High Fives to High Fives Foundation

High Fives Foundation Blackbox Case

Making Awesomeness for the 2nd Annual High Fives Foundation Colorado Golf Tournament

Blackbox Case lasered up some awesomeness for the High Fives Foundation 2nd Annual Colorado Golf Tournament this past week! Pictured above is a 15″ Natural Bamboo Wood Case for and Apple MacBook Pro Retina, a 13″ Carbonized Apple MacBook Pro Retina Case in the middle, and a 12″ Natty MacBook Bamboo Blackbox Case on the bottom. As a team, we shot 20 under par at the super elevated Copper Creek Golf Course and only finished in 4th place overall … which didn’t result in any awards coming our way, but that doesn’t matter because it was all for a good cause and technically we made all the awards!

Blackbox Case is looking forward to releasing a High Fives Foundation + Blackbox Case partnership in the very near future, so you can get your own hands on a High Fives branded Blackbox Case while supporting such an amazing cause! If you take a minute or 10 to watch and learn about the awesome work Roy Tuscany and High Fives does with mountain sports inspired athletes, you will completely understand why we love their mission so much.

Just watch High Fives’ newly released video and go full screen on this masterpiece:

Kevin Pearce – National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Nominee


[YouTubeUlar] <— 9,119 Today Ashley Cooley and I purchased two tickets to the 2014 Craig Hospital PUSH Dinner where Snowboarding star Kevin Pearce will be the recipient of the Craig Hospital Inspiration Award. Pearce was recently selected as one of the National Geographic Adventurers of the Year amongst several other, and somewhat crazy adventurists... Adventure Educators - Amy and Dave Freeman
Alpinists – Raphael Slawinski and Ian Welsted
Big-Wave Surfer – Greg Long
Climber – Adam Ondra
Community Builders – Stacy Bare and Nick Watson
Explorer – Sarah Marquis
Long-Distance Swimmer – Diana Nyad
Skier – JP Auclair
Sky Runner – Kilian Jornet
Snowboarder – Kevin Pearce

KevinPearceCrashReel

If you haven’t taken the time to watch “The Crash Reel”, which documents Kevin Pearce’s recovery from a crash in Park City, Utah where Pearce sustained a traumatic brain injury, I would highly recommend you point your iTunes or Apple TV this direction.

Pearce was attempting a cab double cork while training in the halfpipe on December 31st, 2009 — only 49 days before the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Pearce spent 34 days in critical care at University Hospital before being transferred to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado to begin his rehabilitation.

“The Crash Reel” documents Kevin Pearce’s remarkable recovery while educating about the effects of traumatic brain injuries specifically tied to Action Sports. Defining the art of snowboarding and tracking Kevin Pearce from childhood to a professional career as the only snowboarder with the ability to beat Shaun White, the dynamic story line of The Crash Reel brings together every emotion related to overcoming such incredible odds.

I personally can not recommend a better documentary film for anyone to watch and am excited to see what Jake Manley and the media team at Craig Hospital have created for the upcoming 2014 PUSH Dinner.

Hashtag – Love Your Brain – #LoveYourBrain

[2014 Craig Hospital PUSH Dinner]
[Love Your Brain Campaign]
[The Crash Reel Homepage]
[National Geographic Adventurers of the Year]
[National Geographic Interview of Kevin Pearce’s 2014 Running of the 2014 Sochi Olympics]

Kevin Pearce – “The Crash Reel”


[YouTube] <— 3,789

The Crash Reel

Fifteen years of verite footage show the epic rivalry between half-pipe legends Shaun White and Kevin Pearce, childhood friends who become number one and two in the world leading up to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, pushing one another to ever more dangerous tricks, until Kevin crashes on a Park City half-pipe, barely surviving. As Kevin recovers from his injury, Shaun wins Gold. Now all Kevin wants to do is get on his snowboard again, even though medics and family fear this could kill him. We also celebrate Sarah Burke who crashed in Park City and died January 19, 2012.

I find it difficult to write about this film – simply because I strongly believe ‘the crash reel” is something everyone should just watch… and pay attention to. The soundtrack continues to get better with each viewing and the enjoyment of seeing other people finally learn about the severity of brain injuries and the consequences behind them is mind opening.

Love Your Brain - #loveyourbrain - Tee Shirt

#loveyourbrain Tahiti Blue Tee Shirt

There are so many levels of integration as to why this documentary hits so close to home with me…

  • My mom is a brain injury specialist
  • I practically grew up at Craig
  • Half pipe half pipe half pipe
  • Stephen Murray
  • Sarah Burke – CR Johnson
  • Action Sports
  • Directing and story telling

[Interview with Director Lucy Walker]

Level 1 Productions – Partly Cloudy Trailer

[Vimeeeeooo] <— 61,691 About Partly Cloudy: Everything is baked. The snow has turned to mush and that burn is starting to peel. Fortunately, for those seeking cover from the glare there is a reset on the way. Hot on the heels of Level 1’s award-winning film Sunny comes a slightly different forecast. No major disturbances or low-pressure fronts, just a healthy mix of skiing, music, and personality with a low ultraviolet index. Partly Cloudy. Featuring: Chris Logan, Will Wesson, Ahmet Dadali, Parker White, Adam Delorme, Tanner Rainville, Wiley Miller, LSM, Tim McChesney, Banks Gilberti, LJ Strenio, Torin Yater-Wallace, Josh Bibby, Niklas Eriksson, Logan Imlach, Sammy Carlson, Sig Tveit, Magnus Granér… and friends. Shot on Location in: Utah, Sweden, Whistler Blackcomb, Alaska, Colorado, Wisconsin, New York, British Columbia, Les Arcs France, Kansas, Minnesota, Wyoming, Montana, Finland, Sun Valley Idaho, Mt. Bachelor Oregon Directed by Josh Berman and Freedle Coty Produced by Josh Berman Principal Cinematography by Josh Berman, Freedle Coty, Darren Rayner, Jake Strassman and Ante Olofsson Edited by Josh Berman, Freedle Coty and Blake Kimmel

Stout – A Forever “Bottle Opener” Object by Lance Atkins


[Kickstarter-licious] <— 100 backers $3,345 Congratulations Lance Atkins for your first 100 backers on the newest "Forever Object" - The Stout Bottle Opener. You have 33 days remaining to grab one of these bad boys that you can apparently put anywhere as a permanent bottle opener for all your badassness bottle opening needs.

I would like to attach one of these beautiful bottle openers to a Blackbox Case — or maybe a truck driving around in mud with my GoPro!

Go get em Lance … Forever Objects Rule

[Stout Bottle Opener – Kickstarter] <— 100 backers [Stout Bottle Opener – Facebook] <— 1

Doug Smith – I Am Craig Video

[Vimeeeeeo] <— 1848 LinkedIn recently inquired me to write about some projects from my past, so I thought I would share this little write up on the 2011 Craig Hospital Push Dinner video with Doug Smith, the most amazing pianist (sorry doug) in the world.

The 2011 installment of the “I Am Craig” PUSH Dinner Video was a fun one. Getting the opportunity to interview Doug Smith, a true musical genius, was a treat for me to figure out where his creativity comes from. Tying his story into a live show was a first for the Craig Hospital PUSH dinner videos… something they have now copied three times since this 2011 showing.

If you could have only been there to feel this transition take place… to see my work presented on such a large scale to tell the story of Doug Smith and then have him revealed and play such a powerful song live — It was such an amazing feeling.

I shot, edited and directed this piece with a small team of Jake Manley, Mary Bonner and myself. We all had a fun working road trip to Lubbock, Texas were everyone on the team learned a lot about each other, the local watering holes, and the man Doug Smith!

After the 6:40 mark in the video… I had zero control of shooting and editing. I feel as if the impact could have been a bit better matched to my original work – but you still get the impression of how impacted the audience was. [raw video]

I can’t wait to actually tell this entire story in Hydle detail sometime in the near future for all of you loyal readers and newly Doug Smith fans :) But for now – it stays in the memory bank.

Don’t hesitate to pick up the most amazing Doug Smith album of all time. It was recorded live in 2000 before his injury. The stories behind the recording of this album are incredible, but Doug Smith’s playing is even better.

[iTunes – Live – Doug Smith]
[Doug Smith – The Amazing Piano Player – Homepage]
[Doug Smith – The Amazing Piano Player – On Hydle.com]
[Craig Hospital]

Seth Godin – The Only Purpose of Customer Service

Subscribe to the good words of Seth Godin

The only purpose of ‘customer service’ is to change feelings. Not the facts, but the way your customer feels. The facts might be the price, or a return, or how long someone had to wait for service. Sometimes changing the facts is a shortcut to changing feelings, but not always, and changing the facts alone is not always sufficient anyway.

If a customer service protocol (your call center/complaints department/returns policy) is built around stall, deny, begrudge and finally, to the few who persist, acquiesce, then it might save money, but it is a total failure.

The customer who seeks out your help isn’t often looking to deplete your bank account. He is usually seeking validation, support and a path to feeling the way he felt before you let him down.

The best measurement of customer support is whether, after the interaction, the customer would recommend you to a friend. Time on the line, refunds given or the facts of the case are irrelevant. The feelings are all that matter, and changing feelings takes humanity and connection, not cash.

Level 1 Productions – Logan Imlach Sunny Jib Segment

[Vimeeeeeo] — Buy this film on Sunny - Level 1 Sunny – Level 1

Level 1 just dropped Logan Imlach’s Sunny seg as a sneak peak for their iTunes release. I projected this movie again at the World Premier this year. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’m claiming its WELL worth the $13 – do it.

Hugh MacLeod – Don’t Be Boring

“As Russell Davies, the UK ad executive says, “A brand’s first job is to be interesting.”

Once you are interesting, every contact with every customer, supplier, and stakeholder becomes easier. When you look at how commodity products and services are differentiated from their competition, it always comes back to the successful ones being more interesting – usually in an unexpected way.

Yes, quality matters. Yes, price matters. Yes, all the stuff you learned in “B” school matters. But what matters most to your customers is that you are smarter, quirkier, cooler, and more determined than the next guy. Once you are able to project these human traits to the world, customers and prospects are drawn to you.

This is for the guys who still think that the only way to market is through explaining product benefits and price advantages. Because being more human and showing that you are different, with personality and purpose, is even more important.”

HYDLE – TSOIGDH

In the history of HYDLE.com… this ridiculous “TSOIGDH” entry marks my 999th public blog post since May of 2009 – When I started this crazy world of blogging ideas, thoughts and Genius vs. Not Genius intermanents and social media successes or failures.

So for the sake of getting google credit for it…

“TSOIGDH” = TURNING SHIT ON IT’S GOD DAMN HEAD

Turning shit on it’s god damn head is going to be my 1 single inspiration for the next 999 blogpost entries. I can’t wait to open up my connection layer for all my loyal readers… so I can start finding out who you actually are.

Cheers to 999!

TSOIGDH

Seth Godin – A Simple Antidote

Subscribe to the good words of Seth Godin

Care.

Care more than you need to, more often than expected, more completely than the other guy.

No one reports liking Steve Jobs very much, yet he was as embraced as any businessperson since Walt Disney. Because he cared. He cared deeply about what he was making and how it would be used. Of course, he didn’t just care in a general, amorphous, whiny way, he cared and then actually delivered.

Politicians are held in astonishingly low esteem. Congress in particular is setting record lows, but it’s an endemic problem. The reason? They consistently act as if they don’t care. They don’t care about their peers, certainly, and by their actions, apparently, they don’t care about us. Money first.

Many salespeople face a similar problem–perhaps because for years they’ve used a shallow version of caring as a marketing technique to boost their commissions. One report by the National Association of Realtors found that more than 90% of all homeowners are never again contacted by their real estate agent after the contracts for the home are signed. Why bother… there’s no money in it, just the possibility of complaints. Well, the reason is obvious–you’d come by with cookies and intros to the neighbors if you cared.

Economists tell us that the reason to care is that it increases customer retention, profitability and brand value. For me, though, that’s beside the point (and even counter to the real goal). Caring gives you a compass, a direction to head and most of all, a reason to do the work you do in the first place.

Care More.

It’s only two words, but it’s hard to think of a better mantra for the organization that is smart enough to understand the core underpinning of their business, as well as one in search of a reason for being. No need to get all tied up in subcycles of this leads to this which leads to that so therefore I care… Instead, there’s the opportunity to follow the direct and difficult road of someone who truly cares about what’s being made and who it is for.