The Spirit To Innovate Is Not Dying

Let's face it, the downturn in the economy and the fear and trepidation that has hit everyone from Wall Street to Main Street is real.

No matter how much we keep hoping for good news, the headlines every day sing about more layoffs, shady payola dealing in Corporate America and sketchy government bailouts (can our elected officials do anything without stuffing it full of earmarks and bogus programs? Even when crisis is looming our loony Congress still pads important legislation with crap - but that is a whole other topic!).

Pessimists seem to have taken control and it is not making anybody feel good about the future. But as my 94-year-old father points out from his year of experience..."Every bust has been followed by a boom!".

Earlier this week I read a great blog post by a Colorado Venture Capitalist, Brad Feld. He too had had enough of the pessimism in the news (specifically about the venture capital industry).

His post was titled "I'm A Venture Optimist" and he rolled his eyes at the naysayers in the venture industry and noted that VC's are part of the business ecosystem and are here to stay. He knows there will be a shake out for some in his industry, but he is there to stay.

He had a great line when he said "In the mean time I don’t see an endpoint to the human animal’s desire to innovate". Amen. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, in good times and in bad. Our spirit to innovate is not dying!

Last night's Austin Tech Happy Hour was proof. Sure, there were people there looking for jobs. Layoffs happen. But there was as sense of optimism in the room of over 300 local professionals. Entrepreneurs, VC's, Deal Makers, Innovators, Knowledge Providers, Programmers, Marketers, Sales Professionals, Recruiters and many others were all there looking to help move the world forward.

When our desire to innovate and create dies, it is "game over". Sitting around waiting for a bail out never made anyone rich. I believe we will get through these rough economic times and that the future is still amazing for those who want to be part of it.

Have A Great Day.

thom