JackTemplin (Jack Templin )

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About Me

I am a consultant specializing in online business and user experience strategy. I moved to Providence from New York City a couple of years ago. I grew up in Burlington, VT, studied economics and architecture undergrad, and then spent 2.5 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Solomon Islands. When I returned to the States, "Information Superhighway" was all the rage (I'm really dating myself here...) so I checked it out and caught the Internet bug. I did my graduate work at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, and spent 10 years as a Internet strategy consultant in New York. It's good to be back in New England. I love Rhode Island and the community here. I believe we have serious potential to be hotbed of info-tech and digital media entrepreneurship and innovation. I co-founded Providence Geeks with Brian Jepson. More recently I have had the pleasure of working with the RIEDC on the RI Nexus initiative. I'd love to hear from you.

Recent Content

I have the pleasure of moderating the below event next week. I'm continually impressed with the close-knit and supportive nature of our local tech/startup scene. Having a strong community can really help when the going gets tough. Let's continue to learn from and look out for one another.

Where: RIEDC, 315 Iron Horse Way (ALCO), Suite 101, Providence. Google Map

When: December 16, 8:30–10:30 a.m. (coffee and light breakfast)

RSVP: Matt Mikula, matt.mikula@rinexus.com (we have a limited number of seats so RSVP today)

FREE

While Rhode Island's info-tech and digital media sector is holding up relatively well, there is no doubt that the global downturn presents substantial challenges. Join us for a breakfast panel and open question & answer session featuring some of the state's top tech entrepreneurs including:

  • Jim Lavoie, CEO,  Rite-Solutions - pioneering IT services firm
  • Soren Ryherd, CEO, Working Planet - one of the country's top "pay per click" consultancies
  • Annette Tonti, CEO, Mofuse - leading "mobile web" startup

Learn the strategies and tactics these seasoned business people are leveraging to navigate today's stormy marketplace, and in some cases, to turn it to their advantage.

Coffee and light breakfast will be provided. Space is available on a first-come first-serve basis, so RSVP today to Matt Mikula, matt.mikula@rinexus.com

Title: Fusecal - significantly updated version has just launched (Forum)

haven't played with it yet, but the new design is very slick

www.fusecal.com

Title: Sorry for all the RINexus.com downtime today (Forum)

We've been having some perplexing server issues. We're on it though, and should be operating normally very soon. Thanks for your patience. --Jack

Title: JWU has a swanky new site (Forum)

Recent Comments

Brian has added a video interview with Abe to the Geeks Blog.

 

http://www.providencegeeks.com/2008/12/20/providence-geeks-video-podcast-tizra-at-the-december-2008-geek-dinner/

Source: RI Nexus Open Coffee (Event) Submitted: January 5th, 2009 - 11:52am link
First Open Coffee of '09 tomorrow morning - help us ring in a New Year of tech entrepreneurialism!
Source: Breakfast Panel: Making it through the Downturn and Emerging Stronger than Ever (Event) Submitted: December 16th, 2008 - 2:51pm link

Thanks for coming, Ben and Jim. All credit to our panelists - they are an impressive lot navigating tricky waters with aplumb. I personally learned quite a bit. Here I'll paraphrase my 3 key takeaways

  • "Maximize your intellectual bandwidth" - benefit from the good thinking of _all_ your employees, customers, etc. (Jim)
  • "Keep an eye on your instruments" - measure and analyze constantly to make sure you know where you're headed (Soren)
  • "Take advantage of reduced expectations" - new companies created in the downturn aren't burdened with the high expectations - largely from investors - of companies founded before the downturn (Annette)  

Panelists, if I got any of this wrong, don't hesitate to let me know.

Source: Breakfast Panel: Making it through the Downturn and Emerging Stronger than Ever (Event) Submitted: December 15th, 2008 - 4:34pm link
Doing phone calls with the panelists now - what a dynamic crew - this is going to be a lot of fun.
Source: Chrome launches at 3pm (Forum) Submitted: December 12th, 2008 - 1:03pm link
Jim, I agree about Chrome. I can't wait for Google to finishing porting it to the Mac. Also, I read the other day that Chrome will be coming to Android as well. Between Chrome, Android, and Gears, I think Google is well positioned to make big inroads into the client-side software stack in the coming years.
Source: Traction announces live blog system (News) Submitted: November 25th, 2008 - 2:05pm link

Here's a video of Traction's new "live" features - very cool. Kudos, Guys.

 http://traction.tractionsoftware.com/traction/permalink/Blog878

Source: Five Questions With: Sara Czyzewicz, co-founder of DandyID (News) Submitted: November 24th, 2008 - 3:09pm link

Ted Nesi interviews Sara, who with her Co-Founder Arron, did a great SRO presentation at the last Geek Dinner.

http://www.providencegeeks.com/2008/11/12/november-geek-dinner-wed-the-19th-530-9pm-as220-featuring-dandyid/

Great job DandyID!

Source: Report Names Rhode Island Top Performer in the 2008 State New Economy Index (News) Submitted: November 19th, 2008 - 10:44am link

I think this ranking reflects the silver lining of RI's economy. It's painful, but slowly and surely, we are transforming. These rankings from the report are particularly telling and directly related to the local info-tech and digital media community:

  • “Top Mover” in the nation for inventor patents;
  • 2nd in the nation for health IT;
  • 2nd in the nation in broadband communications;
  • 3rd in the nation for industry-performed research as a percentage of total worker earnings;
  • 4th in the nation for non-industry investments into Research & Development;
  • 5th in the nation for scientists and engineers as a percentage of the state’s workforce

 

Source: PROPOSED: Brown’s Creative Arts Center (News) Submitted: November 7th, 2008 - 6:16pm link
This looks beautiful, and my understanding is that there will be quite a bit of digital arts and the like.
Source: RI Nexus Open Coffee (Event) Submitted: November 4th, 2008 - 4:17pm link
Tomorrow's is special Post-Election Open Office. :-)