Step aside, Miss Bridget Jones—the host of DataCrunchers speaks on blogging, innovation, and the economic value of Big Data
Jazz legend Victor Goines leads his Quartet Sunday for one of Salk’s most memorable Salk Science & Music Series. Pure perfection. | Photo by Joe Belcovson
“Social media is all about influence”, explains Steve Todd to a room full of students and entrepreneurs at the Gordon Engineering Leadership Center last Friday afternoon. Todd, VP of Innovation at EMC, shared the pros and cons of writing one of the top innovation blogs. He recalls typing away in the balcony of Radio City Music Hall in New York, where he traveled to report on an innovation conference. “It was at this event that I really built a network outside of just engineering.” He linked up with another blogger and soon his work was being published on their site, increasing his readership exponentially. Todd’s blog and videos get hundreds of hits weekly. Already a world-renowned expert with two books under his belt, Todd’s blog has helped solidify his reputation as an expert on innovation by bringing it to an entirely new audience.
A brave student raises his hand to ask about a negative experience blogging. Todd candidly tells of the time he wrote about his company and got a major slap on the wrist. Woops. Scooping privileged info on the World Wide Web for a company you work for—not a good move. Although the story had already been released in a different publication, in the eyes of the company Todd had divulged too much. “Social media is a big stage and once you hit that publish button,” well, anyone in the world can read it. Spidey said it best, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
When it comes to putting yourself out there in the blog-o-sphere, it seems the pros clearly outnumber the pitfalls. Todd spoke to us about his journey and how he broke the mold. “Software engineers typically aren’t wired to be publicly visible,” yet Todd’s example proves a recipe for success where the opportunities and experiences around the globe are limitless. Just tap into the archives and see the places he has traveled and written about or view a few of the videos he has streaming on YouTube. My favorite DataCrunchers video? The one where he gets to push the button and blow up a Data Center to explain EMC’s V-Plex Product. The big take away Todd revealed for these emerging leaders? “My value has increased as my versatility increased.”
Todd started out as a software engineer. After “putting in his time” establishing a good reputation and earning the trust of his company leaders, he decided to push the boundaries a bit and add more layers to his skill set. On his CV, Todd has the following listed as his expertise: EMC Fellow, VP of Strategy & Innovation at EMC, Inventor/Intrapreneur, Collaborator, Writer. Yep, “intrapreneur”—it’s not a typo. What the heck is an intraprenuer? In essence, they are an innovative thinker within a corporation who gets to transform an idea or project into a profitable venture for their company. This intrapreneur leads, does not necessarily manage, and has the resources of his large corporation at his disposal. Shit, man. Sign me up (says the small business owner). Todd has clearly leveraged his entrepreneurial skills, business savvy, and appetite for adventure within his company to establish himself as an expert in so many mediums. Todd encourages the students and businessmen in the room to take a few years to establish rapport and accountability in a company. “And once that relationship is solid, carve out some time in your day to add new skills such as leveraging LinkedIn or social media.” Most importantly, “be sure that the skills that you are adding align with your company.” His advice? “Listen to what the execs are talking about at the office.”
Todd does not miss the mundane routines associated with engineering. He points that he enjoys the energy that comes with building and creating new products. But what really does it for him, what he truly loves, is delivering that product to the world. “Nothing compares to building a product with a team and having it be used in society somewhere.” An example of one of Todd’s triumphs is the CLARiiON product he helped to build at Data General. This product was ultimately acquired by EMC and resulted in billions of dollars in revenue.
Asked about the future, Todd would put all his chips on the economic value of Big Data. “Some believe wars will break out over this.” Yikes. But what’s any company’s biggest asset? Their Rolodex. Todd gives the case study of Caesar Palace’s bankruptcy. In the end, it was their Customer Loyalty Rewards database that was worth one billion.
Bravo UC San Diego for always bringing top-notch speakers that help encourage our future engineering leaders to be well rounded individuals. And step aside Miss Bridget Jones. Intrapreneur, blogger, speaker, and host of DataCrunchers—Steve Todd, you are an inspiration and I’m your newest fan.
Upcoming events on the Mesa (I’ll be at the fun table…)
Farmers Insurance Open PGA Golf Tournament at Torrey Pines Del Mar has the Races. On the Mesa, we’ve got the Farmers Insurance Open PGA tournament. Why do I picture the scene from Evita where they are all dressed to the nines, white gloves and hats, drinking tea while watching sport? Headed to Torrey Pines today to prove my crazy presumption a total misconception. Stay tuned for the insider scoop next week. Tournament runs through Sunday and Main/Grand Entrance to tourney is smack in front of the Sanford Consortium. Should be a fun weekend. Fore! January 27-31, Torrey Pines Golf Course
An Entrepreneur’s Journey: Different Paths and Perspectives My homeboy Mark Dilorio, President and CEO of Magne Sensors Inc, will be headlining tonight’s TIE Southcoast event over at Janssen. Raj Krishnan, CEO Biological Dynamics, Yannis Papacounstantinou, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at UC San Diego, and Harvinder Sahota, Inventor of the Perfusion Balloon Angioplasty, round out the panel. Seems like everyone is talking about the different paths and colorful journey of an entrepreneur these days. January 28, 5:30-8:00 p.m., Janssen Research & Development, LLC
JLABS Meet with… RCT Ventures Wanted to give you a heads up on this killer opportunity next week for some info and one-on-one face time with the big dogs. If you are pushing medical devices, therapeutics, platforms and tools in the area of Biomed, then be sure to check out the full scoop on JLABS upcoming Meet with RCT Ventures. One of RCT Ventures’ most successful exits includes Therapeutic Human Polyclonals acquired by Roche (oooh, I like their eye cream). $200 million baby in assets. Sign up now for the private meeting. Get ‘er done. February 4, 10.30 a.m.-1 p.m., JLABS San Diego
Just Mesa’n around…
One, two, ah ah ah ah… Jazz legend Victor Goines counted in his Quartet to a brilliant set at Sunday’s Salk Science & Music Series. Every performance thus far in the 2015-2016 Season has been exquisite. But I have to say… Sunday’s performance was utter perfection. And FUN! What a hoot watching the crowd slowly get into the music, letting go with each selection, tapping their feet, beginning to sway. This series pulls philanthropists together with the scientists and Mesa community in such a brilliant way. And I am now a believer. Music truly does open up the brain waves. I understood the science lecture given by Shrek in its entirety! Okay, maybe he dumbed it down a bit for us no-speak-science listeners sprinkled in the crowd. But seriously, Salk brings its scientists the very best here, combining research with the musical arts.
For a moment we thought the pianist, Helen Sung, who played one of the most jaw dropping solos I have ever heard at a jazz concert, stole the entire show. The crowd even got a bit rowdy with excitement for a second, they were so pumped. But then the graceful bass player, Emma Dayhuff, whom Goines joked is from Montana of all places, held her own with a commanding solo as well. Greg Arty Jr. on the drums threw out a few “yeahs” during her solo and then brought down the house when it was his turn to jam on the drum set. I snuck in my own “yeah” during the drum solo so I could feel the groove while not disturbing any neighbors. My personal favorites at this series were “Skylark” and Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.” Goines is such a master at his craft and his rendition of “Skylark” hits you deep down in your soul. Closing with Gershwin, this musical theater junkie wanted nothing more than to leap out of her seat and dance across the stage. What torture. I think that everyone there by the end of the performance was ready to get up from their seats and boogie. There’s talk now of a possible after party jam session at the BellaV following any and all jazz concerts on the Mesa!
It’s important to note that Victor gave a huge shout-out to Karen Davis who not only created and found the funding to underwrite this series, but curates the talent and is an accomplished pianist in her own right. Davis played with the National Symphony Orchestra at the age of 12, attended The Juilliard School, has traveled the world performing and now produces concerts like the Science & Music Series at Salk.
Looking forward to meeting Salk’s new president, Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn, at the next concert slated for February 21. Blackburn was in Davos for the 2016 World Economic Forum with VP Joe Biden talking Cancer moonshots. Did run into Ellen Potter who was just featured in San Diego Magazine’s Big Ideas spread. Top scientists from Salk also came to jive, including Tony Hunter, Ron Evans, and Geoffrey Wahl. Got to snap some photos with the lovely Dr. Ursula Bellugi and did ask Irwin Jacobs if he’d be up for an interview. Fingers crossed, my friends. Sunday evening was a smashing success and I believe Jonas Salk would have loved the vibe.
Life on the Mesa: Meet Intrapreneur Steve Todd
Jazz legend Victor Goines leads his Quartet Sunday for one of Salk’s most memorable Salk Science & Music Series. Pure perfection. | Photo by Joe Belcovson
Archive
OCTOBER 23, 2023
The Problem With Bright Red Tuna
Many Americans still think bright red tuna means it's fresher (it's not)
You know the tuna I’m talking about. It’s easy to mistake for a cube of watermelon. It’s the color of a Lyft logo. Appears to be glowing a vibrant, tantalizing purity. Tuna that bright red or pink means it’s… what, extremely fresh? Bursting with nutrients?
I thought this was widely known, but a chef recently told me very few of his staff members were aware of this, and almost none of his customers. So, especially with the recent proliferation of poke joints, I thought I’d be helpful with this PSA of sorts.
Bright red or pink tuna means it has been gassed. In its natural state, fresh tuna is dark red, almost maroon, sometimes even chocolatey-looking.
But here’s why I personally tend to back away when I see bright red or pink tuna:
1. IT’S MUCH HARDER TO TELL IF IT’S FRESH OR NOT.
It can be left out for days and it will not turn brown. In one study, the University of Florida found that carbon monoxided tuna kept its bright red color for 11 days in the fridge. “The carbon monoxide actually hides the quality of a fish,” says Tommy Gomes, fifth-generation San Diego fisherman, host of The Fishmonger on Outdoor Channel, and owner of seafood shop Tunaville in Point Loma. “It’ll make a poor-quality fish pretty like a rose. I’ve seen them take an old piece of brown tuna [and] put the gas on it, and it comes out looking like cherry lemonade.” The gas also masks the smell of old tuna (which is one way you can tell if tuna’s getting past its eat-by stage). “Since there’s no smell, it falsifies the freshness,” Gomes explains.
2. I TRUST GOVERNMENT HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE THEY’RE NOT PERFECT.
The 1992 USDA food pyramid suggested carbs should be the bulk of our diet (they corrected that in 2005 and 2011). The government approved the fat substitute Olestra, which gave people all sorts of tummy issues. Margarine and other trans fats were also approved, then banned in May 2019. There are some smart humans in the government, but even geniuses make mistakes. So I tend to go with my gut: tuna in its natural state, or tuna treated with carbon monoxide? Easy choice.
So why gas tuna at all? Because of us. Consumers don’t like brownish fish. Tuna oxidizes quickly. It’s difficult for tuna fishermen and women to get it to market quick enough before it turns that brownish or chocolatey color. Customers erroneously think all brownish-looking fish is old or bad and will pay more for “fresher-looking” fish. So in the 1990s, the FDA allowed companies to gas the tuna and keep it artificially bright red for long stretches at a time.
“There’s nothing wrong with a hot chocolate–looking tuna loin,” says Gomes. “But, here in America, we want [it] seared on the outside, rosy pink on the inside.”
What fresh tuna should look like
Gassed tuna is also often imported and less inexpensive than fresh, un-gassed tuna, says Gomes. “So, to be fair and honest,” Gomes acknowledges, “for families on a budget, gassed tuna is one of the best alternatives out there for frozen seafood.”
In theNew York Times article cited above, a sushi restaurant owner reported his sales of tuna tripled when he started using gassed tuna. So that’s obviously good for the small business owner, as well as grocery stores. Food waste is a massive epidemic—the US throws out about half of edible seafood. If gassed tuna gets Americans to eat perfectly edible tuna they otherwise might throw out, that’s a step in a good direction.
But it’d be better if we as consumers knew that fresh, non-gassed tuna is supposed to be dark red or maroon—not bright red or watermelon pink, like a majority of the tuna I’ve seen at local poke shops. Ideally, we would look at a piece of bright red/pink tuna and think “Oh, hey there, carbon monoxide.”
The most important things about buying tuna is to trust the source (whether grocery store, fishmonger, or sushi joint). It also should be shiny and somewhat translucent, and not have slime or an off-smell.
Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist, and a long-standing expert on Food Network. His work has been featured on NatGeo, Travel Channel, NPR, and in Food Matters, a textbook of the best American food writing.
Entrepreneurs typically launch businesses because they’re passionate about a product or service, not because they want to manage its finances. While working to carve out a niche in their respective industries and drive their companies forward, many business owners find themselves bogged down by day-to-day accounting. Their existing accounting tools don’t provide the necessary visibility or insight, and they don’t have the time or resources to hire additional staff or a chief financial officer. That’s where NOW CFO comes in.
For more than 20 years, NOW CFO has been pairing businesses across the country with experienced accounting and finance professionals. Its outsourced model allows clients to customize solutions that match their individual needs, size, and financial challenges, whether that’s fractional or interim support, project-based services, or full-time placement.
NOW CFO’s clients range from startups preparing for rapid growth to established companies that need additional financial leadership without the commitment or expense of building an in-house team. However, many of these companies don’t fully understand their needs until they experience a “trigger” event: preparing for an acquisition or capital raise, navigating a first-time audit, or another period of transition. With a team of over 300 consultants nationwide, NOW CFO can start quickly and match the right expert to the right business.
“It’s important for companies to have financial visibility, and we can help them avoid a lot of the potholes that companies often run into,” says Mariah Block, a partner at NOW CFO’s San Diego branch. “Roughly half of our clients have an in-house finance person or department, and we’re resourced for more bandwidth when they need an extra set of hands at the staff or senior accountant level, or the controller or CFO level. Some clients use this a few hours a month and others use multiple people close to full-time. Our model is solution-based and customizable. We’re like a faucet you can turn on and off.”
With NOW CFO, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Solutions are based on the client’s individual goals, challenges, needs, and budget, meaning a client never pays for more than they need. Whether it’s a few hours of executive-level guidance or a full accounting team to support daily operations, NOW CFO meets businesses where they are and grows alongside them.
“We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the right resources at the right rate and being able to evolve as their needs evolve,” says Block.
And clients appreciate on-demand access to cost-effective support designed to improve performance and profitability.
Luxury car storage service Auto Concierge has partnered with NOW CFO to support growth over the past year. The arrangement began with a staff accountant who covered a leave of absence, but as the client’s needs changed, they also added a controller role. This allowed Auto Concierge to put effective processes in place and navigate operational challenges. Lori Church, Auto Concierge’s chief operating officer, says NOW CFO has been an “outstanding resource” and a “true strategic partner.”
“From the controller to the bookkeeper, every professional they’ve placed has brought a high level of expertise, responsiveness, and professionalism to our organization. Their team took the time to understand our business of high-profile clients and needs, adapted quickly to our fast-paced environment, and became a trusted extension of our team,” she says. “As Auto Concierge continues to grow, having a reliable financial partner like NOW CFO has allowed us to strengthen our financial and business operations while remaining focused on delivering exceptional service to our clients.”
If you’re anything like us, it can be easy to get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that your own needs get lost in the ether. But while this may be a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true: You can’t give your best self to other people unless you’re taking care of yourself.
Sometimes, that looks like stopping in for your regular acupuncture or chiropractic appointment. Other days, it means giving your body the fresh, organic fuel it needs to truly feel and function at its best. And some other times still, it involves leaving your responsibilities behind for a weekend to pamper yourself at an incredible resort and spa.
Only you can decide what your truly need. We’re just here to help you find the best ways to get it.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Island living meets desert luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. When you step onto the 11-acre property, you’ll be surrounded by sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Mountains with olive trees and fragrant citrus groves decorating the grounds. In other words, everything about this relaxed but refined resort is primed to help you let go of the stress from home and enjoy easy sun-soaked days and gorgeous starry nights.
The rooms blend calming, woven textures with Tommy Bahama’s signature tropical prints and feature private lanais, making it easy unwind the moment you walk in the door. If you book one of the four Villa Suites, you’ll be treated to exclusive Tommy Bahama furniture and unique personal touches to further that feeling of instant ease.
At the award-winning Spa Rosa, the expert team will help reset and recharge your body and mind using methods and rituals inspired by the desert. The 12,000-square-foot retreat includes outdoor soaking pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, and outdoor cabanas, as well as massages, facials, and body masks—all aimed at creating a day dedicated to you. We’re particularly partial to the Day Long Escape, an indulgent all-day affair of CDBs soaks, renewing scrubs, life changing massages, and transformative facials.
Following your treatment, continue the experience with a meal on the patio at Grapefruit Basil. We love the Hamachi Crudo, a light, citrus-forward dish featuring premium yellowtail, house-made ponzu, creamy avocado, and fresh seasonal garnishes.
Whether you’re strolling the gardens, relaxing beside its saltwater pools, or indulging in a restorative treatment, you’ll be able to escape in style and relax in luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
Healcove Chiropractic
There’s no shortage of ways to stay active in San Diego—but if you really want to enjoy everything the city has to offer, you’ve got to make sure you’re giving your body its tune-ups. Enter: Healcove Chiropractic. The board-certified chiropractors and wellness professionals at Healcove are experts at addressing that stage where you’re not injured, exactly, but you’re not at 100%, either. Maybe you’re feeling a bit tense or stressed out. Or it could be that you’re not quite moving the way you want to. Sometimes, it’s just that the accumulation of days, weeks, or even years of daily strain is starting to take a toll. No matter what stage you find yourself at, the Healcove Chiropractic team can provide integrated, preventative care centered on long-term, science-backed approaches that ensure you can always stay active and live the life you want to live pain-free.
This starts by providing truly individualized care. Every patient can expect a thorough 60-minute consultation session that includes a posture and movement screening. This allows the team to develop a completely personalized plan. That plan might include chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy, as well as functional fitness training, vibration and sound therapy, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, a clinical rehabilitation method that retrains the body’s stabilization systems. Whatever the team recommends, you can be sure that it’s tailored to meeting your body’s needs today and the future.
There’s a reason that San Diego Magazine named Healcove the “Best Chiropractor in San Diego”—don’t wait until you’re struggling with an injury to find out why. Book an appointment today for holistic, integrated care that helps ground and heal your body before it reaches a crisis point.
Juice Holler
West Coast wellness culture meets the community feel of Southern Appalachia at Juice Holler. Juice Holler’s menu consists of made-to-order smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as grab-and-go cold-pressed juices, wellness shots, salads, and more. It operates from the blissfully simple premise that fueling up with food and drink that’s guilt-free and good your body should be simple, accessible, and, above all else, delicious. And if you haven’t yet made it out to the Encinitas café, which opened just this year, let us be the first to tell you: Juice Holler delivers on each and every of these fronts.
We love the Supercharger smoothie, a mood-lifting and body-fueling option made with banana, almond butter, blue spirulina, maca, grass-fed whey protein, raw cacao nibs, medjool dates, and coconut milk. We’re also partial to the Thrive Alive smoothie bowl, where avocado, mango, sea moss, spirulina, mint, coconut milk, and agave are mixed and topped with coconut, chia seeds, strawberry, mango, and chocolate drizzle. The wellness shots include the Detoxifier, a cleansing blend of kale, cucumber, lemon and spirulina, plus a shot specially designed to fight inflammation (named, fittingly, Anti-Inflammation). Probiotic overnight oats, lemon turmeric bars, and strawberry shortcake chia pudding are other standouts on the grab-and-go menu.
Much of the vibe feels beachy North County chic—think green tile with orange and pink accents, grounded with greenery and natural wood—but Juice Holler founder Kelly Sergott, a longtime Encinitas local, has also enfused the space with her Kentucky roots. In Appalachia, a holler is small valley between hills and mountains, where nature reigns, community is king, and nourishment comes right from the land. At Juice Holler, Sergott has created a holler for the busy modern times, using local ingredients to create a spot for people to come together and enjoy fresh, fast, feel-good fuel for their day.
Everwell Acupuncture
We’ve all had that experience with a medical professional where we’ve felt rushed, ignored, or misunderstood—and ultimately, like we didn’t get the answers that we needed. But at Everwell, the holistic acupuncture practice located in Solana Beach, the care team wants to transform your understanding of what healthcare can look like.
Patients at Everwell experience care rooted in intentional listening and radical empathy—and trust us, those aren’t just corporate buzzwords. This place actually puts those ideas into practice. You will always be given the time you need to tell your story— initial in-take appointments are two hours long—and you can rest assured that your story will be believed. Every single question and concern will be addressed by a dedicated practitioner who wants to find the specific solutions that work best for you, and you’ll receive care that’s aimed at healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Everwell’s highly trained, doctorate-level practitioners blend evidence-based acupuncture with the practice of classical Chinese medicine. (If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or aren’t sure if the team will be a fit, we’d highly recommended Everwell’s complimentary 20-minute consultations.) Research shows that by stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture activates a natural healing response in the body, helping to restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and improve overall wellbeing. This allows the practice to address an incredibly wide range of conditions from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to digestive issues, from stress and burnout to headaches migraines, fertility and postpartum struggles, hormonal imbalances, sleep concerns and more.
At Everwell, you can expect to feel heard, trusted, respected, and cared for. This is a space that doesn’t want to be just another healthcare provider you visit; it wants to provide patients with dedicated partner who will be there for their entire health journey.
