Chadburn Blomquist

Brainstormer, Change Agent, Connector, Designer, Engineer, Idea generator, Marketer, Social entrepreneur, Technologist, World traveler

I've spent 30 years doing one thing: translating between the world of technology and the world of human impact. Engineers and executives, builders and buyers, visionaries and the organizations they're trying to move — I've spent a career standing in the gap between them, making both sides feel understood. It's why I call myself a "nerd translator," though the job is less about language than it is about trust. That's what I've built, across stints at Apple, Palm, GE, Cisco, and Amazon Web Services — not just a resume, but a deep conviction that the best technology in the world means nothing if the right people can't see themselves in it. That conviction has shaped everything from my product marketing work to the channels and partnerships I've built at scale. At AWS, I leveraged three decades of high-tech, product development, and strategic channel experience to help customers and partners navigate a landscape that never stops shifting. But the thread running through all of it — across every company, every platform, every industry disruption — has been the same: find the gap between what's been built and what the world is ready to receive, and close it. I'm now channeling this into direct advisory work with early-stage startups — helping founders bridge the gap between what they've built and the partners, customers, and ecosystems that will make it matter. The problems that derail promising companies are rarely technical. They're about positioning, sequencing, relationships, and pattern recognition. After 30 years of watching what works and what doesn't, I have a lot of patterns to share. Outside my commercial work, I'm the Founder and Curator of TEDxTC, an independently organized TED event rooted in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul — a community I've been proud to serve as a connector of ideas worth spreading. I'm also a consultant to Social Venture Partners, the world's largest network of engaged donors, applying business expertise to nonprofits working to deepen their social impact. This is my 17th TED Conference — and if the last sixteen are any indication, the most interesting conversation I'll have this week will start with someone asking a question I haven't heard before.

Big Ideas, Technology, Design, Interaction, My Community, Education, Youth, Social Ventures, Photography, Art, Architecture, Make Magazine, Travel, Meeting New People, Being A Dad, Curating TEDxTC.

Biohacking, Internet Technologies, Lifestyle & Concepts, Longevity, Smart Homes, Social Entrepreneurship, Strategist, Trendspotting

I was introduced to TED by my dear friend and TEDxKC Curator, Mike Lundgren. We were on a chairlift at the time and I asked him what was inspiring him lately. Without even hesitating he said, "You should go to the TED Conference." Well fortunately TED had just recently begun posting TED Talks on the internet. Sir Ken Robinson's Talk on why schools kill creativity was the first one I watched and after that I was a full TED addict. Over the course of a few years I had many small gatherings in my home where we would watch TED Talks and then have lively discussions. Early in 2009 TED announced the TEDx program and I wasted no time in registering for TEDxTC (Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN). Our first TEDxTC event was held in September of 2009. Through TED and the TEDx program I have met some of the most incredible people and have shared in amazing experiences. Mike was right - TED was exactly what I was looking for and it has become a very important part of my life.

Card tricks.