Date: October 3, 1999

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The Industry Standard's "Net Returns 2000" conference was
held Sept 29-Oct 2, 1999, at the St. Regis Hotel, Aspen, CO
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Dear Clients, Partners, Readers, Friends:

What can you say about an Internet conference attended by some of the most quality people in the industry, in one of the most beautiful places in the world?

Where I get to interview guys like Jay Chiat, ad industry legend and hopeful 'Net entrepreneur, and Jake Winebaum, formerly of Disney Online and now eCompanies....listen to the stories of such tech superstars as Jim Clark and Joe Nacchio....and chat one-to-one with so many of our burgeoning industry's greats, as well as several up-and-comers we're all bound to be hearing a whole lot about in the future....

Well, words can't describe.

Aspen in the fall offers some breath-taking scenery (as I guess it does in most other seasons). But the experience of being in such world-class surroundings -- in beautiful sunny weather with the fall colors near their peak -- is made even better when you can make friends with a bunch of really nice, smart people--from around the world....including more passionate, high-energy entrepreneurs gathered in the span of a few square blocks than I've ever seen.

It was an eclectic group of attendees -- a great mix of different backgrounds and perspectives. And that, too, made it a special conference. The overall tenor was "Is this the best time to be alive, or what?"

As I write this in my head while lunching at the Red Onion and taxiing back to the Aspen airport Saturday afternoon, it occurred to me that this trip was like -- well, going to camp. You show up, get a backpack, hat, vest, and a bunch of trinkets, have your photo shot for the "yearbook," have guides and helpers fawning all over you at every step of the way -- and you're a little tentative at first, not sure what you're in for and thinking about all the work you left behind. Then, three days later, you're like a little kid, saying some hard good-byes and wishing you never had to leave this wonderful place...

Here are some highlights:

* The Internet is only about 20-30% invented, said Jake Winebaum, in a special invitation-only, pre-conference roundtable Wednesday afternoon. We've only just begun -- "now it's about business innovation."

* The incubator may be "the flavor of the month," he says, but he now prefers the term "accelerator." His new firm, eCompanies, has a model for getting its startups up and running in 90-120 days, ready for major financial backing. (And three are already ramping up.)

* In the Internet economy, says Blair LaCorte, Sr VP at VerticalNet, "It's okay to fail, as long as you fail fast."

* Larry Downes, co-host & moderator (author of "Unleashing the Killer App"), opened the first morning session by noting our 600+ attendees had virtually taken over the town. "We *are* Aspen this week!" he proclaimed.

* John Batelle, President/CEO of The Industry Standard, led the assembled throng through the first of round of automated-response questions and found that 56% of the group said their companies had already deployed e-commerce, and an astonishing 36% were planning to spend $25 million or more this year on it. As far company size, 44% had 100 employees or less, but fully 28% had 1000+.

* Jim Clark, of Silicon Graphics, Netscape, and Healtheon fame, opened his keynote citing the one important trait necessary to start a company: passion, with an accompanying instinct for the market. Ever the entrepreneur, he then told us the story of his latest passion, myCFO.com -- a startup that's out to use the Web to make things easier for individuals with complex financial lives (8 million in the U.S., he figures).

But the speakers, the topics, the insights were many and I won't try to cover them all now. (More later.)

Net Returns 2000 may have been only the second conference The Standard has sponsored, but it was as well run as any I've seen -- with top-notch facilities, organization, efficiency, and support staff. The evening functions were impressive to say the least...and much fun...with an opening night reception and buffet sponsored by Virtual Vineyards/Wine.com, followed on Thursday night by an outing at the Elk Mountain Lodge, and a gala dinner and charity auction at Little Nell's Friday night -- with a world-class fireworks display (to the sounds of John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High"), which the townfolk are still talking about...

It was a special moment, as we pondered what marvelous new promise the Internet Economy was yet to bring...

Stay tuned for more reports from the mountaintop.

high on nothing but 'Net,
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Graeme Thickins, Founder & Principal Consultant
GT&A Strategic Marketing Inc.
*Twin Cities *LA *San Francisco *Seattle
Voice: 612/944-1672
Fax: 612/944-1673
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