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Date: Friday, May 13, 2016
Location: San Francisco

At this Alliance Regional Meeting at the San Francisco Bently Reserve, we were proud to roll out a new presentation format called “Alliance Voices,” which showcased interesting, influential and valuable topics from six of our members. Over the course of sixty minutes of rapid-fire insight, these business leaders delivered 5-minute talks on a topic of their own expertise, each ending with a thoughtful question posed to those in attendance. Video highlights from these presentations can be watched by clicking the blue links below.

First up was Peter Koshland, Founder of Koshland Pharm, who gave a talk titled “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers” in which he presented research and professional experience that underline the importance of staying physically healthy while under the pressure of being CEO. Peter gave concrete advice like avoiding refined sugar, scheduling a daily no-stress activity and getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Next was Chris Mittelstaedt, Founder & CEO of the FruitGuys, who filled the group in on the “5 R’s of Customer Promise.” At the heart of his message was an emphasis on the importance of creating a unifying theory of customer service that is established among all staff. Then came Cat Lincoln, Founder and CEO of Clever Girls Collective. As one of the key masterminds behind the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Batkid viral campaign, Cat had great tips about maximizing the reach of social media content, such as the importance of telling an emotional story, using hashtags and providing concrete ways for people to participate.

The fourth speaker to take the stage was James Kilpatrick, President of NAI Northern California, who gave a talk titled “Motion and Emotion.” A seasoned jiu-jitsu fighter, James urged everyone to gain more control of human emotion and apply the right emotion in the appropriate circumstance. The key, he maintained, is to communicate emotions authentically with both words and body language. The fifth speaker was Ebbe Altberg, CEO of Linden Lab, who delivered a scintillating preview of the future of virtual reality (VR). With consumer VR already taking off, Ebbe looks forward to a future in which VR will impact nearly everything from health, education and commerce to business, communication and socializing. Finally, Lisa Dyson, CEO of Kiverdi, educated the crowd with a presentation called “The New Carbon Currency” in which she presented promising research that might one day allow us to consume excess carbon as nutritious food. Imagine that!

Condensing years’ worth of insight and expertise into a 5-minute presentation is no small feat. Certainly, there was no shortage of talent and knowledge in the room. We greatly appreciate our members’ willingness to share their stories and we look forward to hearing the voices of other Alliance members in the near future.