How South Downtown Inspired Lincoln's Legacy

When we turned seven years old in the Birdsong household, my maternal grandfather, who lived in Philadelphia, would take each grandkid to Washington D.C. for a weekend. It was a rite of passage for my brothers, cousins, and me. We’d take the train from Philadelphia to Washington D.…

The Soda Fountain Castle in South Downtown

Nestled on the backside of the bulky 222 Mitchell Building one block south of historic hotel row sits a three story, brick building for “all lovers of the artistic and beautiful.” Or at least that is what a 1908 Atlanta Journal article described the architectural phenomenon which still stands today.…

Authentic Work

The topic of authentic work came up the other day and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. The question was posed: what is unauthentic work? To answer that, clarifying the definition of authentic work made sense. One of the greatest aspects in working with startups and early stage…

Atlanta's Framed Skyline

Last week I attended an Atlanta Legacy Makers reception unveiling the plan and designs for the new living art memorial set to be constructed in downtown’s Woodruff Park. The live art will memorialize the relationship between former mayors Ivan Allen Jr. and Maynard Jackson. While at the reception, I…

Earned Insights

A few months ago, we explored the realm of obvious insights, not easily seen. These insights contain valuable, life-changing knowledge only available to people who are looking and have the domain experience necessary to obtain it. Coincidentally, after listening to Patrick O’Shaughnessy’s interview with Chris Paik, the concept…

"The Lights are On"

In the world of technology, one staple concept is codified in Geoffrey Moore's 1991 classic, Crossing the Chasm. The concept revolves around five lifecycles of adopters when it comes to new technology starting with innovators transitioning to early adopters, early majority, late majority, and ending with laggards. The…

Book Review: The Book of Charlie

A swift summer read I just wrapped up helped refocus and frame the concept of time. Thinking long term is one of my favorite activities. While none of us know when our time on God's green earth is up, we all have today's presence to grasp.…