Last Wednesday, Trovus had its inaugural "advisory senate" gathering.  Trovus certain has ideas above its station by loosely throwing around terms like advisory senate, but the people round the table really do have a significant standing within our world - so grand gestures from our stand point are the right way to reflect this ... oh and a half decent meal and a good red.  Jon Mell of Trovus, Damien Tanner of New Bamboo, Neil Cauldwell on "special projects" (watch this space), Chris Anderton of TheWebFellas and Jessica Twentyman, noted technology journalist formed the core group.  Caspar and I wondered how the group would interact and from the kick off, the noise level was high and the energy was strong - and the red hadn't even hit the table.

Why do it?

We have a belief that this market moves incredibly fast (DERRR! Well done Ed - its web technology) I know, I mean incredibly fast - too fast for Jon, Caspar and myself to keep update with even the general themes around social networking.  So what we learn and what everyone shared in the 3 hours we where together was significant.  Trovus presented its County Hall seminar, which was standing room only, the following day and we felt invigorated knowing we had been speaking to people who sat the forefront of the market.

What's the value?

To everyone around the table we hope that the value is the same to all of us.  We recognised the similarities and the differences in the personalities over the time we have got to know them and we instinctively felt that the sum of the parts was going to be something special.  It is.  The evening was unplanned, unstructured and free following and it worked.  Knowledge was shared in a very open and progressive forum.  Disagreements raged around the table and most people held their line.  But everyone learned something - even if that something was only that Caspar needs another hair cut and Jon's claim to Gen Y status border line!!

Is this revolutionary - NO it is as old as the hills as an concept obviously.  The revolution and revelations come from the people round the table.  Choose carefully.

Did we speak the same language?

The day before we had been at the stella Shirlaws corporate launch event at Vinopolis.  Over 300 people listening to Darren Shirlaw highlighting the cultural challenges of communicating across generations (have a look at the slides).  Darren showed us some of the language barriers that exist even between Gen X and Y.  So unstructured was good I guess, although I need acknowledge my colleagues delight at watching me lock horns with Neil and then to have it, in a salt in wound type way, pointed out that we held to our stereo types and I was loosing probably based on the fact that I didn't understand what he was saying!!  I can hear myself now talking to my son in a years time "this is a nice tune, it's got a good beat...Who is this CAN YAY WEST chap."

Is this for everyone?

Yes, ABSOLUTELY.  If you run a small business in a knowledge led market can you think of any better format for personal and peer education.  Could we include a competitor next time?

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