Koya's next career move... the making of a mogul? (1 Viewer)

[jon_mx]

I would worry about spreading yourself a bit thin.  You have way too much on your plate.  

 

[Johnny Rock]

Glad you're feeling better. Hope all this doesn't add even more stress when the adrenaline high wears off a bit  

Using the Chamber of Commerce in the tag line might be frowned upon. Frame it without that in your elevator pitch. 

 

[[scooter]]

Already jotting a lot of #### down for two working titles"

From SUBurb to SUPurb - The re-invention of Suburbia in the innovation era.

"Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such educational books as..."

 

[Koya]

1. Forming a political action committee here on Long Island - back burner for now

2. Starting a Chamber of Commerce for the Innovation Sector - working to relaunch exisitng 501c3 ive worked with in past that had similar mission, possible release of manufacturing on LI white paper written by former aide to governors at conference we'd co-host with largest shared workspace/tech incubator in region.

3 & 4. Building a business with partners across the country to assist municipalities in strategic planning and execution for downtown / urban revitalization - My primary focus right now. Have assembled, quite literally, a world class team that expands beyond just downtown revitalization though thats still a key component.  Its a collaborative of the top practitioners in the fields of urban planning and design, land use and development, transportation and mobility, infrastructure and policy.  Four core members, about 8 on board for the effort in total. Looking to formalize LLC. in near future as we finalize a biz plan and resolve structural and ownership while tweaking vision, mission, value prop and messaging along with creating a realistic budget.  We all gathered two weeks ago from DC from as far as LA and Texas for the pivotal first (and hopefully not last) meeting and it went very well garnering a lot of buy in from very well respected and established folks / firms.

Will likely do a fair amount of work with large metropolitan / regional governmental agencies, economic development corporations and possibly state level work in addition to cities and downtown work as originally anticipated. Three potential clients so far, one of whom is international work (developing Caribbean Island). 

5. Taking on a couple clients on my own (Communications and Community Engagement) met with a bunch of folks. little local stuff honestly seems to much work for too little return and too many petty induced headaches. been focusing on building the new business

6. Working with GWU on a paid basis to assist in their research of urban/suburban economics ended up volunteering my work in thanks to their chair, who has been especially gracious to me business wise. ended up there was not much needed to be done anyway in the end, so the at the time honest and magnanimous offer got me nice mileage anyway i suppose. was to be a short term gig anyway and the report is still on schedule to be released so i may need to jump in at some point in a minor role

7. Writing a couple books to lay groundwork for speaking tour down the line ive done some outlines, notes and actually a bit of writing, but been way too focused on the other stuff that could actually you know, make me money

So, Im 3-4 weeks out from my final surgery. Will be a year since I began to really get sick and get diagnosed with divirticulitis that spurred all this madness about eschewing a very nice contract and payday (and the stress and awful work and life environment it subjected me to, in large part leading to said illness) to step out on my own.

So far Ive managed to balance keeping my current job at about 50% pay and time (without 12-15 hour days as the norm and at times more) while making a ton of progress putting together a new business concept that I believe can really create positive impact on the world while providing potential short term financial solvency and longer term big upside.

I still hope to find a way long term to retain a strong working relationship with my existing employer, and believe that's possible as the dust settles. The reality is that I can be tremendously valuable to their growth plans even when focused on my new business effort (they can/should complement one another where we all benefit), but only so long as the terms are amenable to me and my new partners to the extent they / my new partnership is directly involved.

ANYhoo, update on the grand plans above. Trying to get a number of things settled by months end, have a client and prospecting trip to Salt Lake and Dallas with one of my new partners the last week of the month and staying the weekend in Dallas with wife flying in on Fri to stay at one of my best friends place.

Back that Sunday, rest up and watch fireworks, then surgery hopefully July 7 or so. 4-6 weeks recovery and healed up in time to take over the world come September when the world restarts from its summer lull.

 

[bueno]

Now, the biz.

1. Forming a political action committee here on Long Island - FORMED AND REGISTERED WITH STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.  I will be announcing the effort, called the Invest in Long Island Political Action Committee at an event next week where two of our local congressmen will be. Mission, vision, website and banner will be finished before that event which is Wednesday morning.

2. Starting a Chamber of Commerce for the Innovation Sector - Reserved ChamberofInnovation.org (and .com). But this will need to wait a few weeks for me to pay attention. Probably get focused on this after my next surgery so, maybe a summer getting it together and launch in september.

3 & 4. Building a business with partners across the country to assist municipalities in strategic planning and execution for downtown / urban revitalization - A ton of progress here.  One guy with an established practice in the field is flying to me in NY from LA at his expense next week. Going to finalize  the business plan/strategy, going to identify opportunities and get going.  Have had great chats with one of the nations leading urban planning firms founders, a very well respected transportation, infrastructure and public private partnership guy and a number of others. Within a month will hopefully have identified at least one real opportunity to pursue as a project / client as these partners might know of some already for which this approach would work. 

5. Taking on a couple clients on my own (Communications and Community Engagement) -  www.3BLStrategies.com and the 3BL Umbrella (Triple Bottom Line, social, environmental and econoimc responsibility) already have put out feelers, could get some contract work and have already been invited to speak at a couple major conferences so we are off and running. The full suite:

3BLStrategies.com

3BLCommunications.com

3BLDevelopment.com 

6. Working with GWU on a paid basis to assist in their research of urban/suburban economics - Looks like this may actually become a paid gig in a few weeks as they want someone who knows the local market to work with them on a huge study about the economics of placemaking (and trying to determine a measure for social and environmental measures as well) and land use in the pespective of walkable more urban areas as compared to only driveable, suburban ones.

7. Writing a couple books to lay groundwork for speaking tour down the line

Already jotting a lot of #### down for two working titles"

From SUBurb to SUPurb - The re-invention of Suburbia in the innovation era.

Terms of (Public) Engagement - How to utilize comprehensive engagement and crowdsourcing strategies to build a community of support for transformative economic development through placemaking (or, how to get a Yes Vote in the Land of No.)

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!!  ALL THIS PLUS...

I am well on the way to putting together a team for some local development oppportunities, small scale stuff like a historic building in a downtown near rail, maybe 1500-3000 sf of retail and 2-4 apartments above, rehab it for a market starved for rental options here on Long Island and elsewhere and...

CUBA.... Yes. Cuba.  Someone's gonna develop it. Lots of someones. Unfortunately, mostly institutional level players who could care less about placemaking and long term value as opposed to a 3 or 7 year return for their investors.  So, gotta be a place for the team concept listed above to make some real hay... whenever this embargo is lifted at least. Stay tuned.

When are you going to offer the Ginsu knives too? Seriously, good luck on all this. I don't know what illness you had, but don't outrace your stamina.

 

[Funkley]

Holy crap......I am SOOOOO lazy compared to you.

 

[Koya]

Holy crap......I am SOOOOO lazy compared to you.

In your defense, middle age didn't knock on your door about a year ago and say "hey, you might die, #####"

Sorta half have no idea what the #### I'm doing, and the other half... oh, wait.  Sorta have no idea what the #### I'm doing, but it is somewhat (potentially) coming together.  Getting the buy-in from folks to fly themselves (and some staff) at their expense to the meeting, and to now find time for weekly calls and plenty of communication in between is a pretty good sign.  But unless someone keeps pushing (aka: me), it can all fall apart damn quick.

Thank god I smoke weed or Id shoot myself thinking about all the potential pitfalls and pratfalls as I go to sleep at night.

 

[El Floppo]

ok... read through that- still have no idea what you're doing. but very happy to hear that the health is improving in a less dying kind of way.

 

[cstu]

I need a nap after reading that.

 

[bueno]

In your defense, middle age didn't knock on your door about a year ago and say "hey, you might die, #####"

Sorta half have no idea what the #### I'm doing, and the other half... oh, wait.  Sorta have no idea what the #### I'm doing, but it is somewhat (potentially) coming together.  Getting the buy-in from folks to fly themselves (and some staff) at their expense to the meeting, and to now find time for weekly calls and plenty of communication in between is a pretty good sign.  But unless someone keeps pushing (aka: me), it can all fall apart damn quick.

Thank god I smoke weed or Id shoot myself thinking about all the potential pitfalls and pratfalls as I go to sleep at night.

Having once served on a P&Z commission, I think I unbderstand a little of what you are trying to accomplish. Good luck and please stay away from straight-line streets!

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Holy crap......I am SOOOOO lazy compared to you.

don't beat yourself up about it.  go have a rest.

 

[Funkley]

don't beat yourself up about it.  go have a rest.

I took a 2 hour nap after work. 

 

[cstu]

I need a nap after reading that.

Read it again, good night folks!

 

[FishTacoTuesday]

LET'S GO KOYA! /CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP

LET'S GO KOYA! /CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP

 

[rockaction]

Good luck, Koya. Your PSA about being sick and hurting was on my mind when I went to the hospital to have them look at something painful and wrong. Saved my ### by a few days.  I had streptococci. So good luck, and thanks, and best wishes for your surgery and continued health.  

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Missed this thread 1st time around. Like most who have replied, I don't really understand what you're doing outside of "development/urban-suburban planning". But good luck to you. My cousin got a degree in something like that.

If you ever get some free time on one of your DC trips, we should look at a cornhole. One FFA poster has a fairly new brew pub near Dulles Airport that I've been meaning to get to.

Also, best of luck on the upcoming surgery.

 

[SWC]

keep on keepin on and get it done bromigo take that to the bank

 

[Gary Coal Man]

I admire your vision and ambition.  It's inspirational for a natural slacker like me. 

I wish you the best in all your endeavors

 

[Koya]

Well, for those who have seen my Dallas thread, we are indeed mogulling.

This time last year was probably the darkest of my life. Still barely able to get around after surgery, the writing was on the wall that my now former employer was not going to do right by me. I was fearful of losing my health insurance when I still needed it most.... had to balance hating working where I was but not piss them off or just let ego say #### them, because I still had a half year until my reconnective surgery. 

Still on tons of painkillers (which, unlike my herbal remedy, I hate) I began calling people I knew in the industry to begin laying a foundation once I got back to health.

Since then I formed the new company, got a couple clients, been working with GWU and solidified my relationships across the board. Now a client has hired / partnered with me and we are also forming a new development entity. Making decent scratch considering the upside and well on my way to success. Silly as it sounds, this thread was somewhat of a self-reinforcing motivator to stay focused, on course, and just be strong in the face of huge fears, insecurities... about life, my health, if I'd fully recover.

Thanks to all who helped on this journey!

 

[NCCommish]

Best wishes my friend.

 

[Koya]

new development entity in the works, finalizing partnership details (and increasing my likely partnership share)... just uploaded it onto LinkedIn, so I guess that's as real as anything, right?  

Just got an additional $12k a year from my partner (as I'm working for his firm to provide value while we build up the development company) to cover medical and gym membership... basically an unsolicited raise.  So that's sweet (especially since medical is costing a FORTUNE down here... but as I need one more surgery, minor as it may be, it's needed).

Also, in an ironic twist, my first national speaking gig under the new banner will be as a moderator of a panel... who is one of my panelists? My former narcissist boss that really screwed me over when I most needed help.  I'm acting like a big boy and doing right by me, my new company and those putting on the show. You'd think he'd harbor resentment, and I'm sure he does, but again he's a narcissist, so at least he knows he never did wrong by me so as not to be burdened by guilt.