This Week in Philadelphia for 11-28

Customers, Prospects & Trends: Tapping the Web for Research
* Center City Proprietors Association


Fresh Connections: Philadelphia
* Produce Marketing Association


Women of Distinction Awards Banquet
* Philadelphia Business Journal


Delivering Video on the Web | Spotlight on HTML5 & Flash on 11/30
* Philadelphia Area New Media Association


Quick Start Business Planning Basics
* SCORE Philadelphia


The Ultimate Networking Event Live at Tavern on Broad
* The Ultimate Networking Group


Funding, Loans and the Stimulus Act
* Free Library of Philadelphia


Valuating the Family-owned Firm, plus How to Improve Your Negotiating Skills
* Fairleigh Dickinson University Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies


Entrepreneurial Skills Workshop - "Staffing Your Start-up"
* Drexel University, Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship


Sustainability and Business Leadership
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


CFMA Philadelphia Holiday Party
* Construction Financial Management Association, Philadelphia Chapter


PARTNER EVENT: The Woman’s Leadership Group
* Empowerment Group


What it Means to Lead: David L. Cohen
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


E-Health Records Summit & Expo: Working with HIEs Go to Market Strategies
* New Jersey Technology Council


PBN Networking Luncheon - Holiday Joy!
* Professional Business Network


Philadelphia Business EXPO
* Philadelphia Business Journal


Yahoo! Senior VP Jeff Russakow
* Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science Keller Center


PDMA Holiday Bash
* Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association


Mid-Atlantic Diamond Ventures - Late Fall Venture Forum
* Mid-Atlantic Diamond Ventures


Wharton Biztech Conference - What's Next In The Mobile Evolution?
* Mobile Monday MidAtlantic
* University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business


8th Annual Whitney M. Young Jr. Community Empowerment Awards Luncheon
* Urban League of Philadelphia


Indy Hall + DeTours First Friday Party
* Independents Hall


YPN Volunteer Event: Northern Home for Children
* Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce


ETC Session 13 EG/UARTS CORZO CENTER
* Empowerment Group

Six Things We Can Learn by Remembering the Alamo!

I just got back from a few days in San Antonio, and of course I went to the Alamo. There were a few things about the Alamo story that stood out for me. They are not directly related to networking, but I think they are related to taking risks and keeping your eye on your goal.

The basic story is well-known: a 26-year-old named William B. Travis and a little under 200 others were besieged by a Mexican army numbering in the thousands. They were rebels, trying to win Texas independence from the centralist Mexican dictatorship of Santa Anna. Spurning Santa Anna’s demands that he surrender, Travis held out for weeks, pleading for assistance in holding the Alamo, but ultimately the Mexicans overwhelmed the Alamo and killed the defenders to a man (women, children, and slaves being spared).

Travis is widely seen as a man of vision:

• He felt the Alamo was strategic to the success of the Texas revolt
• His leadership inspired the defenders to remain despite overwhelming odds
• He understood that surrender meant execution as a rebel and traitor
• Delaying Santa Anna at the Alamo would allow Sam Houston to mobilize the army that would ultimately defeat Santa Anna
• Heroic failure, defending the cause of independence to the last man, would galvanize the revolt

We still “Remember the Alamo.”

Contrast that to the fate of Col. James W. Fannin, Jr., in command of around 300 men in the nearby town of Goliad, Texas. Fannin had tried to respond to Travis’ call for assistance, but his wagons got bogged down a few miles from Goliad. Fearful that a Mexican force was on its way to Goliad, he abandoned his efforts and reinforced his position. The Alamo fell about a week later.

About two weeks after the fall of the Alamo, Fannin was retreating from Goliad, bogged down again with his wagons, when he was engaged by a larger Mexican force. After a pitched battle in which 70 of his men were killed or wounded, Fannin surrendered.

He and his men were taken out of Goliad and summarily shot. Few people know about the Goliad Massacre now, and “Remember Goliad” is now a rallying cry for nothing.

“So, what has this to do with networking?” you ask. To me, the answer is this:

1. Bold action is remembered
2. Inspire others, and great things can be accomplished
3. Be part of something that is bigger than yourself
4. “Playing it safe” is not a path to success
5. Don’t get bogged down
6. You can surrender and die as a victim, or fight and die as a hero

This Week in Philadelphia for 11-14

There are an amazing number of great events this week.  You can find me at Founder Factory and TEDxPhilly, and there are several other events I'd like to go to but simply don't have time for!


7th Annual Israel Venture Conference
* Blank Rome LLP


Certification Made Simple: How to Become a Minority or Women's Business Enterprise
* Empowerment Group
* Free Library of Philadelphia


Evidence & Perspectives: Dodd Frank
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


S2 University with David Mills - Break the Rules...Close More Sales
* Square 2 Marketing


Vetwork: Lockheed Networking Event
* Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce


Difficult Decisions, Difficult Conversations
* Rutgers University - Family Business Institute


Engaging Youth: Young Friends Groups in Support of Your Nonprofit Organization
* Free Library of Philadelphia
* Regional Foundation Center of the Free Library of Philadelphia


LUNCH & Learn - Legal Issues For Entrepreneurs: Issues Related to Employment
* Network Now


Ben Franklin Venture Idol - Networking Event w/ Speakers
* Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania


Cracking the Non-Profit and Government Accounting Codes featuring Ben Aase and John Langdon
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


The Innovators Club Event
* The Innovators Club


Visionary Gala 2010
* Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship/Philadelphia Program Office


Demographic Market Research
* Free Library of Philadelphia


Delaware BioBreakfast
* Delaware BioScience Association


CFO Alliance Roundtable: Why is the unemployment rate still so high?
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


Founder Factory
* Philly Startup Leaders


How to Respond to a Government Request For Proposal
* Temple University Small Business Development Center


Supercharge Your Job Search
* Philadelphia Business Journal


Health Care Marketing in the Digital Age - For All Marketers
* Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association


Founder Factory/PSL Happy Hour
* Philly Startup Leaders


NJTC Awards Gala
* New Jersey Technology Council


Young Professionals After-Work Happy Hour
* UpcomingEvents.com


Gravitational Lensing: Einstein Rings and Dark Matter
* University of Pennsylvania


Navigating the Global Business World
* Pennsylvania Bio


November Breakfast Briefing: Mid-Term Election Results: Consequences for M&A and the Economy
* Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Philadelphia


Data Privacy and Protection for Life Sciences Companies
* Pepper Hamilton


Excellence Awards
* Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce


Expanding Horizons 2010
* Temple University Small Business Development Center


TEDxPhilly
* TEDxPhilly


PET Imaging of Amyloid Plaque in Alzheimer's Disease: Insights into Pathogenesis of Disease
* University City Science Center


Global Social Entrepreneur: Robert Dintruff, Director of Commercial Development for Abbott Laboratories
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


Center City Soirée - One Evening. One Auction. Infinite Opportunities
* Center City Proprietors Association


Leading Women Entrepreneurs: An Informal Panel Discussion
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


PACT VC/Entrepreneur Event Sponsored by Duane Morris LLP
* Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies


Mentoring Roundtable at Philadelphia
* The Indus Entrepreneurs


Young Professionals: Viral Video Event
* Philadelphia Ad Club


Design Business: Starting a Business with Frank Taney, an attorney with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
* AIGA Philadelphia


Andrew Ross Sorkin (luncheon)
* World Affairs Council of Philadelphia


Philly Coworking and Networking Day
* Entrepreneur's Entourage

This Week in Philadelphia for 11-7

“An Evening with Wildlife Conservationist Jim Fowler”
* Center for Environmental Policy at The Academy of Natural Sciences


6th Annual Russian-American Technology Entrepreneurship Conference
* Mid-Atlantic - Russia Business Council


Fall Networking Event
* Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia, Inc.


Stephen Kinzer (evening)
* World Affairs Council of Philadelphia


Science on Tap: November
* Chemical Heritage Foundation


The Power of Story: A Celebration of Women Entrepreneurs
* Empowerment Group


Meet the Lenders
* Wharton Small Business Development Center


Build Your Competitive Edge: Discover Your Memory Power!
* Sales and Marketing Executives (SMEI) of Philadelphia


U.S.-Israel Clean Tech Conference: Energy Independence and Enabling Technologies
* America-Israel Chamber of Commerce


Chariot Solutions Mobile Application Development Series
* Chariot Solutions


Seminar In Entrepreneurial Excellence - “Understanding and Applying Social Media in Your Business”
* Drexel University, Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship


Visit from Eastern Mediterranean Trade Representative
* World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia


Marcie Turney & Valerie Safran Lunch with the CITY's LEADERS
* Center City Proprietors Association


How Big Brands Use Social Media
* gaspedal


IMPACT 2010
* Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies


5th Annual Top Twelve Technology Trends
* New Jersey Technology Council


BMA: Attorney James Astrachan's "Ads That Should Not Have Run"
* The Business Marketing Association of Philadelphia


HR Executives - Navigating the C-Suite
* Philadelphia SHRM


Sales Boosting Workshop
* Rutgers University - Family Business Institute


4th Annual Technology Poster & Networking Event
* New Jersey Entrepreneurial Network


Corporate Social Entrepreneur Leadership Series featuring Robert Dintruff
* Drexel University's Lebow College of Business


CreativeConnects
* CreativeConnects


CEO Innovation Lecture - Daniel Vasella, Novartis
* Fairleigh Dickinson University Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies


Information Security and Computer Forensics
* Innovative Technology Action Group


Seminar - Creating a Company Values Strategy
* Network Now


ACG NJ at Princeton
* Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) - New Jersey


MakePhilly Meeting - Product Design in Entrepreneurial Ventures
* MakePhilly


Banker's Shootout -- Philadelphia PA
* Banker's Shootout


IMC Philly - Selling to Diversity and Multiple Generations
* Institute of Management Consultants USA - Philadelphia Chapter


2010 NPower PA Nonprofit Technology Awards Luncheon
* NPower PA


BarCamp Philly
* BarCamp Philly


My Career Transitions Presents: You are a Brand
* My Career Transitions