Future Here Now: What's Next
I don't know if you might have noticed (or rejoiced, who knows) that I went dark here the last two weeks.
As some of you know, I've been working on a massive and exceptionally messy grant program focused on Appalachian Ohio, and after I finished the Guide to the Fusion Era elements, I got... swamped. And I'm expecting to stay swamped for the next month, until this thing finally reaches its deadline.
For that reason, I'm going to under-promise from now until the new year. That doesn't come easily to me, but I think it's the right call given the circumstances.
For the rest of 2023, I'm going to plan on giving you roughly three news digest-type posts that tie back to the Fusion Era guide items I've been sending you since summer. My current strategy is to share a collection of articles I've found interesting, with a little bit of context and a tie back to the elements that I've been sharing with you for a few months. That doesn't mean you have to dig back through your emails to see what I'm talking about. Everything I've written here is on the Substack web page, and I'll give you links to that if you want a refresher.
Starting in January, I have a marketing team that will be rolling out some new content and new ways to engage. And this newsletter will probably morph again. We're looking at some exciting stuff for 2024, including a reboot and expansion of my 2019 book Everybody Innovates Here, a new podcast and a series of conversations that I think you'll really enjoy.
In the meantime, here’ a … consolation prize?
Last week I gave a seminar to members of American Municipal Power, a collaborative group of cities that have municipal electric utilities. The session was on a new, more consistent and less friction-loaded approach to building systems for entrepreneurship, innovation and small business development. I laid out that system in the Everybody Innovates Here book, and I presented the ideas for the first time at the American Planning Association conference last spring.
When I do a talk, I use slides that have very few words, so I try to add some narrative to give the images a little more context before I release the slides to the attendees. And because I can write in that context kind of like I speak, I think it’s more enjoyable to read. And definitely shorter. So here’s a copy for you.
You are truly the people who have kept me writing during an unexpectedly demanding year. I remain constantly grateful for your responses, your ideas, your criticism and your engagement.
Talk to you soon!