“Jump-Starting America” by MIT Professors Gruber and Johnson beknighted my home community Rochester, NY as having the #1 potential to be a “technology/innovation hub. Pre Covid I wrote about how serendipity and, perhaps synchronicity, of a chance encounter with one of the authors lead to the creation of “Jump-Starting Rochester” (JSR). JSR formed as a fledgling grassroots movement with the mission of supporting the realization of that potential. (links below)

 What emerged early on from the book was the possibility, indeed, the necessity for a “New Narrative” for our community. In my previous posts (Part I and Part 2) detailing some thoughts about my own vision for our community. Two PARTS turned into Part 3 and now Part 4. Can they be fashioned into “One”? 

Some time ago I wrote a post describing the NBA’s Golden State Warriors highly successful approach to game “half-times”. Game after game they would dominate game third quarters. My post described their approach. It was a hallmark during their championship years. 

An exchange with fellow members on the Jump-Starting Rochester Community site sparked my response that follows.  The article is titled Could a remote-work revolution spread tech outside its clusters?

Isn’t there a bit of a paradox at play? The article highlights the VCs actually taking their money and expertise to companies geographically located away from the traditional centers like Silicon Valley. This is happening at the same time as the trend/necessity for remote. There are a lot of other forces at play including reduced mobility. Some mix of the livable community, culture and business tech infrastructure (bandwidth, security, platforms,) will be  competitive advantages.

Last week I wrote a post “Plan B”. Synchronicity prevailed and Plan B, by Anne Lamott, landed on my stack of books to read. I moved it to near the top a couple of weeks back after reading her Stitches. I’ve long been a fan of her writing. So moving Plan B to the top of the pile was an easy call.

Facing me in my office is the above image of Bob Dylan.

There is another image of Dylan, my personal favorite, “Forever Young” which has been a personal sort of mantra.  A post on that theme I leave for another time.

“Times They Are A-Changin” occupies front and center right now. When it appeared that the pandemic was inevitably headed our way, I like most began to think about What is our Plan B? The question that started in the background, now begs front and center, to be answered.

In New Narrative Parts 1 and 2, I wrote about  the opportunity for our Rochester NY Community  to actualize our potential as the #1 innovation technology hub, as earned and recognized in Jump-Starting America.

The challenge to our community and to each of us who care is, how to actualize this potential. In my last post, I labeled Gruber and Johnson’s designation as a gift to us. What will we do with this gift?

In Part 1, I described my introduction to Jonathan Gruber and Simon Johnson’s book “Jump-Starting America” and most importantly, the designation of our Rochester Community as being #1 in having the potential to be the next great technology innovation hub.

We're #1