Albert Lai sold his first internet company, MyDesktop Network, for millions of dollars while still in his teens. After the sale of his first internet company to JupiterMedia (JUPM), Albert has been involved in founding, launching, or funding nearly a dozen technology companies over the past 10 years. Most recently, Albert was the founder and CEO of BubbleShare, an innovative online photo sharing service that attracted the interest of multiple?industry leading companies, that was sold to Kaboose (KAB) this year in a deal worth several million dollars at 28. Albert has passion for seeking out “what’s next,” and help launched the first DemoCamp, a series of “Unconferences” that now takes place around the world. In his spare time, Albert enjoys spending time helping emerging companies and young entrepreneurs avoiding the immeasurable number of mistakes that he’s made in the past, hoping they too one day will “pay it forward.” He blogs about disruptive simplicity and other random thoughts at http://simplyalbert.blogspot.com.
So we are out of tickets. Completely full. As in the-place-has-no-more-chairs-and-we’d-have-to-rent full. As in the-fire-marshall-is-this-close-to-calling-me-at-home full.
Yes, I know that a lot of times Sold Out might not mean Sold Out (we all know of those lucky slobs who snagged the perfect seat to some concert the day before because extras magically appeared. Heck, it’s happened to me). And yes, most of you are a plucky bunch, so asking anyway likely seems like the right call. But, alas, this is not one of those times.
We are just plum sold out.
We really don’t have some hidden stash still left to sell to the best storyteller (although, come to think of it, that might be fun next year). Asking us to hook you up – even nicely – won’t change that. And, yes, you are right, some people won’t show…but we actually baked some assumptions around that into how many we decided to sell this year after getting some experience last year. All high tech, like the airlines 😉 So no wiggle room there, either.
We do appreciate your desire to come to mesh. We are humbled by it in fact. I mean, the five of us are all still blown away by how far we’ve come since sitting at The Paddock a little more than a year-and-a-half ago spinning up the idea of the mesh The First.
But, despite that, sadly, we really can’t oblige.
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Ethan Kaplan is the head of all technology over at Warner Bros. Records. This works out well since the two things Ethan loves most in the world are music and technology. At WBR, Ethan’s responsible for all consumer facing web properties, technology initiatives, business development and research/development. Ethan comes from a background of conceptual art, film and technology. Prior to working at Warners, he received two Masters degrees in art from UC Santa Barbara, and pioneered the usage of the Internet in a large newspaper chain in the states. He also, at 16 years old, created the first R.E.M. website. He and Michael Stipe are now good friends. Accordingly, “Almost Famous” is his favorite movie. He blogs at blackrimglasses.com