For the most part the discussions at UnSummit have revolved around topics marketing, technology and social networking. But in planning the next even (to the extent that we really do any planning), we wanted to shake things up.

So, instead of talking about solutions and successes we thought we’d pose a really open-ended question:

What is your X?

X is not your former spouse, but the one big problem that you want to solve. It doesn’t have to be grandiose or profound. Just something that you think about  a lot. And perhaps something that will serve as fodder for a good conversation and perhaps spark our imaginations.

UnSummit #4

Saturday, June 26
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
CoCo coworking & collaborative space
213 4th St E., 4th Floor
St Paul, MN 55101

Visit the UnSummit website

The idea for the session stems from two rather obvious trends:

• Everyone’s a startup
  Thanks to the downturn, the streets are littered with talented but unemployed professionals. Some are using the occasion to go into business. Others are hanging out a shingle only until something steady comes along. And then there’s the rest of us who were already on the “eat-what-you-kill” diet.

  All of us are looking for ways to be more effective in how we conduct business, while keeping our costs down. Which leads to the next trend…

• Cheap biz tools are everywhere
  There have never been more cheap tools available to entrepreneurs for creating work product and managing and promoting their business. It seems to me that someone just getting into business could run their business using mostly Web-based freemium services — without compromising quality, and possibly with noticeable improvements in some areas.

What’s on your short list of must-have business tools for small business owners?
Let me see if I can identify some categories and give you my current picks… Perhaps you know of some cool services I’ve never heard of. My goal for the session at UnSummit is simply to gather everyone’s favorite tools in each category and find out how people are using these tools.

My favorite business tools

Info Architecture
OmniGraffle (not free, but it beats the pants off Visio)

Content creation
MS Word (I know. Not very free, nor very cool. But old habits die hard.)

Content collaboration
Google docs

Email client
We just switched from Entouage to Apple’s Mail app, running off a virtual Exchange server. Not crazy about Mail, but it’s only been a week.

Backup/storage space
Amazon S3

Recruiting (for freelancers, other help)
Twitter

Project collaboration
Basecamp

Conference calls
Freeconference.com

Webconferencing (screen sharing)
GotoMeeting.com

Web site/blogging
WordPress

Media relations
Pitchengine.com

Webinars
GotoWebinar.com

Business cards
Moo.com (looking for something new, though!)

Web analytics
Google Analytics

International calling
Skype

Social media monitoring
filterbox

Bookmarking
delicious

Image searches
Compfight.com (searches Flickr for Creative Commons photos)

Marketing (This category requires multiple entries, as I tend to use all these tools in tandem.)

• Twitter (current client: HootSuite)
• Delicious
• WordPress
• Pitchengine
• Flickr
• Slideshare
• Vimeo

Networking (this category also calls for  multiple entries)

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Ning
• Foursquare

Hmm, have I missed anything? I’m mostly a strategy and content guy, so you coders and designers will probably have a bunch of resources that I’ve missed. I’m eager to hear (now or on the 10th) what tools work for you!

Date:
A Saturday in Februrary or March. We’ll announce the date as soon as things are finalized.

Location:
TBD

Food, drink:
Yes. We’re looking to get some kind souls to underwrite food and drinks.

Topics:
I may need some help honing this down to a couple of snappy sound bites. In the meantime, here’s the big idea in prose…

The last UnSummit seemed to be all about social media. Nobody really planned it that way. It’s just what everyone wanted to talk about. I’m sure the next one will be chock-full-o’ social media goodness. But I’d like to see if we can focus our powers and take on the one thing that’s on everyone’s mind  — the economy.

Whether you’re a freelancer or consultant, business owner, an agency worker or a corporate cube dweller, the economy is creeping into every conversation. If you’re lucky, it’s only altered your plans for 2009. But more likely , it’s resulted in slower business and budget cuts. Maybe even a pink slip.

So, are we helpless in the face of job cuts and plummeting sales? If not, what can we do about it as individuals or as a community? Is there a way to hack the downturn and create Recession 2.0?

As creatives, geeks and entrepreneurs, I think this is a rich area for us to mine. I don’t presume to know all the questions people might have around the economy, but here are the one’s I’m asking.

• Is this downturn the same as the last one?
• Will it result in the same kind of carnage?
• Or will it result in an all-new kind of carnage?
• What wine pairs well with carnage? (seriously, let’s have a wine or beer talk!)

• Is everyone feeling the pinch?
• If you’re not, why not?
• Are you considering altering your business model due to the economy?
• What are some alternative ways to profit from your talents, skills and assets?

• What clever strategies are you implementing to survive the maelstrom?
• Which industries and clients still have budgets?
• What tools/techniques are you using to prospect and make sales?
• What tools/techniques are you using cut costs?

• We’re kind of a go-it-alone state. Still, how can we band together as a community to help job hunters and small biz owners?
• Is there anything we can do to speed up the recovery?
• How can we raise the profile of Minnesota as a go-to place for tech, creative and entrepreneurial talent?

I’m hoping that we’ll see three distinct, yet interrelated conversational currents:

• For freelancers, consultants and employees – focus on personal brand building, self promotion, networking.
• For small businesses & agencies – focus on business models, strategies, sales, staffing and efficiency.
• For community leaders – focus on community building, civic boosterism, making Minnesota more visible at a national level.

What do you think of this rough agenda? What do you want to talk about at the next UnSummit? Please drop a comment and let us know!

(We’ll move the conversation over to the UnSummit wiki in a week or so.)