This week we had our first brown bag lunch series at the HUB, and were fortunate enough to get an amazing first speaker, Ralph Simon. Ralph was the co-founder of the Zomba group of music companies, former vice president of Capitol Records, founder of Movioso, one of the first ever ringtone companies, and expert in mobile and social communication.
He came to the HUB to conduct a lunch time discussion about innovation – what it means and what role the HUB can play in helping to drive innovative thought. Ralph is one of those natural speakers that easily inspire everyone in the room. So by the end of his time we were all motivated and reminded of why we are doing the work we are doing. He spoke about how we can’t predict the future – we can never see where technology, communications, and the way we relate to each other is headed. He then posed the question, “why do we let people tell us that our ideas aren’t possible?” The very root of innovation is going into space that others won’t, imagining the unimaginable and looking for a way to make it happen.
I think what I came away from the talk with was a renewed vision of my own role in social enterprise. It may not be that I myself am ever going to engineer technology to help a city better their recycling system or take the risk to start a business with a new form of solar energy, but I am a connector. I can help bring those people together, help provide them with tools. Help people see and realize their dreams and vision.
And the end of his time at the HUB Ralph had our team buzzing about bringing a world wide innovation conference to Bogota. Complete with Ralph asking “If I had Shakira call the mayor would that help make this happen”. ” truly hope it does happen, because Bogota is filled with intelligent and innovative people and it is time for them to show this to the world.
