I just finished sorting through all of my SXSW Festival materials. I’m bowled over by the amount of talent, insights, and excitement that’s available in the Interactive and Film portions of the Festival. Thank goodness I arrived a day early to get myself together!
Already Austin in proving to be an incredibly hospitable city. I had one cab driver who chatted me up about the US Open (we’re both big fans of del Potro!) and the other played a trivia game with me to test my African geography skills (he said I did well for an American – hmmm…compliment?). I had a great sampling of great Mexican food, complete with dangerously delicious sangria, and everyone I met smiled at my, made eye contact, and bent over backwards to help me out with anything I needed. In the words of Annie, “I think I’m gonna like it here.”
On deck for open day:
9:00 am coffee with Rohan Gunatillake, “reformed management consultant and seriously playful urban meditator” – a Twitter connection I made on Thursday morning. He works at the intersection of Buddhist meditation and tech so we have lots to talk about!
I’m going to take in the trade show for the remainder of the morning.
12:00 pm lunch date with Michelle Nickolaisen, a.k.a. the creative power behind Wicked Whimsy. Thank you, Twitter. Again!
And then the festival really gets cooking with these sessions:
2:00 – Improv Classes: Not Just for Comedians and Actors
3:30 – Why Everything is Amazing But Nobody is Happy
5:00 – Why Would We Think Social Media Is Revolutionary? with Clay Shirky
And then a plethora of evening parties to choose from. As Saturday and Sunday promise to be nights filled with revelry I may be taking it easy tonight. Pacing is a virtue!
For my thoughts on the day as it unfolds, check my Twitter feed and Tumblr blog, Born into Color. There’s exciting stuff brewing in Texas, and I’m excited to share it!
I took the photo above. Amidst all of Austin’s colorful signage, this is one of my favorites. A hot sauce store!
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
I just finished sorting through all of my SXSW Festival materials. I’m bowled over by the amount of talent, insights, and excitement that’s available in the Interactive and Film portions of the Festival. Thank goodness I arrived a day early to get myself together!
Christa Avampato 