creatorbase

'Running the Gauntlet' will awaken your creators for positive change and growth

This is a change agent toolbox for your C-suite. Jeffrey Hayzlett’s new book Running the Gauntlet, with interactive tools including social media and video guides, is clever and exactly what business, marketing and technology leaders need to invigorate their 2012 initiatives and cross-functional teams.

No doubt, Jeffrey is a force of nature after many years of either running his own gauntlets or leading teams in senior executive roles for companies like Kodak. At 6'3, 270 pounds, a big voice and John Wayne like persona -- Jeffrey is an engaging leader determined to help companies and the economy grow, regardless of perceived or real obstacles and threats.

The new book has 33 chapters and reads like conversational blog posts, each starting with a Tweet-like headline and SnapTag to launch a brief video guide from any web-enabled device.

For example, Chapter 28 discusses how customers have always had the upper hand but companies should now engage customers with social media and the web to create opportunities and minimize risks. The SnapTag in the upper left corner on page 163 enabled me to scan the brand/round tag image in seconds with my iPhone, launch a video and interact with Jeffrey and the community about the topic. 

Chapter 29 continues with the customer theme by getting into advisory board and executive relationship building programs. Yes, I completely agree with this sort of commitment and thinking around customer engagement and collaboration, and will work these ideas into Ektron's 2012 strategy. 

Throughout the book and digital content, there are references to Kodak and other companies and leaders that appear to follow some chronological order but also help to create a storyline that provides credibility for all ideas and recommendations. This makes Running the Gauntlet (RTG) real and certainly more actionable. 

Full disclosure, I received an advance RTG copy from Jeffrey to help prepare for our Web Innovation Now video and this blog. But seriously, I couldn't put the book down since last week and stayed in most of New Year's weekend to read it and watch SnapTag video clips. No, I'm not boring but it is the season for gauntlet teaming.

Change is never easy but it is inevitable. I recommend Running the Gauntlet and Jeffrey Hayzlett. Do yourself a favor, take change by the reins and go! 

 

12 tips from 2011

Another year has come to a close but the story continues with more scenes. Thanks to hundreds of industry colleagues, friends and family members. They made it an extraordinary year!

For this post, I looked back at key people, experiences and ideas that were influential in 2011. I can’t mention everyone due to space but know they are appreciated. And I won’t get into global issues or big predictions because many other experts are covering those topics. But I came up with 12 tips that I think will help you or someone you know in 2012.

Customer experience management contributors

The first half of my 2011 was dedicated to Sitecore as a former VP in Mill Valley, California; it was a meaningful time. Since both Ektron and my previous employer have many things in common like .Net, web content management (WCM) software, cloud deployment options with the Windows Azure Platform, implementation partners and support for customer experience management (CXM) strategies and results -- it’s appropriate to mention them in this post.

Tip #1: There are good reasons to consider a number of WCM solution providers with similar value propositions. I believe Ektron provides the best CXM enablement strategy for customers and their partners with legacy and new technologies, needs and relationships. Think integration for CXM results in 2012+ as discussed with Stephen Powers of Forrester Research, Inc.

 

Brian Solis, Gary Vaynerchuk, Josh Bernoff, Rachel Happe and Seth Godin

I read analysts, authors and bloggers in our space daily, especially those who cover community, social media and strategic marketing topics. There are many experts out there but Brian, Gary, Josh, Rachel and Seth were influential in my professional decisions and business strategies in 2011. Gary’s Thank You Economy book is less about how to tweet and more about cultural shifts needed to humanize business. Brian’s new book, The End of Business as Usual, is packed with research, ideas and insights from the field. Josh Bernoff’s Empowered book is a reminder of the power of others and how to support them for your cause. Rachel and the Community Roundtable are a great resource when thinking about community strategy and tactics. And Seth, with his quirky advice and books, is always a good source of nuggets.

Tip #2: Find passionate, talented people who research and cover your professional space and tune into what they say. Support them and your success by deeply understanding and sharing their point of view.

 

Nate Elliott and Rajiv Parikh

Last April I attended Forrester’s Marketing Forum in San Francisco and connected with Nate Elliott, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, regarding his ‘Interactive Brand Ecosystem’ research. Nate’s point of view is relevant for anyone concerned with optimizing website, social media, mobile, email, search and traditional media channels for our real-time, interactive environment. The research also aligns with owned, earned and paid media thinking that is foundational in all of my planning and execution at Ektron. Rajiv Parikh, CEO of Position2 in Palo Alto and the mastermind behind Brand Monitor -- a tool/service I used extensively in 2011 -- was key for monitoring social channels and making business and communication decisions with real-time media analytics.

Tip #3: You have an interactive brand ecosystem that is growing in terms of size, real-time intelligence and importance to your organization. Your website is in the center of this activity and other channels are critical to integrate, staff and support; shift more resources from traditional to interactive channels.

 

Chef Nona, Dan Oliver and Steve Jobs

2011 was an ongoing reminder of how life should be lived -- doing what you love, doing it well and rising to the occasion when an opportunity presents itself. While attending the Gartner Portals, Content and Collaboration Summit in Los Angles last March, I talked with Chef Nona about her success strategy as the winner of Hell’s Kitchen season 8. Two months later, I connected with Dan Oliver -- a former CBS TV colleague earlier in my career -- and we talked about his ‘Beer Guy’ niche that has turned into a thriving business and source of enjoyment. And then there is Mr. Jobs. His life’s work at Apple, along with dedicated staff that supported his vision, should be an inspiration for us all whether you’re an Apple fan or not.

Tip #4: Life is short with many twists and turns. Always be true to yourself and others, and do what you love no matter what!

 

John Phillips and team

I met John in 2010 when our work and play interests came together. Men’s professional tennis was the intersection but ultimately it was John’s attitude, digital vision and work ethic that drew me in to help him and his team. When my work situation changed in May, John was the first person I called to update given some prior commitments and our collaborative relationship. Even in the midst of change, the 125^th Wimbledon Championships -- an experience of a lifetime -- soon became a reality after many years of wanting to attend. And there were many pleasant surprises while in London. John and the ATP’s generosity will never be forgotten.

Tip #5: Look out for the success of others first, based on shared interests, and you’ll be surprised at how others look out for you.

 

Aaron Kahlow, Pookie Martin and Erik Thompson

I’ve been a fan of ABC Shark Tank for the past two years and thought about auditioning for just as long. So when I had some free time on my hands and thinking about what to do next, I chose two simultaneous career tracks: 1) focus on the job search and 2) audition for ABC Shark Tank in Dallas with a web solution and patent. At different stages of my ABC Shark Tank process, I received help from three key people that shared one thing in common. They are entrepreneurs and support other entrepreneurs. I know Aaron from prior Online Marketing Summit work and Pookie has helped me with writing projects over the years. I met Erik in Dallas (he was #1 in the audition line) and we teamed up on the fly. I can’t share where things ended up with Shark Tank just yet but rest assured the experience will resurface in 2012. The new season starts on Friday, January 20^th.

Tip #6: Technology entrepreneurs (also creators) are critical to our economic growth and social prosperity for years to come. Seek them out, collaborate with and invest in them in 2012.

 

Greg Hembrough and team

I drive a Volvo sedan and think it’s a good car and owner experience. Volvo’s safety record and contemporary design got me to the local dealership a few years ago. But I’m impressed with the Volvo experience on the road, in the service department and online. I was asked by Greg Hembrough's team in July to test drive the new S60 R-Design in Napa as part of a national campaign to promote the R-Design. The test drive experience (digital and in-person) was impressive and I blogged about it with no financial gain for doing so. The blog video has already exceeded 3,000 views and generated comments from other drivers and Volvo fans.

Tip #7: Companies with good products and services should invest in ‘experiential marketing’ strategies (digital and in-person) to differentiate themselves, retain happy customers and create influential word of mouth. Orchestration across channels and functions are key. 

 

Ken Fadner, Hope Frank and Steve Latham

July was a back-to-reality-month after Wimbledon and the ABC Shark Tank audition, and what better way than with MediaPost’s OMMA Metrics event in San Francisco. MediaPost events, led by Ken Fadner, always deliver and I walked away knowing more about the value of analytics and how to become a more intelligent marketer; even in our ‘Splinternet’ environment. The good news is analytics and reporting are getting easier with products and services from companies like Webtrends, Encore Media Metrics, PR Newswire and Position2. I connected with Hope Frank of Webtrends and her colleague, Eric Rickson and interviewed Steve Latham of Encore. It was an eye-opening event.

Tip #8: Regardless of a marketer’s role or seniority -- analytics is a muscle to develop in order to influence budgets, strategic decisions and higher paying roles. Dive in with vigor.

 

Tom Wentworth and Bill Rogers

While at the 125^th Wimbledon Championships, Tom (Ektron’s CMO) tweeted about my experience on June 20th. Although we were familiar with each other’s work in the industry, this was the first time Tom and I communicated via social media or any other method. We exchanged direct messages while I was in London and the conversation continued with direct messages and email for two months before interviewing via WebEx with Tom, Bill (Ektron’s CEO) and other members of the team in August. An offer was made and accepted and we all connected in Portland on September 11^th for partner meetings. My role was announced at MediaPost’s OMMA Global NY on September 26^th. Enthusiasm for Ektron and our Global Community Practice (GCP) strategy goes beyond social media and securing a good job. I really like what we’re doing as a company to support customer experience management with WCM and many technology partners. And what we’re doing is touched on in this recent ZDNet article and webinar with Tom on connecting content to revenue.

Tip #9: Don’t underestimate the power and ROI of social media reach, engagement and earned media. Back up all community/social media efforts with response, relevant content and value for your target audience.

 

Salim Hemdani, Carol Rozwell, Anthony Bradley and Mark McDonald

Now into October, a few new encounters got me thinking about how all organizations find themselves needing to continuously innovate – especially with the Internet/web – to remain appealing to digital consumers and competitive in their markets. Salim Hemdani of Razorfish presented at a Developer Meetup in San Francisco and we talked about his point of view. Next, Gartner Symposium/ITXpo in Orlando; I attended two sessions about the ‘Social Organization’ with Carol Rozwell, Anthony Bradley and Mark McDonald. Armed with fresh thoughts and prior experience, I gave a webinar entitled, ‘Your Social Organization: Do You Have a Meaningful Plan for 2012?

Tip #10: Continuous innovation with the Internet/web is the new norm. Organizations that apply a collaborative or social approach with purpose are more likely to succeed. This applies to marketing as well as product management, customer service and financial performance.

 

Many Synergy and Gilbane contributors

Winding down the year with two significant events, Ektron’s Synergy Conference and Gilbane Boston. On one hand, Synergy was the collection of all things Ektron and key partners for a sold-out audience in Las Vegas including customers, partners and special guests. Keynotes, workshops, multiple tracks, networking, entertainment and a lot of useful content for 2012 -- most of it now available online via PPTs and recorded webinars. On the other hand, Gilbane Boston provided the same sort of event benefits as Synergy but with a cross-section of industry experts, vendors and practitioners. Topics like big data, CXM, content marketing, social analytics, multichannel integration, user centered design, collaboration, etc. Too much to summarize here in this post but certainly influential, and I recommend visiting Ektron’s YouTube channel, Synergy and Gilbane sites for useful content. Special thanks to Nicole Denil, Jeffrey Frey, Mustafa Muhsin, Tony White, Julio Zaldivar, Sarah Skerik, Jeff Cram, Stephen Powers, Scott Liewehr, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose. You can also access related PPTs via Ektron's SlideShare.

Tip #11: If you’re in a content management, digital marketing, web development or strategy role, you’re fortunate with many opportunities and challenges to keep you busy in 2012. Tap expertise in the community, like from people mentioned in this post, to help you achieve your goals.

 

Jeffrey Hayzlett

If you don’t know who Jeffrey is as a former Kodak CMO, his appearances on Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump, his best-selling book ‘The Mirror Test’ or his active Twitter and Facebook presence -- now’s a good time to get acquainted. Jeffrey and I met last May when we talked about his first book and ABC Shark Tank. I’ve been actively staying in touch since and we connected last week in San Francisco to talk about his new book called, ‘Running the Gauntlet.’ I’ve read it and like the content from a change agent perspective (we should all be change agents) and I also admire his use of interactive tools to help make his thought leadership come alive and useful for any business, marketing or technology leader. Disclosure, Kodak is an Ektron customer.

Tip #12: Watch our ‘Web Innovation Now’ conversation on video, share with others and help your team successfully run the gauntlet in 2012. Watch for more posts focused on RTG.

 

It’s a wrap!

That was a long post but there’s much to summarize from a busy year. For real-time updates and actionable details, follow us on Twitter (Ektron and creatorbase). Connect with me via LinkedIn if you are an Ektron customer, partner, developer, or industry leader and you’re interested in learning more about Ektron’s Global Community Practice initiatives.

Last but not least, the Ektron team and I are determined to help you be more successful in 2012. We’ve made recent investments and we’re excited about a number of programs that will be released soon. Cheers to you and your team’s success in the next scene!

 

B2B growth comes to those who embrace the buyer's journey in our digital world

Sometimes the obvious is not clear, especially if you work for a B2B organization in the midst of one of the most challenging business environments on record. But one thing is certain. B2B buyers no longer need to rely on sales and service teams to influence or make buying decisions. This digital reality is a growth opportunity and source of risk.

Christine Crandell, a B2B marketing strategist and Forbes blogger in the San Francisco Bay Area, provides suggestions on how to attract new buyers, retain customers, increase revenues and keep CEOs happy. The buyer's journey and content are key in this video discussion above. What are your thoughts?

Join me and other B2B marketing leaders at the Marketing Sherpa's B2B Summit in San Francisco on October 25 - 26th. Learn more details about the agenda and speakers by clicking here:  http://www.marketingsherpa.com/b2bsummit/sanfran/overview 

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Happy 20th WWW. What's next?

Today is a significant day in the history of the Internet. On August 6, 1991, exactly twenty years ago, the World Wide Web became publicly available. Its creator, the now internationally known Tim Berners-Lee, posted a short summary of the project on the alt.hypertext newsgroup and gave birth to a new technology which would fundamentally change the world as we knew it.

The video above, created by Kate Ray, features a number of Internet pioneers and experts during the past 20 years including Tim Berners-Lee, Clay Shirky (author of 'Cognitive Surplus'), David Weinberger (author of 'The Cluetrain Manifesto'), etc. -- and also touches on the future including what many refer to as the Semantic Web.

The ~14 minute clip has flashes of insight, humor, nerdiness, history, and it reminds us of what can happen if we're too connected too much of the time. What do you think is in store for the next 20 years? Here's a related post to read and share.

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A Herculean story worth sharing

Many small businesses and their owners are struggling these days. For one store called 'Hercules' in the West Village of NY, a small team of creators behind StoreBuyout.com did something that has probably never been done before!

Watch this brief video clip to see the power of an idea, storytelling and social media. All for a good cause. Want to connect on Facebook? Join us by liking this page.

One year ago today, thousands created something extraordinary for you

On July 24, 2010, people like you from all around the world uploaded videos to YouTube about their lives. Why? To take part in Life in a Day, a historic cinematic experiment to create a documentary film about a single day on earth. 

Their stories come alive and take on special meaning today -- one year later. Produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald, Life in a Day wowed audiences at the Sundance, Berlin and SXSW film festivals and during its YouTube world premiere in January. It's all about collaboration and co-creation. Enjoy!

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Shark Tank in Dallas. It's time to get creative.

July 1st Update: Waiting with great anticipation to hear ABC and the Shark Tank team's decision regarding my audition last Saturday in Dallas! As we head into the 4th of July holiday, I'm reminded of the American Dream that we are so fortunate to live and shape every day. Innovation, determination and leadership have played huge roles in our successes to date and we need to continue with tremendous vigor to get back on track, reduce our national debt, create a better tomorrow, put people to work, help families thrive, etc. 

This has been a busy week -- not sitting idle waiting for the phone to ring. I decided to post a 30 slide presentation about creatorbase and the patented Desktop Media Solution to help engage prospective buyers and licensees of the DMS. I also posted my Shark Tank audition clip (private) on YouTube for the ABC/Shark Tank team's access. 

Happy and healthy 4th and do what you can to create and live the dream! If you would like to follow and participate in my mission to appear on and succeed with ABC Shark Tank season 3, please "Like" this Facebook.com/creatorbase page. 

June 28th Update: Went to the creatorbase PO Box to do a mail run... and soak up some downtown Palo Alto atmosphere and summer showers. Was pleased to finally receive the registered trademark paperwork and certificate for "creatorbase" after a little scare a few months ago. The original mark was mistakenly abandoned while I was heads down in my vice president of community role at Sitecore. The re-registered mark in the mail is perfect timing for Shark Tank pursuits and beyond.

Note to self and other creators. If you secure a patent or trademark, make sure you keep key dates in your primary calendar (i.e. iPhone, etc.) and consider using a third party management service for a few hundred dollars. I also have "Your space to create." registered and this is under management now. Intellectual property (IP) is very serious business and can be highly valuable in special circumstances. Do what you can to create, grow and protect IP.

June 26th Update: Blogging from 35,000 feet up with Virgin America, the only way to go big and back. Got up early this morning in Dallas for an 8:00 AM flight back to San Francisco. Enjoyed a Morton's steak last night around 10:00 PM but was falling asleep at the table with less than 4 hours sleep and Dallas heat. No worries -- yesterday was one of those memorable days you tell your children about and take with you to your final days on earth. I think Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson call that a Bucket List item part 1 :). And I even managed to appear in this WFAA Channel 8 coverage emerging from the audition tank.

Was reminded this morning by a friendly cab driver (Vernon Lewis from Cowboy Cab) that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well everywhere you look. Veron was really pleasant at 6:00 AM with a can-do attitude and service-with-a-smile approach. He shared some of his small business achievements and aspirations like starting his own limousine service that includes Dallas t-shirts and other perks for patrons.

We talked about how his new business needed to be on the Web with, minimum, a blog and Twitter so satisfied patrons like me can share positive experiences about his business; suggested he actually promote his Twitter handle in each vehicle. Vernon is motivated, committed, has a plan and is creating value for customers. Vernon is a creator and my gut says he will achieve his goals.

June 25th, 7:30 PM Update: Today was a good day. I was #4 in line out of roughly 400 participants. Met some very interesting and passionate people with their unique stories and ideas. There is no shortage of innovation in the world and we as a creative community need to believe in and act on our ideas. The world needs more creators to make it a better place.

A big round of applause to the Mark Burnett team, ABC and all the Sharks for believing in and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit. Yes, there are many dreamers in the mix that don't really have a plan or something real to offer -- but there are also many talented people who are committed to their ideas and seeing them come to fruition for all the right reasons. My one take away today is that we must support people with ideas who are willing to risk a lot to see those ideas turn into products, services, solutions, new businesses, employment opportunities, community development, taxable revenue, national deficit reduction, future generations -- you get the picture. 

My audition with the Shark Tank producer was enjoyable and he provided some good advice. I had two options after our brief talk:

1. Go backstage to record a video for the extended team to review for evaluation
2. Do my own video and return when possible for review

I opted for #2 so I went back to my hotel and set-up a mini studio with my Kodak Zi8 HD camera, tripod and iMovie on the Mac. Shot, edited and delivered a 2:30 minute video within 2 hours. Must admit -- it was the fastest video I ever created and delivered. Why? Because I came to Dallas from San Francisco with a few objectives and one goal in mind. To tell my story and be accepted for season 3 of Shark Tank. If all goes well, I may be recording for the show in Los Angeles as soon as mid July. 

Here's where I could have been stronger in my pitch this morning. Instead of putting out props and talking to the producer while doing so, I should have put out the props, gathered myself and then pitch for 2 minutes as if I were on the show. A Starbucks Americano may have helped -- you live and learn. But I'm very happy the producer asked for a video and I was able to turn it around before he left for the day. Focus, motivation and the right tools are a powerful combination!

Like many others who auditioned today, I have a compelling story and investment/ROI opportunities to share on ABC Shark Tank season 3 -- if accepted. Further, I believe I will be able to bring a minimum of 250,000 viewers to the show if ABC selects me to appear given my network, the story and since I'm based in the San Francisco/Silicon Valley area.  

More to come next week after I edit some video from the day. Life is short, you have to try when you believe in something, have a plan and something of value. You have to be in it to win it!

Original Post, June 25th: Last Saturday I was in London as a guest of the ATP to participate in the 125th Wimbledon Championships with some behind-the-scenes and ticket-holding fan action. This Saturday I’m in Dallas to audition for season 3 of ABC Shark Tank. Two extraordinary weeks of big ideas becoming reality and it all comes down to being in the right space at the right time. You have to be in it to win it!

Today in Dallas I plan to accomplish three things:

1. Meet Shark Tank producers to audition and make connections that result in me being selected 
2. Help other contestants in line share their ideas and stories via creatorbase
3. Give the Shark Tank fan community at large an opportunity to experience an audition from behind-the-scenes

Contestants started to arrive yesterday evening (Erik Thompson from Snap Fitness / Michigan was the first in line) and I put an anchor in the audition tank with this lowrider beach chair and key supplies from the local CVS. There will likely be hundreds of people in line today. Successful business people, entrepreneurs and dreamers for an open casting call at the WFAA Channel 8 studio next to the American Airlines Center; home of Mark Cuban’s World Champion Mavericks. It’s going to be a hot day in Dallas!

What’s my idea? Well first, it’s building on a workspace product that I created in 1987 and sold via stores like Office Depot, college and computer accessory stores, and even K-Mart with a successful test market. But in 2002 I redesigned the original product and secured a patent to address how the world had changed with three big drivers that every business, product designer and marketer should innovate around today:

• Internet/Web with now more than 2 billion active users and growing
• Personalized and tangible engagement to create and retain consumer trust
• “Green” design and initiatives to help minimize impact to our environment

In simple terms, the Desktop Media Solution (DMS) is a personalized media channel and reading stand that millions of consumers will use at home, work, school and on-the-go. It’s all about helping people be more comfortable, productive, and engaged with trusted brands when consumers are spending time on their computers and the Web. 

The Desktop Media Solution involves a tangible product, printed media, a web application and web-based community fueled by sites like Facebook and Twitter. The DMS has a very similar value proposition as the Onesole product that was a big success on Shark Tank last season. Scalable platform, many choices for consumers, value and a large global market. And it doesn't hurt that the DMS is a disruptive product.

Good luck to all Shark Tank contestants. If you have a great idea, remember this… you have to be in it to win it! Want to connect on Facebook? Join us by liking this page.

Congratulations Twitter

I first heard of Twitter early in its startup phase because I spent some time in the South Park area of San Francisco where Twitter was first located. Early on, like many Internet startups in the SF Bay Area, it wasn't understood and didn't create much impact. So it seemed. 

Times have changed and so has the world. That's the beauty of creativity, the Internet and life in general. We're often pleasantly surprised by what appear to be small events that end up being significant advances for humanity. Happy 5th birthday Twitter and congratulations to the team.What do you think is in store for Twitter during the next 5 years?

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Is entrepreneurship at a crossroads?

This is an interesting discussion with Tom Brokaw of NBC because he addresses the conflict between immigration and innovation, and what it means for entrepreneurs and economies worldwide. What's the root cause of this conflict -- antiquated immigration systems/laws, misguided patriotism or something deeper? 

I work for a company called Sitecore that is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. We have a significant operation in the San Francisco Bay Area and entrepreneurship runs deep at all levels of the company worldwide. Sitecore has been one of the best employment experiences of my career because multinational teams embrace cultural differences and collaborate around creating value for customers, regardless of where staff, partners or customers are located. 

Let's be real. Most countries today can not afford to ignore issues that prevent entrepreneurs -- regardless of the origin of their citizenship -- to set-up shop and create value. The Unites States and Silicon Valley are no exception. The Obama Administration is funding startup and innovation programs but they need, in my opinion, to have more of a world view.

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Remembering Challenger's creators

Twenty five years ago yesterday, January 28, 1986, is an unforgettable day. Twenty five years after NASA's first fatal in-flight accident, the memories of Challenger and crew are strong and vivid.

I was working at CBS TV in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1986; just getting started in my career during an exciting time. West Palm Beach is about 150 miles from the Kennedy Space Center so most NASA launches could be seen on the horizon with naked eyes, even from that distance. My father worked for Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies organization that provided support to NASA, so space missions were a big deal in our home and for the local community. And JFK's legacy was a strong force in the area because of his role in the NASA program, and the Kennedy home in Palm Beach was visited often by extended family. 

January 28th was a beautiful, crisp day with perfect visibility. I was at CBS, just before my shift started, watching live in the studio lobby with a vantage point to see the launch on TV and in the sky at the same time. After 73 seconds, it was immediately apparent that something went terribly wrong. It was a surreal and very sad moment.

Seven lives were lost in the Challenger explosion: Dick Scobee, commander; Michael J. Smith, pilot; Ellison Onizuka, mission specialist; Judy Resnik, mission specialist; Ron McNair, mission specialist; Gregory Jarvis, payload specialist; and Christa McAuliffe, payload specialist and teacher. The world mourned.

The Challenger crew were very special people. They gave everything in the spirit of science, innovation, education and a desire to create something good for humanity. I will always have fond memories of them and their achievements.