Fall is beautiful in Aspen. It’s the perfect time of year for cycling, climbing and fly fishing, with the anticipation of coming snowfall. It’s also an ideal time to catch up with friends.
This past weekend Backbone and POC hosted a POV event. With many industry and thought leaders in town for Aspen’s The Meeting, we themed this as a GOAT – Gathering of Artists, Athletes and Technologists. Pretty simple concept really: get the best and brightest together in a room and let it go from there.
Dirk Collins, Megan Beck from Acumen Fund and Alex Hillinger
The basic concept of GOAT comes from Good Chemistry’s Alex Hillinger and One Eyed Bird’s Dirk Collins. What looks like an odd mix of action sports heroes, artists and tech geeks actually makes sense when you put them all in a room together.
Robert Scoble, Nicole Birkhold from Freeskier and 1% Ambassador/creative master Chase Jarvis
How Jeremy Jones, Dav, Griffin Post or Todd Ligare look at a steep face in AK is different than how you or I do. They think, “hit the knoll throw a 3, land on the ramp and big drop over the ‘schrund.” I think, “I want my Mommy.”
TGR’s Todd Jones, POW’s Jeremy Jones and Brad Fayfield
Point being, what they see as interesting and relevant is not perceived by the common eye. The same holds true when Chase Jarvis or Todd Jones looks at imagery, or Robert Scoble or Gary Arndt think about emerging trends in digital media.
POC’s Jarka Duba, Chris and Jesse Davenport and Ultralite’s Bill Emerson
So, we got our GOAT on! What industry you hailed from mattered not. Just that you want to meet others and talk about what you are seeing.
Amanda Boyle from Google, TWS Mike Lewis and Greg ‘the sweater’ Wright
The takeaway is to beware of the status quo and observe mainstream events with an eye to draw forth the micro trends and changes that are occurring. These increments are the precursors to future trends and breakthroughs.
Afternoon ride with Pete McBride, Fielding Miller, Jarka Duba, Brian O’Neill, Jeremy and Tiffany Jones, Todd Herrick, Dirk Collins, Chris Davenport, Laura Patten, Travis McClain and Penn and Kir Newhard
Oh, yeah, just FYI, it was super fun. Thanks to POC for the support, Aspen Snowmass, friends from 1% for the Planet and Protect Our Winters. See all photos here:
Onward!