SEVERE
Severe, a premier salon night in the Bay Area, marked the genesis of my methodology. Originating as a think tank and event production company, I was dedicated to reshaping the cultural landscape. Our salons emerged as pivotal forums for entrepreneurs to turn unorthodox ideas into profitable ventures. As a trend architect and media analyst, I mastered the art of engaging with avant-garde subcultures by skillfully transitioning from participant to researcher. My time in the field led to me giving talks at conferences like SXSW and Future Frontiers, centering on a concept I called Optimized Volatility; a method that quantified, classified, and leveraged chaos as a catalyst for growth.
PROBLEM
Entrepreneurs with cutting-edge ideas and creative ways of expressing themselves often face challenges in gaining visibility and transforming their concepts into profitable enterprises. At the same time, venture capitalists and investors struggle with market volatility as they try tapping into cutting-edge markets. This impedes the progress of bold ideas that possess immense potential for scalable growth.
solution
My solution involved establishing a think tank dedicated to identifying like-minded creatives, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and investors. This think tank and salon night became known as Severe. We created salon nights where people could network and give live talks, refining their ideas amidst the creative chaos. My focus centered on distinguishing positive volatility from negative volatility, pushing the boundaries while contributing to growth of the system. This was achieved through comprehensive market analysis, encompassing trend reports, case studies, and direct salon feedback.
STRATEGY
As a futurist immersed in the realm of strategic foresight, I began consulting with stakeholders and engaging with consumers from Trigger Warning and INSTED, my previous ventures. Leveraging my extensive networks in media and technology, I defined a clear trajectory of growth for creative entrepreneurs and artists. Drawing upon my own experiences in these fields, I developed the methodology that would later become the bedrock of Severe and my personal strategy. This strategy was designed to not only optimize volatility but anticipate and shape industry trends, enabling us to navigate the ever-evolving landscape with precision and foresight.
EXECUTION
The execution of Severe began with salon nights, where I hosted panels for entrepreneurs and investors to discuss technology, art, philosophy, and consciousness, engaging the audience in a dynamic Q&A. These events, strategic in their curation, brought together a diverse mix of thinkers, creators, and investors for collaboration and idea exchange. This environment not only nurtured groundbreaking entrepreneurial projects but also served as a practical testing ground for my Optimized Volatility methodology. These salon nights were pivotal in creating a new sector of creative entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, providing a platform for them to fund their ventures amidst an atmosphere of creative chaos.
