Not everyone will understand your journey, the routes you take and the sacrifices you make, but you can surely still share with them your why. After 10 years of running up and down many, many streets in the Caribbean Tech Industry and enjoying a long list of roles, communities and relationships – I am now growing a mission-driven media company focused on that same industry.
SiliconCaribe Media.
Not everyone will understand your journey, the routes you take and the sacrifices you make, but you can surely still share with them, your why. After 10 years of running up and down many, many streets in the Caribbean Tech Industry and enjoying a long list of roles, communities and relationships – I am now growing a mission-driven media company focused on that same industry. SiliconCaribe Media.
It’s a consolidation of some things I have been happily for free, most for a pittance of a fee ( 1,800 tech articles written; produced and co-produced 100 tech events; listened to 1000 startup pitches from 10 Caribbean countries; built online and in person tech communities; Chair Startup Jamaica tech accelerator through a turnaround; worked with about 20 Corporate and international development entities and did keynote speeches on 4 continents) — all because I totally love it and I could see myself doing it for a long time. In the words of Gary Vaynerchuk ( a huge fan)-I spent years giving and planting seeds ( Jab, Jab, Jab), now I’ve decided to build a business on top of that( Right Hook). Google him and that name of his book by the way.
It’s a mission-drive business — sparked by what I’ve seen and want to see — what I’m excited to see other create and what I want to build because of that. SiliconCaribe is fueled by passion and now the practicalities. You can only have continuous positive impact and delivery of value, when things are consistent and sustainable. In other words — the business behind the mission is just as important as the mission. You see, I am a big believer in doing good and doing well. Just ask Toms ( big shoe-wearing fan) — ask Charity Water and of course ask my media mogul shero-Oprah — who built a media empire that has as its core — the education, connection and upliftment of others.
For her, the eyeballs on her TV show, on her website and reading her magazine and the Oprah Effect on brands was a process — now all undeniable. And it’s the mission that keeps you committed when the inevitable bruising losses and lessons occur. She’s a big believer in closing the gap between the information have and have nots. So am I. That belief was what led me to be a journalist right out of college, even though I’d studied marketing. Now the two have come together to serve me on my journey.
So what’s the Mission?
SiliconCaribe Media is a Digital Media and Events Company – we identify, celebrate and connect the people and businesses using technology to drive innovation and change the way we live, work and play in the Caribbean and Diaspora. We track the trends, share the stories, disrupt and expand the narrative of what it means to be in tech and amplify the opportunities of this Digital Age.
In short, we are the media company for our emerging #DigitalCaribbean.
So every piece of digital content and tech-related event we produce will come from that place.
Our Digital Media Content and In-Person Event Platforms:
– blog posts
– podcasts series
– email newsletter
– weekly online show
– video interviews
– trend reports
– technology-related events
– online + on the ground communities
– ebooks
– magazine articles
Core Ethos: Optimism
My Personal Brand Positioning Now : Tech Evangelist + Media Entrepreneur
So I stand super grateful that as I made the shift this past year, I’ve been invited on Jamaican and Caribbean TV for interviews; done a number of magazine and podcast interviews ( local and international); being sought after to speak and write magazine articles in my evolved capacity. And so much more delicious things unfolding.
So What’s on for the rest of 2017 for SiliconCaribe Media?
I am growing the weekly tech show to reach more people — the audience growth over these past 11 episodes of THIS WEEK in CARIBBEAN TECH (TWICT) has been awesome and we now have businesses who want to sponsor this weekly video show.
Then I’m in pre-production and sponsorship pitch mode for Caribbean Women in Tech Podcast Series. Picture this! 30 interviews from women in the region and diaspora who shatter and expand the narrative of what a woman in tech looks like it. I can’t wait to share these stories with you later this year at our Trend Event.
Then of course it’s the 10th anniversary of the very first tech event we’d ever done – Kingston BETA – which is still the first and longest running tech startup event in the Caribbean. So we have two more events for the year and the last one will definitely be a party. Join the mailing list to stay informed.
I’m also writing a book — but I’ll keep a lid on that info for a while longer.
Next year , 2018 is looking good too. It’s when we have the first Caribbean Women in Tech Summit and the next Caribbean Bloggers Week event for the region and Diaspora.
I’m grateful that I’m loving this journey that I’ve been on. Cheers to the next 10 years.
PS These are a few of the values that drive my business.
– The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.
– The goal is not to hire just anybody who wants to work with you for money. The goal is to do hire people who believe what you believe.
– If you talk about what you believe, you will attract to you others who believe what you believe.
– Simon Sinek, Start With the Why