Photo courtsey of sheiladeeisme

What a way to kick off the summer here in Phoenix, right? Even though we’re now preparing for our #13th Ignite Phoenix the event is a new experience every time for our veteran attendees, for all of the new people in our audience (both in-house and online), for our sponsors, our crew, and most definitely our presenters. They share a little bit of something they’re passionate about to everyone watching, and our own community grows that much bigger, and closer, with what they bring. Thank you all for continuing to support that community and our event. Continue reaching out to people who haven’t attended before. Your excitement and love for Ignite Phoenix is unparallelled. It’s evident in the enthusiasm you have, whether that’s at the after-party, through our social channels, or word-of-mouth. The support from all of you is what keeps Ignite Phoenix energized, and coming back season after season.

Once again we’d like to say thank you to everyone involved and show them a little bit of love.

Presenters

Photos and Video!

Did you take photos on Friday? I’m sure you did; we saw them coming through Twitter. Take a moment to put your Ignite Phoenix #12 pictures up on Flickr with the ones our photographers took that evening (you can see all of them at the link). Tag your photos with “ignitephx” and add them to our photo group. Want to share them a little more socially? Post them to our Facebook page, or tag them with #ignitephx on Twitter.

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited that we can re-watch the videos on our YouTube channel, and all of our videos from Ignite Phoenix #12 are up, and ready to share with your friends, family, and social circles.

Sponsors

Without you, we absolutely could not do events like these! Thank you so much the declaration of support, time, and services you provide. If any of you from the audience find yourself in need of products or services which our sponsors provide, show them some love.

Habanero

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
One of the Southwest’s premier performing arts halls, the renovated Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts serves the greater Phoenix metro area, and has been the wonderful home for Ignite Phoenix for the past year.

GoDaddy
Go Daddy offers everything you need to make a name for yourself on the Web, from domain names and website builders to complete eCommerce solutions.

Serrano

Splinter Creative
Whether you’re starting a new company, developing a brand, revitalizing your identity, or simply trying to deliver a message, Splinter Creative is the gateway to provide strategy and support to make your media initiatives successful.

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange
Bookmans Entertainment Exchange is AZ’s favorite media store. Buying, selling, and trading books, games, movies and music for over 30 years. Why buy new?

Brand X Custom T-Shirts
At Brand X Custom T-shirts, we take an “offline” approach to custom t-shirt making.

APS
Arizona’s Leading Producer of Electric Power for Arizona Homes and Businesses.

Special Thanks

Black Cat Coffee House
Who provide espresso-based drinks, specialty coffee and teas, pastries, and space for our Crew to sit every Saturday leading up to the event.

ACM Quick Cash
For providing the ATMs.

Andrew Ryno
For all of the web development support, code updates and editing that took place in the wee hours of the morning, the middle of the afternoon, late in the evening, and all days of the week!

Stephanie Liebold of Bold Avenue
Bold Avenue is a boutique agency with a collaborative approach. We do graphic design for print, apparel, identity, web and promotional products.

Niki Blaker of Blaker Design
Blaker Design is a design firm specializing in strategic identity, print, marketing and website design.

Photography:
Each event we have a few photographers on hand, our own Ignite Phoenix paparazzi just a little more friendly, taking photos throughout the event. Take a few minutes to peruse their photo galleries.

Joe Abbruscato:
Samples of his work can be found at http://flickr.com/mranathema.

Devon Christopher Adams:
His photography is online at flickr.com/nooccar.

Shelia Dee:
You can find her photos online at http://flickr.com/sheila_dee/

To our three food trucks, Paletas Betty, Luncha Libre, and Spice it Up who kept everyone full with great food!

To The Black Moods, and Sareena Dominguez for the live music during Ignite Phoenix #12.

To the following bands for generously giving us your music to share on our fifth CD: Austin Gibbs, Sister Cities, This Century, Sweet Talker, The Black Moods, The Sunset Rider & The Skeleton Army, scorpion vs. tarantula, Fight the Quiet, Andrew Jackson Jihad, O’Henry, Matthew Revels, Playboy Manbaby, North Dakota, Mitch Freedom, Brian Lopez, Sareena Dominguez, Dylan Pratt, Ryan Sims of EastonAshe, Torin Dinh, Ofthesky.

HUGE thanks to all of our volunteers:

For all their time, advice, assistance, dedication and support. It’s generously given in the wee hours of the mornings to late into the evenings in the time leading up to the event straight through to the days after.

The Ignite Phoenix Crew:

This is the core team that worked hard for several months to make the whole show come together! Thank you all so much for your time, dedication, and the passion you brought to the event!

Ignite Phoenix #13:

That’s right. Lucky #13. It’s happening October 26th, same time, same place. So don’t forget! Get those idea’s flowing, start the wheels-a-turning. Share with us, and our community, what you’re passionate about! Submissions are open, we’ve already received four, and we’re waiting for yours.

Photo courtesy of ToastyKen on flickr

Did you miss Ignite Phoenix #12 on Friday? Unable to watch it via the live stream? Wish would you re-watch your favorite presentations, or show them to your family or co-workers?

Well, you’re in luck, because all of our presenter videos are online on our youtube channel. Go check’em out! Show your presenters some love, share their videos with your social networks and don’t forget to lave a nice comment!

Here’s a teaser, or three:

A New Breed of Human

Description: It’s said that every generation has its monster, and it’s incredibly apparent that we are in the decade of the vampire. But how did we progress (or perhaps regress) from Nosferatu to Edward Cullen? What does it say about us as a society that we are embracing our monsters, pulling them close and accepting them as another breed of human?

Sunshine, Shade, and Green Architecture

Description: Zonies have a love-hate relationship with sun. We live here for the nice days then spend 6 months of the year avoiding sun and seeking AC. The ancient cliff dwellers used precise solar geometry to design their apartments. All of our new architecture and landscaping can be precisely designed for summer shade, winter heat and natural light.

The Dying: Not Just Patients, But Teachers

Description: When people hear I enjoy Hospice nursing, they say “Oh my God, how can you do that, it’s so depressing!” Actually, it is the complete opposite. People faced with their own mortality are usually the most insightful life teachers. Who better to absorb life’s valuable lessons from than those who are facing the end of their own journey?

We say it every event, but the community we have at Ignite and in Phoenix is fantastic. The response from local food vendors, drink suppliers and the support of our fabulous sponsors, volunteers, and audience: it’s amazing, every time. And again, we’ve brought together nearly 1,000 people from around the Valley to share another wonderful experience that we, all of us, talk about and reflect on months later.

Thank you to all of our sponsors who donate their talent and dollars to keep Ignite Phoenix going. Thank you to our volunteers. They give their time to Ignite Phoenix not only during the event, but in the months leading up to an event (and even after we close one) with their advice, assistance, and support. It’s generously given in the wee hours of the mornings to late into the evenings. Thank you to all of our food trucks, beverage suppliers, and musicians who keep all of our attendees going before, during, and long after presentations end.

Finally, an enormous thank you to our presenters. It takes quite a bit of courage to take the stage and speak to hundreds of people, sharing something you’re passionate about. The time, dedication, support, and resources you put in is invaluable, and we all thank you for it!

Now that all the thank yous are done (for now- check back on Monday for a follow-up post) it’s time to go outside and enjoy the wonderful evening at the after party. Take a few minutes to chat with the presenters, ask the questions you wanted to ask during their presentation. Snack on some food from our vendors, sip on a drink (bring a presenter one, perhaps?), and relax in the sweet sounds of our bands.

We’ll see you in the fall for Ignite Phoenix #13!

Event night details

Event Time:
Friday night in Old Town Scottsdale? Gotta get there early, and besides, you’ll get to hang out with other Ignite attendees. SCPA lobby opens at 5:00pm for drinks and conversation, theater doors at 6:00 p.m., and speakers at 6:30 p.m.
Looking for more information? Check out our event night information page.

Social Check-ins
You can check into Ignite Phoenix 12 both on foursquare and Facebook!

Driving Directions:
Take a look at our Google Map to figure out how to wander over to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (SCPA).

Parking:
There are a variety of parking options available, including on-street spots around the SCPA, garage parking available on Drinkwater Blvd next to Scottsdale Stadium, or the parking corral at 2nd St and Brown Ave. Check out our Google Map for different parking options.

The night isn’t done. Stay & play!

Did you have questions during one of the presentations? Or perhaps some comments you’re holding onto? Well, you’re in luck. The speakers will be outside and available to mingle and chat after the event.

Food and Drink:
Again, we’ll be showcasing food from local food trucks, and we’re excited that for Ignite Phoenix #12 we have Paletas Betty, Luncha Libre, and Spice it Up all available from before the start of Ignite Phoenix to the end of the night. Our bars will be serving up alcohol from Arizona breweries and wineries.

Music:
Itching for some good jams? Along with our fantastic CD, there will be live music from Black Moods, and Sareena Dominguez.
.

Please remember:
We will have an ATM on site. Our bars are cash only. The food trucks will take credit, but the process is much faster if you have cash.

Stay up to date on event night details and any last minute news on our Event Night Details page.

What? You can’t attend?

Unable to make the event? Please go to our Facebook page and post about it. If you can’t attend, there is always someone that was hoping to go but doesn’t have tickets. Help them get their weekend started off right.

As with other Ignites, our live stream will be available for home viewing on our home page on the night of the event.

Big thank you to our sponsors!

These companies care about supporting local events and sharing ideas in the Valley of the Sun, and their generous donations of time and money help make Ignite possible.

• Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
• GoDaddy
• Arizona Public Service
• Bookmans Entertainment Exchange
• Splinter Creative
• Brand X Custom T-shirts

These great companies make Ignite possible, so please take a few minutes to check out their sites and see what they have to offer.

Without further ado, here are your Presenters for Ignite Phoenix #12! Give them a hand (or a tweet, a Facebook share, a G+, perhaps some Klout…)!

Again, we’d like to say thanks and give our appreciation to everyone who submitted. If your presentation wasn’t selected, we strongly encourage you to submit again. Please don’t feel discouraged – every Ignite Phoenix is different and we just flat run out of space. We know all of you are very passionate about your topics, so when submissions are open we would love to hear from you for Ignite Phoenix #13!

Also, let’s give a hand to our panel of judges. Without their deliberation and efforts, of which their time and dedication to the process we greatly appreciate, we wouldn’t have this fantastic line up for our May 4th event!

For those planning on attending, tickets go on sale April 14th, at 10am sharp! Set your alarms (set two!), have a friend call and wake you up. You don’t want to be late. Tickets for Ignite Phoenix 12 are $15. Yes, that is a slight increase from previous events, but please know that all money from the ticket sales go to covering the venue costs and other expenses for an event this size.

We look forward to seeing you and our amazing lineup of presenters on May 4th for Ignite Phoenix #12!

The most common questions we were asked were about submissions. What makes a good one? What are some common mistakes people make? For those of you who didn’t attend here are some highlights:

• Titles should stick. This is your first shot to catch our eye and make us want to read more.
• Descriptions are informative. Go beyond what you’re talking about and let us know why you’re talking about it and what we’ll walk away with after having listened.
• Bios tell us who you are. Personality counts, this isn’t a place to copy/paste your CV, give us a little insight into why you are the person to give this presentation.
• Take a minute to read this excellent post for more info.

Our second most common topic was all about the horror of being chosen. How difficult is it to build a presentation? What if I forget my talk? What if I ____ right there on stage?!

The submissions process is kind of a solo gig BUT if you are picked you have a village. A village of Ignite Phoenix volunteers who will give you training on how to put a good presentation together, provide tips on how to deliver it effectively, and who will be there to support you while you are building it with feedback and technical assistance. And if you do start to spontaneously combust backstage we’ll be there too. I’m sure there is an app for that.

• Need some more presenter myths busted? We have a post on that too.

So what are you waiting for? Do you still need a friendly nudge or want some feedback on your submission before you click that button?

This Friday evening is your last chance to submit. Members of the team, like Jeff Moriarty and a few other Ignite crew members and past presenters, will be available for questions and assistance with getting YOUR submission in. We’ll even have computers available for you – all you need to do is show up and type. We’ll be at Bookmans Entertainment Exchange on 19^th Ave & Northern from 6:30-8:30pm.  

• Click this link to RSVP - http://on.fb.me/H6hWfy

Whether you need some help with wording, a little support to take that final step, or if you’d like to see the village in action (trust me – it’s a sight to behold), we’ll be there for ya! Join us!

Tomorrow submissions are closing for Ignite Phoenix #12 (yes, 12) and last Monday was the first ever Ignite Food. Didn’t make Ignite Food? Not sure if you want to submit to Ignite Phoenix #12?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

If you missed Ignite Food… well, you really missed out on a fantastic event filled with a lot of laughter, great food, and presentations from burritos and homemade bacon, to offal and the history of rum (just to name a tantalizing few).

Way to rub salt into the wound, I know (oh, we had a presentation on salt, too. Tweets were saying that salt has never been so sexy. Now you know you really missed out) but here’s a nice recap.

Ignite Food on March 19th was held at Stand Up Live in downtown Phoenix and held an audience of a little over 400 people. There were 16 engaging presenters, and food from five local eateries from around the valley. We had a variety of stellar topics and a twist on our intermission entertainment (we had foodie trivia in place of slideshow karaoke) and in the end I heard as people were leaving how how much they loved the event.

It was obvious that this sparked passion in a lot of people. You could hear it, and see it, in the people as they watched the presentations. The laughter. The applause. The cheering. You could see the excitement as they chatted to the presenters and to one another after the event, and the enthusiastic comments about “maybe I’ll submit next time”.

Why yes. Yes you should. And when better than right now? Tomorrow night submissions for Ignite Phoenix #12 close and if you’ve been wanting to submit, what’s holding you back? I’m sure things like this might be going through your head:

Is my idea good?
No, I’m sure this is dumb…
How do I write the biography? Should it be my resume?
Oh man… I still need a catchy title?
Who can I send this to and have them look it over…

But, luckily for you we’ve heard those same utterances from people we’ve met and have chatted with about Ignite Phoenix. And with how great our last two submission meetups went, we scheduled a third submissions meetup where you can chat and bat some ideas around on where you’re getting stuck.

Jeff Moriarty (one of the founders of Ignite Phoenix), and a few other members of the crew, and maybe some past presenters will be hanging out at Bookman’s tomorrow night at 6:30pm!

So, stop in, pick our brains, and submit your talk idea right there one of our laptops (it is the last night of sending them in, you know). Plus, you get to visit Bookmans, which is always a win! We’ll just be hanging out, so visit anytime! Hope to see you there, and please tell anyone else you think might be interested!

It seems like just a mere few weeks ago that the planning for the very first Ignite Food kicked off and now here we are, already basking in the glow of content bellies and blown minds. Before we hit full food coma stage we thought we should take a moment to thank you. Without a dedicated group of volunteers, an amazing set of presenters, generous sponsors, and a supportive community, we’d be hard pressed to put on the event that hit the heights of awesome that we met tonight. I often tell prospective presenters you will never find a more accepting audience than an Ignite audience. You more than proved me right, again, tonight.

The Phoenix food community is just as diverse as we thought it would be, and that’s never been more evident than during this event. We heard from growers, chefs, aficionados, consumers and activists. No matter what your interest or philosophies are regarding food you certainly had a wealth of information shared with you tonight. We hope you were as entertained and enlightened as we were.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who gave up time with their families, endured meetings full of awful puns and some serious email overload. Without their efforts this event just simply would not have happened. Thank you to all of our sponsors. More than providing us with the financial ability to continue staging this event you also so often solidify our ties to the communities that we seek to serve. And most importantly, thank you to all of our presenters. You bravely stood up in front of a crowd of complete strangers, poured your hearts and souls out and seriously killed it!

It’s time now to hang out and chat about your experience tonight with the presenters and other attendees over some great food and drink. Don’t stop now! Strike up a conversation about hops, organize your own food army and start that eat-athon, or find out all about rum (and taste some).

If you’re inspired to get up on stage and share YOUR passion – here is your chance – submit your passion for Ignite Phoenix #12! We can’t put on a show without you, so whatever your passion is, we want to hear about it!

You’re sitting in the audience at an Ignite when suddenly it comes to you, that idea, that spark, and you are completely jazzed about getting up there on stage and sharing your passion, what excites you or what really revs your engine. In the days that follow you are seriously pumped about it, sharing your idea with all of your friends and starting to picture that moment when that first slide with your name on it appears on screen.

And then it happens. Maybe it just didn’t come together in your head. Or the time commitment seemed insurmountable. As hard as you tried, the wording just doesn’t quite convey what you want it to. Oh.My.Gosh. 850 people!! Doubt creeps in, time flies, the spark sputters and despite all of your intentions you just didn’t get that submission in on time.

Whatever the reason that derailed you we want to help.

Why? Because we want you! We thrive on new concepts, get giddy over interesting ideas and yearn for the nerdtastic! You will not find a more accepting audience or a more committed group of volunteers just dying to get to know you and hear what you are nuts about.

So here’s your chance to ask any question you have to members of the Ignite team and past presenters. You can talk through the ideas you’ve had, and while this won’t guarantee you a spot in the final lineup, you can find out what it takes to pull together an awesome submission. You’ll also find out what happens if you’re picked: the blood, sweat, tears, and most of all, the time that goes into every single Ignite.

Our team is dedicated to making sure each and every presenter and talk is its own personal best. Join us!

• RSVP here for our meetup on Wednesday March 21st at St.Francis in Phoenix from 5-7pm. Get Directions
• RSVP here for our meetup on Saturday March 24th at 5th & Wine in Scottsdale from 2-4pm. Get Directions

photo by nooccar

Last October, Ignite Phoenix 11 featured one of the most diverse set of speakers we’ve seen to date, from Pikas to roller derby, eighteen regular people got on stage to educate, enlighten, and share their stories with a packed house of curious Arizonans. It was utterly fantastic, and if you weren’t able to attend make some time to check out the videos from all presentations.

Now in 2012 we are excited to announce, so appropriately, Ignite Phoenix #12! Save the date of Friday, May 4th, once again at the fantastic Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. We will post more information on tickets in the upcoming weeks, but right now we have a open call for submissions!

Let your inner geek shine

Phoenix geek culture blog, Lightning Octopus, beat us to the punch by challenging all local geeks to stand up and represent by submitting their talk ideas. Will we get a talk on Star Trek’s impact on popular culture? Ten Comic Book heroes most people have never heard of? Best graphic novels for serious readers? Inside the world of Cosplay? I have no idea, but I can’t wait to find out.

The truth is that we all geek out about something. For some it is comic books, but for others it is knitting, or rock collecting, or ancient history, or cigars, or UFOs, or motorcycles, or lost civilizations. It’s endless, and it’s awesome.

And Ignite is the place to let it all out. Our goal is to cultivate the broadest, most diverse, most mind expanding range of possible talks in or about Phoenix. If you know a friend or group who geeks out about something most people don’t know about – tell them about us and nag them submit! They would be hard pressed to find a better audience!

Spread the word

We would love your help getting the word out through any tweets, shares, Likes, +1s, emails, or stumbles, you can spare. Heck, print this out and leave it under someone’s windshield wipers if that’s how you roll. The more people we reach now, the better Ignite Phoenix #12 will be.

It only takes a few minutes to submit an idea, and the deadline is coming up fast – March 30th at Midnight! Just tell us what you get excited about and why. Don’t filter it. Your honest excitement is exactly what we are looking for.

See you at Ignite Phoenix #12!