Somewhat Frank

On this Episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about enjoying the cooler temperatures and the fall harvest and about the Earth and what we're doing to it. Specifically, they discuss the new documentary Kiss The Ground, which talks about a global movement of regenerative agriculture, balancing our climate, replenishing our vast water supplies, and feeding the world. Additionally, the problem is further reaching than just the Earth, out in space there is apparently a mass of space junk that needs to be taken care of as well. Frank also celebrates the following people in his network:

• Lolita Taub and Jesse Middleton are teaming up to launch The Community Fund.
• NOTE: Investing in early-stage Community focused or powered startups.
• Ben Metcalfe has launched a fund and made his first investment.
• Benoit Wirz at Brighteye VC has raised a new fund.
• J.D. Vance has his book Hillbilly Elegy is soon to be a movie on Netflix (Nov 24th).
• Andrew Song at Whisper has developed a new kind of hearing aid and have raised funds.
• Mike Levins on the launch of this startup in the insurance tech space!

Frank also suggests that everyone try and attend the 8th annual Startup of the Year Summit! We will stream this special event for free, online for your viewing pleasure, on November 16th - 18th. Also featured during the Summit are a number of exciting speakers including Tim Draper, venture capitalist and founder of Draper Associates; entrepreneur and author Kara Goldin will discuss her journey in starting Hint Water and her new book Undaunted (order the book today) entrepreneur Mike Evans will share his candid story behind starting and taking GrubHub to IPO plus his new startup Fixer.com, and forthcoming book Hangry; author and entrepreneur Rohit Bhargava will share learnings from his latest book Non Obvious Mega Trends; author Meredith Fineman will teach us tips from her new book Brag Better; author Whitney Johnson will teach you how to Disrupt Yourself, and more. Register now. The guys also talk about the following books/article they've read recently:

• Loneliness is at an all-time high with the isolation caused by the global pandemic - AI system detects loneliness in natural speech patterns
• It's about damn time! - Airbus Unveils Hydrogen Designs for Zero-Emission Flight
• Clean energy could be in our future - Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor Is 'Very Likely to Work,' Studies Suggest
• Stay cool. - The Arctic hasn't been this warm for 3 million years
• 1 Tree, 2 Trees, 3 Trees… - Satellites could soon map every tree on Earth
• How is space already filled with garbage? And how do we fix it? - Over 75% of space debris detected in new survey is unknown objects
• Trendspotting: Diversity is now being rewarded at Starbucks - Starbucks Ties Executive Pay to 2025 Diversity Targets
• This is what parents are going through everywhere. - Op-Ed: Working Moms Like Me Are at the Coronavirus Breaking Point
• The theater industry is quite stressed out by the pandemic. - AMC Will Rent Out Entire Theater for $99
• Either way, there's a 50/50 chance we live in a simulation. - A Study Shows There's a 50% Chance We're Living In A Simulation

Frank and John also chat about the new Shuffle app that is like Instagram for podcasts. It allows you to make 60-second clips of your favorite podcasts and then post them you would on your Instagram stories and profile. Thus, enabling you to discover and share parts of podcasts. Please listen to Frank's interview with Polly Rodriguez from Unbound on the latest edition of the Startup of the Year Podcast, where she shared her rollercoaster ride bootstrapping her sexual wellness startup to success. We hope you enjoy the candid conversation, and maybe pick something up to apply to your life. Listen here. One last final note, please remember to vote on or before November 3rd. Get updates like this in your inbox before they hit the web by subscribing to the newsletter here.

On this Episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about enjoying the splendors of Fall during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also take a virtual moment of silence for the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who recently passed away and was a force who fought for freedom and equality in America. Frank also celebrates the following people in his network:

• Tamar Weinberg survived COVID-19 and wrote about it a few times on medium (http://medium.com/@tamar) - She also started a fragrance https://medium.com/@tamar/my-journey-into-wellness-2bb18686548d
• Genevieve Thiers founder of SitterCity has had it acquired - https://www.americaninno.com/chicago/inno-news-chicago/sittercity-acquired-by-child-care-firm-bright-horizons/
• Kara Goldin on raising $25M for Hint and her new book Undaunted - https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200818005305/en/Hint-Closes-25-Million-Investment-Led-Springboard#.Xzw3ekQdbhc.twitter
• Ben Parr on his up and down startup journey with Octane AI - https://www.forbes.com/sites/martyswant/2020/08/21/from-celebrity-chatbots-to-new-life-in-e-commerce-octane-ai-raises-425-million/#60f66f1b4795
• Neal Sales Griffin on joining MATH Ventures as a Venture Partner- https://www.mathventurepartners.com/in-the-news/2020/9/21/math-venture-partners-brings-on-neal-sales-griffin-as-venture-partner?fbclid=IwAR3ePYMi52kW5JuoOtTCnGNijD-5ZuQLNKVl7zblVwvIi-ffSnYIXzySgvY

The guys also talk about the following books/article they've read recently: The greatest software IPO of all time just happened with Snowflake.

• Warren Buffett backed Snowflake's value doubles in stock market's largest software debut - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-snowflake-ipo/buffett-backed-snowflakes-value-doubles-in-stock-markets-largest-software-debut-idUSKBN2672VA
• Would you want to live forever? - Frozen in time: Inside the facility preserving the dead through cryonics. https://flip.it/kNOAjZ
• How do they live so long in blue zones? - Longevity nutrition tips from Blue Zones communities. https://flip.it/GQxMbn
• Maybe you should try cold showers instead.- Here's What Taking a Cold Shower Does to Your Body, According to Experts. https://flip.it/ViG39W
• If you could live anywhere would you stay in Silicon Valley? - How Remote Work Could Destroy Silicon Valley. https://marker.medium.com/amp/p/761b398dc9fb
• Some think cities like NYC will bounce back, while others do not. - NYC is Dead Forever … Here's Why. https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/nyc-is-dead-forever-heres-why/
• Digital nomads your time to shine is now! - https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexledsom/2020/07/18/digital-nomads-are-new-travel-winners-as-entire-countries-open-doors-to-work-tourism/
• Want to work remotely from a Caribbean Island for a year? - Barbados offering 12-month remote-work stay incentive to attract visitors. https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/barbados-offering-12-month-remote-work-incentive-to-attract-visitors/
• Get ready. - Pentagon Has 'Off-World Vehicles Not Made on This Earth.' https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/amp33413777/pentagon-ufo-program-materials-vehicles/
• This blows my mind! - Elon Musk to show off working a brain-hacking device. https://flip.it/Xw2pkB
• Plastic pushed on us by big oil? - How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled?utm_source=davidhauser.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_newsletter
• Quibi - After 6 months and $1.8 billion, Quibi wants a new owner. That will be a hard sell. https://flip.it/LFi86q
• LinkedIn lists the 50 top U.S. startups on the rise in 2020: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-top-startups-2020-50-us-companies-rise-jessi-hempel/

Frank and John chat about watching the Apple TV show "Ted Lasso" and the HBO Max series "Love Life" with Anna Kendrick. Frank also gives a brief summary of the new Netflix documentary "The Social Dilemma," which lays out a case against the primacy of big technology companies. The film highlights the concerns of former tech employees who say social media is undermining the shared sense of reality that underpins society. Lastly, please join Established for our upcoming 8th Annual Startup of the Year Summit which will be held online on November 16-18. The Summit is a curated experience for emerging founders, seasoned entrepreneurs, corporate innovation leads, accelerators, and investors to build relationships that fuel success. Summit is also the culmination of the 2020 Startup of the Year competition, and attendees can expect to hear from various keynote speakers, such as Tim Draper (Draper VC), Kara Goldin (Hint Water), and Mike Evans (GrubHub), and more. You can learn more about the Summit and register for the event at the following link: https://summit.startupofyear.com/ Get updates like this in your inbox before they hit the web by subscribing to the newsletter here.

On this Episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. They also chat about the recent rise in RV sales and the benefits of the vagabond lifestyle during the pandemic. Frank also celebrates the following people in his network:

• Arlan Hamilton on the release of her book, It's About Damn Time.
• Brad Feld on his latest book, The Startup Community Way.
• Meredith Fineman on the launch of her book, Brag Better.
• Matt Rissel on joining Summit Partners as an Executive In Residence.
• Derek Andersen on the growth and fresh $15M in funding to Bevy.
• Mary Grove on the launch of her new VC firm Bread and Butter Ventures.
• Cat Hernandez on the launch of a new pre-seed fund model with The Venture Collective.
• Paul Carr on launching Needhop. Need help? Book someone on a call via the app (more on this below).
• Dawn Dickson on raising $2.3M for her startup via crowdfunding.

The guys also talk about the following books/article they've read recently:

• Too early to ditch the gym for gene therapy? Experimental gene therapy prevents obesity, builds muscle, without exercise or dieting
• How To Read Water Clues and Patterns from Puddles to the Sea by Tristan Gooley
• Underwater tourism Cutting edge tourist submarine will allow 24 passengers to explore the ocean depths

Frank also talks about the new app Needhop. It offers on-demand audio calls for anyone looking for help. You can sign up to share your time and advice with others or look for others you might want to talk to for help. You can book people like Sarah Lacy, David Hornik, Paul Carr, and Frank Gruber and many, many, more! Established and Startup of the Year are excited about these upcoming events:

• Tune-in on July 23rd at 1 pm ET as we're hosting another Startup of the Year online pitch event, this time focused on spotlighting US Veteran Founders - RSVP here.
• We're also assisting the Greater Colorado Venture Fund with their upcoming pitch event on July 30th where they will be investing in some early-stage companies from rural Colorado - RSVP here.

Lastly, Frank and John chat about the last episodes of the Bulls documentary The Last Dance and the Long Gone Summer, another ESPN documentary, that covers the summer of 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were slugging it out chasing the single-season home run record. Get updates like this in your inbox before they hit the web by subscribing to the newsletter here.

On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber and John Guidos talk about the recent release of confirmed UFO footage by the Pentagon. The guys also celebrate Logan LaHive for building something new for the last year called Frank (catchy name). Sarah Cooper has been blowing up on TikTok and every other social channel for her comedic videos. Alex Iskold launched 1kproject.org to help families in need by giving them $1k per month for 3 months. Josh Constine for leaving TechCrunch to join a VC fund, and Max Wessel at SAP had a conversation with best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell. Rohit Bhargava also launched a book on best practices for working from home - it's currently free on Amazon, and Joey Arora of AFWERX shared how entrepreneurs can get contracts working on solutions for the Air Force. Frank talks about his experiences with llamas and alpacas and he is Hoping Llamas Will Become Coronavirus Heroes. He also talks about sleep being very important and the article he read "Tech Eroded Sleep Quality in the 1800s. Can it restore it 200 years later?" Frank and John have been watching The Last Dance, a docu-series re-living the excitement of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 90's. They also enjoyed Leslie Knope and her team coming back for a special episode of Parks and Recreation, if you missed it you can view it here. Lastly, Frank mentioned that another Startup of the Year online pitch event, is coming up on May 28th at 1 p.m. ET - you can RSVP here. This time the event will be focused on spotlighting Female Founders. This episode was live-streamed on @frankgruber's Instagram account for additional engagement and viewing pleasure. Get updates like this in your inbox before they hit the web by subscribing to the newsletter here.

On this episode of the Somewhat Frank podcast, Frank Gruber is again joined by Johnny "Goodtimes" Guidos as they talk about the "new normal" that is a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with such things as possible temperature checks at Disney World, and much more. Frank celebrates his first boss after graduating college, Dave Giordano, who had his consulting firm TSG which he built for 23 years acquired by Alfresco. He also celebrates Mark Cuban's foundation is partnering with A.I. For Anyone to present a free 60-minute introduction to artificial intelligence for students and educators. Lastly, they talk about Brian Solis joining SalesForce as a Global Innovation Evangelist. This episode was live-streamed on @frankgruber's Instagram account for additional engagement and viewing pleasure. Get updates like this in your inbox before they hit the web by subscribing to the newsletter here.

In this episode of the podcast, Frank Gruber is joined by Johnny "Goodtimes" Guidos as they discuss the current state of the Coronavirus Pandemic which is currently at 133,000 confirmed cases in the US and 700,000 cases globally.

They discuss the 8 strains of the virus while also talking about how they are passing the time while hunkering down. One thing to remember is to be kind out there, especially the group that decided to show up as not such good neighbors to enforce a quarantine. But with all this negative news out there it was uplifting to see the launch of SomeGoodNews by actor John Krasinski, of the US sitcom The Office fame, among other things. It's a show all about good news and it's just what the world needed right now.

Speaking of good things in the world, some of our partners from our Startup of the Year program have been doing things to help with the COVID19 response — which include everything from 3D printing masks and supplies to COVID19 tests. You can find all these COVID19 resources and more here.

The duo discussed everything they are watching as live concerts are being streamed online to movies being released early online, to new programs being dropped by the various streaming services from Ozark to Tiger King – which has been getting lots of people talking. Finally, while we may be self-isolating, we still can watch with friends thanks to plug-ins like Netflix Party. This episode was live-streamed on @frankgruber's Instagram account for additional engagement and viewing pleasure.

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This episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber talks with John Guidos about the current state of affairs with the recent Coronavirus pandemic. The guys also chat about how to stay positive during times of isolation and suggest to listeners that sometimes it is best to remember to breathe. The discussion was loosely based on the latest newsletter which is shared below.

March has come in like a lion. I don't think anyone expected to see what's happened in the last few weeks across the globe with the Coronavirus pandemic. It's been a surreal, unprecedented experience (at least in my time on Earth). While the information is coming in hotter than a Las Vegas summer day, it's hard not to keep your eyes off of it. That's why it's important to take a step back and remember to breathe (while keeping an adequate social distance, of course). That said, if you're able to, I hope you can work from home for the next couple of weeks. Why? It's the responsible thing to do. The quick of it is, there are not enough hospital beds to handle the worst-case scenario that this virus can bring. So the best thing to do is to slow the burn and in doing so allow our health professionals a chance to help those that get sick. There's a great article by Vox that explains the importance of flattening the curve and we can learn a lot about how Tawain has handled the virus in their country. Ok, be safe out there, and please social distance. And as Fred Roger's would have said in hard situations like this, "always look for the helpers." Speaking of helpers, a bunch of entrepreneurs & techies worked 24×7 to turn volunteering app VOMO into something everyone & every org can use for free to help out during COVID-19 as it's more important than ever to be a good neighbor.

ICYMI This past week we hosted our first virtual pitch competition to replace our SXSW event which was supposed to take place on March 14th. You can tune into the event where 14 startups pitched 28 judges for a chance at Startup of the Year glory, prizes, and a potential $10K investment. You can view the full virtual event here.

Celebrating (People In My Network) —Sean Percival on his upcoming book (now taking pre-orders) shipping in a month titled, The Accelerator Survival Guide: How to lead, design and execute great programs. —Brittany Heyd for her work in Hawaii which got her recently recognized by Hawaii Business. —Rohit Bhargava has a new WSJ Bestseller book titled, Non-Obvious Mega Trends.

Free Thanks to our partnership with the .US domain, you can go and secure a domain for free for your next business idea or startup (this is the perfect time for those new projects!). Just go to this link to sign up for your free .US domain and get started building something cool.

Reading Lasers. —Lasers could cut the lifespan of nuclear waste from "a million years to 30 minutes," says Nobel laureate

Open layouts in offices are now swinging the other way. —A Quiet Respite in a Bustling Open Workplace

It's not just you, Apple has been slowing you down. —Apple fined for slowing down old iPhones

Here's a fail-fast approach to hiring. —The Body Shop will start hiring the first person who applies for any retail job

Recycling is broken. —The fraught future of recycling

Vitamin D is critical and often overlooked. —Are you getting enough Vitamin D?

Scary – autonomous vehicles can be hacked! —Hackers stuck a 2-inch strip of tape on a 35-mph speed sign and successfully tricked 2 Teslas into accelerating to 85 mph

Lobster Blood? —Lobster blood could be used in new cancer drugs

This could be groundbreaking! —This edible blob filled with water means you don't need a plastic bottle Maine is fast-tracking this new way of creating immunity to Lymes Disease a tick-borne illness —Researchers move forward with a shot against Lyme A new model for selling coffee and tea. —Panera debuts $9/month unlimited coffee and tea subscription

Finally, there appears to be a cure for HIV. —Two HIV patients cured

Watching I had the pleasure of watching the film, Jane. It's a documentary made from the lost footage of Jane Goodall's first missions to watch, document, and learn about chimpanzees. She is an amazing human. I loved it and hope you do too. It's also a great break from the current news. Listening On one of my latest podcast episodes, I catch up with Lakshmi Shenoy, the CEO of Embarc Collective, the unique innovation hub rooting itself in Tampa Bay. I love Tampa, so I'm really excited about what's happening down there backed by Jeff Vinik, the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team owner. Listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. Testing With remote work, a hot topic, and with our virtual event coming up this week here's the webcam that I've been testing to make remote work better. Logitech C922 Pro HD Stream Webcam which offers 1080p quality video a low-to-medium price point. Sure, there are better Logitech cameras out there but this one should do most of what you need unless you're looking for 4K quality or other specific bells and whistles. Selling If you or anyone you know might be interested in living in downtown Las Vegas (DTLV), we have a great loft downtown for sale. We love DTLV and this place is right in the heart of it. We have many fond memories from both work and life but now with a little one, we have outgrown it and headed east for the foreseeable future.

Playing I've been playing a game that John Guidos shared with me called the Houseparty app. It's a way to social distance but connect with friends and family and play games together. Give a try and let me know what you think about it.

Finally, it's a stressful time, so be good to be one another, and remember to breathe.

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On this episode of the Somewhat podcast, Frank Gruber and co-host John Guidos talk about their quest for better health and longevity.

Frank and John discuss some of the thing happening in his network as well his recent readings and upcoming events. The discussion was loosely based on the latest newsletter which is shared below.

Celebrating (People In My Network) —Katie Stanton for launching Moxie Ventures a $25M Fund to invest in startups. —Trey Bowles launches InnoCity Partners a boutique consulting firm focused on smart city programs. —Rami Essaid has raised $2M in funding for his next company. —Shama Hyder has raised $5M in funding for their restaurant POS startup OneDine. —Laurie Segall has been named a correspondent for the new 60 Minutes Quibi program 60 IN 6. —Finally, next weekend I'll be celebrating the life of my stepdad, who recently passed away. I'll miss him greatly. You're Invited I'll be headed back to Austin, Texas in March for South by Southwest (SXSW) for the 12th year in a row and we'll be hosting a number of events at our house for the 10th year in a row at the Established House of Startups and Innovations on Saturday, March 14, 2020. If you're looking to do something special for your company at SXSW, we still have some opportunities to get involved as sponsors or with some unique customized experiences. I invite you to join me at our events – RSVP. Reading Mindfulness is becoming more mainstream and could be just what people need. —Can Mindfulness Evolve From Wellness Pursuit to Medical Treatment? How AIM was the original social network. —AIM was the killer app of 1997. It's still shaping the internet today Confirmed. Working out makes you healthier. —The Workout Drug Finally, this internet thing might catch on. —Gary Larson might be the longest internet holdout in history, god love him

Fasting slows death. —Eating in a 6-hour window and fasting for 18 hours might help you live longer Scooters are everywhere but cities are not ready. —I rode an electric scooter from every company operating in LA, and saw exactly why American cities aren't ready for them

Evidence of what can happen in a decade. —A Decade of Urban Transformation Seen From Above Vegas connected by a tunnel? —Elon Musk says Boring Co's Vegas tunnel will 'hopefully' be operational in 2020 Dogs are more than just our best friends. —Dogs experience pain in a uniquely human way, study reports One more thing about dogs. —Dogs poop in alignment with Earth's magnetic field, study finds And humans are trying to innovate so you don't go as long. —The corporate poo patrol is coming after your precious toilet time There's now an app for coronavirus. —This app has all the up-to-date information you need to know about the Wuhan coronavirus Reading I just wrapped up reading the book Ninety Percent Mental by Bob Tewksbury a former All-Star MLB pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, St Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and currently a mental coach for the Chicago Cubs. The lessons in the book can be applied to baseball, business, and everyday life. Oh, and there are only 9 days until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, not that I was counting.

Watching I just finished up Mr. Robot's final season and it's a good one. It really makes you think and now I feel like I have to go back and rewatch the whole series to understand it better.

Listening I'm enjoying the new album Circles by the late Mac Miller. You might like the podcast interviews I did with Steve Case, Mark Cuban, and Tim Draper regarding "what they look for in a startup they invest in." Additionally, I really enjoyed talking with Sarah Kunst, a venture capitalist who just raised a fund for her firm Cleo Capital, in the recent podcast.

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Frank Gruber and co-host John Guidos talk about whether they could live without email and how society is changing with the elimination of the landline and a "home phone." The discussion was loosely based on the latest newsletter which is shared below.

I saw a story recently about Away Luggage and how they recently ousted their co-founder and CEO Steph Korey over her use of the communication tool Slack to intimidate employees. Away Luggage employees don't use email, limiting communications to Slack's public channels. While Slack does offer direct message functionality, the company, like others, utilizes mostly public channels to offer a more transparent work environment – which unfortunately made public intimidation possible (or… fortunately exposed bad behavior that might otherwise have been hidden?). This is not the first company to eliminate email. For example, Automattic, the company behind web blogging platform WordPress, was one of the earliest to embrace Slack as a primary communication tool. Could you run a business, or your life, without email?

This question made me think about how communication has evolved over the years. The day of the central "home phone" is something of the past. But the home landline taught me how to answer a phone (not knowing who was on the other end), speak to people of all ages, and communicate on others' behalf. So, I'm curious if those skills are no longer being acquired by younger people. This brings a whole new reason for having a landline to light. The Atlantic recently dug a little deeper into this topic of the home landline which also forms a spontaneous connection to a household.

Celebrating People in My Network —Laurie Segall on the launch of Dot Dot Dot Media. —Lo Toney raised $42M fund to invest in startups at Plexo Capital. —Michael Chasen, the CEO of PrecisionHawk, a Raleigh, N.C.-based provider of drone technology for the enterprise, on raising $32M in funding. —Jason Fudin, co-founder and CEO of WhyHotel, which operates 100 to 250 room pop-up hotels with 24/7 on-site staff in newly built, luxury apartment buildings, on raising a $20M Series B of funding. —Justyn Howard and the team of Chicago-based SproutSocial on their recent IPO. —Cody Bardo and the rest of the Trust & Will team for raising a $6M Series A round of funding with the goal of bringing estate planning To every family in America. —Mike Levins on jumping off the entrepreneurial diving board after a few decades in the corporate insurance world. I'm excited about his startup journey!

Upcoming Events I am going to CES 2020 in early January so let me know if you'll be in Las Vegas and would like to connect. Additionally, we're in the process of planning our annual SXSW 2020 events taking place in early March in Austin, Texas. If you're looking to do something at SXSW and need assistance, or if you'd like to get involved in supporting our efforts let me know.

Reading The eight-hour workday was set over 100 years ago, does it still stand up? —The Eight-Hour Workday Is a Counterproductive Lie

The force? —A 'no-brainer Nobel Prize': Hungarian scientists may have found a fifth force of nature

Could physics change forever? —Researchers at CERN break "The Speed of Light"

This could have saved Steve Jobs. —Israeli scientists find a way to treat pancreatic cancer in 14 days

Largest IPO ever for the company that supplies 10% of the world's oil —Saudi Aramco prices shares at top of the range in the world's biggest IPO

Not good. —Oceans are running out of Oxygen

If plants could talk… well it appears they can and we just don't understand their language. —Recordings reveal that plants make ultrasonic squeals when stressed

Blue Bottle going a bold green! —Bring your mug: Some Blue Bottles will no longer use plastic or paper cups This is extremely disturbing. —I'm a 37-Year-Old Mom & I Spent Seven Days Online as an 11-Year-Old Girl. Here's What I Learned. What do you think? It seems to be missing a company or two, especially one that rhymes with Gruber. —The 12 Most Influential Startups of the Decade For increasing use as a singular pronoun for those who identify outside the gender binary… —'They' is the 2019 Word of the Year Listening Aside from getting into the holiday spirit with my favorite holiday playlist, I had a chance to listen to Elnaz Sarraf talk about her startup ROYBI which was just named one of TIME Magazine's best inventions of 2019.

Watching Last week, I got a chance to watch the annual lighting of the Christmas Prelude tree in Kennebunkport, Maine. It was snowing and chilly but nothing a little hot cocoa couldn't help. If you're stuck inside and looking for a new holiday movie to watch that fun for the whole family, you might want to give the new Disney+ original Noelle a try. Gifting 'Tis the season for holiday gifts – here are a handful of gift ideas for all ages this holiday season. I hope it helps you finish out your holiday shopping if you need ideas. If you're looking for more holiday gift ideas, you might find our 2019 holiday gift guide interesting. 1.) Star Wars Instant Pot – It's the classic instant pot pressure cooker, now dressed up like a Star Wars character. 2.) Baby Yoda – If you've been watching The Mandalorian on DisneyPlus then you know what I'm talking about. 3.) Baby Shark – Have a little one in your life? This might be a fun gift — if it doesn't drive you bonkers from that catchy song. 4.) Weighted Blanket – They are all the rage this year. Sleep better with a weighted blanket. 5.) Roku Streaming Stick – Turn your TV into a smart TV even while traveling. 6.) KeySmart Pro – Organize those keys, add Tile so you don't lose them and more. 7.) Kindle Whitepaper – Everyone reads, and this makes it easy even while in the pool as it's waterproof. 8.) Travel Packing Cubes – Stay organized while traveling. 9.) Smartwool Socks – Who doesn't like warm and dry feet? 10.) Yeti gear – Mugs, tumblers, or ramblers could be great gifts – since just about everyone drinks liquids.

I hope you have a happy holiday season!

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Frank Gruber catches up with John Guidos and the two discuss Frank's recent trip to Chicago where he was the keynote speaker at the NASA iTech event and his reconnecting with Jonathan Ozeran at Tempus. There's a lot to celebrate this time around, so they discuss some of those latest happenings. The discussion was loosely based on the latest newsletter which is shared below.

I was in sweet home Chicago last week to speak at the NASA iTech event. It was great to be back in my hometown to share and debunk "Startup Myths" with this keynote talk. While in town I also caught up with Jonathan Ozeran at Tempus. We reconnected over my last email update and he invited me over to show me around. Tempus is a technology company that has built the world's largest library of clinical and molecular data and an operating system to make that information accessible and useful for patients, physicians, and researchers. I got a tour of the Tempus office which is in the old Montgomery Wards building which is also home to Groupon and others. It's pretty impressive to see the labs and medical work being done by a startup in a corporate environment. While the facilities were impressive, it was a simple sign in the men's restroom that explained the importance of "daily gratitude" that left the most lasting impression of this company in my mind. Gratitude can change everything. What are you thankful for? Lots of exciting news and articles this time so get ready… here. we. go!!!

Celebrating (People in My Network) —Gavin Purcell is taking over as showrunner at 'Tonight' show for John Bell who is leaving NBC. —Meredith Fineman on the pre-order of her new book titled, Brag Better: Master the Art of Fearless Self-Promotion coming out in May 2020. Learn how to talk about your accomplishments and champion yourself – because no one is going to tell your story for you. —Aubrie Pagano the co-founder of Bow & Drape on her company being acquired by Win Brands Group. —Max Crowley on cofounding the new beverage bar and app called Bandit which is currently serving customers in midtown Manhattan. —Arlan Hamilton of Backstage Capital also has a book coming out in May 2020 titled, It's About Damn Time: How To Turn Being Underestimated Into Your Greatest Advantage. —Emily Slade and her co-founders Kobie Fuller and Lamer Walker on the launch of Valence, a new tech platform and community focused on connecting Black professionals globally with mentorship, job opportunities, and capital. —Leslie Jump on her company Different Funds with support from Schmidt Futures announces a new effort to increase capital for scientific entrepreneurs. —Erik Hersman launches BRCK, free Wi-Fi, in South Africa. —Maya Baratz is helping to bring Founders Factory to the US with NYC version. —Steve Jang and Kanyi Maqubela launch a new firm, Kindred Ventures, to form and fund startups. —Eric Lunt is joining VSCO the photography app and community as Director of Engineering in Chicago. —Jamie Amaral on the launch of the children's clothing brand, The Simple Folk, offering organic and high quality play clothes for the wild-hearted minimalist.

Listening My personal podcast, Somewhat Frank, is back! Special thanks to my old friend and colleague Johnny "Goodtimes" Guidos for his help in the refreshed new podcast format and co-hosting the show with me. If you haven't heard it before take a listen on Apple or Google or wherever you listen to Podcasts. We'll be talking more depth about some of the things I'm highlighting in these updates.

Reading Has time changed? —The 2010s Have Broken Our Sense Of Time

Another way to fast. —'Dopamine fasting' is a new Silicon Valley trend, but some people are already taking it too far

Alone time is important. —Why You Should Find Time to Be Alone With Yourself

Grabbing drinks may be a thing of the past. —Alcohol consumption will soon follow smoking and meat-eating in becoming a social evil

Great insights on how Dick's Sporting Goods turned from mom and pop shop to larger retailer. —Why Ed Stack of Dick's Sporting Goods stood up to the gun lobby

Automated home systems are not uncompromisable. —Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa can be hijacked with a $14 laser pointer to open garage doors, start cars, and shop online

Katie Couric talks with Dr. Hyman who equated Impossible Burgers to Twinkies. —Are Impossible Burgers healthy?

This is not to be ignored. —More than 11,000 scientists declare a "climate emergency"

4 Day work week anyone? —Microsoft experimented with a 4-day workweek, and productivity jumped by 40%

Unlimited means unlimited!!! —AT&T Fined $60M for Throttling Unlimited Data Plans

Congrats to our 2019 Startup of the Year! —This Military Captain Is Changing The World With 3D Printing Technology

Robot delivery is invading college campuses. —Burrito Delivered by Bot, as Long as Students Don't Trap

Don't drink the water on airplanes! —Water on most US airlines is unsafe says study

And so it begins. —Japan approved experiments that would allow for animal-human hybrids to be born for the first time ever

Breast cancer drug could be on it way —How A Trial Vaccine Helped Wipe Out A Woman's Breast Cancer In 7 Months

Scary stuff. —China is exporting killer drone robots to Mideast

This is motivating for anyone who's younger than 82 years old and hasn't gotten their plunkers going to pedal one million miles yet – there is still time! —He's done it! 82-year-old cyclist 'overwhelmed' as he hits one million miles Eureka! —Blind Man Sees Birthday Candles Again Thanks To Bionic Eye

Watching With the launch of Disney+ this past week coupled with a bunch of travel without Wi-Fi, I had a chance to catch up on Mandalorian, the new original Star Wars series. It is well done and I highly recommend it. I don't want to spoil it so I'll leave it at that. And of course, we're going to see Frozen 2 today with our little one because it has been a long-awaited return to the big screen for this epic Disney tale of mystery and adventure. Traveling In the last three weeks, I've been in DC, Chicago, Shreveport, Atlanta, and Philly. The next couple of weeks I'll be in warmer weather in southwest Florida, before retreating to southern Maine to take in the annual Christmas Prelude – so if you're going to be in the area too, please let me know.

Thank you for listening and remember, as Frank always says, "Sharing is caring. Positive vibes only. Bring happiness to life. I'm thankful for you."

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