
Listener, Thinker, Adventurer
San Francisco Bay Area

Listener, Thinker, Adventurer
San Francisco Bay Area
I'm always wondering how to do the splits:
How do we keep one foot in thoughtful analysis, and the other in relentless execution?
Passionate about:
1) People--connecting them
2) Efficiency--both micro (GTD, 43 Folders) and macro (Lean Manufacturing)
3) Technology--so happy, I cried when my family first got a computer
4) Economic Game Theory & Market Signaling
5) Art--making my basketball teammates look good
Life goals:
-Start 5 businesses
-Have 10 kids
-Give away $1 million
-Run 100 miles in 24 hours
-Present at TED
I know less tech than most hard-core geeks, and less business than most hard-core entrepreneurs. So I try to speak business around the geeks, and speak geek around the entrepreneurs.
Reach out: jeff@jeffwidman.com
(I don't accept connections from people I don't know. Instead, e-mail me with a brief bio, question, or project I might find interesting.)
Online branding, Lean Manufacturing, Economic Game Theory, Keyboard Shortcuts, Evaluating crazy ideas, New media communication (blogging, podcasting, websites), Being different without being rebellious
(Media Production industry)
March 2009 — Present (5 months)
Freelancer at VentureBeat, focused on enterprise and B2B technology news and trends.
http://venturebeat.com/author/jeff-widman/
(Privately Held; Information Technology and Services industry)
March 2009 — Present (5 months)
I manage the Facebook marketing for Mint.com. Actively looking to connect with other Facebook marketers.
http://www.facebook.com/mint
Also write a few posts every so often for the Mint.com blog...
http://www.mint.com/blog/author/jeff-widman/
(Privately Held; Internet industry)
October 2008 — January 2009 (4 months)
After the first three weeks, I realized I was the process bottleneck--so I hired a team of people in India and Bulgaria and completely outsourced my job.
For the rest of my time, I managed the remote team, wrote for TechCrunchIT, and handled odd jobs for Mike Arrington.
My posts: http://www.techcrunchit.com/author/jeffw/
During the this time, I had 4 of the top 5 articles (by pageviews)--the blog's editor had one post at the #4 spot. My writing hit Techmeme and Digg.
I also managed to spend a week covering a conference... at Disneyworld. :-)
(Public Company; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
February 2008 — August 2008 (7 months)
Part-time internship at a small aerospace manufacturer.
Friendly people with a decent work-ethic--but minimal change-ethic.
This experience kick-started my year-long pilgrimage to find: "A small team of intense people who make things happen."
(Marketing and Advertising industry)
May 2008 — August 2008 (4 months)
Worked under Seth Godin (along with a few other college students--all fantastically brilliant!) on marketing strategy and execution for several of his projects.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)
August 2008 — August 2008 (1 month)
When I wanted to learn about internet startups, TechStars.org was an obvious option. It's one of the most well-known and highly respected tech-startup incubators around.
David Cohen graciously agreed to let me spend a month at TechStars. By listening at meetings, watching the teams prep for investor day, and asking questions, I learned that a) I click with the startup lifestyle, and b) I have a lot more to learn.
(Was I a patient learner, or a learner of patience?)
(Marketing and Advertising industry)
December 2007 — April 2008 (5 months)
I accidentally fell into a consulting project with a local company... Basically I re-wrote the strategic vision for their online marketing.
Turns out they loved the result, and I loved doing it.
(Business Supplies and Equipment industry)
July 2007 — September 2007 (3 months)
Co-founded Process Improvement Team (PIT Crew)
• Generated over 20 significant shop improvements
• Lean improvements (and a lot of hard work) contributed to six new production records
• Increased the efficiency of the central manufacturing line by 12%
Designed custom stacking jigs
• Increased the efficiency of two processes by 1 hour each per day
(Non-Profit; 201-500 employees; Religious Institutions industry)
September 2006 — June 2007 (10 months)
Worked 65+ hour weeks in a people-focused organization on the university campus
• Mentored students in 1-on-1 and small group settings for 25 hours a week
• Co-planned and led a team of students on a week long service trip
http://www.ccfministry.com/internship/
BA , Economics , 2004 — 2009
I was drawn to economics because it's a useful way to model reality:
1) Look at the world
2) Create a simple model with far less distractions
3) Find new relationships within the model
4) Plug them back into reality to see if they hold true
BS , Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management , 2004 — 2009
Top-notch program incorporating classes from engineering, business, science, operations, and two summer internships.
Most useful thing I learned in class: Eliyahu Goldratt's "Theory of Constraints"
Great cadre of students and faculty!
Check out the website: http://www.cbe.wwu.edu/mm/
AA , Graduated with Honors, from the Honors Program , 2002 — 2004
I received a college degree when my peers were graduating from highschool.
APICS - The Association for Operations Management, WWU Manufacturing Advisory Board, WWU Guest Speakers, Box T Ranch, Kiros, Seth Godin's Virtual Internship, Campus Christian Fellowship
Former National Merit Scholarship Finalist
1st place--Pacific Northwest APICS Student Paper Competition (Title: "Microsoft Xbox and the Reverse Logistics Process")