I’m atending this cool 2-day event in Detroit called Future Midwest. And on the whole it’s a really fantastic event. If you want to read more about what happened today talke a look at the twitter archive of the #fmw11 hashtag.
But for those of you who didn’t click those links, keep reading here to witness me rant about a few things. But first I do have to explain what FutureMidwest is:
What is Future Midwest?
Pitched on it’s website as “The region’s largest digital business conference.” Future Midwest is like a regional South by Southwest. (SXSW) They explain further on the website and most of their marketing has been around the concept of Midwest being the region and that the conference will be: “professionals with extensive digital, marketing and strategic backgrounds teaching attendees “what” they should expect to see in the coming years and “how” to successfully capitalize on the trends with marketing and business strategies.” Plus “the opportunity to network with each other, presenters and professionals from the startup community, VC firms and a variety of other industries and backgrounds.”
I’ve been able to network with VCs, startups, presenters, and professionals in the startup community. I’ve also heard a couple of engaging talks on business and the future of digital business (mobil and social). I’ve seen some really amazing talent represented here.
Are you waiting for the other shoe to drop?
The Problem with Future MIDWEST
Is that this has been all about Detroit. Yes I understand that there are a lot of people from Detroit here, and that the founders are Detroit focused etc. But for those of us not from Detroit I didn’t pay to come to a cheerleading session about how Woodward Ave will be changed to Webward Ave. (Which is stupid on so many levels). And I didn’t pay to hear speakers show me how things are terrible in Detroit, why they are and what D Town needs to do to revitalize.
I’m not from Detroit.
I’m a West Sider, and while I think we should all get along and play well together, I expected this conference to contain more information about the region, about the Midwest. Something that I can be proud of to talk to my friends in Chicago and explain what is coming out of Michigan, or explain to my Californian friends what is cool and coming out of the MidWest.
I also expected to see people brainstorming how we can unite across barriers such as states and geography to get the midwest into the mobile-social playing field. Lets talk about 4G and why the MidWest is being over looked.
Instead I’m pitched the fact that light rail is coming to Detroit and will not ever reach outside of Detroit.
If thist conference were named Future Detroit I could understand all the cheerleading about Mo Town, but since it’s called Future MidWest can we please please discuss the region? @davemurr one of the co-chair’s for Future MidWest even had the balls to post this tweet: “Michigan still suffers from pocketed communities. #Detroit, #AnnArbor, #GrandRapids, #Lansing are you listening? #FMW11″ I wanted to scream so bad when I read that. If Future Midwest is truly about the midwest then get off the D Town cheerleading squad and start the open dialog.
And that’s day one.
Oh there was also this thing called Funded by Night. So, So, So worth my money for the whole conference, and then some. Sorry to the 20 something startups who presented and didn’t win. But wow what an event!
Have you even been to a conference that pimped out the city you were not from, and did it in a way that wasn’t attractive? What did you do?
(@20questions)
Great post, Paul. Stumbled across your blog through our corporate Twitter account, and was glad to see you echoing a lot of the thoughts I had walking away from day one of the event.
Getting ready to head out for day two and would love to chat about this if you’ll be attending. Shoot me an email and let me know.
-Alex
(@DaveMurr)
Paul,
Thank you for your honest take on FutureMidwest. You are correct. I did have the balls to tweet what I did about Michigan, because it is very true. Just as you had the balls to blog about your take on FMW, because what you state is very true.
I myself am not a big fan of hype names for traditional landmarks. Though perhaps fun and motivating, the real work isn’t as glorified or sexy. Nor does it have any real lasting value for our city, state, or region.
I will make the observation that your feedback fits the stereotype of what we hear from many people who are outside of Detroit, and who live in Michigan. Why so much discussion of Detroit? Well quite frankly, it is because the conference took place in Detroit this year. If we were in Milwaukee, I can guarantee you would hear a lot of pro Milwaukee talk during the conference. If I went to a conference in Grand Rapids I wouldn’t be surprised or offended to hear a lot of “Geo location talk” about your city. People can’t help but talk about their cities regardless of geography. Things like this are inevitable, but as you suggested, they should be curtailed.
Also, if you look through the program, though there is a lot of Detroit based presenters, we took the time to look for individuals who did represent the Midwest both geographically and in mindset. To put things in perspective 90% of the team who works on FMW are volunteers (this co-chair included). So we do what we can with what we can.
I can not tell you how many times I have heard ignorant and inaccurate claims about Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and other cities of Michigan not only from people within the Midwest Region, but also from our own state. This to me is a problem, and to put things in perspective for you as to where I am coming from, I am re-learning what it means to live in Michigan having moved back after a 10 year absence in 2008.
Notice I didn’t say Detroit.
Your input and perspective is important if this program is going to improve. So I thank you for sharing it. There are no sacred cows here with the FMW leadership team. We take all feedback very seriously, so again, I thank you.
(@kmbutler56)
I agree with the post. I’m from the detroit area and love it. But i do feel it was a type of detroit-gasm yesterday. I enjoyed the talks, but i wish there had been more of a variety of speakers and topics, similar to last year. I will still say that i am getting a lot out of the conference and loved the addition of Funded By Night. That was awesome!
(@HubertGAM)
Hey Paul,
I didn’t sit still long enough to catch much of the talks, but I’m with Dave in the fact that you will not be able to help the Detroit-centric vibe when the crowd is predominantly Detroit. When I did stand put to listen to various talks, I was sticking around for the out-of-towners and I didn’t hear a lot of Detroit talk.
I can say, as an FMW committee member that works on partnerships, it is an interest of ours to break down the silos between various sections of the Midwest. That being said, I think this is the most “worldly” program yet. Granted, the first-day keynotes were Detroiters, but I hope that really wasn’t that great of a buzzkill.
Hey Paul, Great post. I’m from Detroit and think that it was very much misrepresented in their marketing and the way they approached the whole conference. We paid alot of money to listen to guys brag about their companies. The last thing I want from a conference is to listen to people brag about themselves, Detroit or the companies they represent. No one likes to pay money to hear a sales pitch. Do we do that in real life or online, Hell No! Then why would we do that at a conference.
.
The conference didn’t even acknowledge submissions to the Funded by Night session, nor did they let anyone know that they were not selected. That goes against everything the conference even talked about. In our age of transparency, the conference had none, when people talked about proper conversations they chose not to respond or communicate to their supporters. So it seems many people would agree, that when people pay up to $250 to attend an event, its not a big pitch session for people to promote themselves or the companies they work for or they built, or the city it’s in. Who cares.
I’m embarrassed that I wasted my time there and that I gave them any of my money. I felt taken, so if the conference was a website, I’d never go back. As a Detroiter, I’m sorry for the conference, even though I had nothing to do with it. It was neither future nor midwest, so if your name is a lie then your event is a hoax.
(@fundedbynight)replied:
Francis,
Let me set a couple items straight:
1) FutureMidwest did not organize FbN – it was a separate event at the same venue.
2) The “conference” did not set out to acknowledge submissions for FbN – it was a non-profit event for startups.
3) Your complaints are lame and in my opinion, part of the reason why Detroit needs help. People who have passion didn’t need to be notified if they were in or out. We heard from most companies and made it clear that only the selected companies would be notified.
There was no lack of transparency – I answered hundreds of emails as did the rest of the organizers & volunteers…
Epstein,
Firstly, Judging by your response, we can clearly see how you approach people and their opinions. If they are honest and your offended, then you just try to put them down by name calling and lies? Man up Epstein!
Being Authentic: It’s a big deal in social media and really how people should live regardless.
Secondly, Feedback is a gift, and you should listen to it, analyze it and thank the person for it even if it hurts. You need to learn that and live by it. Not attack people for honesty.
Since you opened up the opportunity, lets just analyze a few things you said.
1.)Epstein said “it was a seperate event at the same venue”
Kelp says “if this isn’t double talk i don’t know what is, not seperate ask anyone! not being very authentic.
2.)Epstein said “the conference did not set out to acknowledge submissions”
Kelp says “Wo, I thought the conference was seperate from Fbn, so why would you refer to the conference in your reply?something smells fishy here????
3.)Epstein said ” you are lame and the reason why detroit needs my help”
Kelp says ‘ Detroit doesn’t need your help to steal ideas from it’s people and not respect them by calling them lame. We’ve had enough of that and don’t put down our city. This city needs authentic people, not bs.
One piece of advice.
Don’t get your panties in a bunch, and try to figure out a way to be right all the time. When your wrong your wrong. Own it! The right social media thing to do here is to be diplomatic, smart, and thankful. You could’ve said I’m sorry you felt that way and we appologize, we’re not perfect. That would’ve of been way cooler. Instead you opened up this can of worms with personal attacks and attacking my city Detroit !!! Why? You should have absorbed more of what the presenters were saying at the event, that was different but at the same venue.
Please Social Media People can you give Epstein some advice here.
(@fundedbynight)replied:
Francis -
Thanks for your feedback, it is appreciated. I apologize that was not more clear in my previous comment. I am also disappointed you misunderstood the point of my comment(s).
1) My point of the separate events is to enable 2 distinct feedback channels. Each event had different staff, organizers and volunteers. In addition, they served a different demographic.
Not sure about the double talk – I will own it though. Thanks for pointing it out.
2) I’m not sure how to respond to this. I suppose only FMW or FbN can be called “the conference” in this instance. In that case, we acknowledge the feedback that “Funded By Night” did not personally contact those companies that were both non-selected and chose not to follow up (which was about 5% of them).
3) I’m unsure how you have taken this as a personal attack other than calling the complaining ‘lame’ (which it was — to ask to be notified of not being selected).
I also have no idea how you determine that we ‘steal ideas.’
It’s ironic you claim to know me so well and judge how I treat other people. I also do not understand your obsession with “lies” – what lies are being told?
OVERALL, our FUNDED BY NIGHT event was a non-profit event. Each of the founders + volunteers worked several hundred hours for FREE.
We raised sponsorships + got investors to invest in companies other than our own — for the BENEFIT of this city, it’s entrepreneurs and the community.
Francis, please feel free to contact me personally (Jeff@fundedbynight.com) with more feedback, I would be happy to continue the conversation offline.
Epstein, I really was done after my first comments, but you keep coming at me like I don’t know what I’m talking about, so I decided to really speak my peace.
I do appreciate your offer to contact you directly, but we tried during the submission time, and we even spoke to you directly! You pretended that you didn’t even know the process, yet you were the one sending hundreds of emails back and forth???? Then you saying that we weren’t persistent or followed up, just pisses me off. I guess that’s kinda of a lie don’t you think? Hardly an obsession I said it once.
So I think that’s Lame.<<<< even though i don't like this word, I'm using here since your still calling my feedback that.
You wanna know what else is lame, saying that you contacted everyone but 5% of the submissions. What was so bad or wrong about those 5%, didn't everyone deserve the right to equal communication?
Why contact 95% and not finish the job? How was that determined? Who determined it? Was it by region? Timing? Who you know? What were the criteria that established the presentors? Who made the final decisions?
This is the transparency I'm talking about Epstein. There wasn't any of this. Why not let the people choose who they want to present to this so called non-profit?
Why not show who submitted to all the the attendees of future midwest and fbn? Let them see too!!! They have a voice and a mind to select the presentors and winners, better than you. That's what sucked about the whole thing.
It felt like some secret back room deal, that is not what the public expected or appreciates.
Thats Lame <<<
Educating you on this has been nothing less than frustrating. It's so clear that you just refuse to get it. I'm not going to contact you anymore, or respond here any further, I expressed my opinion, which you still think is LAME? We submitted to your event and we even paid to be there too. So, as a submitter and a guest, I just hope you don't do this to people in the future that take their time & energy to comment (as lame and not justified) and try to knock them for it. When in reality, you need to put down your guard and absorb the feedback, not comment with a nod nod then jab jab. <<bad social media
This jabbing at me with all that non-sense of lame and obsessions, really only conveys the message that you are truly hiding something and you've echoed it over and over again.
Oh yeah, since you did do such a bang up job on the analysis of who you contacted (95% to be exact). I'm sure you have no problem providing a list, and I'm sure you have that handy and you could publish it immediately right here….so we could all verify it…and then explain to everyone the reasoning behind each communication and selection. Since, it is a non-profit all that info should be available to the public anyway and completely transparent. How many submissions were there anyway? No one knows!
Thanks and Good Night!
P.S. Lame is not a popular word anymore, just thought you might want to know.
(@20questions)
Wow, this thread took an ugly turn real quickly. Putting all of that aside for a moment…
It was great to meet you in person Friday, Paul. I definitely believe from our convo that this blog post was very well intentioned on your part (as were your prior comments about my startup.)
Personally, I really enjoyed Day two of FMW…the guys from Nine Clouds are good people, and they stuck around for plenty of Q&A; there’s something to be said for that. The same could be said of Ryan Warren of Exact Target. It IS a shame that more of the attendees didn’t stick around for Metamorphosis: Detroit as this was actually pretty enjoyable.