#valleyapps

Google’s hosted video conferencing solution is giving businesses capabilities that other solutions don’t.  Developers are keying in on some of the API’s Google has opened on Hangouts to give it additional features.  These features will benefit all types of organizations, helping them get their word out online using live video.  Whether it be in a Hangout “on-air”, or an internal meeting, having Google Hangouts is a major benefit of choosing Google over Microsoft in the cloud services game.  We have recently come across a couple different utilizations of Hangouts by some local organizations that are excellent examples of using the web to market themselves.  

The local baseball team just opened up a multi-million dollar park a few years ago and since their championship last year, have thrived with sponsorships and ticket sales.  This year they started using Hangouts On-Air to broadcast their games so folks could watch from home if they like.  We can see them expanding to not only away games but live broadcast of all league games in HD very soon.  Using Hangouts add-ons they display an overlay with game info for viewers.  We see potential here for advertising revenue and setting up multiple camera angles with additional cameras.  The main challenge will be wireless connections.  A wi-fi network at every park would be ideal but Verizon has lots of LTE beamed around this area so an easy Plan B exists on that front.

We have been working with a local school system that has keyed in on the capabilities of Hangouts and has plans to implement many different uses.  Principals and Administrators will be able to reach out to teachers and classrooms with live video.  Teachers will be able to organize together and collaborate on curriculum development and also broadcast lectures publicly.  This adds a new level of transparency for the system while helping them use their educational methods and skills on a larger scale.  Students will be able to get together in small groups and collaborate on class projects and homework.  Children with special needs might be better served as well.  

To any bystander at BWI airport the morning of April 10, it might have seemed like an odd mix of traveling companions - a 60 something attorney -dressed the part, a 30 something self proclaimed (and Google proclaimed) tech geek - dressed the part, and 40 something business women - dressed the part.

But to me, it was a typical day in the life of being one part of a family of habitual entrepreneurs.  Yes, the Suit (my dad), the Hoodie (my brother), and Me (the skirt), own 7 companies strong between us, and while we each run firms in vastly different fields, we found a way to make them work ….together. 

Now, most would say that this sounds like the worst possible idea, never work with family and friends.  Well we tried that, we all went and did our separate thing, but eventually found that our paths kept coming back to the people we trusted most.   It’s not to say that we don’t have moments, we do, its’ not to say there aren’t challenges, there are, it’s not to say that the conversations around a board room table are also the conversations around the dinning room table, because they are.  But these would be the same scenarios we would encounter even if we were still working more independently, because at the end of the day we are all habitual entrepreneurs, and if you have been diagnosed with that illness, you know that these are generally the side effects you can expect.  

            I understand how hard that can be because I am also an entrepreneur. I own two companies and my wife and I own a third. I also understand the issues my son and daughter face when dealing with a father who is an entrepreneur because I also lived through that experience. In fact, my family has been living the entrepreneurial life for several generations. I am not only the father of two entrepreneurs; I am the son, grandson and great grandson of entrepreneurs.

            Much of what is written about the entrepreneurial family deals with the impact the entrepreneur’s lifestyle has on his or her family.  While I’m sure I’ll wander into that area from time to time, this blog is primarily about something else. This blog is about living inside a family of entrepreneurs. My daughter, my son and I are running seven different businesses in several different industries. What binds us together is our entrepreneurial heritage and passion as well as our family love. Of course, it can get messy. If you think being a dad is tough, try being an entrepreneurial dad of two entrepreneurial children.

              I often draw upon my relationship with my father and how he handled that role, including one of the greatest gifts he gave me—the freedom to pursue my passion, not his. My father dropped out of high school to fight in World War II. After the War, he worked in construction until he bought his own construction company. He named it  Triple V Construction and I was supposed to be the second V in the company.

            I worked for my father during the summers and I came to admire him for his tremendous business skills. The problem was, I hated construction work. After my sophomore year in college, I worked up the courage to tell him I didn’t want to work in our family company. I was very apprehensive about his reaction, but I will never forget what he said to me. He told me that when he got out of the Navy as a mechanic, the only work he could find was in construction. He said that it had provided a good life for him and our family. But then he told me something he had never told anyone, “If I had had the chance, I would have been a doctor.” I was shocked by the reality that the smartest man I ever met, a very successful man, had lived a life very different from the one he had wanted without a trace of bitterness or regret.

            Then Dad gave me his gift. He looked at me and said, “Michael, I didn’t have a choice. You do. Do what you love.” And I did. 

     I went to law school, started a law firm, started a real estate development business and ultimately began a consulting business with my wife. My dad was always there to help me. He never once mentioned my rejection of his company. In fact, I believe he always looked at me as the second V, even though my businesses were nothing like his.

Google introduced Google Maps Coordinate earlier this year at Google I/O.  This online service encompasses coordinating a mobile Android based workforce using smartphones and tablets.  The manager of a business works through a web interface using a Google Map to get real-time info on mobile assets.

  He or she can send work orders, view time-tracking for that order, and send/receive information on demand through a mobile app installed on the asset’s mobile device.  Workers can see a list of their jobs, and check in to show that they have started. This reduces miscommunication between the worker and dispatcher. Workers are able to minimize down time between tasks and complete a higher number of jobs per day. 

Using Google Maps Navigation, workers can easily find their way to each job.

Using their mobile device, workers can view detailed information about the job, as well as add their own notes which are immediately stored in the cloud. This eliminates paper-based workflows, duplication of work and saves teams from losing information.

The location history of each worker can be shown, which helps to make more informed decisions about how teams operate and improve the efficiency of the mobile workforce. Administrators can see all details regarding a specific job. Over time, this builds a rich database of job details, which you can reference for continual improvement.

 A custom point of interest (POI) enables you to add information to a map such as customer sites, the location of facilities, or areas to avoid. This means that workers can be accurately directed to the right place, saving time and increasing efficiencies. As more POIs are added, the learning curve is reduced for workers new to a particular area.

 When combined with Google Apps for Business, management can initiate mobile video or voice conferences and manage device security if it’s lost or stolen to protect company information.  Coordinate API's allow for customization to focus on what's most important for your business process.  

We are working with a local Verizon Wireless Sales Professional to bring you all inclusive packages.  See below for some pricing estimates.  Here is a quick introductory video to illustrate how the system works. 

Pricing Estimates: Maps Coordinate - $18/month per user Google Apps for Business - $5/month per user Verizon Mobile Smartphone - $50/month for voice & 4G Data(1GB per device) Verizon Mobile Tablet* - $20/month for 4G Data(1GB per device)