I'm repeatedly reading about all the worldwide attention One Spark is providing for Jacksonville. Thought I'd do a LexisNexis search to see if that assertion is valid or if it's just a bit of urban folklore.
I searched from April to today and found 63 citations in the Florida Times-Union, plus four press releases. There were many other hits on the words "one spark," but many of them dealt with fires, finance or sporting events around the world. I read the NY Times almost every day and don't recall seeing any mention of the World's Crowdfunding Festival. A search on their website verified there were no items about the event.
The Florida Times-Union had an April 19th article on Peter Rummell visiting New York and interviewing with Time Magazine. I see nothing about One Spark on the Time site.
An article in today's paper cites a survey by UNF which found that 15% of One Spark visitors were not from Duval County. My guess is the lion's share of those were from St. Johns, Nassau and Clay Counties.
I'd love to believe the hype, but it's hard to believe One Spark has put Jacksonville on the map any more than, let's say, the Michael Dunn case.
Sorry to appear like a Luddite. (What kind of Neanderthal is still looking at print newspapers?)
FYI, here are some results of interest as measured by Google searche3s. I've contrasted interest in One Spark with interest in Michael Dunn.
http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=one%20spark%2C%20michael%20dunn&cmpt=q (http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=one%20spark%2C%20michael%20dunn&cmpt=q)
Sometimes it's helpful to take a step back from the Jacksonville bubble and look at the place dispassionately.
I'm with you, Johnny, in the difficulty of finding online press about "one spark" given the ubiquitous title and the plethora of local results.
But here are a couple national pieces that I happen to have in my browser history to share:
CNN/Fortune article:
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/04/25/a-real-life-version-of-kickstarter-is-drawing-massive-crowds-and-millions-of-dollars-to-jacksonville-fla/
CNBC Interview:
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000265763
Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2014/04/11/startups-compete-for-crowdfunding-dollars-in-person-at-the-one-spark-festival/
Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melissa-ross/floridas-one-spark-crowdf_b_5148258.html
QuoteThought I'd do a LexisNexis search to see if that assertion is valid or if it's just a bit of urban folklore.
I know I personally watched Fox Business News and CNBC showing on-air interviews about One Spark. Maybe I was eating One Spark mushrooms at the time :)
Also, generally speaking, for magazines like Forbes, Time, Entreprenuer etc... there is generally a lag period in print publication dates. On a few magazines that I used to work for, it generally took about 2-3 months from submission to hit the ink. I'm sure things have evolved and gotten a bit more nimble since 2001-2004... but I wouldn't expect an article that was just written to appear in a monthly publication right away.
^Good point. I hope at minimum it gets some print coverage in Florida Trend.
Speaking of which, "UNF study shows One Spark 2014 had $1.8-million impact on Jacksonville tourism industry"
http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-05-13/story/unf-study-shows-one-spark-2014-had-18-million-impact-jacksonville
We've all seen the countless ideas at One Spark that were not even all that serious and when asked about their business plan, many could not provide anything that a serious investor or bank underwriter looking at a loan would take seriously. Though, perhaps through crowd sourcing, they would get the seed money to hire people to help them develop a business plan.
Or maybe they think that business plans are outmoded. Who knows.
I too was troubled that most people outside of Jacksonville really were not talking much about One Spark.
One Spark has received some positive feedback as a city in Germany wants to emulate it which is a great thing.
If nothing else, it brought pride of place to people in Jacksonville and brought hundreds of thousands of people downtown is was great in an above itself.
Hopefully over time it'll actually spark innovation in Jacksonville and give locals the audacity to dream that they can build something great here in Jacksonville. Perhaps one or two hipsters from elsewhere came to Jax, saw potential and move here and build something great. Jacksonville won't reap those rewards for many years.
I just hope that soon we will start hearing how Project X and Innovation Y and Idea ABC went from college dorm dream on a computer and/or four people in a tiny office and it turns into a great idea that hires hundreds of people.
One Spark may never spawn the next Twitter or Microsolt or Cabage Patch Doll but hopefully it'll help take the small time business into a industry leader.
This was an event that was put on with private funding and was almost entirely free to attend. Any attendance and outside press it drew came at a price of virtually nothing to the average Jaxon. Plus there was the concrete impact of 260,000 people downtown and an economic impact of $1.8 million over just a few days - and this is only its second year. Not sure what more one could expect for free.
^^^+100
That's the first thing that came to my mind; We're not gonna get SXSW recognition and attendance numbers in the second year.
Reading the T-U article about One Spark's economic impact provokes plenty of questions.
The survey found an estimated 1,010 people booked 1,600 hotel nights during the event. The average length of stay was 2.8 days with an average party size of 1.8 people per stay.
Did the study assume that everyone booking a hotel room downtown was there for One Spark?
UNF deployed a team of 16 interviewers with three supervisors who were managed by faculty director Michael Binder to survey the crowd from April 9-12.
The survey also found that the majority of people attending the festival were from Duval County. One Spark officials said there were an estimated 260,000 people who crammed the 20-square-block footprint of downtown Jacksonville for the duration of the festival. Out of that, the UNF study showed 85 percent were from Duval County and 15 percent were visitors from outside the county, accounting for about 51,000 "unique" visitors from other areas, the study showed.
If 260,000 people visited the festival and 15% from were outside Duval County, that would equate to 39,000 from outside the County (not 51,000) -- and some subset I suppose would unique visitors. This assumes the festival organizers' estimate of 260,000 is correct.
Those 51,000 people are used as the basis of the calculated $1.86-million impact.
OK. So the hotel beds weren't part of the analysis. The article does not say if the $1.86 million constitutes net economic benefits. The festival wasn't free to the taxpayers, who had to pay for police, fire and sanitation overtime, among other expenses. If these expenses weren't included in the $1.86 million, the big benefit shrinks precipitously.
Let's just say the story is confusing. We can hope it's another case of the T-U doing a lousy job of explaining something rather than a flawed analysis.
This one from the Daily Record is a little better.
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=542914
Among the things it says:
Quote
Based on the survey, 1,010 visitors booked rooms in commercial lodgings, accounting for 1,600 event-related room nights – a direct expenditure of $1,135,000.
Those surveyed said they planned to spend an average of 2.8 days in a hotel during One Spark.
Applying the industry standard regional festival event multiplier to estimate overall visitor spending, the total amount that flowed into the local economy is calculated to be $1,816,000.
So the hotel stays were part of the estimate and the estimate was created the same way they're created for events throughout the region. In fact, it sounds like the $1,816,000 figure is for these out-of-town guests alone, not including the folks who didn't stay in hotels.
Quote from: johnny_simpatico on May 13, 2014, 05:48:09 PM
The survey also found that the majority of people attending the festival were from Duval County. One Spark officials said there were an estimated 260,000 people who crammed the 20-square-block footprint of downtown Jacksonville for the duration of the festival. Out of that, the UNF study showed 85 percent were from Duval County and 15 percent were visitors from outside the county, accounting for about 51,000 "unique" visitors from other areas, the study showed.
Would be curious to know how many of those 15% were from St. John's, Clay, and Nassau Counties.
QuoteWe've all seen the countless ideas at One Spark that were not even all that serious and when asked about their business plan, many could not provide anything that a serious investor or bank underwriter looking at a loan would take seriously.
I'd like to see a shark tank type panel review the pitches. Would be very entertaining!
I think the "national attention" was received, maybe a bit forced (honestly, thanks to Rummell, this IS his baby after all). Maybe one day it will be a huge attention grabber trending towards where SXSW is today. It doesn't have the history or a convenient economy to feed it, though. Austin has totally different dynamics...it's a mini Bay Area with a ton of college students, Michael Dell (Austin's answer to Steve Jobs or Larry Page), and a funky creative vibe/atmosphere and a city that literally wants itself to be known as weird and innovative and great for entrepreneurs. It couldn't possibly be more different from Jax at this point.
I also hate to say this, but I never heard one blurb about OneSpark out here. I know supposedly VC guys flew in from around the world, but I wonder at what level they were? I know of a few out here and my roommate is well acquaintanced with a few big names. I know lots of analysts/associates working for VC firms. Never heard one thing and people I know know that I'm from lil ol' Jacksonville.
I think the event needs to time to grow and Peter Rummell needs to continue pushing it very hard. Unfortunately, fun/silly ideas with no business plan are often a waste of time. If the event is going to be serious, then it needs some serious people. From what I hear from everyone on these boards, it seems more like an event where 260,000 people from the area have fun downtown than an event where serious ideas/discussions are being had or pitched. I know that VC around here, the hub of the VC universe, is quite serious. Lots of those guys are quite buttoned up. Google Ventures kind of guys (my last BF's prior BF is a partner of GV) are more relaxed, but they are smart and very fast-paced/hard working. In their minds they don't have time for going to Jacksonville, FL, unless there is something that would actually draw them there. It doesn't sound like OneSpark is there yet.
Quote from: CityLife on May 13, 2014, 06:15:23 PM
Quote from: johnny_simpatico on May 13, 2014, 05:48:09 PM
The survey also found that the majority of people attending the festival were from Duval County. One Spark officials said there were an estimated 260,000 people who crammed the 20-square-block footprint of downtown Jacksonville for the duration of the festival. Out of that, the UNF study showed 85 percent were from Duval County and 15 percent were visitors from outside the county, accounting for about 51,000 "unique" visitors from other areas, the study showed.
Would be curious to know how many of those 15% were from St. John's, Clay, and Nassau Counties.
I'm sure much of the 15% was from the local region....but the $1.8 million was based on room nights booked
Quote from: Tacachale on May 13, 2014, 06:08:27 PM
This one from the Daily Record is a little better.
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=542914
Among the things it says:
Quote
Based on the survey, 1,010 visitors booked rooms in commercial lodgings, accounting for 1,600 event-related room nights – a direct expenditure of $1,135,000.
Those surveyed said they planned to spend an average of 2.8 days in a hotel during One Spark.
Applying the industry standard regional festival event multiplier to estimate overall visitor spending, the total amount that flowed into the local economy is calculated to be $1,816,000.
So the hotel stays were part of the estimate and the estimate was created the same way they're created for events throughout the region. In fact, it sounds like the $1,816,000 figure is for these out-of-town guests alone, not including the folks who didn't stay in hotels.
This article also says that the 51k figure is for total unique visitors, not for non-Duval visitors. Sound like the Times-Union piece just isn't very good.
Quote from: Tacachale on May 13, 2014, 10:30:00 PM
This article also says that the 51k figure is for total unique visitors, not for non-Duval visitors. Sound like the Times-Union piece just isn't very good.
What a surprise!
Quote from: mtraininjax on May 13, 2014, 06:23:12 PM
QuoteWe've all seen the countless ideas at One Spark that were not even all that serious and when asked about their business plan, many could not provide anything that a serious investor or bank underwriter looking at a loan would take seriously.
I'd like to see a shark tank type panel review the pitches. Would be very entertaining!
I participated in One Spark with a Waterway idea on our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in our new super duper restricted CRA/DIA in the USA zone and in the very beginning there was a moment when I was given the choice of moving my watercraft or a Governmental agency would be called and my vessel immediately seized. Scott Wilson Dist.4 feel free to jump in here at any time because we were on the phone together as my fate was being decided. This is true.
You can not blame anyone it is the law and what is on the books. Visit Jacksonville? Welcome to Actionville!
We are just 3 hours out from the 5/14/14 Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting and will Don Redman the Chair of Waterways share with the Waterway Commission members the legislation and the new updated, revised, super duper positive penalties that were discussed at the 4/2/14 Noticed meeting that he attended?
Why waste your time if you are not legislatively allowed to participate.
Pick and choose the winners and losers.
A new Authority
Embrace It
Or
It will Embrace Us
QuoteIn second year, One Spark's success doesn't include profit
Peter Rummell says the $2 million he has paid to keep the festival running "is not sustainable"QuoteIn its second year, One Spark attracted more creators, more money from investors, more buy-in from city leaders and more people to downtown Jacksonville — announced crowds far exceeding the organizers' forecasts. But by another measure, the entrepreneurial crowdfunding festival is not a success.
It is not yet a money-maker.
http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-05-24/story/second-year-one-sparks-success-doesnt-include-profit (http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-05-24/story/second-year-one-sparks-success-doesnt-include-profit)
Front page of the Money section in the Sunday May 25, 2014 paper.
I understand many will just shrug and say, well of course, its only in its 2nd year, and you would be right, but just think if Rummell had dumped 2 million into a entrepreneurial facility downtown, could he have helped more projects, like Stache is doing locally? I think Rummell is a smart dude, but at the moment, Khan's approach looks to be generating more sustainability, especially downtown.
One Spark is going to have to change some of its model to build a more self-sustaining festival. Some of the levels of crowdfunding numbers were just shocking. People at the event had requests for almost 100 million in funding and they only received $336,739. Realistic expectations?
QuoteHow does it compare with coachella or comicon or telluride or sxsw?
Stephen, I am happy to see you quoting Wikipedia, my post was about the economics of OneSpark, not other events, as evidenced in the excellent reporting in the Times Union today.
I simply quoted what the readers of Jacksonville already know, from the hype this week, that OneSpark is not able to pay for itself. How long will the golden goose continue to deliver the eggs to OneSpark?
It will be interesting to see how long Rummell is the main donor, and who else comes to the rescue to prolong it. My main point was that he could have taken the 2 million and built a sustainable daily space for entrepreneurs downtown in empty building space and seen more credible results. But kudos to Rummell for swinging for the fence.
One Spark ..... Success?
What are the most important criteria for measuring the success of One Spark?
What is One Spark expected to do for the city ... for individuals?
What is to be gained from a successful One Spark?
And who is to gain?
One Spark is new, and as with most new designs or mechanisms, there is a period of tuning and adjustment; initiated so that the greatest effectiveness and efficiency can be achieved. What are the variables regarding One Spark than might offer greater levels of success?
Two variables regarding One Spark come to mind:
1) Location:
Although possible, I doubt if anyone will seriously suggest that One Spark be held at the Metro Park or the Shipyards. The city core offers spaces needed for the event.
2) Frequency:
An event can be held in the extreme of too often, or the extreme of not often enough. There is an ideal for each type of event.
Any event has an "appropriate" frequency. Art Walk is every month, and this seems quite proper. The Jazz Fest is every year, and this too sounds appropriate. The Food Truck Rallies .....?? Seems that a greater frequency might be good ... perhaps every month ... up to every three months.
A good rule regarding the choice of the frequency of an event is to simply have the events so far apart that people begin to desire it .. to long for it. If an event is too often, the value of it might seem to decrease.
If an event requires more than a year to prepare for it, then the frequency might be increased to two or four years ... as with the Olympics. Does One Spark possess any characteristics that might cause some to entertain the idea of changing the Frequency to every six months? ... or to two years?
Absolutely. Anything ... books, chocolate, Art Walk, Jazz Fest's, One Sparks, Potato Chips, chicken, elections, Fucking, Sucking, Church, Preaching, Films, Traveling, Eating, Sleeping .... anything done too much with too much frequency, can become less valuable to the one doing or participating.