely recognized—you will discover effective ways to balance capitalism with complementary social values and philanthropy in your business.

Find out what future trends and convergences are on the horizon and, of equal importance, how you can find profitable emerging trends of your own integrated with socially responsible values.

Austin is an exciting, growing entrepreneurial hub that offers a culture built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and caring. What better place to find out how you, too, can develop a Minitrends Mindset!

You Should Attend if You are a Value-Driven:

• Entrepreneur wishing to identify, assess, and exploit attractive new business opportunities
• Decision Making Executive, Director, Manager, or in a Small or Mid-Size Business wanting to gain advantage by recognizing and utilizing emerging trends
• Innovative Thinking Executive, Director, Manager, or Professional in a Larger Business aspiring to distinguish yourself by your special insights and perceptiveness
• Investor interested in uncovering attractive new investment opportunities
• Job Seeker wishing to define employment opportunities

What You will Gain:

• A creative mind-set and resources for finding and taking advantage of emerging trends and opportunities relating to your own area of expertise and interest.
• An understanding of how to integrate profit and socially responsible purpose and value in your business.
• A preview of MiniTrends that thought leaders see developing.
• Experience from innovative leaders sharing how they use emerging trends to start new ventures or grow established organizations for profit with attention to all stakeholders.
• Tactics to identify untapped business opportunities from converging trends in the business and social arenas.
• Interaction with speakers and fellow participants to learn, mix, and share ideas.
• Strategy and insights to create or grow your organization and, in the process, find your bliss.
• An opportunity to enjoy the Live Music Capital of the World!

Post-Conference Methods MiniTrends Workshop (Optional)

MiniTrends Workshop: How to Discover & Profit From Emerging Trends

Thursday, October 3, 2013, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Go the next step to starting your own MiniTrends Adventure by attending this excellent applications workshop. In this session, we discuss basic MiniTrends principles and participants have hands-on opportunities to find, analyze, and profit from emerging trends that also offer a socially responsible aspect. Participants leave with a solid basis for developing their own “Minitrends Mindset.”

MiniTrends Workshop BONUS!! Copy of award-winning book MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.

To encourage you to attend this valuable post-conference half-day workshop, we are offering it at an exceptionally low price! Only $75 early bird for general admission attendees! ($100 after Sept. 1.)

___________________

Free MiniTrends RISE Conference Session – Austin, TX, Tues., May 14, 4-5:30 pm

May 10, 2013

RISE Conference 

Presents a free session with

MiniTrends: How to Discover & Profit From Business & TechnologyTrends

In this presentation, award winning author Dr. John H. Vanston, Chairman, and Carrie Vanston, Marketing Director, Technology Futures, Inc. discuss MiniTrends — the concept that helps you find and act on great ideas by inspiring a creative mindset and providing a practical process for discovering and exploiting emerging trends that will become significantly important within 2-5 years.

Attendees learn and practice:

• How and where to search for MiniTrends.
• How to evaluate the business attractiveness of a MiniTrend.
• How to develop an effective MiniTrend Exploitation Scheme.
• How to turn the scheme into a profitable business opportunity.

You should attend if you are:

• An Entrepreneur wishing to identify, assess, and exploit attractive new business opportunities.
• An Executive, Director, Manager, or Professional seeking to take advantage of important emerging trends.
• An Innovative Thinker interested in gaining recognition for originality and perceptiveness.
• An Investor interested in uncovering attractive new investment opportunities.
• A Job Seeker wishing to define emerging employment possibilities.

Participants will leave with a solid basis for developing their own “MiniTrends Mindset.”

The presentation is based on John’s more than 30 years of experience in identifying and applying technical, social, and business trends and the book MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends authored by John and Carrie.

Sign Up for the RISE MiniTrends Session Now!

Directions: Go north on Hwy 183, take the Lake Creek Blvd. exit and do a u-turn under 183, go a short distance and turn right into the Lake Creek Office Complex (just past Chase bank). You will run directly into the meeting room building which is in the center of the complex. Meeting room entrance is on the left side of the building. (Note: there are 2-3 steps at the entrance of the building.)

RISE is a non-profit program whose cornerstone is its annual “un-conference” — scheduled May 13-17 this year — in which seasoned entrepreneurs and experts volunteer to host small-group sessions on any topic of their choice at any location of their choice throughout Austin. Sessions are free and limited to 25 to promote a highly collaborative experience.

MiniTrends 2012 Conference – Thanks for Making it a Success!

November 15, 2012

Thank you to all who supported and attended MiniTrends 2012: A Conference on Translating Emerging Trends into Business Opportunities on October 17-18 in Austin, Texas! We enjoyed interacting with everyone and appreciated the contagious enthusiasm. The speakers were fantastic, the synergy between attendees exciting, and the overall response great. Now let’s build on it!

We want to give special thanks to all of our outstanding speakers. A special shout-out goes to our Keynotes John Vanston, David Pearce Snyder, and Bryan Reese whose excellent presentations provided the structure of the conference. Please spread the word on their speaking talents and availability.

Let’s use the new LinkedIn MiniTrends Group to continue to network and keep the energy going until MiniTrends 2013. Please feel free to share thoughts from the conference and your own minitrends, experiences, and resources. (We may plan a MiniTrends networking and/or educational event or two before the next conference to keep the momentum going.)

We also welcome you to “like” us on our Facebook Page. We will be posting pictures of the conference, luncheon, and reception soon.

Please let us know of any progress you make with minitrends that you might uncover and take advantage of, particularly those using concepts from MiniTrends 2012 and the MINITRENDS book. Feel free to send us your ideas and progress or participate in our social media avenues. We are always looking for good examples, and if we use your minitrend, we’ll be sure to give you credit!

Again, thank you for all those who attended and supported MiniTrends 2012.  We are looking forward to staying in touch with you until MiniTrends 2013 and welcoming some newcomers, too!

MiniTrends 2012 Conference – Tomorrow – Oct. 17-18, Austin, TX

October 16, 2012

MiniTrends 2012 Conference – Only Five Days Left – Oct. 17-18, Austin, TX

October 12, 2012

Age of Imagination With MiniTrends – GigaOm Blog – Dr. John Vanston

October 6, 2012

Dr. John Vanston guest blog’s on GigaOm: “In the Age of Information, Small Trends have Big Impacts.” Image “future1” courtesy of GigaOm. Used under Creative Commons license.

Dr. John Vanston is giving a great opening presentation at MiniTrends 2012: A Conference on Translating Emerging Trends into Business Opportunities entitled “Succeeding in the Age of Imagination with Minitrends.” John gives a preview of the talk in his GigaOm guest blog In the Age of Information, Small Trends have Big Impacts.  We highly suggest you read it.

MiniTrends 2012 Conference – Early Registration Ends Today

October 3, 2012

BONUS!!! All participants will receive the award-winning book MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.

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

Wednesday, October 17, 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. & Thursday, October 18, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. followed by conference reception until 7:15 p.m.

Early Registration: Only $395.00 until October 3 (then $495.00)

MiniTrends 2012 – Early Registration Ends Oct 3 – Register Now

September 28, 2012

Discover, Analyze, Profit! Longtime Austin-based Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI) is hosting an important conference, MiniTrends 2012: A Conference on Translating Emerging Trends into Business Opportunities, on October 17-18, 2012 at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown, Austin, Texas. Early Registration ends Wednesday, October 3!

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary price for a conference with such an exceptional depth and breadth of speaker talent. Register now before the October 3 Early Registration deadline and save $100!

Twenty all-star business leaders and forward thinkers will discuss how you can start new ventures and grow established organizations through attention to MiniTrends–emerging trends that will soon become important, but are not yet widely recognized. Find out what future trends and convergences they see on the horizon and, just as importantly, how you can find profitable emerging trends of your own.

Fun and entrepreneurial-spirited Austin offers the ideal location for entrepreneurs, decision makers, innovative thinkers, investors, and job seekers to learn and network with others, while finding strategies and insights to create or grow their organization or find new avenues for job skills.

The regular price of $495 is a steal for a conference of this caliber, but with Early Registration by October 3, you pay only $395. (Promotional box is immediately above big “Register” button.)

In addition to our many other exceptional speakers, our Keynote Speakers are:

• Award-winning author and and Chairman of TFI Dr. John Vanston showing how to use MiniTrends to succeed in the “Age of Imagination”
• World-renowned Futurist David Pearce Snyder introducing the “New Normal” and its opportunities in the decade ahead
• High-tech trailblazer Byron Reese, CIO at Demand Media, assuring us that emerging trends will bring a “Golden Age of Humanity”

BONUS!!! In addition to information, ideas, and insights to participants for discovering, analyzing, and profiting from minitrends, all participants will receive the award-winning book MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.

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

Wednesday, October 17, 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. & Thursday, October 18, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. followed by conference reception until 7:15 p.m.

Early Registration: Only $395.00 until October 3 (then $495.00)

MiniTrends 2012 Conference – Early Registration Extended – Downtown Austin, Oct. 17-18

September 21, 2012

We are pleased to extend our Early Registration until Oct. 3 for MINITRENDS 2012: A Conference on Translating Emerging Trends into Business Opportunities scheduled Oct. 17-18 at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown!

Come join us in Downtown Austin to hear twenty distinguished business leaders and forward thinkers discuss how to start new ventures or grow established organizations through attention to MiniTrends–emerging trends that will soon become important, but are not yet widely recognized. Find out what future trends and convergences they see on the horizon and how you can find profitable emerging trends of your own!

With its entrepreneurial and fun spirit, Austin is the ideal place for entrepreneurs, decision makers, innovative thinkers, investors, and/or job seekers to find strategies and insights to create or grow their own organization or find new avenues for job skills.

Our schedule and list of distinguished speakers keeps growing. Some highlights of the schedule include:

• Dr. John Vanston, Chairman, Technology Futures, Inc., showing how to use MiniTrends to succeed in the “Age of Imagination.”
• World-renowned Futurist introducing the “New Normal” and the opportunities in the decade ahead
• High-tech trailblazer Byron Reese, CIO at Demand Media, assuring us that emerging trends will bring a coming “Golden Age of Humanity.
• Entrepreneur Andy Fish discussing about how his new venture, Formula Austin LLC, is taking Austin by storm by plugging visitors into Austin’s culture and business scene during the U.S. Formula One Grand Prix, now here in Austin.
• Dr. Luis Medina, CEO, Tech BA describing how Mexican and other international technology companies define and successfully implement their business plan to enter the US market.
• Lani Rosales, popular blogger and COO of hit online magazine AGBeat.com sharing trends that offer great opportunities in the business and social media arenas.
• Rick Smyre, discussing innovative new trends in governance, economic development, leadership, and education/learning inherent in his growing Communities of the Future program.
• David Smith, CEO, HBMG, outlining important technology trends of the future.
• Dr. Peter Zandan, Global Vice Chairman of Hill+Knowlton and Angel Investor, gives the ins and outs of investing from his perspective.
• Several other inspiring speakers assisting attendees in launching their own innovative and profitable “MiniTrend Adventures.”

Come and learn how you too can launch your our MiniTrend Adventure! And please help spread the word to those you think would benefit from this important future trends conference. (See below for share icons that send out this page to your social media contacts. Visit share this for possible text.)

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