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How Hydrostor Aims To Change The Power Game By Storing Energy Under Water

This post was originally posted on Tech Crunch here

There has been a fair bit of concern in recent years about the ability of our power plants to supply adequate electricity during periods of peak demand. Hydrostor, a Toronto-based company, is taking a different approach in offering a solution that allows plants to store their power using compressed air in underwater storage tanks.

More specifically, Hydrostor takes the excess energy created during periods of off-peak consumption and converts that energy into compressed air via an air compressor, which in turn inflates accumulators placed under the surface of a body of water. The depth of the water keeps the air at a constant pressure, helping to store the energy potential.

When power is required, the air is released through an expander and electricity is produced. Through the heat-exchanger, modern compressors and expanders, the system approaches adiabatic operation, achieving efficiencies over 70 percent.

This technology has the potential to address the intermittent nature of renewable energy, help decongest transmission and distribution lines, and create better efficiencies of existing generation.

To date, Hydrostor has relied heavily on government and research grants to get started. They are now seeking further funding from both private sources and government groups to expand. They are currently in the pilot stage of a number of projects.

The benefits are obvious—tapping into a store of power when consumers demand it, rather than constantly maintaining a higher-than-normal supply would create a more efficient network. Hydrostor estimates that over 50 percent of the world’s biggest load centers are located by water and would therefore be candidates for their system. If this model proves true, it would save billions of dollars and the years it takes to build new generators. Hydrostor is not looking to replace new generation projects, but merely to make the existing grid more effective and reliable.

The company was founded by Cameron Lewis in 2010 when he identified the need for a more efficient way to store electricity. Cameron estimates that the cost of storing energy using his system is 50 percent cheaper than storing electricity via batteries.

He came upon the idea while working at a wind farm in Northern Ontario, and saw the potential of power storage. Alternative power sources, such as wind, require some sort of power storage mechanism to create an augmented base load. For the uninitiated, “base load” refers to the minimum amount of power that a utility or distribution company must make available to its customers at any time. A base load is traditionally created by running plants 24/7 to generate the required energy.

One of the traditional knocks against renewable energy comes over the question of what to do when wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining, since demand for power never stops. Cost effective storage of that power would make it possible to create a reliable base load and enable smart grid technologies.

The ripple effect from this application would be widespread as there becomes new opportunities for energy arbitrage and increased viability for renewable projects near large bodies of water. One of the potential limiting factors of the success of Hydrostor will be its adoption at a larger scale.

Hydrostor Picture

All current projects are 1 to 4 Megawatts (MW) in design, while larger plants start in the hundreds of Megawatts. Cameron insists not only that this system can scale, but as soon as they have a demonstration facility to prove out costs to the industry, there can be large scale adoption across the industry.

Hydrostor is based in Toronto, Ontario Canada and is part of the MARS Cleantech Portfolio of companies.

 

What Fatherhood and Working at a Start-up have in Common

I became a father over 5 months ago, and it has definitely been a game changer in my life.  I have also been involved in several start-up companies both before and during my foray into fatherhood. However, since I became a father, I found there were some very interesting similarities to working in a start-up.

1. Noticing the smallest patterns

Whether it is managing your product or your baby, it is all about spotting the small patterns. What is causing them to respond, what do they like, what don’t they like? It could be the slightest difference in what you do or how you do it but it can have an impact. Discovering those patterns is key in helping to scale your business or keep your baby happy. If you are able to discover what makes your baby happy, you can replicate it, and use that knowledge in other situations. Feedback is key to the entire operation. Granted, a baby’s cry is significantly more ambiguous than a clear pattern in business, but over time you start to learn what they need.

Now, I wish that my baby was as easy to understand as my customers, but again it requires a combination of intuition and testing in order to figure out the best way to approach things. Start-ups,  like fatherhood, require constant and regular iteration. If your baby is not responding favourably you can’t keep doing the same wrong thing for a day, a week or a month.  Start-ups are no different, from the standpoint that you can’t afford to sit on bad strategy or tactics long. In learning to live life with the baby, you need to see how the situation evolves and continually iterate while noticing patterns in the chaos.

2. Serve multiple constituents

I find you need to serve multiple constituents when you become a father. Think about it this way – your baby is your client, your wife is your co-workers and your parents are your investors. Your baby is everything, and you need to be responsive and serve their needs. Respond in a timely fashion and keep them happy. With a baby, your pay-off is a smile that warms your heart.  The correlate pay-off in business is word-of-mouth referrals from your clients.

Your wife/partner is in many ways your co-worker or staff. You are both working together towards a common purpose, but sometimes get worn down by  the constant demands of the baby (or client!). In this case, it is important to look for opportunities to alleviate stress and do little things to show that you care even in the face of adversity. Sometimes a token of appreciation or taking on a tough task yourself can make it easier and help keep you and your colleagues (or wife) sane.

Your family are like your investors. They have been supporting you from the beginning and they only want the best for you. They are there with both support and advice to help you do better. They also want constant updates on how things are going. In both cases (the start-up and the baby), they have invested so much that they want to be sure everything is going smoothly and on track. They are ready with advice to help you get you over your next hump

As a father, like in a start-up, you need to serve those multiple constituents effectively and in many cases all at the same time and realize that they all contribute differently and have different needs.

3. Sleep is a luxury – get ready for hard work

Whenever you take on a start-up or become a father, you need to be ready to lose some sleep and work hard. It is far from a 9-5 job! You need to be ready to work and do what ever you need to do to get through. Whether it be staying up until 3 rocking a baby to sleep, or sitting on your laptop rocking a spreadsheet, the job is never done. Going into both, you often have no clue what you are getting yourself into, but you need to continue to work hard and persevere.  At the end of the day you need to know in your heart you are working on something worth sacrificing for.

4. Babies are fantastic for networking?

Recently, my wife started back to works and now have increased daddy duties. There was an instance where I had committed to go to an event on a night when my wife was working, so I decided to take Anna with me. While the result was mixed (due to Anna’s displeasure in seeing another demo), it made me think about a few things. People were instantly drawn to talk to me because I had a baby in my arms. If I dissect why, it isn’t hard for me to understand. Not only is Anna uber cute, but she is also very new and unexpected. Anna turned out to be an instant icebreaker and a fun topic for discussion. Now, I abhor the usage of kids as accessories (see the train wreck of a show Toddlers and Tiaras for that), but it did get me thinking.

It would stand to reason, then, if I was going into any event to do business development or networking for a start-up that I should come with the following:

  1. Something new to talk about – People don’t want to hear about the same stuff over and over. Make sure you have something new to talk about – a new feature or a new accomplishment. Guard yourself from turning into a broken record.
  2. What’s your hook? – Think about what you want your hook to be. What is going to interest people to come over and talk to you? It could be a cool tactic or just doing something that nobody else is doing. It is critical to differentiate and capture attention.

5. Enjoy when things go your way but don’t get frustrated when they don’t

An old adage states that you look great when things are going smoothly, but when they don’t, you look like an idiot. Success sometimes is a poor teacher, but failure is an excellent teacher. In fatherhood and start-ups  alike, some of your greatest moments come through failure. In those moments, you learn very quickly what not to do. What I would say is this – guard against a sense of over-confidence.  Sometimes when you think that you have just put your baby to bed for the night, that inevitable wake-up happens. Same thing with releasing a big update or a new product. Never take anything for granted because you don’t know when the game will change right underneath your feet. The learning point here is that you need to keep on top of things and never take things for granted.

6. Start-ups, like babies, are always changing

A start-up is always evolving, much like a baby. The baby you know today isn’t the baby you are going to have in a few months. In a start-up, it could be technology changes or evolution of your team,  but the only sure thing is that changes are a constant. The best thing is to enjoy the ride and make sure you keep evolving with it. In start-ups, the skill set you need at the beginning might not be the one you need to get you to the next phase of success. A baby keeps rewarding you with things, whether it is a smile, a giggle or that first “Dada”.  It is the same with a start-up – every milestone you reach is a reward for the effort you put in.

Ultimately, you want to be able look back and know that you gave it your all and made the best effort you could to ensure success of your start-up and more importantly, your child. At the end of the day you want to put your all into it to make sure you succeed.

 

 

If you had a start-up in the world of the Simpsons, who would your boss be?

The Simpsons, like the real world, is filled with varied personalities. This blog post breaks down some of the characters from the Simpsons and reveals some interesting personality types that seem to correlate with real-life start-up bosses. Here is a brief synopsis of a few Simpsons’ characters and their “boss personas”.

Hank Scorpio – The Dream Boss

Background: Hank was the Super Villain who lured Homer to Creek to run his nuclear weapons division. Hank was down to earth, yet worldly. He was an expert recruiter, and able to bring in top talent (although Homer is questionable) and get them to perform. Hank was accessible, highly personable and very smart. He wasn’t a micromanager and put faith in his management team, namely Homer.

Characteristics: Highly charismatic, goal oriented and well-funded and not afraid to roll up his sleeves

Summary: Hank was a very successful person and he was able to motivate his employees. Even when Hank’s business was in trouble, he led by example. Hank wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty by taking a flamethrower to the government agents who invaded his operation. At the end of the day he prevailed, and was good enough to reward Homer by fulfilling his dream of owning an NFL team.

Homer Simpson – The Charismatic Fool

Background: Homer has had the chance to be a boss on many occasions, but the one instance that comes to mind is when he was asked to run a nuclear power plant for super villain Hank Scorpio. He cared about his employees, but didn’t personally have much skill. Despite Homer’s previous experiences, he was still well ahead of the Chemical Weapons and Weather Machine Divisions by motivating his staff. When his employees were working hard to get their work done, he noticed they were getting tired so he ordered hammocks for them. And really, who doesn’t like spending time at the Hammock district down on 3rd?

Characteristics: Lazy, charismatic, temper problem

Summary: Homer may not have been the best boss but he was able to inspire his team onto success. What he lacked in technical ability he delivered in charisma and heart. He was also cognisant that environment plays a role in a team’s productivity.

Professor Frink – The Techie

Background: Howard Frink is the prototypical techie. Frink is constantly designing and creating new inventions, but doesn’t consider whether the market needs or wants his solution. His experiments or prototypes would typically blow up in his face after he had given them a very long and wordy title.

Characteristics: Highly intelligent, can be unfocused, out of touch with the customer

Summary: While he is a great inventor, he could use some help with marketing, product planning and management.

Mr. Burns – The Evil Genius

Background: What can be said about Mr. Burns? He is a successful entrepreneur, but got there by nefarious means. See this discussion with the Mexican equivalent of Stephen Spielberg for an example of his credentials.

Mr. Burns: OK, Spielbergo, I want you to do for me what Spielberg did for Oskar Schindler.
Sr. Spielbergo: Schindler es muy bueno, Senor Burns es el diablo.
Mr. Burns: Pish posh! Listen, Spielbergo, Schindler and I are like peas in a pod! We’re both factory owners, we both made shells for the Nazis, but mine worked, damn it!

Characteristics: Smart, conniving, diabolical, successful

Summary: This is the type of boss that if you are successful you probably won’t benefit from it and lose a part of your soul in the process.

Gil Gunderson – Mr. Can’t Close the Deal

Background: Ol’ Gil was a sales person, but unfortunately, he was a perpetual loser who could never close the deal. Why couldn’t he close a deal, you ask? Whenever he got close, he always messed up the deal by talking about something else or unknowingly sabotaging himself. Even if a person was ready to buy, he could never close the deal.

Characteristics: Nervous, always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, perpetual loser.

Summary: Gil is the guy who could never close the big deal. It didn’t matter how close he was – he always found a way to mess it up. Beware of the Gil in any company you join.

Cookie Kwan – The Hoarder

Background: When Marge decided to play her hand at real estate, she was quickly confronted by Cookie Kwan. Cookie warned her to stay away from the West Side. Have you ever encountered a boss who tries to keep things from you? Or keep a cool project all to themselves? Cookie Kwan was a typical example of this.

Characteristics: Highly protective of her territory and hides information

Summary: Beware of hoarder bosses. If you are unable to get information, or get involved with certain projects you may have a Cookie Kwan on your hands.

Comic Book Guy – Doesn’t Care About the Customer

Background: Comic Book Guy owns and operates his own Comic Book store. Comic books may be his passion, but his customer service, quite frankly, sucks. Comic book Guy isn’t helpful because he constantly displays contempt for those “not his level” (or his perceived level). We have all had an experience where a knowledgeable person doesn’t take the time to properly educate a customer in a meaningful fashion.

Characteristics: Extremely knowledgeable about the product, but isn’t the best when it comes to the customer.

Summary: While comic book guy runs a business, it may not ultimately be successful due to his inability to deal with his customer effectively and impart his knowledge.

Artie Ziff – The Spurned Lover Turned Billionaire

Background: He was spurned by Marge in high school and turned that chip on his shoulder into ambition. He was able to channel that into creating a billion dollar empire by creating a device that turns annoying modem noise into easy listening music. I can’t help but chuckle because it almost seems like the plot of “The Social Network”, in that Mark Zuckerberg went forward and built a hugely successful company after a bad break-up.

Characteristics: Spiteful, motivated by questionable intentions, extremely smart

Summary: Artie was motivated by getting denied at a young age. While he was a jerk, he used negative elements in his life to help him succeed.

Herb Powell – The Rebounder

Background: Homer didn’t know he had a brother until he met his half-brother, Herb Powell. Herb was an orphan. Despite disadvantages, he fought back and worked hard to found Powell Motors, a successful car company. He then went on to make the biggest mistake of his life by getting Homer to take the reins of product development. As you may have guessed, Homer messed up big and put Herb out of business. Herb became homeless, but again fought his way back to create a new fortune. He learned the lesson from his previous business and took control of product development to design a revolutionary baby translator.

Characteristics: Hardworking, resourceful, self-starter

Summary: While Herb was down, he was never out. He made a critical error by losing control of the product. He learned from this and delivered a homerun.

Wrap Up

The Simpsons is full of great start-up lessons and leadership styles. Each has their benefits, but also their disadvantages. Maybe it is time to ask yourself which boss you’re most like!

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There is More to Life than Flinging a Bird at a Pig Using a Slingshot – Start Disrupting Industries.

I really enjoyed the post by Michael Karnjanaprakorn last week titled “Stop Building Apps and Start Disrupting industries”. I think his point is well considered and very indicative of our industry right now. Peter Theil alluded to this during TechCrunch Disrupt last year when he talked about the lack of people tackling huge issues in Silicon Valley, because it is just easier to create another social gaming app.  So if we agree with Michael’s premise that we need to start disrupting industries, the question becomes how to do it. I do have to say it is harder to disrupt industry now than it was when the initial web boom occurred. The knee-jerk reaction was to put everything onto the web to “make things easier”. In some cases, industries were indeed transformed, but others it fizzled out. For example, how many of you do your grocery shopping online?  History has repeated itself again, but now the knee-jerk reaction du jour is to turn everything into an app. While it may be the au courant thing to do, does it really improve the process or deliver a better user experience, does it push the discussion forward?

One of the initial jobs I took in the tech space was process re-engineering. I would examine internal processes for a company then look for waste inefficiency, unnecessary redundancy or anything else that didn’t make any sense. It was my job to turn those processes, good or bad, into process flow diagrams where I would proceed to tear them apart. After I tore them apart, since I was the junior member at the time, I would talk to my senior colleague and try to find a way to present to the management of that company in a constructive manner that they had a process mess. When I would ultimately present my findings to management teams, I would get a series of winces and pained faces. In one particular case, a manager stood up during the meeting and said “We have been doing this for 10 years and we ain’t going to change now”. Typically what would happen is then they would ask me to present my solution for fixing their problem. Sometimes our solutions were implemented; sometimes they went back to business as usual. In each instance I thought, what if another company was to implement these changes, how would they compete?

Going back to Michael’s article I couldn’t help but agree but also ponder what next?  So let me take this opportunity to post a potential toolkit for disrupting industry for good, leveraging my humble beginnings in process engineering.

Here are a few ways anyone can go out about determining whether they could potentially disrupt an industry or even something simpler – a process.

  1. What annoys you – It is very likely that anything that annoys you is likely to annoy someone else. Did you have a bad experience when using a particular service from an entrenched service/product? I used to walk around a company in an unstructured fashion and just ask them what bugged them. The stories I would get from people would be priceless. I felt like I was in Office Space sometimes. Ironically, I did carry around an Initech mug. Only one person over the years actually got the joke though.  Start trolling around message boards and the internet. Where are people complaining about? Could you develop something on some level that addresses those concerns? If so, what? This may give you an insight into an area for disruption.

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  2. When an industry makes a lot of money but doesn’t really provide commensurate value – Begin to look at established companies with entrenched business models that haven’t really fundamentally changed the way the operate their business. Diagnose their value change. How do they take raw materials or ideas to market, and what are all of those entities that touch that business. Ask yourself, if I was to take this piece of the value chain in the industry, how would I fundamentally provide a cheaper/better solution and then what would the value be if I was to do so.

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  3. An industry that produces a physical good …. So what? – One of the biggest knocks on the tech industry is that because it is information fuelled it doesn’t touch things in the physical world to the same extent that it does information based services. I would argue that this is a false assumption. Information can touch physical goods, it just requires more thought. Challenge yourself to change the way people approach the physical world and approach it using technology. Don’t just use displacement as a key tool, but also consider augmentation. Remember that it is sometimes easier to make minute changes in the way we do something rather than wholesale changes. If it accomplishes the same feat then why re-invent the wheel? Just augment what is broken.

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  4. What do you do every day? – Think about how you live your life. Where do you invest your money on a day to day basis? Is it food? Is it entertainment? Is it physical goods or information? I think sometimes people give this esoteric view of a potential solution or product without considering what they consume on a regular basis and whether there is a demand for it. Think of your life as a process and how you could re-engineer it to be better. More importantly, how can you offer everyone else a solution that helps them do it for themselves.

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As the pace of innovation pushes higher and higher, the pace for disruption will inevitably rise. Even though new platforms and technologies arise, we need to get away from the concept of “just another app”. Apps are cheap and plentiful, but the ones we should be striving towards should change the way we live. Am I saying we can’t have fun? Definitely not, but perhaps there is more to life than flinging a bird towards a pig using a slingshot, unless someone was using that as a premise to disrupt the pork industry.

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8 Reasons that I Love to Escape to Muskoka and the Cottage

For the last 20 years, I have been coming to Muskoka (more specifically, Huntsville) for long weekends and vacations. My family has owned a cottage up here for most of this time. Laura and I hope to build our own retreat up here someday soon.  Here are some of the things that keep me coming back to Muskoka:

  1. Reconnect with Nature – It would be an understatement to say that I am a big tech guy. There isn’t a gadget I don’t own or aspire to possess. I do, however, like disconnecting from technology from time to time. Whether it be the lake, the rocks or the trees, there is something calming about it. Others however don’t like disconnecting. One morning I was sitting on the end of the dock with a fresh cup of coffee. I was enjoying watching the pristine glass smooth water when I saw a man gliding by in a fishing boat.  I figured he was getting out early to get some fishing done.  Little did I know that he had his laptop out, and was trying to mooch our unprotected Wifi signal.  Algonquin Park is only 30 minutes away and always great for a walk through the wilderness. When I was younger I would take my canoe up there and go on adventures into the wilderness.

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  2. Taking conference calls on the beach – There is something calming about taking a conference call from the beach or from the end of the dock. No matter how stressful the call is or who I am on the call with, having my feet in the lake just seems to be naturally calming. As an aside, I tried the same thing in my office before but unfortunately it didn’t have the desired effect and was frowned on by others in the company.

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  3. Long afternoon naps – For those who know me, I am usually working crazy hours.  It’s a very nice change of pace if I am able to have a good nap and catch up on some sleep. Disconnecting from worrying about a deadline or catching up on work is always a bonus. There is something so disarming about hearing the swaying leaves in the breeze and escaping stress by having a nap on a bed or a hammock.

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  4. Board games that turn into epic battles – Whether it be a rainy day or a late evening, a good board game can quickly take center stage. Emotions run high as people try to play words in Scrabble that everyone knows aren’t words, or during the frantic race to build the first houses in Monopoly. I am personally on a 7 year Scrabble streak at the cottage, and welcome anyone to come and challenge me for the title.

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  5. Cottage Treats – There are a few things that can only happen up at the cottage, whether it be getting our favourite frozen yogurt at Yogs or going out to one of favourite restaurants, 3 Guys and a Stove.  It is fortunately pretty easy to become mayor of places up here via Foursquare, which is a definite plus.

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  6. Some great cooked meals – While they aren’t always the fanciest meals, man, are they some of the most satisfying!   I love working the grill and putting a smile on people’s face after a busy day of swimming, gardening or just having fun in nature. Something about to going up to the cottage makes for some great meals. The food tastes fresher, and you seem hungrier. It is a perfect storm that is impossible to resist. Whether it is a BBQ steak, some cedar-planked salmon or slow roasted ribs, there is always a meal to be had. Over the years, lots of friends and family  have brought new and different food and recipes. It often becomes an exchange of new ideas.

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  7. Long Canoe Rides – There is something so relaxing about taking the canoe out for a spin. Whether it be a day trip or just a quick spin to get out of the cottage.  Always great to get some exercise to burn off all of the huge meals we inevitably eat up at the cottage.

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  8. Cottage Sunsets – It be all of the things above but there is something really settling about a beautiful sunset at the end of the dock. You will see that the  background of my Twitter account @jpuopolo (shameless plug, I know) is a photo taken from the end of our dock.

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I cherish the time I have spent in up north over the past 20 years. That is where Laura and I fell in love and where I ultimately proposed to her. I have gotten over 50 bruises, 5 scars and countless other (and better!) memories over the years that I wouldn’t change for anything.

 

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Why Working at a Startup Company Rocks!

I have worked at a number of startups and have the scars to prove it. While it can be tough at times, it is a pretty rewarding experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

  1. You get to be part of really cool projects – I think one of the best parts of startups is doing cool things. Startups are always pushing the envelope, whether it is with a new idea or new disruptive way of looking at the world. So many large companies are looking for ways to slow progress, ideas or different ways of solving problems, for obvious reasons. Startups on the other hand thrive on novelty and innovation. People really are passionate about the ”idea”. In a good startup, no one mails it in. Everyone cares about taking things to the next level and making the idea work. Sometimes it can be daunting, but working on something cool makes it all worthwhile.
  2. You are excited about being the Chief Cook and bottle washer – In startups you rarely get bored doing the same thing. In the large companies I have worked in you could easily find yourself becoming Senior Analyst Level 2 and work there for 5 years doing the same thing. In both work and leisure time, I like variety, and that is the beauty of startups – you never have a shortage of new things to take on. There are always new projects that you can take on to push outside of your comfort zone. Getting outside of your comfort zone is the only really way to help expand your horizons! There are the downsides though – no one wants to deal with the fridge! A year’s worth of forgotten lunches can develop their own special funk.
  3. You got your own style – I have to chuckle to myself when I see those people wearing suits all the time. I have a graveyard of over 10 suits sitting in my closet that only get used now for weddings, funerals and the odd meeting. There is something great about showing up at work wearing a snarky t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans. In the summer, business casual is truly business casual. Sometimes when I see people in the financial district, I don’t think I could go back. I mean, who doesn’t love wearing a Cobra Commander t-shirt to the office?
  4. Getting excited over firsts – The first registered user, your first customer, your first press mention – all of these things invigorate the team. There is such a sense of achievement (it’s like unlocking a new Foursquare badge!). Seeing something build before your eyes is fantastic. You hit a tipping point and things get easier, people start recognizing your company. You don’t need to pitch anymore – people get it. There is an expression of getting “over” with the crowd, once you have “gotten over” with the crowd it is a whole new world. In the words of Gladiator “You win the crowd and you win your freedom”
  5. The Energy – People work for startups not because they are looking for a cushy place to do the same job over and over. Startups are filled with high energy people who love what they do. You need high-energy people in that type of environment because in order to hit crazy deadlines or do something that never has been done you need people who kick ass. Whether it be listening to “You’re the Best” from the Karate Kid movie or making jokes with obscure references or quotes anything helps to keep the move alive. You need to use that energy to get through crazy hours. Coffee from your local coffee bar will only get you so far.
  6. Who doesn’t love whiteboards – Working the whiteboard is a staple of startup life. Crazy metaphors, whiteboard style, coming up with crazy work flows. The whiteboard is usually the forum of ideas, good and bad. It is always funny to see someone get up and draw something at the whiteboard who can’t draw. It can quickly devolve into a bad game of Pictionary, but I digress. Who doesn’t love going to a good whiteboarding session and saying the words “Let’s Pivot” or we need to keep “Iterating”.
  7. Stuff you could only do in a Startup – There are crazy things that happen in startups. Weird rituals, fun games, and non-conventional work spaces. For example, at StickerYou we have a regular dodgeball game where falls fly and winner takes all. We have a few members of the team with arms like cannons, so you need to watch yourself. Always remember – dodge, dip duck dive and dodge. Could you imagine if the partners at a big 4 accounting firm broke into a vicious game of sudden death volleyball? It ain’t gonna happen! Although there would be something fun about watching people in suits erupt into a brutal volleyball game.

In summary:

  1. Startups are cool
  2. Working at Startups are cool
  3. Startup people are cool!
  4. Maybe you should work at a startup

Why do you love working at a Startup? Please leave me your comment and let me know !

Kicking the Crap out of Landfills: The Truth About Cloth Diapers

When we began planning for the child who was soon to enter our lives, Joseph and I realized that we had a lot of things to research – nursery furniture, strollers, carseats, etc.  In the process of doing this research, we learned more than we had expected about a topic that we had not previously thought much about : diapers.  I had always just assumed that everyone used disposable diapers.  The words “cloth diapers” conjured up images of my grandmothers, safety pins, and rubber pants.  Defintely not something I would want for my baby!

However, my opinion slowly began to change.  Joseph and I try to live an eco-conscious lifestyle, and the idea of throwing away hundreds of diapers every month just didn’t fit well with our philosophies.  We did some more research, and realized that the environmental impact of disposable diapers goes far beyond the ~250 years that they will be sitting in a landfill.  Trees are cut down to make the paper products in the diapers, petroleum products are used to process the raw materials, manufacture the diapers and transport them to stores, and other potentially harmful chemicals are used in the manufacturing processes (such as products used to bleach the paper fibres).  Suddenly, cloth diapers were starting to look a lot better!

Doing some more research, we realized that cloth diapers worked out to be significantly cheaper than using disposables.  Although there is a significant “start-up cost” (most people find it to be around $300 – 400), we estimate that we will save ~$1500 during the time until potty training.  This doesn’t include the fact that we can use the cloth diapers for more than one child!  Even if you factor in a small increase in the cost of utilities each month (to launder the diapers), cloth diapers still come out to be quite a bit cheaper than disposables.

But, my brain screamed, what about the “ick” factor?  What about all the extra work it takes to do all that laundry?  Is it really any more environmentally friendly if I’m going to be using more water doing laundry?  Well, after weighing these questions, we eventually decided to just jump in with both feet and give cloth diapering a try.

Well, it turns out that cloth diapers have come a LONG way from our grandparents’ era.  There are now many different options for how to cloth diaper your baby.  After some careful research, we settled on a couple different options.  We started with a Bummis kit – 24 prefold diapers with 6 waterproof covers.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that the covers were absolutely adorable, and the kit appeared easy to use.  We then decided to transition to “one-size” (the diapers adjust to fit babies from 8 lbs. – 35 lbs.) pocket diapers when the baby got a little bit bigger.  I started to acquire a “stash” and set up everything I needed for cloth diapering in the baby’s room.

D-day arrived, and our little girl was welcomed to the world on January 9, 2011.  We brought her home and started using our carefully prepped cloth diapers when she was 2 days old.  We were pleasantly surprised that it was really easy to use the prefold diapers with covers!  I was even more pleasantly surprised that it didn’t feel like much of a burden doing the extra laundry – it wasn’t even as gross as I had been thinking it might be.  Diaper leaks were extremely few and far between, even with some incredible poo-splosions from our sweet angel.  We realized that we love using cloth diapers!  Anna is nearly 3 months old now, and we estimate that we have prevented ~800 diapers from going to a landfill (using some rough math, this equates to ~300 lbs. of trash).  She has never had a diaper rash and looks ultra-cute wearing her pink diapers!

There are lots of great websites out there with information about cloth diapers (www.diaperpin.com) and shopping (www.gigglelife.com , www.caterpillarbaby.com and www.sogreenbaby.com) .  I have been ordering cloth diapers online, and always get excited when new “fluffy mail” arrives!

If you have a small child in your life, consider cloth diapers.  They’re a great alternative to making a weekly run to the store for another pack of Huggies, and have many environmental and health benefits.  Check them out!

Thoughts on the 2011 Interior Design Show in Toronto

This weekend’s adventure was extra fun as we added a new member to our design team. Rather than the just Laura and I visiting the Interior Design Show in Toronto we were joined by our new arrival, Anna. We thought it was a natural fit given her natural sense of aesthetic design and the fact that we couldn’t exactly leave her at home. When we arrived at the Metro Toronto Convention center we decided to escort little Anna around in her stroller. There were a few highlights for us at the show and we took some pictures of some interesting things we saw. So let me introduce all the members of our design team.

1. Anna Puopolo – the newest addition to our design team. She likes soft things and textures. Gets upset when things get soggy namely her own clothing (therefore best to stay away from water features. Only operates on a full stomach. You can connect with her @AnnaPuopolo

2. Laura Puopolo – She is the glue to the entire operation and has been a part of the team for over 10 years. She has eclectic tastes, likes traditional designs and forms. She likes clean simple lines, and uncluttered design. When it comes to our relationship she is the sober Ying to my drunken Yang in terms of  form over function. You can connect with her @LauraPuopolo

3. Joseph Puopolo – I am the dreamer of the group. Always looking to make projects bigger and crazier. I like fusion of both modern and traditional. I am actively looking for new projects after the completion of my latest work which, I call “upstairs baby room number 1”. I have my eye on the future and upcoming designs for new space our ever growing design team. I can be contacted as always @jpuopolo

1. Cool Tulip Arrangement

The first thing we came across was this interesting composition of flowers. I this would be a great way to display flowers at a head table. Seeing that I planted over 700 bulbs around the property, this display might come in handy.

2. A Duo of Lovely Fireplaces

We are always looking for new ways to warm space. We stumbled across these two fireplaces that we thought would be great for a cottage or a new home. Anna is already thinking of ways to incorporate one into her new room, while Laura is looking to integrate into into a potential new Master Bath.

3. When Form Runs Amok over Function

The entire design team were aghast when we stumbled by this next display. This was the ultimate example of when ego ruins design. The booth was run by a Toronto gallery. I love fine art, but I must say I would never go to this gallery on principle alone. This display took the beauty of art and just reduced it to a child begging their parent and saying “look at me”. Our design team was not impressed.

4. Bronze Rubbed Appliances ?

The next interesting thing we stumbled upon was bronze rubbed appliances. We are having trouble understanding this trend. While stainless steel makes sense to us because it has been the standard in professional kitchens for over 100 years. Bronze rubbed appliances just comes off as trend created to sell more appliances to those that are trend followers. This unit featured is from Jenn Air, again while we like the brand we are not sure why  Bronze rubbed appliances are all the rage.

5. Wine Cellars Galore

Our whole team loves a fine vintage as much as anyone. During our travels, we like to collect wines from local vineyards. We found a great company that does custom wine cellars. The one company we were particularly impressed with was  Papro Consulting. They had a variety of impressive wine cellar designs.

6. The Highlight of the Show – The All New Audi A7

The highlight of the show was hands down the new Audi A7. As our design team grows we recognize that we will need more space. As in any excellent design this sedan does an excellent job hiding its true intent. This vehicle is a fantastic storage space on wheels with a body of a sedan. As our current design mobile nears the end of its lease we recognize that this might just be the perfect replacement.

Check out some of the pictures we shot, please excuse the drool marks on the car. Those were mostly left by Anna, but for completely different reasons than you might normally think.

Great Profile and Fantastic Lines
Love the look of the new Audi A7
Ample Storage Space in the New A7

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Introducing Anna Katherine Puopolo

Joseph and Laura (Dyck) Puopolo are thrilled to announce the arrival of their first child, Anna Katherine Puopolo,on January 9, 2011 at North York General Hospital, weighing 7 lbs. 2 oz.Proud grandparents are Paul and Louise Puopolo of Waterloo,ON and Ken and Judy Dyck of Kitchener, ON. New aunt Kristen Dyck and uncles Bryan Dyck and Michael Puopolo are very excited!

Christmas Traditions: The “Holiday Movie”

The holiday season is a feast for the senses.  A split-second exposure to the scents of baking gingerbread or fresh pine can send us back to the child-like rush of anticipation and excitement that always seemed to surround Christmas.  Similarly, the shimmer of Christmas lights on fresh-fallen snow, with breath rising in frozen clouds to a star-scattered sky always fills me with wonder.  My analytical adult mind could easily be distracted with thoughts of electrical safety and wondering how much the hydro bill is going to go up, but that never seems to happen.

We all build holiday traditions around these sensory inputs.  All of these smells, sights and sounds work together to make the season special.  We continue traditions begun by our ancestors before us, and we make new traditions as lifestyles and technology evolve.  Movies are a relatively recent addition to the cultural repertoire, but many have already become engrained as “holiday classics”.  However, this is a bit of a debated topic.  It seems that everyone has their own ideas of what constitutes the “perfect” holiday movie.

With that said, Joseph and I have our own ideas about which movies truly are holiday classics.  So, without further ado, here is our list:

  1. The Muppet Christmas Carol – most people seem to put some version of Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas story somewhere on their list of holiday movie classics.  Whether it be the Alistair Sims’ black and white version, or the technologically-driven Jim Carrey edition, this tale of redemption and Christmas spirit strikes a chord in many of us.  I, personally, absolutely love the 1992 Jim Henson edition, with Michael Caine as Scrooge.  I think that the humour and songs really add to Dickens’ storytelling, and in my family, it’s not truly Christmas until we’ve seen this together.
  2. A Charlie Brown Christmas – this one is Joseph’s favourite.  The true messages of Christmas (love and salvation) shine through the rudimentary animation and simple dialogue and songs.  Although short in length, this movie really does have a lot of Christmas spirit.  I know that the soundtrack also ranks highly on many people’s lists of “Christmas favourites”.
  3. Die Hard – this may not make most people’s lists of “Holiday classics”, but Joseph and his brother have a standing date every Christmas Eve with the couch, a bowl of popcorn and Bruce Willis.  While it may seem a little strange to go from a group of charming animated characters singing around a small, sad little Christmas tree to “Yippee-ki-yay motherfuckers”, it is just this kind of tradition that makes Christmas celebrations special and unique to each family.  So although I don’t necessarily agree with the sentiments in this one, I fully respect and support it’s place on the list.
  4. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – it is the inimitable and unflagging Christmas spirit of Clark Griswold that earn this movie a place on the list.  Despite a dysfunctional family and a hilarious series of mishaps, Clark Griswold really knows how to celebrate the holidays!  I know that Joseph attempts to emulate that every year, and it is one of the things I love most about him.  Also, who can’t help but love the classic “shitter’s full” scene?

We hope that you all take a moment to think about the traditions and movies that make the holidays special for you and your families, and enjoy these next hectic few days in the countdown to Christmas!