{•̃_•̃} Nº91 Can’t Use Droids to Fill the Voids 🤖 🖥
Its been a busy week back in Holland after last week’s Swiss trip. (Peek these recaps by John & Elena) And I’m still playing catch up as today is Amsterdam’s biggest Tech Conference: The Next Web
As I scramble to ship this (late, I know) issue, wrap up my inbox & head to the conference, I’m using my regular quiver of tools to set reminders of emails to followup with, schedule social media posts & my colleagues are using automation software to ship pitches & outreach emails for clients. Increasingly, automation, AI & bots 🤖 help our small team make an ever bigger impact.
With meetings this morning + this afternoon I’ll only be at The Next Web for a few hours today & hopefully more tomorrow. Like I do with many shows, I use tools like Twitfox to autofave tweets & Statusbrew to invite new followers to subscribe to this newsletter. Often when I hand someone a Twotone Amsterdam sticker, they recognize the logo from social media & maybe already subscribe. But do I have to be there to have that face-to-face exchange.
My point? All these tools are great but the rise of AI makes human intelligence more valuable than ever. I’m a big proponent of clever tools and apps to help you do more but remember: you can’t use droids to fill all the voids. {•̃_•̃}
As always, thank you for reading!
with appreciation,
Jon
❤️ this? Please tweet it, share on LinkedIn or post on FB. Thank you!
Cycling
Rapha | Amsterdam — pages.rapha.cc
We’re working with Rapha this month to promote their Rapha Rides events in a few weeks. Learn more & sign up via the links below. Press info here.
• June 1: RCC Dinner with Benny Blisto
• June 2: Henrik Horre cooking workshop
• June 2: Mini camping adventure
• June 2: Opening party
• June 3: Six to Six, a Fleche 12 hour challenge
• June 3: Workshops for all level of riders
• June 3: Big Thank you Dinner
• June 4: Transfer Rides to Amsterdam
• June 4: Hidden Secrets of Amsterdam
• June 4: Closing party
p.s. that’s my family & me in the video shot by Ertzui : )
LDN BOOK LAUNCH: Higher Calling by Max Leonard — www.facebook.com
Why do road cyclists go to the mountains?
Many books tell you where the mountains are, or how long and how high. None of them ask ‘Why?’
Higher Calling: Road Cycling’s Obsession with the Mountains by Max Leonard is out on Thursday 25th May. Meet Max and help him celebrate his latest book at 49 Old St.!
CREATOR SERIES : SUSANNE HALLER — FINGERSCROSSED — Endurance Stories — www.endurancestories.com
Great interview with Susanne Haller, cocreator of the sock company Fingerscrossed. Who, together with Patrick Lay, combined their two passions, design and cycling into a growing company.
Startups
SCHONDSGN — 🖋️ & ⌚ made in 🇺🇸 — www.instagram.com
Through a mutual friend Ad, I had the chance to meet Ian of Schon DSGN & his girlfriend Bridget both visiting Amsterdam for the first time. I loaned them bikes & we had a great dinner dinner talking fabrication, bike racing & entrepreneurship. He’s stepping up his watch game as we speak!
Forget Uber, Amsterdam is showing how to use the sharing economy for good — amsterdamsmartcity.com
Amsterdam has created dozens of new digital platforms encouraging citizens to participate in the sharing economy — and use it for social good.
Rob Hermans | Helping companies become digital leaders — www.hermansrob.nl
My bud Rob just got back to Amsterdam from a 4 thousand kilometer tour in South America from a and is available for freelance work. Are you looking to…
…launch a new digital proposition?
…devise a strategy and roadmap that keeps your organization competitive in the digital economy?
…make innovation part of your organizations’ DNA?
…develop rapid prototypes to test the potential of new ideas?
…organize self steering, agile teams that have the power to create successful value propositions?
If yes, more info here: hermansrob.nl
Sales
7 reasons why you’re better than a sales bot (and don’t need AI to close deals) — blog.close.io
AI will make salespeople obsolete — or will it? Despite the hype, here are 7 reasons why humans will always sell better than any AI.
Why You Shouldn’t Surprise and Delight Your Customers — www.inc.com
Surprise confuses customers and puts the onus on individual employees. Focus on delighting them — whatever that means in the context of your service offering.
The Best Times and Days to Send Your Message and Get It Read” http://buff.ly/2pZulQ6 — www.propellercrm.com
Literally, dozens of studies have been done and almost all of them offer up slightly different conclusions.
Also relevant: Why do people open emails?
Radness
The Complete Grinduro Scotland Experience on the Isle of Arran — theradavist.com
Grinduro is just what it sounds like: Gravel Grinder + Mountain Bike-Style Enduro = one long loop of pavement and dirt, where finishing times aren’t based on overall loop time, but four timed segments (each roughly five-to-ten minutes).
But Grinduro is not just a bike race… See peeks of the route & more to get stoked here.
