Speakers
Verdi ErgünTopic: Rethink.
Bio: Verdi Ergün graduated from the University of Michigan in 2006 and co-founded the Burrito Joint, grew it to 5 locations at Mujo\'s, Bert\'s Café, and U-Go\'s with a University contract. Burrito Joint was rated #1 late-night delivery restaurant on eatblue.com in 2007 and 2008. In 2009 he left Burrito Joint to start Own. Verdi believes in a culture where engineers can leave and start their own companies. The process at Own is to Communicate, Think, Do, where all members of the team communicate, think about the issues at hand, then take action.
Erol AhmedTopic: Rethink.
Bio: Erol graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a degree in history. While at the U, Erol spent more time designing Web sites for free than learning about dead people who wore funny hats. Erol co-founded Own in 2009 with the mission to build a retail experience unlike any other through great design and happy customers. He asks himself and everyone he works with to always rethink.
Richard SheridanTopic: Entrepreneurship: Purpose, Passion and Joy.
Bio: From kid programmer in 1971 to Forbes cover boy in 2003, Richard Sheridan has never shied from challenges, opportunities, nor the limelight. While his focus has always been around technology, his passion is actually process, teamwork, and organizational design, with one inordinately popular goal: the business value of joy! Sheridan is an avid reader and historian. His software design and development team at Menlo Innovations didn\'t invent a new culture, but copied an old one: Edison\'s Menlo Park New Jersey lab. Some call it agile, some call it lean, Sheridan and his team call it joyful. And it produces results, business, and otherwise. With four consecutive Inc. magazine revenue growth awards, invites to the White House, speaking engagements around the nation, numerous articles and culture awards and so much interest they are doing a tour a day of the Menlo Software Factory.
