During the event I got to hear all the exciting things that are developing on Oahu and Maui and I have to admit it got me a little jealous. Hackerspaces, Meetups, Conferences, just the ability to easily meet up with and hang out with like minded people, that’s something I’ve wanted since we started UU 3 years ago that Kauai really does not have. Though Hawaii as a whole is still very far away from becoming a geek hub like San Francisco, Seattle, Boulder or Austin; Oahu and Maui seem to be taking steps in the right direction while Kauai… well ignorance is part of its charm.

After exchanging some emails with Russel Cheng, I’ve decided that if no one else is going to hold the flag for Kauai, I’m going to have to so I’ve decided to start a monthly Kauai Tech group.

The mission of the group is simple. To help culture the tech (Web Ap, SaaS, mobile ap, interactive content) scene on Kauai and develop a true startup culture here on the island.

The monthly meet ups would be a way for like minded people to get together and share their projects, get feedback and help each other grow their businesses. On an island where the only thing you do with computers is IT (at least according to most here); finding people might be a little difficult but I think I can wrangle 5 or 6 people together for a test run. It might take a while to get traction but like any venture the most important thing is to start. Will keep everyone updated on the progress as we work towards our first meet up.

This whole concept is completely contrary to the best way to learn anything. NOBODY is an expert when they start. The best way to learn, is to do. If you fail, you get back up, learn from your mistakes and try again. Its the process of doing, failing, and trying again that creates real world expertise.

Don’t be afraid of failure. Conquer the fear and try to fail in the most spectacular way possible. Most importantly, when you do fail, get back up and try again. The path to success is comes with scraped knees.

I hope to accomplish a few things by doing these interviews:

1. I want to champion the idea of pursuing your dreams and following your passion. If you choose to pursue your passion, you will probably bring more value to the world than if you didn’t. Money is how the world tells you that you are bringing value to it. Follow your passion and you will be rewarded. Its so ironic that the people we idolize are the ones who are doing what they love, yet our whole lives we are constantly discouraged from doing so. I want more people to realize this fact.
2. I want to inspire people to start something. I want to show them that they can do it. That they are smart enough and will succeed if they are willing to work hard. It is especially important to me that the youth of Kauai realize that with the internet, they have all the same opportunities that anyone else in the world has. Nothing is impossible anymore. Everyone has a shot. It’s up to you to take it.
3. I want to learn from these people about how to grow my own businesses. What I could be doing better and some of the hurdles any successful person must fight through and overcome. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in business and I’m sure many could have been prevented by learning from those who have been through it before. I also think by listening to those who have done it before, I can pick up some new idea on how to grow my own business.

If you have any suggestions on who you would like me to interview, please post them in the comments below and I will take a look and try to get them on. I will probably start close to home and with people that are accessible to me.

Thanks!

For the uninitiated, Gary Vaynerchuk is the Director of Operations at Wine Library, a retail wine and liquor shop based in New Jersey and the creator of Wine Library TV, one of the hottest video blogs on the internet.  He is quickly “changing the wine world” with his unique approach to wine and how you enjoy it. While in middle school he had a lucrative trading card business, pulling in $1000 every week at card shows, only to be forced to give it up and  work in the family business, a liquor store, for $2/hour. In his early 20s, he grew that liquor store into Wine Library, a $50M retail company and one of the largest independent liquor distributors in the United States. Upon turning 30, in his own words, “he freaked out” and began doing Wine Library TV which has lead him to appearances on Late Night with Conan O’brien, Ellen, The Big Idea, and Mad Money.

He is a strong believer in finding your passion and executing on it. His approach to business of passion first, is a concept that has resonated strongly with me and lead me to eventually leaving my job to dedicate more of my time to my companies. A decision which I do not for a second regret.