2009: The Year of the Cynic

If there’s one thing I really don’t like, it’s a complainer. Even worse, a complainer who doesn’t offer alternative solutions or ideas, and doesn’t contribute to the conversation. They just like to complain, to find the flaws, to doubt, and to tell you you’re wrong. If the economy wasn’t sucking the spirit out of you in 2009, the consummate cynic would finish you off, leaving your soul crushed and drained on the floor. I saw it most everywhere. Bleh. So to all you cynics, 2009 was your year. But you’re not bringing that weak attitude to my 2010.

2010: The Year of the Enabler

I saw a great quote from orgtheory.net via Noah Brier’s blog that reads, “In the early years, critique is about identifying holes and mistakes that make ideas less plausible. In the later years, critique is about identifying the germs of ideas worth development despite the current holes and mistakes.” This pretty well sums it up. 2009 was the year of critique to make ideas less plausible. 2010 is the Year of the Enabler, critiquing not to find fault, but to find the nugget of everything that is good and right about an idea and enabling the opportunity to make it better. Instead of tearing down, it’s building up. It’s a lot harder to do, but no one said it was going to be easy.

2009: The Year of Reactionary Response

With services like Twitter becoming even more popular in 2009, it seemed everyone wanted to be the first to scoop a story, and the first to lump on criticism (see the Year of the Cynic above) to any rumor that might arise. While timely news releases via these one-to-many channels can be incredibly important (the Iran election, a jetliner going down in the Hudson, um, Michael Jackson’s death, and don’t forget Balloon Boy), these immediate channels have created impulsively reactive channels where people feel the need to respond to EVERYTHING IMMEDIATELY, even if they don’t have all the information. Particularly if they don’t have all the info. But hey, it’s first so that counts, right?

2010: The Year of Considered Response

Let’s take a deep breath. Let’s make sure we have all the facts. Let’s actually consider our response before blurting it out. Maybe we even wait a few minutes before responding to a tweet, a comment, or an email. Our society has created this “assumption of immediacy” where we feel a response is necessary as soon as possible. How about we create an “assumption of intelligent response” where the most intelligent response might not be created in 30 seconds, but 30 minutes. Or, heaven forbid, a day later. But wouldn’t a considered response, one that took in as much information as possible, weighed the responses, and then had this response delivered as if someone actually thought about it for more than five minutes, wouldn’t that be better for everyone? I’m hoping 2010 can change from a culture where we have an assumption of immediacy to a culture where we expect people to have intelligent, considered responses, even if it takes a bit longer. (Hmm… is that why I’m finally publishing this post in February? Maybe.)

2009: The Year of Accountability

Accountability is what happens when someone finds out what you’ve done, and holds you accountable for your actions. Rewards and punishment are doled out based on this accountability, but accountability is ultimately decided not by the person committing the action, but by someone reviewing the action. And accountability was big in 2009… financial meltdowns, mortgage crises… holding people accountable for their actions (I’m not getting into any political debate about TARP or anything like that here, just using this as an example of accountability). Accountability didn’t dissuade people from their actions, only punished them when their wrongdoings were discovered. And accountability always seems to have that negative connotation, people seem to be more often held accountable for doing something wrong than doing something right.

2010: The Year of Responsibility

What if instead of waiting for people to hold us accountable, we were proactive and responsible? Responsibility is making decisions not because we think people will find out about them, but because we think they are the right thing to do. What is the “right thing?” That’s a more difficult question, but by being responsible, we hold ourselves to our own highest standards. Can we hope everyone will be responsible? Probably not. But for the rest of us, those who want to do good and to change the world, responsibility is our compass to guide us on our journey.

The other thing about responsibility is admitting to your most challenging critic when you’re wrong: yourself. No one is perfect and no one gets it right all the time. Admitting failure means you’re aware of what responsibility means to you and that you can do better.

Recognizing the changing weather trends for Portland as just one effect of global climate change, we had the opportunity to help do something about it. Working with the visionaries at ClimatePath, we helped rebrand and reposition their company, including their new website, climatepath.org. The ClimatePath site not only has opportunities for offsetting your carbon footprint by “investing” in the carbon offsetting projects that interest you, but also has tips and support for reducing your carbon footprint. If you care about the planet and the future, check out the ClimatePath site for tips and thinking on how to reduce your carbon footprint. And if you’re so inclined, you can do a little offsetting.

More about the ClimatePath website in our portfolio

As the first phase of the Oregon & Washington Central Cascades Geotourim Project, we started with the brand… “what makes here, Here?” From this, we thought about how people could submit their geotourism locations for consideration to be published in the National Geographic Central Cascades MapGuide at the beginning of 2010. Then we created the site. With over 1,100 submissions, it seems to have worked. The new Central Cascades Geotourism website will be launching in January 2010 to coincide with the release of the National Geographic Central Cascades MapGuide (more on this in the upcoming weeks).

More about the Central Cascades Geotourism Project in our portfolio

Contributing to both company culture and your ear holes, we launched the Substance Monday Mixtape on February 9th. Each week, a different Substance teammate creates a mixtape to share with the office and the world. They’re (mostly) updated every Monday, and you can check them out at mixtape.findsubstance.com. Curious about past Mixtapes? Check out the Substance Mixtape Archives.

The original post about Substance Monday Mixtapes

We had this idea that we should put on an event where people could talk about what they’re working on. The result was hosting the first Show & Tell with our friends at Pinch. A little bit of data visualization, a little bit of beverage sampling, and a whole lot of cool, interesting stuff that people in Portland are working on.

The original recap post from the first Show & Tell

Erin and Stephen traveled south to “Spring Break for Internet Geeks,” otherwise known as South by Southwest (SXSW). We met some amazing people, saw some interesting presentations, and had so many great conversations. Already looking ahead to SXSW 2010, and we came up with an idea for a quick Substance Labs project – see the next bit below…

The original recap post from SXSW

Wouldn’t it be cool to combine the random meeting of people with the lessons learned from SXSW presentations? Yes, yes it would. Introducing SXSWLesson. We pulled this one together quickly as a way for people to share ideas. Worked so far, but we’re really excited to see how it grows at SXSW 2010.

The original post about SXSWLesson

David had the opportunity to talk at RefreshPDX about Substance, the Long Table, and how companies are changing structure to create better problem solving environments.

The original recap post and video from this presentation

Continuing our relationship with the Portland Trail Blazers, as well as supporting Rip City (aka Portland, Oregon), we launched the new I Am A Trail Blazers Fan site – IAmATrailBlazersFan.com – just in time for the playoffs. Built from the ground up, the new site allows Trail Blazers fans to contribute to message boards, fan statements, Starting 5 lineups, game info, and lots more.

The original post on the launch of IAmATrailBlazersFan.com

We like interesting stuff. So we were delighted to help organize the first Interesting PDX. Thanks to Emily Reed for asking us to participate, and to all the speakers who presented.

The original post about Interesting PDX

As part of our participation in the cycling community from a local, region and national perspective, we were excited to attend the Oregon Bike Summit and give a sneak preview of the Ride Oregon website (more about the site below). As one of the most forward-thinking states in the country in regards to cycling, we had the opportunity to meet many of the people who are pushing for cycling legislature and helping shape Oregon’s unique cycling culture.

The original post about the Oregon Bike Summit

We put on the first Show & Tell in March. So yes, we were crazy to put the second one on only a couple months later. Crazy like a fox. Just like the first Show & Tell, so many of our peers in Portland are working on amazing things. We’re glad we could provide this second forum for them to share it.

The original recap post and videos from Show & Tell

Over the summer, we had the pleasure of having Jessica Tsuji as the first Substance apprentice. We felt the term “intern” just sounded, well, junior. So we went with “apprenticeship” as we hope the opportunity to sit at the long table gave Jessica one (albeit skewed) perspective on how to work. But she can tell you better than we can… here’s her review.

The “everything cycling” site for Travel Oregon, RideOregonRide.com is an online resource for cyclists living in Oregon and visiting Oregon. From road routes to mountain biking trails to cycling-related events and cycling resources, there’s something for every cyclist and every skillset. Sometimes an opportunity arises that combines what you do for work and what you do in life into one awesome experience. Such was the case for us with the Ride Oregon Ride website.

More about the Ride Oregon website in our portfolio

By this point you might get the idea that we have a special place in our hearts for bikes. So it should come as no surprise that we couldn’t pass up the chance to work with new framemaker Emile Lemoine and his Beloved Cycles brand. Working with our friends at Weights & Pulleys, we launched BelovedCycles.com in order to spread the word that “every lifetime deserves at least one.”

Who likes food? Who likes drinks? If you like either, or both, there aren’t many places better to find delicious things to put in your mouth than Oregon. And to help promote the food and drink from Oregon, we launched Travel Oregon’s new online flavor-fest: bounty.traveloregon.com. Sampling the flavors across the state, you can find experiences, events and unique places to eat and drink the bounty our state provides. The site also supported the process for people to enter the Cuisinternship contest to win an all-expenses paid trip to Oregon and live the foodie dream.

More about the Oregon Bounty website in our portfolio

August was a busy, busy month, but we still needed stuff like coffee and doughnuts. And what’s more healthy than biking to get coffee and doughnuts? So that’s what we did. Plus, it acted as an informal way to welcome the launch of the Ride Oregon website. (Like we needed an excuse.)

The original post about the Substance Rolling Coffee

Bikes, bikes and more bikes. And nowhere is more bike-y than Interbike, one of the largest cycling tradeshows in the world. David went to Vegas, met some great folks, and brought us back some cool Chrome bags at cost. A win-win-win trip all around.

The original post about Substance at Interbike

A “three-day series of events intended to inspire and educate on new ways of communicating with people.” That was the idea behind the New Communicators, held at the end of October. The concept came up at coffee one day, and from there it gained momentum into a fun, educational and inspirational three days. We couldn’t be happier with the results, and look to have the second New Communicators series in 2010.

The original post about the New Communicators

As part of the New Communicators series, we held the third Show & Tell of 2009. For this one, we had an overall theme of “What Are You Doing to Change the World?” We’re fortunate that so many Portlanders are doing their part to not just talk about change, but to do something about it.

The original recap post and videos from Show & Tell

Not stopping with just creating one event for the New Communicators, we felt that since we’d been so influenced by cycling culture over the past year that we should share this with others. So we put on a panel discussion about “Creating Conversations Through the Love of Bicycles.” Bringing together some of our favorite cycling people, David moderated a panel on why cycling culture is so strong in Portland, what Portland can do for the cycling industry located here, and how people can take their passion for something and turn it into a career.

The original post about the Love of Bicycles panel

The “official” Ride Oregon launch event included a press conference at Substance World HQ, a Celebrate the Ride event through downtown and the eastside of Portland, and a reception at one of our favorite local breweries, Hopworks Urban Brewery (makers of the awesome Metrofiets bike bar). So many enthusiastic people involved in cycling came out and participated, and continue to participate through their contributions to the Ride Oregon website.

The original post about Ride Oregon launch event

(Seriously, the last cycling thing of the year…) David participated in a panel put on by the American Marketing Association on “Marketing to and from Portland’s Unique Bike Culture.” Joined by some great Portland cycling companies, David waxed poetic on the benefits of Portland’s bike industry from an economic and cultural perspective.