"Black people and Asian people SHOULD work together in Oakland".  So this one begins..  Shaun Tai is the Founder and Executive director of Oakland Digital, a non-profit that connects design students to local businesses. Shaun comes to Oakland Digital by way of hip hop, and the film industry.  Not everyone in Silicon Valley works in a tech company.  

Kent and Shaun discuss a wide range of topics, including how to connect lower income people to the tech industry, why Oakland hasn't overtaken San Francisco as the most desirable place to live...yet.  And a lot more.  This is the first of a 2 part conversation

Find Shaun and Oakland Digital on Twitter at:

@odalc   @shaun_tai @OaklandDigital

--

In the Something Ventured podcast, Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom explores the reality behind the Silicon Valley headlines as he sits down with the people who are shaping the way we view the world online and beyond.

We turn to Oakland.  Shaun Tai is the Founder and Executive director of Oakland Digital, a non-profit that connects design students to local businesses. Shaun comes to Oakland Digital by way of hip hop, and the film industry.  Not everyone in Silicon Valley works in a tech company.  

Kent and Shaun discuss a wide range of topics, including how to connect lower income people to the tech industry, why Oakland hasn't overtaken San Francisco as the most desirable place to live...yet.  And a lot more.  This is the first of a 2 part conversation

Find Shaun and Oakland Digital on Twitter at:

@odalc   @shaun_tai @OaklandDigital

--

In the Something Ventured podcast, Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom explores the reality behind the Silicon Valley headlines as he sits down with the people who are shaping the way we view the world online and beyond.

Allison White, Silicon Valley school principal, discusses transgender kids.  This is the full conversation.  Some of the media referenced in this podcast:  1) John Oliver show on transgender; 2) TED Talk "Norman Spack"; 3) NBC Nightly News on Transgender Kids; 4) Rolling Stone Article "About a Girl -- Coy Mathis".

In part 2 of this conversation with Allison White, Silicon Valley school principal -- we continue the discussion about transgender kids in Silicon Valley.  Some of the referenced elements can be found by:  Search for NBC Nightly news, the Atlantic and John Oliver stories on transgender issues.  Rolling Stone -- search for "Coy Mathis".  

--

In the Something Ventured podcast, Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom explores the reality behind the headlines as he sits down with the people who are shaping the way we view the world online and beyond.

Kent sits down with Silicon Valley school principal Allison White to discuss transgender kids.  Many in Silicon Valley are only slowly beginning to understand transgender issues in the Valley and how to be supportive.  In this discussion the issues faced by transgender kids and families in Silicon Valley are discussed.

Show Notes -- referenced in this podcast:

TED Talk
https://www.ted.com/talks/norman_spack_how_i_help_transgender_teens_become_who_they_want_to_be

John Oliver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmoAX9f6MOc 

NBC Nightly News-Transgender Kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGPRNbxON8g

Rolling Stone
http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/about-a-girl-coy-mathis-fight-to-change-change-gender-20131028

Entrepreneur Ben Cheung, founder of Genee, details his journey from Southern China to the US, and eventually to Intel and VMware.

Ben discusses the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur, as he describes his path to making Genee a success.  

Genee is a virtual assistant that coordinates meetings for individuls or groups.  But his story will be a familiar one to most entrepreneurs.

--

In the Something Ventured podcast, Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom explores the reality behind the Silicon Valley headlines, as he sits down with the people who are shaping the way we view the world online...and beyond.

In the 2015 "Pridecast", Kent discusses 2 transgender people from the world of technology who you sould know:  Lana Wachowski and Martine Rothblatt.

-- 

In the Something Ventured podcast, Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom explores the reality behind the Silicon Valley headlines, as he sits down with the people who are shaping the way we view the world online.... and beyond.

Neil Cohen -- Silicon Valley CMO and San Francisco State lecturer talks about the etiquette of job searching and of hiring candidates in Silicon Valley.  Silicon Valley's hot job market doesn't keep candidates from making wealth minimizing mistakes -- so Kent and Neil discuss how to get it right.

--

In the Something Ventured podcast, Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom goes behind the scenes in Silicon Valley with the people who are shaping the way we view the world online and beyond.

In this part 2 of 2, Charlie Recksieck continues the conversation on music.  We begin by explaining Mark Zuckerberg and his foray into Wirehog, before Facebook.  Also discussed are how the music business works today -- how new technologies impact how artists get paid, and the implications for promoting and monetizing band tours.  Charlie's band is The Bigfellas, whose music was featured in the 2012 documentary "Don't Change the Subject".

--

In the Something Ventured podcast, Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom explores the reality behind the Silicon Valley headlines, as he sits down with the peole who are shaping the way we view the world onlnie.....and beyond.

In episode 2 of 2 with Preet Anand, we discuss Blue Light, the startup focused on public safety, of which Preet is CEO and Founder.  Topics include -- the process (and game) of fundraising.  Also discussed is the uniqueness of a startup in the public safety space, as well as the ups and downs of being an entrepreeur in Silicon Valley.

--

In the Something Ventured podcast Silicon Valley insider Kent Lindstrom explores the reality behind the Silicon Valley headlines as he sits down with the people who are shaping the way we view the world online...and beyond.