WCN14 Podcast: Interview with Bryan Huddleston of Tech Council

Clark Buckner met Bryan Huddleston, President and CEO of the Nashville Technology Council, at BarCamp in the fall and sat down with him again at WordCamp in May.

Bryan sees WordCamp as more evidence of Nashville’s creative technology class coming together. Events like BarCamp, WordCamp and, most recently, PodCamp, showcase and strengthen a collaborative culture that allows people to learn and share.bryan huddleston

Clark and Bryan spoke after Kate O’Neill delivered the keynote. Kate provided an exemplary narrative about how cross-pollination between the creative class and the technology class contributes to business innovation, the vibes people feel here and excitement about the region’s future.

Bryan noted that he also talked to Pamela Coyle, an organizer of WordCamp, and learned something new at her WordPress 101 session. She also introduced Kate before the keynote speech, which Clark and Bryan urged checking out when the video becomes available.

Kate’s talk included an intricate diagram of how the puzzle pieces –  big companies, accelerators, user groups, conferences, startups, and groups like the Tech Council fit together in Nashville. Clark has wanted to showcase the story being written here through the individuals and companies at the heart of it, and Bryan said the Nashville Technology Council is starting that process.

Moving forward, Bryan asks how we can have an overview of this “ecosystem” or “landscape,” as Kate put it; look at as a continuation of our collaborative collaborative culture; invite more people to engage with each other and get the stories told.

Takeaways

  • The creative class in Nashville is coming together to share and gain knowledge to advance learning.
  • The creativity is bubbling over into the business and technology worlds, reinforcing a unique, collaborative culture.
  • We must tell Nashville’s stories in a way that engaged people so with each other so that the greater US and even the world knows about them.

This interview was provided by TechnologyAdvice, an Inc. 5000 company that connects buyers and sellers of business technology through meaningful relationships. Interview conducted by Clark Buckner.