The Future of Living

Diane Mulcahy (@dianemulcahy, TW) wrote the book on The Gig Economy. Literally. As the author of The Gig Economy Diane is keenly tuned into the future of work, how it will affect the way we live and the economic revolution it is ushering in. All of which Diane dives into in this conversation.

Before Influencer Marketing was a thing Chris Detert (@ChrisDetert) was leveraging the power of celebrity to build brands like Petit Trésor, Von Dutch, Kasil Jeans and dozens more. These days Detert is the Chief Communications Officer at Influential and is mixing in the power of IBM Watson to build brands and influence consumer trends.

Austen Allred (@austenallred, TW) believes higher education has it all backward. Students shouldn’t be investing in the school, the school should be investing in the institution. With that core belief, he co-founded Lambda School to pioneer a new model for higher education and find untapped or underutilized talent and train them for the most in-demand jobs in the world: computer science. Lambda School strives to make entry into the computer science fields more accessible than ever.

When it comes to the Internet of Things, Daniel Herscovici (@DanHerscovici) believes consumers want integrated experiences rather than individual devices. This isn’t a surprise from someone whose personal mission statement starts with Balancing vision and force of will with the ability to partner is what separates the good from the great. Herscovici is recognized as a leader in the Smart Home, IoT, and digital transformation.

Luke Norris (@norrisluke) believes that if leveraged properly, smart technology and data can be used by governments for more than reporting potholes. As Managing Dir. of Strategy & Government Relations for Open Cities, Norris works to facilitate more efficient communication between citizens and government. This convo focuses on the importance of providing better data to citizens, smart technology for affordable housing, and why user-centered design must be used to build better cities and neighborhoods.

Rob Martens (@schlagefuturist) is a legit Futurist. He uses his in-depth knowledge of technology and how it works to look at the big picture and determine how that tech will most benefit people going about their day in the real world. He spends his days looking for patterns and associations in tech advancements, identifying trends and determining how they can be applied to everyday people to make their lives easier.

Joe Colistra believes in the power of community and that if we could share more meaningful data, instead of trying to steal it, we might see advancements beyond our wildest imaginations. Colistra is uniquely interested in merging new technology into senior living communities. An area often ignored. This conversation covers a lot of ground, from floors equipped with accelerometers, to the potential of population health data.

Despite reports of urban growth, Americans are still spreading out into suburban, ex-urban, and rural communities. Kevin Honomichl sees both big challenges and opportunities for the future of mobility and connectivity in these communities. Honomichl is President of BHC RHODES, a civil engineering and surveying firm headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas that he co-founded in 1992. He is active in community planning roles, university development activities, and serves on the City Council of DeSoto, KS.

Nick Bowden (@njbowden) believes Smart Cities should and can be more than just a network of sensors. Bowden has spent his entire career at the intersection of cities and technology. From public servant to tech company founder, he has seen the impact of technology on and in cities from all perspectives. Most recently, Nick joined Sidewalk Labs, an Alphabet company, to help build Replica, a product designed to change the way cities monitor and plan for transportation and land use.

Andrew Thomas (@andrewthomas) sees a massive paradigm shift in the making. Things like the blockchain will not only make our connected lives more secure but also more accountable. He hopes that this shift will give way to greater diversity in technology leadership, rather than the patriarchy that runs things currently.

The average commuter in Los Angeles spends over 100 hours a year in traffic. Ashley Z. Hand creates solutions for big problems just like this. She is a co-founder of the urban change management network CityFi, where she advises cities and the private sector on a more human-centered approach to smart cities. Previously, Ashley served as the Transportation Technology Strategist for the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation where she authored Urban Mobility in a Digital Age.