Ray Brimble
My main areas of focus include:
See all blog posts
or scroll down to find a thread to follow
Did I mention that this essay is about starting new enterprises? While it is possible to build your unique sales proposition around chicken eggs, what if you were able to hatch something new and different, by changing it up a bit?
Remember the real estate bubble of 2008, which almost brought the world economy down? That was the one chronicled in the movie The Big Short. Would you be surprised to learn that an even “Bigger Short” is happening, right this moment?
We live in a time of great change. Solutions always seem to be along the lines of big, bold and dramatic. I admit, crying “Off with their heads!” if only in my own little mind, seems so satisfying. But what if we were to approach our challenges in a more dollop-y kind of way? Suggestions, attitudes, demeanors which were less invasive, more additive?
“In string theory, all particles are vibrations on a tiny rubber band: physics is the harmonies on the string; chemistry is the melodies we play on vibrating strings; the universe is a symphony of strings, and the “Mind of God” is cosmic music resonating in 11 dimensional hyperspace.”
It's called the "American Riviera", and not for nothing. After all, like its namesake in the south of France, it’s got the perfect blend of great weather, outstanding ocean views from every angle, palm trees and beaches for miles, great restaurants and bars, unique architecture, and more than a little bit of glamor.
I’m not going to lie to you.
It’s been a long, wild year. Macro, micro, and everything in between. During the sailing ship times, sailors would resort to tying themselves to the mast in heavy weather to avoid being washed overboard. Yet another example of the utility of "strings", at least in theory. My own "strings" with which I tied myself to the mast in 2024 were sixteen essays posted on the blog.
There’s a famous sign on top of a hangar at ATL (Atlanta Hartsfield Int’l Airport) which reads simply “Fly Delta Jets”. I’m pretty sure no one thinks about it much, but if they did they might ask, “What the hell does that mean? Does any airline NOT fly jets?” The apocryphal nature of that vintage sign got me to asking myself, what is my own equivalent sign or rule? What am I still doing that I started doing 60 years ago, back when it was a brilliant, new idea?
I am alarmed.
The U.S. Surgeon General has forthrightly stated that drinking causes cancer. Period.
I admit, I like a glass of wine or two. I am being told my lifestyle crashes upon the reef of reality. That lovely pinot noir from the Santa Maria valley could kill me.
This is about Shark Tank- the TV show. Lots of people equate starting and investing in businesses to Shark Tank. It's the gold standard. The north star. The bee's knees. Any other superlatives you can think of.
The first leg of what would become a life of many wonderful journeys, both mentally and physically, started here. Right where you are now: The University of Texas at Austin.
Last week, I was on a business trip visiting one of my old haunts—the Marylebone district of London. It was a place that became the center of my business operations for a while. It’s also where I learned that there’s an art to failing.
![12[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250785990-4XX5SM2OIGYLF4C5OE5S/12%5B1%5D.png)
![15[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250795468-J7V7DKFPNBEVUTP59TR9/15%5B1%5D.png)
![16[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250797790-WIRJGQYJYVNMK3458DMK/16%5B1%5D.png)
![18[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250803857-UJI98P775ST75G82UNKD/18%5B1%5D.png)
![21[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250812348-SBV4J23HXN90WO79QNFE/21%5B1%5D.png)
![13[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250790610-DKB3JREMDJ1JG589AXU3/13%5B1%5D.png)
![14[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250792433-OE109UQPTHLN54O62DSR/14%5B1%5D.png)
![17[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250800133-GBT8M6TUMS2ETZJ90JPR/17%5B1%5D.png)
![19[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250806788-K1GSZ0LZ035I5E86GPAX/19%5B1%5D.png)
![20[1].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f2522dbe42d6ba6ad509c2/1517250808883-FKF9NIUCX3Q8T3PTSIX4/20%5B1%5D.png)
Your Story Goes (HERE) is an interview series aimed at spotlighting the stories of remarkable people and their impactful work, especially those whose contributions may not have received the recognition they should.
Today we feature Austin Together, whose purpose is to strengthen the nonprofit community in Central Texas by enabling sustained collaborations. Host Ray Brimble interviews the Executive Director of Austin Together, Karen LaShelle, and the Board Chair, Rich Smalling.