ATX Man March 2012

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atx | man spring

contents

B

38

the tao of turk Turk Pipkin is changing the world one peace at a time.

By Steve Uhler, photos by cody hamilton

46

rise 2012 The unconference that connects entrepreneurs to a wealth of resources. by molly mcmanus

atxman.com 5

atx | man Contents

24

Boss Hogs Kitchen BBQ Pork Sandwich

52

The Buzz

14 The Buzz Roundup 16 Austin Innovator 18 Siren Songs of the Blues 20 You Should Know

The good life 22 Barkeep's Call 24 Trailer Treats 26 Good Taste: Grills Gone Wild 28 Good Taste: Seventh and Nueces 30 Good Rides: ATVs and Watercraft 32 Good Sport: Round Rock Express 34 Good Deeds

in the know 56 Health: Vasectomy Advice from a Pro 58 Fitness: Ryan Nail Launches BandGym 62 Family Man: Balancing Kids and Work 64 Finance: Charitable Options for Estate Planning

66 Legal: How to Protest Your Property Taxes

68 Opposite Sex: The Truth About What a Woman Wants

70 Single Guy: How to Obtain a Miserable Relationship

72 The Last Word: The Entrepreneurial Life

The essentials

50 Style: Light Suits for Spring 52 Style: Six Ties to Update Your Look 54 Grooming: Products to Tame

Your Mane

6   ATX MAN winter 2011

on the cover // turk pipkin:Photo by Cody Hamilton. Makeup by Jenny Lin, makeupbyjennylin.com.

Top photo by Sadie Barton; bottom photo by Claeb Kerr.

spring

Orange or Maroon?

AWMedia WMedia AWMedia it DoesN’t MAtteR BeCAUse

w aw aw

WOMAN GAZINE

AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE

AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE

everything

goes with white!

Co-Founder and Publisher

Melinda Maine Garvey Co-Founder and Publisher

Christopher Garvey Executive Editor

Deborah Hamilton-Lynne Art Director

Victoria Millner ad designer

Collette Mengden art assistant

Jennifer Day marketing and operations director

Dustin Woodhead marketing and operations associate

Sadie Barton Account Executives

Katie Lesnick, Arielle Levy, Kimberly Sanderson, Lindsay Stuart 512.328.2421 associate editor

B.J. Myers, DDS UT/A&M Alum

Joelle Pearson copy editor

Chantal Rice Fashion + Style editor

Hi-tecH dentistry in a comfortable setting.

Erika Cerda Contributors

Rudy Arocha, Sadie Barton, Cody Hamilton, James W. Hamilton III, Tiffany Harelik, John A. Hay III, Caleb Kerr, Eric Leech, Molly McManus, Rachel Merriman, Ryan Nail, Clay Nichols, Russell Pawlowski, Joelle Pearson, Roy Spence, Chad Swiatecki, Erica Todd, Steve Uhler, Michelle Valles Interns

Hillary Broussard, Jane Field, Christine Imperatore, Mari Jamaleldine, Molly Keith, Rachel Merriman, Paulina Radpay, Erica Todd

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o

isn't just for the lAdies

n my wrist, I wear a gray and black band with the words “the Giving Man Pledge and atxman.com.” People notice it and inevitably, a conversation begins. Making 2012 The Year of the Giving Man at AW Media was all about starting a conversation—a conversation that began with an idea from columnist Roy Spence and immediately snowballed. We talked about ways to inspire people to make Austin better by looking in to their hearts and making a commitment to giving in ways that spoke to their individual and collective passions.

With the winter issue of ATX Man, the Giving Man Pledge was launched and the conversation began. Pledges came from Austinites well-known and involved, private and procrastinators, men and women, all ages—Austinites with one thing in common: the desire to make our community a better place by paying it forward.

As we complete our first year of ATX Man with the spring issue, it seems natural that the Giving Man Pledge would become part of our fabric and our mission. When we launched, we wanted to include stories that would reach out and touch everyone in Austin. Initially, doors opened because of the affiliation with Austin Woman, allowing ATX Man to come in to its own. Austin has embraced ATX Man and I am grateful to our advertisers, readers and to the men who have allowed us to tell their inspiring and unique stories. I feel so lucky to meet these people who make Austin great. For example, I looked at our cover man in this issue, Turk Pipkin, and I thought I knew him. He is huge—literally and figuratively. You can’t miss Turk when he comes into a room. When I read his story, I realized that there was so much I didn’t know about Turk, his accomplishments, his projects and the evolution of his passion for giving. Turk Pipkin embodies the spirit of the Giving Man Pledge.

In our first cover story, Roy Spence was quoted as saying, “The spirit of Austin fosters and celebrates creativity and encourages entrepreneurial types to take a risk and try something new. We are a city of dreamers with big ideas.” And so the conversation began as we risked thinking outside the box to create a magazine celebrating the ideas and dreams of the men of Austin.

This issue also recognizes and celebrates the entrepreneurial soul of Austin and those willing to take risks to live their dreams and big ideas. Join us by making a commitment to the city we all love. Visit atxman.com to join in the conversation and make a commitment to Austin via the Giving Man Pledge.

At the end of 2012, together we will celebrate our pledges made from passion, dreams and ideas large and small. I wear my Giving Man band every day as a constant reminder to continue the conversation. The next time you see me, please ask, “What is that gray band you are wearing?” and be prepared for a lengthy conversation that begins with a huge smile.

atxman.com 9

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Contributors Always looking for a good story, Molly McManus moved to Austin from the awesomely cool yet drearily rainy Seattle to find adventure, excitement, and fun. She loves meeting new people and hearing about their experiences, constantly looking at the humorous side of things. Her first articles to ever be published were in ATX Man Magazine and Austin Woman Magazine in September 2011 and she’s been writing for the two publications ever since. Molly works hard and plays hard, living life her way. Her next writing pursuit? Scripting and directing a musical!

Caleb Kerr is a photographer and graphic designer with a special love of taking unusual and captivating portraits, and designing minimalistic movie posters. Originally from Philadelphia, Austin became his home in the fall of 2010 and it continually inspires him in all his creative endeavors. He couldn’t be happier living in this beautiful city, surrounded by the friendliest people he’s ever met.

Haircut, Shave and Manicure discount must be redeemed during a single visit. Can’t be used with other weekly specials.

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b off the shelf

Book reviews for budding entrepreneurs.

The Lean StartUp: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses, by Eric Ries Who Owns the Ice House?

Eight Life Lessons from an Unlikely Entrepreneur,

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Updates on speakers and panels, as well as reviews of events and panels.

sports predictions

Brian Jones’ Sports Report featuring Orange Blood's lead baseball writer, Dustin McComas, on the 2012 college baseball season.

More golf

ATX Man Insider updates from Beyond the Lights Golf Tournament and the Mack Brown Shootout.

Plus

Concert, film and book reviews. Foodie Alerts.

More ATX Man events, launch party and On the Scene photos.

the buzz

Concerts sxsw Free Shows at Auditorium Shores March 15 – 17 Only an event as all-powerful as South By Southwest could afford to throw a free festival-within-a-festival. They’ll spare no luxuries: In addition to bigname bands and a smorgasbord of food and drink, arts and crafts vendors will be there to indulge any craving your short-circuited festival-going body may be begging for. Shuttle service between the Austin Convention Center at Second and Trinity Streets and Auditorium Shores will run Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and it’s free for badge holders.

Also coming up: Doobie Brothers, March 27, Moody

Experience: Hendrix, March 25,

Umphrey’s Mcgee, April 20, Stubb’s

Feist, April 26, Stubb’s

Theater

Moody Theater

Jerry Jeff Walker,

Toadies, April 7, Stubb’s

Black Keys, April 25, Frank Erwin

Tom Petty, May 5, Frank Erwin Center

Center

M83, May 18, Stubb’s

March 31, Paramount Theatre

Festivals central texas Beer Fest April 21 at the Austin Music Hall

The Central Texas Beer Fest is a fun, relaxing place for beer aficionados to meet the growing number of Texas Independent Brewers and try their best beers. Brewers include Independence Brewing Company, Hops & Grains, New Republic and many more. In addition, the festival will include local Austin vendors offering a wide variety of food—some to be enjoyed with specific beers. The event will benefit the Capital Area Food Bank, austinfoodbank.org, by collecting food and cash donations. centexbeerfest.com.

1 4 ATX MAN spring 2012

TRIO at the Four Seasons’ Chef Grant MacDonald If variety is the spice of life, then one could call TRIO’s newest Chef de Cuisine Grant MacDonald’s restaurant experience perfectly seasoned. Want Italian? Been there. Craving French? Cooked that. Greek, Pan-Asian or seafood? Check, check and…check. Truly, his culinary history is as well-rounded as a chef’s toque. Born in Vancouver, relocated to Norway, educated in Montreal, this globetrotting gastronomist finds inspiration in the farm-to-table movements. “As a chef, for inspiration I look to my local environment: the farms, ranches and orchards,” MacDonald says. “I like to see what’s coming out of the earth and to think about how I can put it on a plate.” Armed with a dozen years in the kitchen and a variety of experiences, MacDonald took the helm of TRIO at Four Seasons Hotel Austin in December 2011.

Eeyore’s Birthday Party

Old Settler’s Music Festival

A costume and sunscreen are really the only requirements at Eeyore’s.

For 49 years, this event has remained Austin incarnate, staffed by volunteers and benefiting nonprofits. eeyores.org.

April 19 – 22 at the Salt Lick Bar-B-Que Pavilion at Camp Ben McCulloch Two dozen bands on

April 28 in Pease Park

four stages, it’s a festival-cum-campout at the lush Camp Ben McCulloch. oldsettlersmusicfest.org.

The one

Event: Sam Adams’ Crowd-Sourced Craft Beer Release, March 10 at The Guy + Girl Party at South by Southwest

5 Signature Sporting Events March Madness Wall-to-wall basketball for weeks on end?

“Madness” somehow fails to capture it. There’s something telling about this year’s final playoff destination: New Orleans, where the party never ends. Kentucky's Anthony Davis is making the team a strong favorite this year for his shot-blocking abilities, but commentators also are keeping their radars tuned to the Baylor Bears and Perry Jones III. But as we know, anything goes.

The Sweet 16: March 22 – 23 The Elite 8: March 24 – 25

Superdome

The Best of the Rest Opening Day of Major League Baseball April 4 (St. Louis Cardinals at Miami Marlins), April 6 (Rockies at Houston Astros and White Sox at Texas Rangers)

Masters Golf Tournament April 5 – 8, Augusta National in Augusta, GA

Kentucky Derby May 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY

Indy 500 May 27 at the Indianapolis Speedway, Indianapolis, IN

The Final Four: March 31

Top photo by Extreme Air Shots.

Final Playoff: April 4, New Orleans, LA,

The brewmasters at Samuel Adams not only love beer, they love a good idea. In 2011, they proved it by establishing their entrepreneurial program Brewing the American Dream, as good ideas and good beer often share similar spaces. Now, the Samuel Adams brewers have teamed up with social-media enthusiast Guy Kawasaki to create the first-ever crowd-sourced beer. They called on social-media followers to weigh in on aspects of a beer, from color and clarity to the flavor profile. This crowdcrafted beer will debut at Kawasaki’s Girl + Guy party on March 10 during a well-known annual interactive festival. Combining social media and drinking, how American. Check out #GirlGuyParty for more info.

app: Pocket Cloud PocketCloud is eons ahead of any other free cloud app. Enjoy unsurpassed connectivity options, security and reliability, and fast performance on Wi-Fi and 3G/4G networks. Now you can access all your files with PocketCloud. Users can make an important presentation, grab a forgotten report or edit and email a spreadsheet while traveling light. After you experience the freedom that remote access allows, you’ll see why PCWorld named PocketCloud the best mobile cloud app for Android tablets. Read more and download at wyse.com.

Book: Entrepreneurial DNA, By Joe Abraham

DAVID SEDARIS

AUSTIN 10/20

April 23, 7 p.m.

Paramount Theatre

April 15, 8 a.m.

It’s one thing to read David Sedaris; his dark satire manages to make death by cigarettes, meth addiction and drowning mice seem quintessentially American.

It’s a completely different thing to be read to by David Sedaris. Sandwiched between his absurdity and irreverence are insights in to our lifestyle on par with Updike or Roth.

He recollects trivial events with a careful comedic restraint, a task that, as many writers know, is near impossible. In person, he’s smallish, humble and astonishingly unpretentious, and being able to place him, his nuances and his voice in the context of his stories will give his work a dimension you’ll come to depend on. austintheatre.org.

By Joelle Pearson

A 10-mile run is hard, but the Austin 10/20 makes it easier by placing 20 bands along the route. Unlike other races, this course is flat and fast, weaving around the hills that give many out-oftowners trouble.

The event is fully supported by plenty of SAG wagons along for the ride. Finish the day with a concert

by Everclear and a barbecue picnic in a beer garden (lighter options available for the sensitive of stomach).

Visit austin1020.com for a full list of bands and registration details.

For centuries, the mindset for entrepreneurs has been, “If it worked for one entrepreneur, it will work for every entrepreneur. After all, entrepreneurs are all the same.” But are they? Sure, we can intuitively deduce that not everyone is a Richard Branson or a Donald Trump, and not everyone innovates like the late Steve Jobs, but is there more to it than meets the eye? Entrepreneurial DNA proves there are massive implications to how each individual is wired as an entrepreneur. It shatters the archaic notion that one size fits all and allows each reader to discover his or her unique DNA. The book has met ecstatic critical acclaim for its proven techniques that help readers maximize their personal and business potential.

CD: New Multitudes In celebration of country star Guy Clark's 70th birthday, many singers have come together to record a loving tribute to him—and his fans.

Artists such as Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Robert Earl Keen have recorded 30 tracks that were mastered by Austin engineer Fred Remmert. The two volumes include tracks like That Old Time Feeling, The Cape and Dublin Blues.

Available on Amazon or at guyclark.com.

Gadget: Samsung 3D Wi-Fi Converter This Blu-ray player is Wi-Fi enabled to connect to other devices through your home network and up-converts 2D, 3D, 3D Blu-ray units to work with both active and passive screens, and automatically converts 21:9 aspect ratio movies to 16:9 aspect, eliminating those annoying black bands crowding the scenes. The modern and minimal body can be wall-mounted, standing 1.5 inches tall in a matte gunmetal with a transparent disc-reader. More than a home theater accoutrement, it’s equipped with AllShare, which syncs your digital devices so you can enjoy music, movies and photos from your PC, camera and mobile devices on the TV. $399, available at samsung.com.

atxman.com 1 5

the buzz austin innovator

richard sorensen Who knew that 100-percent organic tequila could be so much fun?

By Chad Swiateki There are lots of things about Richard Sorensen’s life that his younger self never would’ve imagined: that he’d walk away from the corporate life after 20 successful years, that he’d launch himself in to the beverage world on something of a lark, and that the second act of his working life would be some of the most fun he’d ever have.

“Honestly, we’re having a ball,” says Sorensen, the founder of Austin’s Dulce Vida premium organic tequila, of the job that takes him to remote regions of Mexico roughly six times a year to oversee production of the brand that’s been wildly successful since its founding in 2008. “I’d be shocked if you had told me this is what I would be doing later in life, because I’d been in the corporate world and liked it. But I love this, and I get so much excitement and energy from every part of it.”

One of the main reasons Dulce Vida has been so successful is because it stands out from competitors by being the only 100-proof, completely organic tequila on the market. The higher alcohol content (most tequilas are 80-proof ) helps it retain its potency in cocktails and on ice, and being able to claim a completely organic recipe makes it an easy sell for distributors and customers. The difference was apparent from almost the first sale in 2009, with Dulce Vida winning its first tasting competition in San Francisco barely six months after production was started. Awards continue to roll in. Unlike many other craft tequila brands that market tequila by bottling pre-made liquid mass produced by distilleries, Dulce Vida rents distilleries and switches to its own recipe with a distinctive flavor.

“All the other small producers are just putting someone else’s liquid in their own bottle, but we grow our own yeast, produce to our own specs and take special care every step of the way,” Sorensen says. “We like to think that’s why we’ve won every contest we’ve entered and have more medals than any other brand with a short tenure like ours.”

While Sorensen wouldn’t offer specific numbers, he says Dulce Vida has had revenue growth of between 30 and 50 percent per quarter for 10 straight

1 6 ATX MAN spring 2012

quarters. Available in Texas’ major markets, the brand is also sold in Georgia, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Tennessee and Kentucky, with more expansion planned by the end of the year.

Sitting down to share a spicy, red chili-infused cocktail at lauded mixology spot Icenhauer’s in Austin, it’s clear that Sorensen, 54, couldn’t be more proud of the direction his professional life has taken after a successful career in the medical and telecommunications industries.

Happily married to his wife, Tracey, he’s the father of two grown daughters and enjoys tennis, sailing and mountain biking in the free time he gets in between visits to Mexico to oversee agave production, or any of the many other duties of life as a beverage mogul.

And while he’s balanced enough to keep from qualifying as a workaholic, the enjoyment Sorensen gets from growing the business bubbles up with just the slightest urging.

“Getting three double gold awards right out of the gate was an amazing feat, and it was a tremendous

validation of what we had set out to do,” he says.

“Liquor distributors see two or three new brands of tequila a week and they’re all the same, but they see ours and hear that we’re completely organic and at a higher proof, and we become so distinct that it’s an easy choice for them.”

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the buzz

siren songs

Sirens

of the Blues

By Rachel Merriman

Carolyn Wonderland True to classic blues style, Carolyn Wonderland elegantly toes the line between ragged and smooth on her newest album, Peace Meal. Wonderland pays tribute to her rock and blues influences, covering Janis Joplin’s lesser-known What Good Can Drinkin’ Do, and Robert Johnson’s I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom. These masterful renditions of classic songs appear as interludes between her original compositions, the real treasures of the 12-track album. St. Marks, referred to by Wonderland as her “first real love song,” is soulful and sweet, and the light-hearted last track Shine On will leave you swaying with a smile on your face.

Catch Wonderland at Antone’s on March 10.

NEW RELEASES h

Ruthie Foster

Let it Burn (2012)

1 8 ATX MAN spring 2012

Kat Edmonson

Way Down Low (2012)

Carolyn Wonderland Peace Meal (2011)

Kat Edmonson After releasing her first album, Take it to the Sky, in 2009 to much acclaim, Kat Edmonson self-releases her second album, Way Down Low, on April 10. While Take it to the Sky consists of her nostalgic renditions of beloved jazz classics, Way Down Low is Edmonson’s songwriting debut.

In addition to songwriting, she also co-produced the album, recording with Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer Al Schmitt (Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra) and producer and bassist Danton Boller. Look for her at the Paramount Theatre on April 13.

Ruthie Foster Winner of Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist at the Blues Music Awards in 2010, Ruthie Foster has a special talent for weaving elements of folk, soul and gospel together. She put down her guitar to focus solely on vocals on Let it Burn, an executive decision that ultimately paid off; Foster’s phenomenal cover of June Carter’s Ring of Fire is truly transformative, with a slower delivery than the original that is gentle, not methodical. While it is clear she has a knack for breathing new life in to old songs, her own songwriting abilities shine in the gospel original Lord Remember Me, accompanied by The Blind Boys of Alabama. Catch her next show April 5 at The Long Center for the Performing Arts.

atxman.com 1 9

the buzz

you should know

David Dart

By Chad Swiateki It would’ve been easy for Dave Dart to shrug off a problem he kept noticing in his work assisting with lodging for international bands coming to Austin during South By Southwest. Time and time again, bands from abroad with tons of talent kept getting tripped up in the red tape of customs, artist visas and other logistical and bureaucratic nightmares that all but sunk their hopes of a successful tour before they’d even played a note. But instead of saying, “Not my problem,” and moving on, the longtime Austinite began working on a solution to help international bands venturing to the Live Music Capital of the World throughout the year.

“I’d see the connection that people were making with these bands coming here from India, Iran and Brazil, because they had so much in common musically with the bands from right here in Austin,” says Dart. “I wanted to be an advocate so they could get the help they needed with things like the visa process, promotion and immigration. At first, I thought it would be a cool small business and a way to help and get to hang out with bands I thought were great.”

The business plan eventually became Dart Music International, a nonprofit founded in 2008 with the mission of assisting bands from throughout the world trying to play shows in Austin. Since its founding, the group has worked with more than 50 bands from two dozen countries and created the Dart Music International House, which becomes a sort of musical United Nations during every South

By Southwest, with a goal

2 0 ATX MAN spring 2012

of presenting bands from every inhabited continent every day of the music festival.

Dart, who turned his back on a career in highereducation administration to create DMI, says his long-range goal is for the group to have a presence at music festivals in other countries so international musicians are aware of and encouraged to experience the welcome environment Austin presents.

“Culturally, our shows really make you go beyond any stereotypes and bring together people with similar interests,” he says. “We’d love to take this to them in their own countries, to let them know we’re here to help with cutting their expenses and work, to make it possible to present their art in Austin.”

Music boosters throughout Austin and beyond

have lauded Dart for the work done through DMI. Carolyn Schwarz, executive director of the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, calls Dart a “bridge builder” for Austin to the entire world.

“I truly think more people need to know him because he’s an ambassador for the Austin music community,” she says. “He found a need and put his mind to figuring out how to address that. It shows what he has true love for and that he cares about making a difference. Ninety-nine percent of people get a good idea like that and it doesn’t happen, but he set aside his own career to help bands he’d never even met. That says a lot about him.”

For more information, visit dartmusicinternational.org.

Photo by Brian Birzer Photography.

Bringing international music to the Live Music Capital of the World.

atxman.com 2 1

{good life} barkeep’s call

good drink

The Upside of 100-Percent Organic Tequila Icenhauer’s Julie Campbell talks Dulce Vida.

By Chad Swiatecki, Photos by Rudy Arocha Candy canes, Lemonheads, chili peppers and even Skittles—just about any flavorful goody is likely to make its way on to the menu and in to your glass at Icenhauer’s, the stylish Rainey Street bar that’s given Julie Campbell a chance to serve just about anything she can dream up since it opened in September 2010. But instead of using those unlikely ingredients as decorative garnish, Campbell uses them as infusers and lets the bar’s stock of spirits draw out the strong flavors before mixing them into specialty cocktails on a drink menu she works to keep fresh and fun.

Those cocktails aren’t Icenhauer’s only strong point. Its 10 beer taps feature eight local craft brews, along with the ever-present Shiner and Lone Star, and it’s jumped in to the local craft-spirits craze by stocking vodka by Tito’s, tequila from Dulce Vida, whiskey by Garrison Brothers and more on a menu in which the priciest

2 2 ATX MAN spring 2012

cocktail totals $11 and the most expensive drink in the house—a Glen Livet scotch—comes in at $25.

Campbell says the freedom she’s been given by first-time bar owner Michael Icenhauer has allowed her to experiment (she recently tried a whiskey infused with rosemary and fennel seeds that was a hit) and gives a special character to drinks named after women in the Icenhauer family. There’s the Caroline (Champagne with St. Germaine elderflower liqueur and lemon ginger syrup), the Jennifer (cucumber-infused gin with lime juice), the Katie (lime-infused vodka, fresh lime juice and ginger beer) and many more.

Designed by lauded Austin architect Michael Hsu, Icenhauer’s was created with three concepts in mind: classic, clean and modern. The result is a space that’s sophisticated and open enough for large parties and features tucked away areas for quieter exchanges.

With a standard calendar of special events like all-day happy hour on Mondays, half-off wine Wednesdays and a Thursday pints and trivia night, Icenhauer’s seeks to be a place where well-appointed professionals straight from the office or a group of friends celebrating a softball or other victory can gather in refined comfort. And with Campbell behind the bar, their taste buds are certain to be in for an experience that will stay with them long afterward.

Dulce Vida Tequila can be found at Twin Liquors, Specs and Davenport Wine and Spirits.

There are several upsides to a 100-proof organic tequila. The first is obvious, since that extra 10 percent alcohol content over a standard 80-proof variety comes with a punch.

But Icenhauer’s bartender Julie Campbell says the hidden benefit of a liquor like Dulce Vida tequila is that drinks made with it don’t suffer from fast dilution and it preserves flavors like the chili infusion she’s been making for the Linda cocktail instead of using a supplemental flavor for added heat. That trait also shows in standard tequila drinks like a margarita or straight up and sipped, as Campbell says a growing number of tequila connoisseurs are ordering with the Austin-based spirit that’s smooth before it kicks. icenhauer’s specialty: The linda, $11 1 ½ ounces chili-infused Dulce Vida tequila 2 ounces fresh lime juice Mix ingredients and pour over ice into a salt-rimmed glass with miniature chilis added for garnish. icenhauer’s, 83 Rainey St., icenhauers.com. Food and drink served Monday through Saturday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

atxman.com 2 3

512-765-9454

To MoPac at Steck!

First Texas Honda is moving!

The All New Honda

*Based on R.L. Polk & Co. U.S. retail registrations, Minivan segment, 1/08-6/10. †A separate source device is required to use split-screen function. **Hard disk drive (HDD) 15-GB memory audio system standard on navigation-equipped models. ††The USB Audio Interface is used for direct connection to and control of some current digital audio players and other USB devices that contain MP3, WMA, or AAC music files. Some USB devices with security software and digital rights-protected files may not work. Please see your Honda dealer for details. ‡19 city/28 highway/22 combined mpg for Touring models. 18 city/27 highway/21 combined mpg for EX-L and below models. Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle. Touring Elite model shown.

First Texas Honda

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A Split-Widescreen Rear Entertainment System,† a hard drive that fits thousands of songs,** a USB Audio Interface†† and leather-trimmed interior will make your jaw drop, while a powerful and efficient 28 hwy mpg‡ V-6 engine will take you places you forgot existed. The van beckons.

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The minivan that's a real head-turner

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{good life}

Trailer Treats food entrepreneurs Living the American dream, one plate at a time.

By Tiffany Harelik, Photos by Sadie Barton Behind the food-trailer scene in Austin are rich stories of entrepreneurship. What makes an attorney quit a successful litigation practice and move across country to open a food truck (the Peached Tortilla)? How does an African immigrant find his calling in street food in Austin and turn his trailer in to a restaurant single-handedly (the Flying Carpet)? It might take more than you think to get rolling in the mobile food-truck industry. We interviewed three successful food truckers to see how they started their version of the American dream.

First, let me introduce you to Lucky Sibilla of Lucky’s Puccias. You can hear Lucky calling Italian hellos out to his patrons from his flame-kissed trailer nestled in the enclave by the Tiniest Bar across the street from Whole Foods downtown. This Italian immigrant opened his food trailer concept based on Puccia bread in August 2010 after baking for most of his life.

2 4 ATX MAN spring 2012

The Cuban sandwich and Brandon Pierce (below) of Boss Hogs Kitchen.

“Aunt Maria was the only one who had a traditional wood-burning oven in my hometown in Italy. I loved the smell and the consistency of softness, so I learned how to make it by working for them in the summers,” Lucky shares.

Even in the triple-digit heat of summers in Austin, Lucky fires up the wood-burning stove using local live oak wood to bake each Puccia fresh to order. Literally, when you order, he puts a dough ball in the stone by the fire and watches the dough rise while he builds the rest of the sandwich. The full process only takes about four minutes and is definitely worth the short wait.

If you’re in to fresh, homemade Italian sandwiches you’ll want to try one of everything on his menu. But for starters, check out his bestseller, the “Lucky.” It has Boar’s Head prosciutto di Parma (from Italy), arugula, mozzarella, tomato and a really incredible aioli.

“I miss the flavors of Italy,” Lucky says when I ask him how often he visits home. “I need to go connect with the flavors. I miss the beach too. I used to go snorkeling every morning at 7 a.m. and I could recognize the schools of fishes. It’s been five years since I’ve been back.”

How about fried chicken? Perry Ray has been honing her frying skills for years.

Born in Tahoka, TX, she got to Austin as fast as she could. After brining the chicken in what she calls a “Texas two-step”

process, she uses an original blend of herbs and spices that has any chicken connoisseur wondering how she does it. Perry’s insistence on using local, organic, happy chickens is another part of what makes the flavor profile so delicious.

One of her biggest fans put it well: “Ms. P. has figured out the art of Southern cooking is to take something good for you and make it bad for you.”

As unique as her personality, Perry’s trailer is set on iconic South Congress Avenue close to the Continental Club with a large neon sign stating the crown jewel of her menu board: “CHICKEN.” But it wasn’t always as easy as chicken and waffles for this food trucker. She

helped gut the trailer and weld things into place with her own blood, sweat and tears to get it open in time for South By Southwest 2011. After 30 years in the sales industry, she had had enough of putting her livelihood in someone else’s hands. “[My husband] Kyle and I did not take out a loan to get going. We put our savings together and used all we had to get up and running,” she says.

If she didn’t have strength of character before, working in the trailer last summer certainly helped mold the woman she is today.

“It is back-breaking work to begin with, but try 96 days of over 100-degree heat working in a tin can. There was a time in August I put my head in my hands and said, ‘Give me the strength to keep on,’” she remembers.

Luckily for us, Perry made it through the first year of business and approaches this spring with a new bestseller.

While chicken will always be her biggest hit, she can barely keep up with the new fried pickles.

“We use the same dredge and buttermilk bath, and people can’t get enough of them,” she tells me on her way to pick up more pickles.

And speaking of fried pickles, you might also want to try the Captain Crunch fried pickles at Brandon Pierce’s Boss Hogs Kitchen. Yes, they really have Captain Crunch in them mixed with panko to provide a flavor you won’t soon forget. Although the pickles are a hit, Brandon’s bestseller is the pressed hot Smokey Cuban, which has pulled pork, smoked ham, house-cured pickles and Gouda, along with homemade honey mustard.

An entrepreneur in love with the American dream, the tagline of Brandon’s trailer is “Be your own boss.”

“A few years in to working the corporate sales lifestyle, I got really sick and tired of the office culture, dress code and politics around the coffee pot,” Brandon shares. “Music is my passion, so I wanted to find something I was equally passionate about while fulfilling a need. I talked with an executive chef friend in town and threw out the idea to do po-boys. I’m originally from Lafayette, LA, and I really wanted to do po-boys like I remembered from back home. But, the chef friend and I looked at all the ingredients and food costs and he suggested building the concept around pork. I fell in love with the menu he was proposing. I’ll be honest, I went through a period of discouragement, but after being consistently open and working really hard, I’ve come to realize this business is not just about great food; it’s about personality. I love how honest it is. I love knowing that my food makes people happy, and that’s what keeps me going. This has tested my humanhood more than anything and I’ve never been happier.”

So whether you’re hankering for a fresh Italian sandwich, fried chicken or a pulled pork sandwich, consider the long hours these vendors have put in to ensure you are getting a great meal. They are Stay tuned to all living their things food trailer version of the throughout the American dream, year at hoping to see you smile. trailerfooddiaries.com

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atxman.com 2 5

{good life} taste

Fired Up at the Austin Food & Wine Festival Chef Tim Love teaches how to be the master of the grill

By Nicole Carbon Get fired up for Tim Love’s Grills Gone Wild event at this year’s Austin Food & Wine Festival. That’s grills, not girls, gents, and it’s sure to be just as alluring. Love is the executive chef and owner of the upscale, modern Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, serving up steaks, elk, wild boar and more.

He also owns a casual burger joint, The Love Shack, which garnered three stars from The Dallas Morning News and was named the “most perfect burger on the planet” by The Fort Worth StarTelegram. Love’s newest venture, The Woodshed Smokehouse, officially opened Feb. 1 after a secret opening on Jan. 31 via a Twitter mention. There, he serves a menu “with something for everyone,” which refers to price point and fare. It has an open-air atmosphere, equipped with a large patio, a stage for live-music performances and is situated on the banks of the Trinity River.

“It’s the coolest thing I have ever done,” Love says, excitedly.

To say Love knows a thing or two about meat and cooking on an open flame is an understatement; Chef Love is the grill master. Join him outdoors at Auditorium Shores on April 28 from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. as he conducts a hands-on demo. You’ll learn everything from brisket to pork belly about being the master of the grill, and why you should serve your meat with ice-cold white wine. Yes, Love always grills with chilled white wine in hand.

“It’s cold and refreshing,” he says, also summing up the grilling event by adding, “Why wouldn’t you want to know how to grill the perfect steak?”

Spending a sunny day outdoors with great food, wine and good music? I’ll drink, I mean grill, to that!

2 6 ATX MAN spring 2012

Austin Food & Wine Festival, April 27-29 Tickets are on sale now for $250 for a weekender pass and $850 for a VIP pass. For more information, visit austinfoodandwinefestival.com.

benefitting JDRF

Thursday, June 7, 2012 Twin Creeks Country Club Prizes Awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams, Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive

Foursome or individual tickets available

Registration Fee Includes: • Green Fees • Golf Carts • Range Balls • Beverages • Lunch and Dinner • Awards, prizes and gift bags

For registration information, send email to austin@jdrf.org or call 512.343.0663.

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{good life} taste

Ranch 616

Bringing the Wild West to West Sixth RANCH 616 and THE RATTLE INN SPOTLIGHT AUSTIN'S UNIQUE FLAVOR.

By Russell Palowski As an Austin resident, you very quickly learn that few cities in America have such a cool factor and year-round appeal. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, friends always want to visit, and we oftentimes have the joy of having our couch or spare bedroom occupied. They come to Austin in droves looking for what makes our town unique. Growing

2 8 ATX MAN spring 2012

up in the Midwest, I was sure that everyone still rode around on horses down here and the streets were filled with Grammy Award-winning musicians rivaled only by some other place in Tennessee.

When my fellow foodie brother flew into town last year for South By Southwest, we gorged on enough barbecue that I was pretty sure the ring around the collars of my white dress shirts was actually barbecue sauce seeping through my skin. I was still fairly new to the city and I didn’t know of a restaurant that truly nailed the diversity and cache of Austin.

Enter Ranch 616.

Austinites are known for being able to keep a secret, and perhaps I am breaking some timehonored code by divulging the culinary magnificence of Ranch 616, but in the spirit of honoring places that truly go above and beyond, here goes, guys. (If you show up at my doorstep with pitchforks and baseball bats, I’ll invite you in for a beer and we can hug it out.)

Put simply, if you were able to metaphorically take everything that makes Austin unique and cool, threw it in a giant blender, chopped it up (real Texans never “puree”), then drizzled that sauce on a perfectly cooked piece of Texas beef, you would have Ranch 616.

Follow me here, people. Tucked in to the corner at 616 Nueces, Ranch 616 makes no qualms that it is uniquely Texas; better yet, uniquely Austin, TX. The décor is a mix of taxidermy and thank-you notes from local and national celebrities. The chandeliers and the chairs are mismatched and no one really cares. Inside is warm and inviting, and you can’t help but feel comfortable and relaxed the second you open the door.

I was greeted at the door by Lila Stowell, a longtime Ranch 616 employee, who showed me to a comfortable corner booth. I looked around and smiled at the diversity of its patrons—suits to T-shirts, Manolos to cowboy boots and flip-flops— everyone was smiling and adding to the pleasant roar around me.

My perfect meal: Admittedly, this is quite a bit of food, buy hey, this is why I have a gym membership and I never intend on wearing yoga pants, so give it a shot and live a little, guys. Caldo de pollo, a hearty chicken soup; mixed grill featuring sugar-cured grilled quail, chipotle honey-glazed lamb chops and chili-lime prawns; Texas center-cut beef tenderloin topped with house demi-glaze and Tasmanian crab; and goat cheese mashed potatoes.

I have always heard that chicken noodle soup was

called “Jewish penicillin” and was a steadfast cure for the common cold. If that was the case, then the caldo de pollo at Ranch 616 could cure the plague.

This is a hearty stew of chicken, green and yellow squash, carrots, corn and potatoes with a splash of lime. Hey Campbell’s, you just had your ass kicked.

The mixed grill can be ordered as an entrée or as an appetizer, but, as we discussed in the last issue of ATX Man (were you paying attention?), meals should be shared, and I can’t think of a better dish to break you from your selfish habits. The highlight of this dish is the lollipop-esque lamb chops that were so tender and delicious, I managed to quickly devour them as my date turned away. She’s long gone, but I can assure you, fellas, I will be back for the lamb sans date. The chops are that good.

Austin is a city filled with steakhouses, good ones, as a matter of fact, so I was a bit skeptical when I saw the beef tenderloin and Tasmanian crab dish.

How would a boutique restaurant take on the local steadfast houses of beef? I have to say, order this dish and find out. Something miraculous happens when you taste the sweetness of the Tasmanian crab and pair it with the savory blend of the tenderloin. I pulled owner Kevin Williamson aside to comment on just how flavorful the tenderloin was, and inquired as to where they source the beef used in this dish. He stated that nearly everything used in the kitchen is sourced locally, with a focus on quality and freshness. Normally, I shrug off the pre-canned locavore answer, but from the first buttery taste of this dish, you know that Chef Tony Vidal takes pride in each ingredient. Admittedly, the quality of beef and overall flavor profile of this dish now make this entrée perhaps my favorite in

Austin.

I’m full. I’m happy. I don’t want to go home yet.

So now that you’ve treated your friends to the perfect unique, gourmet Texas meal, what are you going to do? Well, historically if you fit the educated 25-to-40-year-old demographic, you would waltz down to West Sixth Street and jump in to the over-sexed shark tank of a bar Kevin Williamson, Ray Benson scene and pack into a generic bar that could easily be in Chicago, Dallas or Minneapolis, for that matter. Chances are, you’ll have a cosmo spilled on you by a drunken administrative assistant who is using Jaeger shots to work out why her boyfriend dumped her, and you’ll ponder what would possess the group of guys standing next to you to collectively have their eyebrows waxed.

Whatever happened to the simple idea that you could saddle up and enjoy a glass of whiskey without having to worry about catching a stray faux-hawk to Steak and the face, or worrying Tasmanian about mastering the Crab front tuck of your dress shirt to show off your cheesy designer belt?

Kevin Williamson, Matt Luckie and Ray Benson had to have been thinking the exact same thing when they created the Rattle Inn, conveniently located next door to Ranch 616. Put simply, the Rattle Inn resembles a quality honky-tonk that you might find in a single-stoplight

and Matt Luckie West Texas town, the kind that a true cowboy could appreciate. The bar and vibe are really nothing like anything else in the West Sixth area, and I believe we have the pedigree of Ray Benson (lead singer of Asleep at the Wheel) to thank for this. The décor? Comfortable leather booths, every dead animal you could think of and a patio where you can kick up your boots and smoke a cigar on a cool Austin evening. Remember Clint Eastwood’s character William Munny in the movie Unforgiven?

Walking into the Rattle Inn, you can’t help but feel like you stumbled upon his personal man cave. Add an intimate stage for live music and some stiff drinks, and even Dirty Harry would feel at home.

Insider scoop: Take a gander in to the men’s bathroom and look up at the ceiling. Best. Artwork.

Ever.

Apparently, the building sat vacant for many years while the perfect design was being developed. After attending the grand opening and seeing how well the Western-style theme was received, I can say that the Rattle Inn is a phoenix rising from the flame. But that bird would only get a few feet in the air before it was shot, stuffed and tacked on the wall of the bar. This place has a stuffed honey badger, for god’s sake. It doesn’t get any more badass than that. This bar is pure Texas testosterone and there should never be any apology for that.

The combination of these two places really marks the perfect place to take friends and family for a uniquely Austin, TX, experience.

Thank you for bringing the Wild West back to West Sixth, gentlemen.

atxman.com 2 9

{good rides}

rev it up

thrill rides

ATX Man was invited to Montreal last summer for Club BRP 2011 and the launch of the 2012 product line. During the week of festivities, guests visited the BRP ultimate playground, where participants get to experience the thrill of each machine included in the new product lines. Check out our insider picks.

RXT - X 260w

> Price $16,399

RIDER CAPACITY 3 Fuel Capacity 18.6 gallons ENGINE TYPE 1503 XHo Rotax 4-TEC INTAKE SYSTEM Supercharged with external intercooler, 6mm throttle body

RXP - X 260 Price $14,399 RIDER CAPACITY 2 Fuel Capacity 15.9 gallons Engine TYPE 1503 XHo Rotax 4-TEC INTAKE SYSTEM Supercharged with external intercooler, 6mm throttle body 6mm throttle body intercooler,

6mm throttle body

COMMANDER 1000 Price $12,999 Engine TYPE 976cc, V-twin, liquid-cooled, SOHC, 8-valve (4-valve/cyl) Fuel Capacity 10 gallons

OUTLANDER 800R

150 SPEEDSTER

Price $9,549

Price $18,699

Engine TYPE 799.9cc, V-twin, liquidcooled, SOHC, 8-valve (4-valve/cyl)

RIDER CAPACITY 4

Fuel Capacity 5.4 gallons

Engine MODEL Fuel-injected, 1503 XHo Rotax 4-TEC

Fuel Capacity 20.25 gallons

INTAKE SYSTEM 1.5 l injected or 1.5 l supercharged high output

3 0   ATX MAN spring 2012

Benefitting Gridiron Heroes and The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis

Howard and Linda McCollum

KYLE CHANDLER KYLE CHANDLERAND ANDBRAD BRAD LELAND LELAND PRESENT PRESENT THE THE BEYOND BEYOND THE LIGHT THE LIGHT CELEBRITY CELEBRITY WEEKEND WEEKEND IN PARTNERSHIP PARTNERSHIPWITH WITH DISC NATION, ORIGINAL IN DISC NATION, THETHE ORIGINAL DISCDISC SUPERSUPER STORESTORE DIRECTOROF DIRECTOR OFDEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT REGISTRATION AUCTIONS PAYAL GURNANI PAYAL GURNANIREGISTRATION ANGIESTABENO ANGIE STABENOAUCTIONS GAIL WHEELUS GAIL WHEELUS HOLE EXPERIENCES HOLE EXPERIENCES DISC GOLF GOLFEVENT EVENTPARTNERS PARTNERS EVENT ORGANIZER ORGANIZER JENN TRIPLETT JENN TRIPLETTDISC DAMON&&STACEY DAMON STACEYNETH NETHEVENT KAREN FENSKE KAREN FENSKE atxman.com CO- HOSTEDBY CO-HOSTED BY CO- HOSTEDBY CO-HOSTED BY DIRECTEDBY DIRECTED BY KYLE CHANDLER KYLE CHANDLER BRAD LELAND BRAD LELAND HEATHERPAGE HEATHER PAGE

31

{good life} sport

2012 round rock express Triple-A Texas Ranger affiliate is eager to top 2011 season success.

By Chad Swiatecki It was like flipping a light switch. That’s how quickly the fortunes and on-field performance of the Round Rock Express changed last year when the Triple-A baseball club changed its affiliation to the Texas Rangers from its longtime parent team in Houston. Gone were the has-beens and never-would-be prospects of one of the major league’s most moribund franchises, replaced by a farm system stocked with talent eager to perform

3 2 ATX MAN spring 2012

and earn a spot with the two-time World Series challengers. A record of 87 wins and 57 losses (an exact flip of the W-L record from a year prior) put the Express in the playoffs, and fans had a reasonable chance of seeing major-league talent on any given night as injured or still seasoning young Rangers made a stop at Dell Diamond to play their way in to shape and in to “The Show.” Manager Bobby Jones was named Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2011 and reached 1,500 career wins in mid-August. Countless individual and team franchise records were broken, including Chad Tracy’s 109 RBI. “The Rangers have an approach of building from within and that gave us an immediate boost,” says Express General Manager George King of the shot in the arm given to the team by switching to the Rangers’ system. The move came thanks to the purchase of the big-league club by legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan, who already owned the Express. “We made the playoffs for the first time in years, and you have great young guys like [pitching prospect] Neil Ramirez coming through who are headed to the Rangers down the road.”

Express fans shouldn’t hold their breath when it comes to getting a visit from prized Japanese freeagent pitcher Yu Darvish, who signed a $60 million contract on top of a $51 million negotiating fee paid to his homeland team by the Rangers. But there will be plenty of off-the-field attractions to keep fans interested during warm summer nights as well. The club will continue promotions such as fireworks for Friday home games (switched to infield displays because of drought conditions) to keep youngsters entertained, and an April 2 exhibition game with the Rangers should see the ballpark filled right to its capacity of nearly 12,000.

“There are so many things going on off the field, as well as the game itself, from the fun zone, to the climbing area. As long as you keep an eye out for line drives, there’s always something new to try,” says Larry Little, director of communications for the Express.

With tickets ranging from $6 to $14, a night out with the Express won’t pinch the pocketbook.

“From our beginnings in the Double-A days, we’ve been about being a viable, affordable entertainment option,” Little says. “Now we’ve gone to a farm system that’s one of the best out there, and last year we had one-third of a starting lineup for the team that’s been to two World Series. That’s a huge boost for us.”

big names in round rock The rosters of minor-league baseball teams are the very definition of fluid, so it’s tough to predict which players will spend a lot of time in an Express uniform in 2012. But these fresh and returning prospects are almost certain to shine when they take the field at Dell Diamond.

Get to know them while you can.

Jurickson Profar (shortstop): Touted as the best shortstop prospect in years, Profar (who’s only 19) spent last season at the Single-A level and should make his way to Round Rock fairly quickly. Expect unusual power, and a keen eye and glove.

Neil Ramirez (right-handed pitcher): He impressed and surprised just about everyone during last year’s promotion to Round Rock. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see Ramirez make the trip to Arlington at some point this season.

Martin Perez (left-handed pitcher): It’s not a make-or-break season for the promising Venezuelan, but lots of bumpy starts came with his promotion to the Express last year. He’s got a nasty arsenal of pitches that could make him a No. 1 starter someday.

Conor Jackson (first base/ outfield): The Austin native is a new signing to the Rangers organization after spending the majority of last season with Oakland and Boston, where he hit .244 and played four positions.

Leonys Martin (outfielder): A fan favorite in the making, Martin defected from his native Cuba in 2010, did a bid with the Express last year and was a late-season call up to the Rangers. A visit by the slugger should be brief.

Yu Darvish (right-handed pitcher): OK, this is a tease since any Round Rock appearance by the high-priced free agent would probably mean he was on an injury rehab stint. Perish the thought!

Top photo by Robert Backman

Martin Perez

The Round Rock Express will host the back-toback American League Champion Texas Rangers in an exhibition game April 2 at Dell Diamond. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., and tickets go on sale to the general public March 3.

The Express begin their 13th season and eighth season as a PCL member on April 5 at Iowa. Round Rock’s home schedule begins April 13, when the Express hosts the Iowa Cubs and Omaha Storm

Chasers in a consecutive four-game series. Seasonticket packages are currently available through the Dell Diamond box office or online. Individual tickets for Express games go on sale March 3.

For more information, visit milb.com/index. jsp?sid=t102.

“The Rangers have an approach of building from within and that gave us an immediate boost.”

-george king, General manager

Seven Days of Dell Diamond Fun Sundays: Kids giveaways with pre-game events outside the stadium and post-game, run the bases (12 and younger).

Mondays: $1 hot dogs and sodas all night.

Tuesdays: Half-price tickets for groups of 20 or more (advance purchase only).

Wednesdays: Kids 12 and younger receive a free hot dog, chips and a soda.

Thursdays: Thirsty Thursday beer specials and $1 sodas.

Fridays: Fireworks shows following the game.

Saturdays: Promotional giveaways and post-game concerts on select Saturdays throughout the season.

atxman.com 3 3

Anti-Defamation League of Austin Torch of Liberty Award The Winkelman Family Honored with the Raymond and Audrey Maislin Humanitarian Award for 2012.

The Anti-Defamation League fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, and works to secure justice and fair treatment for all. The ADL also protects constitutional rights and religious freedom for all people. Launched in 2006 in Austin, the Torch of Liberty Award acknowledges the recipients’ dedication to the shared value of promoting diversity and equality, and building respectful communities.

Ray and Audrey Maislin, committed ADL leaders, established the Raymond and Audrey Maislin Humanitarian Award in 2005 to recognize their lifelong commitment to ADL. This award is given to individuals or organizations that further greater harmony and cooperation in the community.

For the first time, the Austin Council of the ADL will recognize an entire family for its many contributions to the betterment of the Austin community and beyond.

Marc and Suzanne Winkelman and their children Eli, Alex and Jacob, are engaged citizens in the Austin community and beyond. Marc is the president and CEO of Calendar Holdings LLC, and president and publisher of Kirkus Reviews. He is also secretary and treasurer of The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity; a vice chairman of the National Jewish Democratic Council; and a member of the boards of the Texas Book Festival, St. David’s Foundation and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Suzanne is on the board of KLRU, Texas Hillel and Legacy

3 4 ATX MAN spring 2012

of Giving; her driving passion is the care and protection of animals. Eli is a co-founder and executive director of Challah for Hunger, an organization with chapters on more than 50 college campuses that raises money and awareness for hunger and disaster relief through the production and sale of challah bread. Alex is the executive director of Citizen Generation, which engages Austinites in philanthropy and community involvement. Jacob is a founder of BOSS (Back to Old School Sustainability), a Tulane Universitybased organization that promotes self-sufficiency and localization in an effort to reduce the carbon

atx man sponsored events

{good deeds} The Nobelity Project Artists and Filmmakers Dinner March 25 at 6 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin A lively, casual gala that honors philanthropists, hosted by 45 of Texas’ most renowned film, literary and music legends, and benefiting The Nobelity Project’s many endeavors. Visit nobelity.org for tickets.

The James Street and Mack Brown Golf Shootout and Live Auction April 16, TBA Sports legends Mack Brown and James Street host this event that benefits the Rise School of Austin.

An exclusive cocktail party and live auction precede the event.

Visit the events page at riseschool.org for more information.

12th Annual BiG idea Day Award Luncheon April 20 at 11:30 a.m. at the Hilton Austin This luncheon celebrates small businesses that have helped keep Austin’s economy thriving. Visit bigidea-day.com for more information.

Wonderball Daddy Daughter Dance April 28 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Palmer Events Center This event provides an enchanting evening of entertainment, crafts and dancing that gives fathers or father figures a chance to treat their daughters like the princesses they are. Visit wondersandworries.org/wonderball.html for tickets.

footprint; he is also involved in the Challah for Hunger chapter at Tulane.

The 2012 Austin Torch of Liberty Award Dinner, unique in its approach, will combine innovative art to convey ADL’s mission of reducing hate, bias, bullying and discrimination from society. The dinner will be held March 21 at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin. For more information about the Torch of Liberty Dinner, call 512.249.7960.

Man and Woman of the Year Awards May 4 at the Driskill Hotel A spirited competition that honors the man and woman of the year who have raised the most money for blood-cancer research in the form of votes, this event benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Visit the Austin section at mwoy.org for tickets.

Fifth Annual Beyond the Lights Celebrity Golf Classic May 11 at the Wolfdancer Golf Club A celebrity golf tournament featuring cast members from Friday Night Lights, this golf event features auctions and plenty of live entertainment, and benefits Gridiron Heroes.

Think ouTside The Gym Voted Best in Austin! As seen on YNN and FOX News

hill country ride for aids riding for a good cause. By Erica Todd With the weather beginning to warm up, it’s the perfect time to bring out the bike, climb aboard and check out the amazing landscape that Central Texas has to offer. Dubbed the “Best Bike Ride”

by Austin Chronicle readers for the past two years, the Hill Country Ride for AIDS is a great way to cycle and stay healthy while supporting a great cause.

Don’t worry if you haven’t touched those handlebars for a while, this annual cycling event caters to everyone. Casual, leisurely and serious riders alike can choose from five different distances between 13 and 100 miles. There are also at least 10 training sessions scheduled in Austin and Central Texas throughout March and April to help participants prepare for the big day.

The Hill Country Ride allows groups of friends, families or officemates to pedal together. Volunteers along the routes offer great encouragement and add to the relaxed atmosphere of the day.

Described as “serious fun for a serious cause” by organizers, the Hill Country Ride has helped many people affected by HIV and AIDS since it began in 2000. Ten nonprofit organizations from throughout the state benefit from the event, including AIDS Services of Austin, The Care Communities and The Wright House Wellness Center. Through the dedication of past participants, more than $4.5 million has

been raised for these groups, making the Hill Country Ride the second most successful AIDS Ride in the country.

This year, the aim is to reach $500,000 for the beneficiaries, which is made possible as a result of the riders’ minimum fundraising goal: $100 for kids, $350 for students and $500 for others. Achieving this goal will have wide-reaching advantages: $500 amounts to a month’s worth of rent for one family in supportive housing, while $1,000 can provide 450 homecooked meals for hospice patients or pay for four months of medication.

First time riders are matched with an experienced buddy who is available to answer any questions on topics like training and fundraising. Anyone sans bike can rent one before March 30 from the Bicycle Sports Shop, opt to be a “virtual rider” or choose to run instead. What’s more, anybody who wants to contribute on the day of the event can volunteer to help in a variety of roles.

Festivities for the event begin on the evening of April 27. From 4 to 8 p.m., participants can check in and attend the opening ceremony at First United Methodist Church Family Life Center.

The Hill Country Ride will begin the following day at 7 a.m. at Reunion Ranch, Georgetown and end at 5 p.m.

For more information, visit hillcountryride.org.

$35 off when you

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sa

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have fun while doing good Xanadu, the musical extravaganza for Zach’s annual Red Hot and Soul.

The Austin Insider knows that Zach Scott Theatre’s annual Red Hot and Soul gala is always one of the most fun and most creative parties in town. This year will be no exception and you can expect wonders from co-chairs Bobbi Topfer and Larry Connelly.

“We’re producing an event that will knock Austin’s socks off, and get them into a pair of roller skates,” Topfer says.

Connelly adds, “Red Hot and Soul is raising the bar again with a great theme for the best party in town: Xanadu, where time stops and the magic never ends. There is no end to Zach’s magic in transforming the space with incredible colors, dancers, skaters and costumes in this ’80s roller-disco wonder. Dust off your polyester, sequined glitz and glitter and join us for an incredible evening like nothing else in Austin.”

“We promise guests are going to have an outrageously good time while helping to raise critical funds to support all the great works of this cherished Austin institution,” Topfer says.

For tickets and more info, visit zachtheatre.org.

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for a better austin in 2012

Keeping with our mission, AW MEDIA is excited to team up with Roy Spence, co-founder of GSD&M and cofounder and CEO of the Purpose Institute, to introduce the Giving Man Pledge.

The Giving Man Pledge challenges Austin men (and women) to pick something of personal passion and purpose to dedicate time, talent or treasure, making austin a better place to live. Whether it’s giving your time to a local soup kitchen or purchasing a coffee for the person behind you in a drive thru line we can all make a difference. Share your pledge today by posting it at atxman.com/givingmanpledge and help make Austin better for it.

atxman.com/givingmanpledge

H o w A r e Yo u G o i n g t o P a y i t F o r w a r d ?

name: Bobby Jenkins Company: ABC Home & Commercial Services bio: Bobby Jenkins was just a boy when his father purchased ABC Pest Control in 1965. Back then, his claim to fame was appearing in print ads – along with his brothers – for what would soon become Texas’ largest independently owned and operated pest control company. Today, Bobby brings a lifetime commitment to each of the ABC Home & Commercial Services offices he operates in the Austin, San Antonio and Bryan College Station areas. In addition to running ABC Home & Commercial Bobby has served as the Board President for Caritas of Austin, President of the Alzheimer’s Association, and recently was the 2011 Austin Chamber Board Chair and helped launch the new Austin Gives: Business Giving Back, a program designed to recognize area businesses that engage in community philanthropy.

“My GivinG Man PledGe is to work on a reGular basis at the Caritas kitChen” -Bobby Jenkins

“My GivinG Man PledGe is to mobilize, inspire and encourage austinites to volunteer once a month through austin angels. in addition, i plan to volunteer once a month for the rest of my life!” -Susan Brubaker

“My GivinG Man PledGe is to do chores at home and raise enough money to give a bicycle to a little boy or girl who can’t afford one through the Jb & sandy bikes for Kids program.” -Beckom Garvey

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“My GivinG Man PledGe is...” to see your pledge here go online and share with us by submitting at: atxman.com/givingmanpledge

3 8 ATX MAN spring 2012

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turk Turk Pipkin is changing the world one peace at a time.

By Steve Uhler Photos by Cody Hamilton Makeup by Jenny Lin, makeupbyjennylin.com

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M

any men seek the meaning of life while taking the path of least resistance, but Turk Pipkin chose another course. He built his own road.

You probably know Turk Pipkin, even if you don’t know him personally.

Google his name and be confronted with a seemingly endless list of careers and credentials: author, actor, filmmaker, juggler, photographer, magician, activist, producer and all-around human perpetual-motion machine.

Many remember him as the born-again narcoleptic, Aaron Arkaway, in The Sopranos, or as the writer and director of the award-winning films Nobelity, One Peace at a Time and his latest, Building Hope, the companion piece to his impressive and inspiring new coffee-table book of the same name. But Pipkin’s most lasting legacy is probably something that he never really set out to do: He is changing the world, one peace at a time.

Turk Pipkin is juggling a lot of projects these days, but that’s no surprise. He is, after all, a former professional juggler, proficient at keeping several plates in the air at once. On the afternoon we visit, he’s wrapping up a lunchtime meeting with an associate about the logistics of constructing a water well in Kenya, receiving news of a nomination for a prestigious architectural award, fielding text messages from throughout the world and contending with bureaucratic red tape regarding an impending international shipment of classroom computers. On top of all that, he’s gearing up for the Artists and Filmmakers Dinner gala at the Four Seasons on March 25, an annual event in which he holds a vested interest.

At 6 feet 7 inches, Pipkin is one of the few people in Texas who can literally look down on Ray Benson.

“Turk is a talented Texan and we’re all proud that he’s used those talents to help people all over the world,” testifies longtime friend Willie Nelson. He adds, “If he gives me another hundred bucks, I’ll also say he’s good looking.”

Film producer Fred Miller observes, “He’s a very tall Energizer bunny.”

Just who is this alliteratively named, multi-tasking,

4 0 ATX MAN spring 2012

middle-age wunderkind, and how did a former court jester for the counterculture morph in to a social and global force to be reckoned with? From his days as a struggling street performer to building schools on the other side of the world, the unlikely trajectory of Turk Pipkin’s multi-everything life can be measured in analogous increments: one tree at a time, one child at a time, and—as the title of his second movie [As told by Turk] suggests—one peace at [ A favorite pic a time. It’s a recurring by my buddy Dan metaphorical mantra Shine. I filmed in 25 that he benignly excountries for One ploits in both his art Peace at a Time. and his life. Seemingly Two hundred hours unrelated events and of footage and skills weave together 30,000 pics. in to improbable de1 Lucky me! To celsigns and cathartic ebrate our 25th andestinies, one thread at niversary and Christy a time. beating cancer a The youngest but second time, we certainly tallest of five renewed our vows siblings, Pipkin led in Paris in the Rose an idyllic Texas Hill Garden of Notre Country boyhood at Dame with Katie and his grandmother’s LiIly officiating. ranch on the South Llano River. The preternaturally outsized boy spent his days fishing, shooting hoops and, in a harbinger of things to come, investing endless hours pursuing his passion.

“I was always reading about Nobelists,” Pipkin says. “I would go to the library and look up lists of Nobel laureates and then go look for books by them. I wanted to be a writer since I was really young. I didn’t know who to write for, so I wrote for myself.”

In high school, the aspiring young writer discovered a heretofore-untapped propensity for theatrics.

“I was a ham, a class clown. I told jokes, I did magic tricks and I juggled,” he says, adding that he also discovered a genetic ace in the hole that literally set him head and shoulders above his peers. “For a guy my size, it wasn’t just that I was a good juggler; I was a 6-feet-7-inch guy who was a good juggler.”

After graduating, Pipkin half-heartedly enrolled at the University of Texas, but left after one year to join the Navy. Stationed in San Diego, he spent most of his

off-duty hours performing on the streets, honing his skills and cultivating crowds.

“I had long hair, but you couldn’t make money as a street performer with a navy haircut,” he recalls, “so I wore a short-hair wig on the ship, and pulled my Navy cap down over my wig.”

It was an early manifestation of Pipkin’s uncanny ability to adapt and reinvent himself. Aboard ship, he was a regulation-issue, buttoned-down sailor; off-duty, he was a longhaired hippie juggler with a ponytail.

Top photo by Dan Shine.

Drifting back to Austin after his stint, Pipkin hooked up with another free spirit, fellow comic and magician Harry Anderson.

“I bumped in to this ridiculously huge, goofy-ashell, impossibly monikered guy,” recalls Anderson.

“In all that while, one or the other of us just wouldn’t go away.”

The two became fast friends, collaborating together and performing on the road. About the same time, Pipkin also met up with a petite young artist from Dallas named Christy Ellinger.

“She was a dancer. She used to perform with a lot of bands,” Pipkin recalls. “I’m 6 feet 7 inches, she’s 5 feet 1 inch. It’s not like you look at each other and go, ‘There’s my life’s mate.’”

The two married in 1984.

Pipkin continued busking in Austin, directionless but content, occasionally doing volunteer work for an up-and-coming candidate for county treasurer named Ann Richards, a connection that would prove fruitful later on. Meanwhile, pal Anderson was ditching town for the West Coast.

“He said, ‘I’m going to move to L.A. and be a TV star,’ and he did,” Pipkin remembers. “Two, maybe three years later, he’s on the first episode of Cheers as Harry the Hat. So I followed him to L.A. The day after Cheers premiered, a stack of scripts came over to the house from his agent for Harry to read. He looked at a few of ’em and said, ‘This stuff’s awful!’ and threw them in the trashcan. He said, ‘These guys want me to do my own show. You’re in charge of scripts and finding a show.’ I pulled a script called Night Court out of the trash. I said, ‘I think you need to read this.’”

Night Court took off, Anderson became a mainstream star and Turk Pipkin suddenly found himself a respected TV writer and producer. It was a scattered but productive time, writing and producing TV specials, penning quirky how-to books, collaborating on projects with Willie Nelson, flexing his acting chops with a recurring role on The Sopranos and in small parts in such movies as Waiting For Guffman and Friday Night Lights.

“I was doing what I wanted to do. I was having a great time,” Pipkin says. “Looking back, I’m not sure that was the smartest business approach but, you know, how do you learn to do stuff? You just go do it.”

And then the world changed.

The evolution from in-demand TV writer, producer and performer to international social activist is best recounted in Pipkin’s beautiful book, Building Hope. The nutshell version goes something like this: When wife Christy was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, the couple began taking a deeper look at what they were doing in their lives and work. Months later, the events of 9/11 had a devastating impact on oldest daughter Katie, who began having recurring nightmares and asking hard questions about what would happen to children like her in other parts of the world.

As Pipkin recounts in his book, “Christy and I had unique skill sets in work, as well as in life, but our 15 years of television comedy and awards shows suddenly seemed pointless. With our combined skills, shouldn’t we be doing something more relevant? I had a fairly broad knowledge about the world and its problems, and I was taken with an idea that stood in opposition to almost all documentaries. Rather than focus on a specific issue or story, I wanted to look at the world as a whole and try to present some kind of informed view of the kind of future my kids would know.”

Thus was born the idea of a film project fueled by

Pipkin’s long-ago boyhood fascination with Nobel Prize laureates and their impact on the world.

“I started with a pretty simple idea: Let’s talk to smart people and see what the world’s going to be like for our kids, and what we ought to be doing about it,” he says.

Through kismet or karma, a few weeks later, Pipkin found himself at a neighborhood birthday party chatting with Nobel Prize winner in physics Steven Weinberg. Pipkin mentioned his pie-in-thesky dream to interview Nobel laureates about the problems of the world. Weinberg was skeptical but intrigued. One connection led to another, greased by

‹ Nobelity Film Trilogy ›

NOBELITY (2006) The spark that started it all, Pipkin’s debut documentary looks at the world’s most pressing problems as seen through the eyes of nine Nobel laureates. Traveling the globe for enlightening one-on-one sit-downs with such cerebral heavyweights as Jody Williams, Mangari Maathai and Desmond Tutu, Pipkin serves as on-screen tour guide, interviewer and surrogate everyman in this compelling call to action.

Lauded by Esquire as “nine ways to save the world,” Nobelity is a cinematic primer for both macro problems and possibilities, at once disquieting and inspiring.

ONE PEACE AT A TIME (2009) Billed as “a film about a messed-up world and how to fix it,” Pipkin’s follow-up to Nobelity continues his global journey, expanding on the earlier film’s themes and broadening the scope with a focus on children’s rights.

Pipkin visits more than 20 countries, conducting new interviews and checking in on projects with such organizations as Architecture for Humanity, CARE and The Miracle Foundation. As a tonic to the sometimes-heady conversation, Willie Nelson drops by for a game of chess and some pertinent Willie-isms.

BUILDING HOPE (2011) The final film in Pipkin’s Nobelity video triptych, Building Hope documents the evolution of Mahiga Hope High School, from planting the first tree to the joyous opening-day celebration. The film is currently only available as a DVD insert companion piece to the equally impressive deluxe book of the same title. (“The most expensive DVD packaging ever,” Pipkin says, only half-kidding.) The film soars in its luminous Beautiful World montage and in its charming oncamera interaction with the school’s irresistible kids. The book’s a keeper too.

[ My first visit to Mahiga Primary School, after planting 100 trees with the students.

The school has planted 7,000 trees on the grounds. The new seedlings behind these kids are now 20 feet tall.

1 Two giraffes at the Aberdare Game Preserve.

Mahiga Hope High School is on the hill in the far distance.

4 2   ATX MAN spring 2012

0 Joseph Mutongu with his daughter Miriam, Mahiga Hope High School Class of 2023.

Bottom left and right photos by Turk Pipkin.

] Rain coming toward the RainWater Court.

Two inches of rain collect 30,000 liters of purified rainwater for Mahiga Hope High School.

such influential cheerleaders as Ann Richards, who had moved up significantly since her days stumping for treasurer. Four years after his initial pitch, Pipkin had landed on-camera interviews with nine different Nobel winners, filmed in locales throughout the globe.

The resulting documentary, Nobelity, drew critical kudos but scant audiences.

“We opened the same day as Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth,” Pipkin recalls with a resigned sigh. “They smashed us.”

Gore’s high-profile documentary created controversy, questions and massive ticket sales. Nobelity offered positive answers but generated few box-office receipts.

Still, the ripple effect generated by Nobelity set gamechanging events in to motion.

An invitation from Wangari Maathai, the first African female Nobel laureate, to come plant a tree in her native country prompted a trip to the Aberdare Mountain region of Central Kenya and the tiny hilltop village of Mahiga. Pipkin spent a memorable afternoon dedicated to planting a

[ Big fun for any actor from Texas, playing Alamo defender Isaac Millsaps, leader of the “Immortal 32” from Goliad, and I got to gallop into the Alamo pursued

by Mexican Lancers.

4 4 ATX MAN spring 2012

grove of trees at the nearby village school. By the end ceeds from the Austin premiere of Pipkin’s follow-up of the day, he ended up with a lot more invested in his to Nobelity, One Peace at a Time, were earmarked for journey than a pocketful of seeds. St. Joseph’s Mahiga Mahiga. Pipkin also enlisted the aid of an assortment Primary School had originally been built by the Cathof supporters and specialists, with the villagers themolic Church in the 1970s, but had fallen in to disrepair. selves volunteering to handle all the hard labor.

A barely standing structure of rotting slatted walls, Three years, one movie and countless frequent flier broken windows and mud floors, the ramshackle miles after his pledge, Pipkin returned to the school to schoolhouse had no electricity, sparse supplies and no find a new water room, furnished with a pump and filpurified water. But the students were another story. ter system, and a 15,000-liter storage tank filled to the Pipkin was deeply inspired by the gaggle of grinning brim with rainwater. As a young boy opened the tap children, who regarded this giant white Panda bear of and filled the first ceremonial glass, Pipkin savored a a man with giddy awe and attention. There’s nothing sip from the fruits of his labor. that can delight a child like a visiting uncle who can “I had never tasted anything so sweet,” he says. pull a coin out of your ear, and Pipkin was instantly He could have patted himself on the back and adopted by the students. moved on to the next film project, but Pipkin had Among other insights during his visit, he discovbecome irrevocably invested with the welfare of his ered that planting a tree is a very empowering thing. newly adopted family of students. Now that they had He also learned that, in Kenya, government-provided a clean water-storage system, the next logical step in education for children pretty much ended at the his mind was to build a functional high school for the secondary school level. A total of 366 kids attended village. the primary school, up to level eight. Once these kids “I thought he was nuts,” says Christy Pipkin, long graduated, there would be very little chance of gosince accustomed to her husband’s Quixote-like mix ing on to high school and, hence, bleak prospects for of fearlessness and resolve. their future.

Pipkin began laying the foundation of continued Walking the grounds, Pipkin wondered why several education for his ambitious project, shuttling between of the existing trees on the property were turning continents like an obsessive commuter. Back home in brown and dying. The reason, he discovered, was a Austin, a series of fundraising events kicked off with lack of clean water; the nearest source was a polluted the March 2009 premiere of One Peace at a Time at stream nearly two miles away. The village children the Paramount Theatre. Pipkin announced his plan to charged with watering the trees had to carry the build a high school in Kenya; would anyone out there tainted water uphill, a tedious and time-consuming Artists and Filmmakers Annual Dinner process, causing honors TOMS Shoes and One for One many to miss out Founder Blake Mycoskie on precious classAs part of our continuing Year of the Giving Man mission, ATX Man is proud room time. to be an official co-sponsor for The Nobelity Project Artists and Filmmakers Before leaving Dinner 2012 on March 25, at the Four Seasons Austin. The annual gala honors Mahiga, Pipkin individuals and groups who are making a difference. made a spontaneCalled “the star-studliest event in Austin” by Austin American-Statesman ous promise to the writer Michael Barnes, this year’s edition is destined to be one of the social school’s headmashighlights of the year. ter to return and, The concept is easy and the payoff is huge: Every dinner guest is seated at somehow, provide a table to share dinner, drinks and conversation with a Texas star. There are 45 clean water for the tables hosted by 45 legends of Texas film, music and books. Past hosts includschool. Returning ed Owen Wilson, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Bill Paxton and many more. home to Austin, This year’s honoree is designer and global activist Blake Mycoskie, founder of Pipkin told Christy TOMS Shoes and creator of One for One. Mycoskie’s simple but revolutionary about his pledge. spin on the buy-one give-one concept earned him a place on Fortune Magazine’s With nominal “40 Under 40” list as one of the top businessmen in the world. As of November funding from No2011, TOMS had given more than two million pairs of new shoes to children in belity and various need. His latest One for One venture is geared toward sight, with every pair of supporters, the eyeglasses purchased also providing a pair for those in need. Mycoskie will repair formed The ceive the annual Feed the Peace Award, established by Willie Nelson in 2010.

Nobelity Project, The evening includes performances from comic Henry Cho, New York City’s an outreach eduDJ Spooky with the Tosca String Quartet, an all-star jam with Shawn Colvin, cational nonprofit Joe Ely and more, including the inevitable surprise guests. Where else can you created to make ask a Nobel laureate to pass you the hors d’oeuvres? movies that make For more information, visit nobelity.org. a difference. Pro-

care to help make it happen? He began with small steps, passing the hat just like the old days, and roping in old friends. Early campaigns included a modest but successful book drive, and a Thousand Voices for Hope video and fundraiser with such artists as Lyle Lovett and the Court Yard Hounds joining choirmaster Willie Nelson. The litany of Mahiga-inspired projects began expanding like an Old Testament laundry list: Books begat a library to house them in. The library begat a computer lab, which begat the computers to fill it. Improved facilities begat more students, which begat more classes.

“The process was just natural,” Pipkin reflects.

“One step after another, it just builds. You plant a tree, you build a water system and you build a school.”

When Pipkin first visited St. Joseph’s Mahiga Primary School in 2005, it had nine students, collapsing mud walls and no sanitary facilities. With the help of his multitude of partners, by the time the newly christened Mahiga Hope High School officially opened in October 2010, the renovated structure boasted concrete floors, handcrafted stone walls, running electricity, clean kitchen facilities, fresh water distribution, a fully functional basketball courtcum-rainwater-collection system, a computer lab and a library. As of the start of 2012, the campus encompassed 14 classes, from pre-school to 12th grade, with more than 600 students and growing. Through the Kenya Schools Project and other partners, The Nobelity Project is currently assisting with 12 schools building water systems throughout the world. Here in Austin, Pipkin continues his outreach efforts.

“Every program we have in Kenya has a counter program here. A library program there, a library

Above photo by Gary Miller.

[ [From left] Annie and Willie Nelson, and Christy and Turk Pipkin at the Nobelity Dinner.

program here; tree-planting program there, treeplanting program here,” he says.

Turk Pipkin is the Johnny Appleseed of global grassroots activism.

During the last seven years, Pipkin has spearheaded an ad hoc army of volunteers, architects, artists and engineers backed by a network of Mensa-bred advisors who would make any world government envious. But instead of building munitions, he builds schools. Instead of digging for oil, he provides water to impoverished rural communities. Instead of handouts, he offers self-sustainability.

It’s not all utopian bread and roses. For every victory, obstacles arise with discouraging regularity.

Floods wash out roadways, budgets are gouged and government bureaucrats can impede progress.

“Everybody gets discouraged sometimes,” Pipkin acknowledges. “The trick is not to dwell on it. Otherwise, at a certain point, it leads to something. It’s not called discouragement, it’s called depression.”

As both spouse and partner in The Nobelity Project, Christy Pipkin has experienced firsthand the fluctuating emotional repercussions of personal commitment.

“It’s a little like having children,” she says. “Actually, it’s a lot like having children, with all the highs and lows. Sometimes I think it looks romantic from the outside—and in a way I suppose it is—but it is also a lot of work. There are times we have to forcibly stop working, turn on a movie, take a walk and just not talk to each other. Luckily, he travels a lot.”

As an artist and filmmaker actively involved in social causes that invariably bump heads with politics, Pipkin is sometimes exposed to carping from critics who don’t think celebrities should dabble in world affairs.

“I’m not that much of a celebrity, so I don’t get that much heat,” he says. “Even if I did, it shouldn’t really

matter. I’m dealing with education now, primarily. It’s pretty ludicrous to think that kids can make a difference in the adult world if they don’t get a high-school education. The generations coming up are the ones who are going to have to change it, become the workforce and deal intelligently with problems.

“A lot of people take the viewpoint that it’s not our government’s job to be responsible at all for education in Africa. But it’s a matter of enlightened self-interest. Would our money be better spent as a government supporting education efforts in Africa than loaning money to governments to buy weapons that they’ll never pay back once they have them, which is what we’ve been doing for the last 40 years?

Why not just spend the money on education and see what happens?”

What’s next in the ongoing odyssey of Turk Pipkin?

“I don’t know,” he shrugs. “I think about where I’ll be in 10 minutes.”

As of this writing, he’s in the midst of filming his latest project, a film he vaguely describes as being “about the reality of good.” And his 1999 novella, When Angels Sing, has been made in to a feature film with Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Harry Connick, Jr., to be released this fall.

Meanwhile, The Nobelity Project and its related activities continue apace, partnering with such organizations as CARE, A Glimmer of Hope, Architecture for Humanity and more. Mahiga Hope High’s first senior class graduates in November. The dream that began with one empty classroom and nine kids has mushroomed in to 12 schools and growing.

The cause-and-effect cycle Turk Pipkin first set in to motion by planting a single tree is now selfperpetuating, endlessly expanding and reverberating on a global level. Looking back, Pipkin connects the dots.

“Christy’s cancer and my kids and 9/11 were three linked events that really were a wake-up call to me about how I wanted to spend my life,” he says. “We need to periodically ask ourselves, ‘Am I doing the thing I want to do with my life? Why was I put here on this earth?’ And if there’s anything we’ve learned, I think those are our core questions.”

It’s enough to make you believe Building Hope and One Peace at a Time are more than just movie titles and marketing tools; they’re viable lifestyles, choices and solutions. And who knows? The young West Texas boy who began his journey studying Nobel Prize laureates may even receive one himself someday. This world is full of possibilities. And that’s what Turk Pipkin is all about these days: one possibility at a time.

“He’s as much as he can be in one life cycle, a gift,” says old partner Anderson. “He’s friend to the best of us, from the least powerful to the mighty. Imagine how he would have turned out if he hadn’t met me?”

To learn more about the Mahiga Hope High School and The Nobelity Project, visit nobelity.org.

atxman.com 4 5

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Right photo by Ariana Vincent.

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Group, who’s also the co-founder of Clear Channel about the world of entrepreneurship.

Austin RISE Week 2012 takes place March 26 Communications.

Founded in 2007 by the Sosa brothers, RISE is through March 30 at various locations throughout The Pitch Competition allows entrepreneurs to an annual event established as an all-inclusive, town chosen by session hosts. The sessions are propose their business ideas to potential investors community-driven, weeklong “unconference,” held throughout the day with each night ending and a panel of judges who will award the winner as coined by the founding duo. From sponsors, with a celebratory event. The kick-off event will with $500. Held at the Moody Theater, the awards participants and facilitators to sessions, tracks and feature a well-known and motivational keynote ceremony will close out the week of RISE. Various competitions, the components of RISE continue to speaker. Last year, Robert Johnson, founder of awards are allotted to entrepreneurs, including the grow along with the conference each year.

BET, was the keynote. Other keynote speakers have Royito’s Don’t Do Mild Award, worth $5,000, given “We’ve really built a stage for entrepreneurs to included John Mackey, founder of Whole Foods,

by Roy Spence, founder of GSD&M Idea City. showcase their act,” Bertrand explains, referring and Red McCombs of Red McCombs Automotive When the Kauffman Foundation pushed the to session hosts who administer important information, as well ROYITO’S HOT SAUCE DON’T DO MILD AWARD In 2011, Erine Gray won as participants who, Roy Spence’s Royito’s Hot Sauce Don’t Do Mild Award, giving him $5,000 to launch his business, Aunt Bertha. Gray’s company provides accessible, in the past, have online human-services information in order to help more people been funded, hired reach self-sufficiency. Food, health, housing and education program and guided by some information can be found within seconds in your zip code. of Austin’s great Sending in an essay and business plan, Gray was selected by Spence entrepreneurs. because he was following his passion and setting in motion a plan to In 2011, RISE assist the greater good through Aunt Bertha. encompassed 350 Gray’s website went live in June 2011, three months after he was sessions with 4,500 presented with the Royito’s award. Prior to winning, Gray had been attendees. Each collecting data for the site and had every intention to launch it. session is capped Nevertheless, the award gave him the confidence and the push of at a total of 25 support that he needed. participants. This is “I was no longer anonymous,” Gray explains of his fear in launching his meant to ensure a business and wanting to stay under the radar. valuable, engaging Once he was given the award, with support from RISE and Spence, Gray reached a point of no turning back. and interactive presentation, “The award heightened my sense of urgency,” says Gray, whose heightened confidence gave him the final momentum he facilitated and needed. taught by a seasoned Currently, Aunt Bertha is available only to the city of Austin. However, the award has given Gray the opportunity to hire people entrepreneur on to aid in collecting data. By accelerating his pace, Aunt Bertha will soon be available throughout Texas, in every town and a specific theme every zip code. Gray continues to work with his nationwide model with the vision to expand Aunt Bertha to the rest of the or topic. Bertrand United States. For more information, visit auntbertha.com.

atxman.com 4 7

be bigger and better, with the ability to focus more on what’s important, such as building product, innovating new things and creating change,” Bertrand says, basing this on his own journey of creating and growing a business.

When Bertrand and Roy started their first business, they had a number of factors in their favor.

They were the right age and passionate about their pursuit.

They had a network of support to fundraise, lived in a city that was thriving and continues to grow in a country that fosters entrepreneurship.

This basic foundation, in addition to the Sosas’ desire to alleviate some of the struggle that goes along with entrepreneurship, was magnified and reproduced to start RISE, an event that people can easily access and get

bertrand sosa

government to create Global Entrepreneurship Week USA, it started a trend throughout the nation. Being inspired by this call to action from government to celebrate entrepreneurship week, the Sosa brothers began to envision what this could look like in Austin, ultimately wanting to exhibit a positive representation of entrepreneurship. “[Entrepreneurs] are the backbone of what makes this country great, and it’s very important to support them in every way we can,” says Claire England, interim executive director of RISE Global.

Wishing to honor entrepreneurship, the Sosa brothers realized they wanted more than a celebration. They wanted to give the community tools and advice that would have immeasurable value, something outside the box; not just a networking party or a conference where attendees hear one person speak and learn what they could have ascertained by reading their book. The Sosas knew from firsthand experience that there was already a lot of material out there to help entrepreneurs understand the principles and

4 8 ATX MAN spring 2012

building blocks of entrepreneurship, and decided to approach this challenge differently.

“It’s how the information is administered that is important,” Bertrand clarifies. “We wanted the information to be easy for participants to digest, making it fun, dynamic, interactive, where everybody has a role.”

Through RISE’s sessions, participants will learn how to negotiate with venture capitalists, how to pitch to venture capitalists and how to negotiate terms with a potential executive. They also learn how to raise money, put together a management team and build technology, as well as learning the importance of marketing, social media, business law, governance, technology, cloud computing and redundancies. With just one step in the wrong or right direction, there can be massive repercussions for a small business, especially when it’s extended out three or four years.

“If RISE can help someone navigate the woods and come out the other side with as few scratches as possible, then their impact has the potential to

excited about.

“This is the kind of concept that is so supportive of entrepreneurs and the community at large that it can work in any community,” England explains of RISE’s universality and its steady migration from an Austin-centered conference to a year-round international program dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs.

With New York being the first city RISE intends to expand to, there is no limit to the scope of RISE. The drive to push RISE to an international level is in line with the Sosas’ background and experience in the entrepreneurial world.

Born in Mexico City, the largest city in Mexico, and raised in Monterrey, the third-largest city in Mexico, Bertrand and Roy moved to the much smaller Austin during high school with their mother so she could go to medical school to pursue nursing.

“I knew after college that I was going to do something on my own. I was not going to be working for somebody else,” says Bertrand, who worked with Roy for MCI WorldCom, now Verizon, after

AUSTIN RISE WEEK 2012 March 26 – 30. For dates, times and more information: riseglobal.org.

Tracks Fashion and Beauty Food and Beverage Green Health and Fitness Music Entrepreneurship Restaurants and Food Trailers Slow Money Social Entrepreneurship Technology

Photos by Scott Van Osdol.

Women Entrepreneurship

Sessions

Events

Communicating, Connecting, Convincing: How to Pitch and Get Your Idea Across.

Hosted by Ron Hash, March 26 at 10 a.m.

RISE Kick-off Event with Keynote Speaker

Value of Public Relations for Small Businesses. Hosted by Lisa O’Neil, March 26 at noon.

Funding Forum

How to Get Funding for a Small Business or Nonprofit.

Hosted by Allen Rogers, March 27 at noon.

Launch Your Consumer Product in 90 Days With Less Risk. Hosted by Bryan Daigle, March 27 at 4 p.m.

Why and How to Build Your Website with WordPress. Hosted by Karen Kreps, March 28 at 2 p.m.

graduating from the University of Texas. It was his last job before the brothers started NetSpend, a payment company for prepaid debit cards available at Walgreen’s, H-E-B or CVS. Before starting NetSpend, the only significant players were the likes of MasterCard and Visa. After NetSpend, a flood of other competitors entered the space, making the payments industry a trillion-dollar market opportunity.

NetSpend opened the doors for the Sosas’ other payment companies: Mango, MPower and Rev WorldWide. Rev WorldWide services 20 million union workers in the United States who can get prepaid debit cards through their work, an alternative to a bank or other financial institutions.

Rev is currently servicing people and organizations in 12 countries and is continually expanding.

“We offer them things like savings, bill payments, money transfers, everything you would expect from a bank-account relationship,” Bertrand says of Rev. This amazing innovation that started from scratch can be attributed to just a few people believing in the brothers, giving them the $750 and, at the very core, the Sosas believing in themselves. The American dream has proven to be extremely real for Bertrand and Roy, who believe that anyone can accomplish their dreams. It’s about having a good idea, finding advocates and executing your plan. RISE was designed to help budding startup entrepreneurs do just that.

RISE is the glue that assembles the pieces of the entrepreneurial puzzle. It’s a space where people are united through inspiration, sharing information or just by being in a support group, connecting with others dealing with the same issues. The mistakes, failures and successes that are relayed throughout the week of RISE are extremely beneficial in tackling certain

Fast Pitch Competition Social Innovation Fast Pitch

RISE Awards Ceremony

Awards Best Entrepreneurial Story Best Social Entrepreneur Most Innovative Entrepreneur Best Serial Entrepreneur Best Entrepreneur (To nominate someone or yourself, email info@riseglobal.org.)

Royito’s Hot Sauce Don’t Do Mild Award

situations or avoiding them altogether. Whether you are a new entrepreneur or an old pro, the Sosas believe that anybody and everybody has something to offer.

RISE offers the opportunity to establish and expand an invaluable network and a wealth of information that will continue to exist beyond the conference. RISE has and will continue to evolve from, “an opportunity to share, to an opportunity to

collaborate and to learn on a more consistent basis,” Roy explains. By participating in RISE and joining forces with others, a business venture can become less ominous and more attainable while gaining support from the entrepreneurial community of Austin. Ultimately, RISE has become a brand that nurtures this spirit of entrepreneurship. Don’t miss your bootstrapping opportunity of a lifetime.

Robert johnson at his 2011 Keynote

atxman.com 4 9

[ the essentials ] style

lightly coated Shed that heavy winter wool while keeping things professional with lightweight sport coats and crisp white button-downs.

Photos by Caleb Kerr

1 Go for a tailored fit with a Vanishing Elephant navy blazer, $295, available at Stag, 423 S. Congress Ave., 512.373.7824. Keep things tailored underneath as well with this RRL oxford, $145, available at Stag, 423 S. Congress Ave., 512.373.7824.

0 Pop this Saks Fifth Avenue Men’s Collection blazer into your suitcase or carry-on for a sophisticated look on the go, $698, available at Saks Fifth Avenue, 9722 Great Hills Trail, 512.231.3700.

[ Enjoy the nice spring weather in a linen Martin Gordon sport coat, $295, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, 512.691.2500. Feel casual but still look polished in this Zachary Prell Farrell sport shirt, $175, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, 512.691.2500.

5 0 ATX MAN spring 2012

Keep things light and simple with this cotton Hugo Boss dress shirt, $90, available at Saks Fifth Avenue, 9722 Great Hills Trail, 512.231.3700.

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Dr. Robert Caridi of Westlake Plastic Surgery has vast experience with male chest contouring.

He understands those who are bothered by it.

For more information and to see before and after photos visit our website at:

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[ the essentials ] style

fit to be tied Build your wardrobe portfolio with these smart investment pieces.

Photo by Caleb Kerr

[From left] Calibrate silk gray tie, $59.90, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, 512.691.2500.

Hitsman striped tie, $78, available at Stag, 423 S. Congress Ave., 512.373.7824.

Hill Side striped twill tie, $86, available at Stag, 423 S. Congress Ave., 512.373.7824.

Public Opinion checkered tie, $25, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, 512.691.2500.

Hugo Boss tie, $95, available at Saks Fifth Avenue, 9722 Great Hills Trail, 512.231.3700.

Hugo Boss tie, $95, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, 512.691.2500.

5 2   ATX MAN spring 2012

Don't Miss the Spring 2012

Pecan Street Festival May 5th and 6th!

Celebrating 34 years of community in downtown Austin. EvEryonE is welcome!

This year's FesTival oFFers many new and exclusive aTTracTions wiTh: • More than 400 artisans and performing artists!

• Kid's activities, including an art tent, carnival rides, petting zoo and tons of live music • More than 20 food vendors with international, gourmet and healthy food choices

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[ the essentials ] Grooming

tame your mane Sculpt and finish your locks for a clean-cut look.

Tame unruly locks while adding volume to limp hair with this gel.

It’s also alcohol-, oil-, sulfate- and synthetic dye-free! Anthony Logistics for Men Hair Gel , $13, available at Beauty Store Salon & Spa, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., 512.458.4444.

If you’re looking for natural separation and textured hold, try this crème-paste combination.

Working it through wet or dry hair will also condition hair throughout the day. B for Men Pure Texture Molding Paste , $15, available at Tony & Guy, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, 512.327.2767.

Achieve the “undone ’do” with this grooming crème. It’ll give any type of hair that lived-in look. Bumble and Bumble Grooming Crème , $27, available at Luxe Apothetique, 11501 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 129, 512.346.8211.

Get sharp style minus the grease with this gel. A special formula helps eliminate flaking and drying.

Kiehl’s Clean-Hold Style Gel , $16, available at Saks Fifth Avenue, 9722 Great Hills Trail, 512.231.3700.

Create any style while adding thickness with grooming clay. Best of all, it adds hold without shine.

Aveda Men Pure-formance Grooming Clay, $22, available at Happy Salon, 1605 W. Sixth St., 512.236.9868.

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Before you build a style, start off with this invigorating shampoo and conditioner. They’ll lend a nice mint scent to your coif while leaving hair stronger and giving your scalp a tingling freshness.

Redken Mint Clean Invigorating Shampoo, $14, available at Tony & Guy, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, 512.327.2767.

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in the know

B health

playing good defense Everything you need to know about a vasectomy, including tips like making the most of your rebound by planning it during basketball season.

By Jill Case

Why the basketball terminology to describe a vasectomy? For one thing, according to Dr. Stephen Jones, a Cleveland Clinic urologist, there can be as much as a 50 percent spike in vasectomies during March Madness. Dr. Michael McClelland, a urologist at Urology Austin, thinks getting the operation during the tournament makes a lot of sense.

performed either in a physician’s office or a surgical center. Patients can usually return to work in two to three days.

You’re probably thinking that the words “vasectomy” and “happy” don’t seem to go together, but knowing that you are contributing to your relationship by providing a virtually foolproof form of birth control might make you happier in the long run.

Most doctors perform two types of vasectomies: the conventional type, and the no-scalpel technique. During a conventional vasectomy, the physician numbs the scrotum using a local anesthetic and then makes one or two small incisions in the scrotum. Then, the vas deferens is pulled out, cut and the ends are sealed. Finally, the incisions are stitched up with one or two dissolvable stitches. A no-scalpel vasectomy is conducted in the same manner, but instead of using a scalpel to make the cut, the physician uses a special instrument to make a small opening in the scrotum, proceeds in the same manner and there may or may not be a need for stitches. Dr. McClelland says patients don’t really notice the difference in the two techniques.

What to Expect

“In terms of pain and recovery, everyone does equally well, in my opinion,” he says.

First of all, a vasectomy is considered to be a permanent form of sterilization because it prevents you from releasing sperm when you ejaculate. Secondly, it is a relatively short operation (about 20 to 30 minutes) that is

Some men get pretty nervous about the needles used for the anesthesia. While some doctors use a new no-needle technique to numb the scrotum (this method uses a jet or pressure injector to

“If somebody [has the operation] on a Thursday, then he can sit around on a couch and watch basketball all weekend and usually be pretty happy,” he says.

deliver a spray of anesthetic), Dr. McClelland says the traditional method of delivering anesthesia with a needle is still most common and should not make men anxious. A substance is added to the syringe that cuts down on the burning, and the discomfort from the shot only lasts a couple seconds. Dr. McClelland encourages his patients to listen to music to help them relax during the procedure.

“The procedure itself should be relatively pain-free,” he says. “The psychological aspect of it for a lot of guys is the worst part of the whole procedure.”

As far as recovery goes, it shouldn’t be too painful or long. You should expect to have some swelling and bruising in the area of the surgery, and Dr. McClelland recommends bags of frozen peas be used as ice packs to reduce swelling and relieve discomfort. The bruising and swelling should only last about two weeks.

After the operation, you will need to limit your physical activity while you are healing. Dr. McClelland recommends “not lifting anything heavier than a remote control” for a week. Most men with desk jobs will be able to return to work

Myths about Vasectomies with Dr. Michael McClelland Myth: Vasectomies cause erectile dysfunction, or sex will never be the same after the operation.

Truth: The answer to these is everything goes back to the way it was beforehand. There are no long-term sexual side effects to it.

Myth: Vasectomies raise the risk of prostrate or other cancers.

Truth: There were some early studies that showed that prostate cancer may be increased, but that’s been refuted.

5 6 ATX MAN spring 2012

in two to three days, but men who have physical jobs involving lifting, or a lot of walking or driving will need to consult with their doctor as to when to return to work.

One very important thing to keep in mind during your recovery is that a vasectomy is not effective immediately. Men and their partners need to continue to use birth control until they have provided their doctor with (usually) two sperm-free ejaculations before they can be sure that they cannot impregnate a woman. This usually takes three months or longer (or about 15 to 20 ejaculations).

Making the Decision Since a vasectomy is a permanent form of birth control, men need to give the operation some serious thought before proceeding. While vasectomies can be reversed, this is not always successful, and the longer the time between your vasectomy and the attempted reversal, the less chance there is of a successful reversal of the operation. Dr. McClelland likes to have a pre-surgery consultation with his patients in which he discusses the risks and benefits of the surgery.

Presenting Sponsor:

No matter when you decide to schedule your vasectomy, you might just find that you are scoring more often when you take the burden of worrying about birth control away from the woman in your life.

“I strongly encourage [patients], if they are married or in a relationship, to talk to their spouse or their significant other to make sure that everybody’s on board with this,” he says. “I really like people to think about what I’m doing.”

you, but what if you don’t like basketball and the whole March Madness thing isn’t your cup of tea?

Don’t worry; Dr. McClelland suggests scheduling your operation during golf season instead. “[Scheduling] right around The Masters is pretty common too,” he says. “[Guys] will schedule the procedure on Thursday or Friday and sit around and watch golf all weekend.”

Another thing that men may want to consider is banking sperm before the operation. This can be a reassuring option for many men who may be concerned that their situation might change and they might want to father a child at a later date.

This is also something Dr. McClelland discusses with his patients.

Dr. Michael McClelland is a board certified urologist with Urology Austin. For more information, visit urologyaustin. com. For more information about vasectomies, visit urologyhealth.org.

“It’s not an inexpensive process, but it’s a nice insurance policy if somebody wants to have something available,” he says.

Now that you know the pros and cons, maybe you’re convinced that this is the birth control method for

15th Annual Heart Ball of Austin April 28, 2012 Hilton Austin, 500 East 4th St.

Join the American Heart Association for an evening celebrating another year of progress and innovation in the field of cardiovascular care, right here in Central Texas. Enjoy gourmet dinner and dancing, live and silent auctions and great live entertainment.

Premier Sponsors: Bill & Pat Munday

Featuring a special tribute to Kenneth I. Shine, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, The University of Texas System.

Live music by Court Yard Hounds, featuring Martie Maguire and Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks.

For sponsorship or event information, contact taylor.engel@heart.org or 512.338.2442 Or visit www.heart.org/austintxheartball atxman.com 5 7

in the know

B fitness

0 Standing skull crushers target your triceps, giving you great definition in your arms.

Start by bringing your knees together, creating a solid foundation. Start then by extending your arms straight in front of you and then bring the CoreBar to your forehead, keeping both arms at a 90-degree angle and then repeat.

Doing these standing up keeps resistance on your abs also.

making the entrepreneurial leap Ryan Nail launches BandGym.

By Ryan Nail, Photos by Rudy Arocha

W

hen creating the concept for the BandGym, my main focus was how I could change lives on an international level. The answer was to create my own line of fitness equipment. With each BandGym sold, you are not just buying another piece of equipment; you are getting Ryan Nail. My expertise and program are designed in each BandGym. I was able to do this by being immersed in the productdesign process, from the BandGym’s final prototype being built, to the music picked for the DVD that

5 8 ATX MAN spring 2012

comes with the product, which features more than 40 exercises.

The BandGym has different levels of resistance and is very easy to travel with, which is great for people on the go. The CoreBar gives the BandGym great versatility, and being able to use the ball grips apart from the door apparatus creates great strength for a dynamic workout that takes resistance training to a whole new level, blasting your core and ripping and toning your entire body.

I have learned so much about the process of taking an idea from concept to getting it shelf-ready. It has been a three-year process of development and a learning curve for me. Developing my own line of products has been my dream. It has only cost me everything.

You sacrifice relationships, friendships, your money, your life and you put it all on the line, and at the end of the day, that’s a scary thing to do, but at least you know you are in the game instead of being on the sidelines watching life pass you by. Isn’t that what life is about, though? When you look back at whether it is a success or a failure, at least you can say, “Yes, I did that. I went for it.” And then you can boldly state that you have no regrets—none—because you went for your dreams.

Everyone has a good idea, but few are willing to take it to the next level. So I’m here to tell you to go for it. Dig your heals down and make your dreams a reality because hard work pays off!

For more information, visit bandgym.com. B

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THE DOMAIN 11011 DOMAIN DRIVE | SUITE 124 AUSTIN, TEXAS | 78758 512-228-3428 | FIATofAustin.com ®2011 Chrysler Group LLC. FIAT is a registered trademark of Fiat Group Marketing & Corporate Communications SpA., used under license by Chrysler Group LLC. EPA estimated 30 CTY and 38 HWY. Actual mileage varies. Always use BLUE&ME in a safe manner, with eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times. ®FIAT FOR FORWARD CARE standard on all models. See dealer for a copy of the limited warranty.

The Nobelity Project Artists and Filmmakers Dinner 2012 Sunday, March 25th • Four Seasons Austin Honoring Blake Mycoskie founder of TOMS Shoes

Performances from Joe Ely, Charlie Sexton, Shawn Colvin, and New York City’s DJ Spooky with very special guests.

Every dinner guest is seated at a table with a Texas Star.

Ticket and Tables at www.nobelity.org.

Benefiting The Nobelity Project’s education programs at schools in the US and Kenya atxman.com 5 9

in the know

B fitness

0 Working out with the ball grips apart from the door apparatus is a great way to work your biceps with bicep curls. Once the foot loops are securely fastened to your feet, grab the ball grips in your palms, start with your arms extended down by your hips and keep your palms facing out. Finish by curling the resistance bands upward, aligning your palms with your shoulders, then repeat.

0 Holding the resistance bands at shoulder width gives great resistance when doing squats. It's like doing squats with a squat weight except easier on the joints.

Keep the ball grips at your shoulders and go into a squat. Go down until your hips align with your knees, then drive through your heels on the way up, keeping an inward curve with your back for spine support.

Stay at high repetitions of 25 or more.

0 Being able to create an ab workout with the resistance bands is a great way to burn out your abs quickly! In this picture, Diana is demonstrating BandGym leg-ups. Take the CoreBar and aim it toward your knees and stabilize your upper body into a held crunch position. Once this foundation is created, you can then go into leg-ups, targeting your lower abs, yet still working the upper body at the same time.

0 When attaching the resistance bands to your feet, the BandGym targets hard-to-reach areas like here, for example, working the glutes with leg kickbacks. Put your hands on the door and keep your toes flexed.

Keep your leg straight and drive your leg back, squeezing the glutes, and repeat.

For more information, visit bandgym.com

6 0   ATX MAN spring 2012

RYAN NAIL Owner, CoreFit Training traincorefit.com

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in the know

B family man

A Different Paternity Test The ups and downs of dad-preneurship.

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w w w .R h o a d t o B e a u t y .c o m

I can highly recommend parenthood.

Same for entrepreneurship. Mixing the two, well, that’s one complex bastard, so to speak, because no matter how many disclaimers you offer in the course of your dad-preneurship, sooner or later, you’ll get labeled “Parenting Expert.”

And that is just a plain unmitigated disaster.

About six or so years ago, I founded a company with a couple of other guys who sought to foster conversations about fatherhood, a role we felt had undergone significant change in a short period of time. The resulting enterprise, DadLabs, produces a slew of digital content on the subject of being a dad, with a focus on web video. But even a glancing encounter with one of the hundreds of videos or articles on our website will quickly convince you that you’re not dealing with traditional experts.

Even the back cover of our book, The DadLabs Guide to Fatherhood, Pregnancy and Year One proudly confesses, “We screwed up so you don’t have to.” I felt like the language there was pretty clear: we’re veterans, not experts. We might have a bit of experience in some matters of parenting, but mastery eludes us. I have an M.F.A., not a Ph.D., so my opinions are way more likely to be fabricated than researched.

Yet all attempts to divest myself of authority have done nothing to keep my wife from giving me that look. You’ve probably gotten a watered-down version of this look yourself when you venture an opinion at variance with your kid’s mom on a child-rearing issue. But that glare, no matter how baleful, just can’t compare to the instantly deflating “Well, excuse me, Professor DadLabs” look, a look that is closely related to the “Nice one, Captain DadLabs” frown I get when the school calls to inform us the credit card I gave them for lunch money has been declined.

Traveling for your parenthood-based business is always a nifty exercise in irony: "Honey, I have to leave town for a week to go talk about what it means to be a good dad right in the middle of exams and soccer playoffs, cool? Oh, and the conference is in

Vegas. So I’ll make sure to bring the kids back a handful of poker chips and a stack of those picture cards they hand out on the Strip. Okey dokey?"

My kids find my expert status to be either hilarious or mortifying. Hilarious every day except the day they find that I’ve dropped a casual reference to some personal peccadillo—my teenage son’s newfound affinity for Axe, for example—in to a widely circulated periodical found on racks outside restaurants popular with their peers.

Having a dad business is also to tempt fate (to taunt it, actually), to give destiny a big fat raspberry.

Karma almost demands that one of my kids or I, or all of us, end up on a blotter somewhere, mugshotted with a caption reading, “Expert parent and kids discovered smuggling tainted baby formula in precious religious relics while sniffing brake fluid.”

There is plenty of upside for the paternity-oriented entrepreneur, sadly, not always reflected on the P&L. It’s been my business to talk to a lot of smart people, actual experts, who have researched parents and kids. It’s been my business to be mindful of my own parenting while both off and on the clock. It’s been my business to laugh, along with others, at my own fitful struggle to be the best dad I can manage. Looking at the balance sheet, I’d have to say, complex or not, dad-preneurship is a good gig if you can get it.

Clay Nichols is co-founder and chief creative officer at dadlabs.com, the web's leading resource for all things dad. He is also an author, playwright, former teacher, husband and father of three living in Austin, TX.

Save the Date RISE Week Austin 2012 March 26-30 Sessions hosted daily, 8am-5:30pm Monday, March 26 Opening Keynote (evening)

Wednesday, March 28

Visit

www.riseglobal.org

to sign up and to learn about locations, times, and more details!

Fast Pitch Competition and Keynote (evening)

Thursday, March 29 Women’s Entrepreneur Panel (lunch) Social Innovation Keynote and Non-Profit Fast Pitch Competition (evening)

Friday, March 30 Closing Awards Bash (evening)

www.riseglobal.org

Sponsors

B finance

Charitable Donations for the Giving Man

>> Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, but it can also give you a current income-tax deduction, let you avoid capital gains tax and reduce the amount of taxes your estate may owe when you die.

six options for estate planning

6 4 ATX MAN spring 2012

to charity during a long period of time. A donor-advised fund actually refers to an account that is held within a charitable organization. The charitable organization is a separate legal entity, but your account is not; it is merely a component of the charitable organization that holds the account. Once you transfer assets to the account, the charitable organization becomes the legal owner of the assets and has ultimate control of them. You can only advise—not direct— the charitable organization on how your contributions will be distributed to other charities.

James w. Hamilton, III is a financial advisor in the private wealth management division at Morgan Keegan. In this capacity, he oversees the diverse needs of a select group of clients in a highly personalized manner, including wealth management, retirement planning and succession strategies.

He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in economics and organic agriculture. For more information, email jimmy.hamilton@morgankeegan.com.

winners losers *Data from Open of Business on 11/01/2011 to close 1/31/2012

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ticker name open close %Change (CNVO) Convio Inc. .................................................................9.30.........15.93...........71.29 (NTSP) Netspend Holdings...............................................5.51..........8.73............58.44

(CIA) Citizens Inc.................................................................. 7.55..........10.31...........36.56 (FOR) Forestar Group .....................................................12.27........15.92........... 29.75 (CRUS) Cirrus Logic...............................................................15.87........20.43...........28.73 (MGAM ) Multimedia Games Holding Company.....6.33.......... 7.53............. 18.96 (SWI) Solarwinds Inc....................................................... 27.93......... 31.61............ 13.18 (ACC) American Campus Communities ................38.03........42.80...........12.54 (DELL) Dell .................................................................................15.36........ 17.23............ 12.17 (WFM) Whole Foods Market ........................................70.00........74.03............ 5.76 (SLAB) Silicon Laboratories..........................................41.48........43.84............5.69 (NATI) National Instruments Corp. ........................25.74........26.91............4.55 (GOLF) Golfsmith International Holdings.........3.56..........3.66.............2.81

(TIN) Temple Inland Inc.................................................31.80........31.89..............28 (EZPW) EZCORP............................................................................26.80........26.82............. .07 (VLNC) Valence Technology............................................ .96............. .96..................0 (ACPW) Active Power............................................................... .90..............86............. -4.44 (PVSW) Pervasive Software .................................................6.08.......... 5.76............. -5.26 (LMNX) Luminex Corp............................................................21.07........ 19.70............ -6.50

Similar in some respects to a private foundation, a donoradvised fund offers an easier way for you to make a significant gift

swi

the austin index

Donor-Advised Fund

mgam

Another way for you to make charitable gifts is to create a charitable trust. You can name the charity as the sole beneficiary, or you can

A private family foundation is a separate legal entity that can endure for many generations after your death. You create the foundation then transfer assets to the foundation, which, in turn, makes grants to public charities. You and your descendants have complete control over which charities receive grants.

But, unless you can contribute enough capital to generate funds for grants, the costs and complexities of a private foundation may not be worth it. Tip: One rule of thumb is that you should be able to donate enough assets to generate at least $25,000 a year for grants.

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Charitable Trusts

Private Family Foundation

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These gifts are made by including a provision in your will or trust document, or by using a beneficiary designation form. The charity receives the gift at your death, at which time your estate can take the incomeand estate-tax deductions.

If you want your dollars to be spent on improving the quality of life in a particular community, consider giving to a community foundation.

Similar to a private foundation, a community foundation accepts donations from many sources, and is overseen by individuals familiar with the community’s particular needs and professionals skilled at running a charitable organization.

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Will or Trust Bequests and Beneficiary Designations

Community Foundation

name a non-charitable beneficiary as well, splitting the beneficial interest. (This is referred to as making a partial charitable gift.) The most common types of trusts used to make partial gifts to charity are the charitable lead trust and the charitable remainder trust.

ntsp

An outright gift is one that benefits the charity immediately and exclusively. With an outright gift, you get an immediate income- and gift-tax deduction. Tip: Make sure the charity is a qualified charity, according to the IRS. Get a written receipt or keep a bank record for any cash donations, and get a written receipt for any property other than money.

cnvo

Making Outright Gifts

dell

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atxman.com 6 5

in the know

B legal

Assessing Your Property Taxes Know the value of your property.

By John A. Hay III Tired of paying too much in property tax? Want to reduce your tax liability for 2011 and beyond?

Worried about taxes going up with the budget shortfall? Do not have the time or ability to fight them on your own? Do not know who to call and want to hire an expert to save money?

Everyone is excited about saving money, but some of the easiest ways are often overlooked. For homeowners and investors alike, your ad valorem, more commonly known as county property tax, is a great place to start. Because Texas does not have a state income tax, property tax is a huge revenue source for municipalities of all kinds. These include your local school district, county, water district and EMS districts, just to name a few.

The tax rate for each entity is a known quantity. It is the value of your property that sets the amount of money you pay in taxes each year. Therefore, reducing the value that the County Appraisal District places on your property is your avenue for reducing what you pay. It is important to understand the appraisal district places the value and the tax collector is who actually collects your money. Often, appraisal districts raise your value without specifically looking at your property, instead relying on blanket adjustments for neighborhoods or other mass adjustments. This can lead to inaccurate values, causing property owners to pay higher taxes than they should.

How Much Do I Have to Lower My Value to Save Money?

In a time when refinances are all the rage (as they should be, with historically low interest rates), you can achieve a similar savings through this process.

Take the following scenario of a homeowner living in a $200,000 house valued at $250,000 with an average tax rate of 2.25 percent. Their annual tax would be $5,625, or $468.75 on a monthly basis. If they were able to lower their taxes to the actual value of $200,000, their taxes would be reduced to $4,500, or $375 on a monthly basis. That is tremendous savings

6 6 ATX MAN spring 2012

that could be coupled with a refinance, or simply provide a savings for those who are unable to refinance. Just as importantly, that reduces the value from which the subsequent year’s taxes are calculated, thus, likely saving you money for years to come, as many are eligible for an annual cap on the increase in assessed value. What would you do with an extra $1,125 a year?

Unless you bought your home in the year it’s being assessed and that purchase price is lower than the rate at which you are being taxed, it is best to hire a professional to assist in this process. There are many companies in the Central Texas area that are available to serve as your representative during the process, which has specific date requirements to meet to successfully affect a protest. Each company has its

own process for collecting a fee: some charge a flat fee up front and some will take a percentage of your savings, while others blend the two. When you compare your options, be sure to understand the qualifications of each company, and more importantly, the individuals who will be working on your protest.

Many properties are overvalued and it is in your best interest to make certain that your assessment is fair, based on the current value of your property. Although the date varies from county to county, May 31 is the deadline for filing a protest for property taxes in Travis County.

John A. Hay III Founding and managing member of Hay Compere, PLLC, an Austin-based law firm offering a full range of real estate, construction, document preparation, general business and commercial litigation services, and also operates as a Fee Attorney Office for First American Title Company. haycompere.com • 512.467.6060

THE 9TH ANNUAL

JAMES STREET/MACK BROWN

GOLF SHOOT OUT BENEFITING THE RISE SCHOOL OF AUSTIN

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The Rise School of Austin provides the highest quality education for students 18 months to six years old focusing on laying a firm foundation so all students reach their full potential. At The Rise School, the success of each child is a commitment, not just a concept.

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For more information about The Rise School or the James Street\Mack Brown Golf Shoot Out, please contact Shannon Singleterry at 512.891.1682 or ssingleterry@riseschoolaustin.org.

BiG|idea day

For tickets and event information: www.bigidea-day.com www.bigaustin.org

“Small Businesses Count” Awards Luncheon & Business Plan Competition Friday, April 20, 2012, 11:00 am- 1:00 pm 10:30am Registration/BiGMarketplace at Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

“If 1 in 3 small Businesses in the United States hired an additional employee, the US would be at full employment” You can help “small businesses count” at BiGAUSTIN’s 12th annual Fundraising Awards Luncheon

WHERE A WINNING IDEA IS WORTH $10,000!

citi Title Sponsor

Linda Denny is President Emeritus of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the leading advocate for the advancement of woman-owned businesses as vendors and suppliers to multinational corporations and government agencies. Ms. Denny is the Marketing Communications Chair of the National Women’s History Museum, Board Member of the Boardroom Bound and a founding Board Member of the Association of Women’s Business Development Centers.

Keynote: Linda Denny

in the know

B opposite sex

manning up

the naked truth about what a woman wants.

By Michelle Valles Photo by Rudy Arocha

W

hat do women really want in a man?

You can pretty much find out just by asking about her male role models. For instance, my dad is a true old-school gentleman, tall, strong and handsome.

While he wasn’t rich, I never knew it. Growing up, he always carried cash, preferred quality products versus a bargain and was never cheap. If I invited my girlfriend somewhere, he taught me it was my responsibility to pay for her because that’s the proper thing to do when you invite someone. He carried a handkerchief in his back pocket, even if he was wearing his work clothes. He met my mom for lunch when he could, and every night he’d help in the kitchen and sometimes they’d talk for hours about their day.

The man had style too. He didn’t walk; he strolled.

He was always put together. In his eyes, no selfrespecting vato would dare wear shorts in public unless he was going swimming. He’s not stubborn.

He’s steadfast. He has gone to the same barber for decades, prefers a light aftershave and won’t use shampoo to wash his hair. Soap and water is all Dad needs. A total manly man in my eyes. You can tell I admire my dad. I am not alone. Most women will be attracted to traits they love in their dad.

For better or worse, times, styles and trends have changed. First off, let me start by saying I don’t find anything sexually attractive about the metrosexual.

The spring chickies in their early 20s probably disagree with me on this one. Ay pobrecita, mijas.

Don’t worry; they’ll grow up one day.

After conducting an unscientific poll in South and Central Austin gyms, bars and bathrooms stalls (basically I just asked all my hot girlfriends ages 25 to 60 what they want in a man), the general consensus was (drumroll please…): Women want a manly man!

Turns out, not much has changed after all.

“I want a real man,” my friend April says. “And by manly, I don’t mean some hairy beast that drinks beer all night long and burps in my face.”

Yes, uncivilized beasts do not attract April or most ladies I know who have some standards.

So what is a manly man? OK, let’s start with men

6 8 ATX MAN spring 2012

and skinny jeans. We can barely get in them, and seeing some guy who has a smaller butt than ours is not a turn on. He would probably be better off if we set him up with our good friend Rafael. There are some exceptions to the skinny jean rule: If you’re a sexy European man, or a musician and actually skinny, go for it. A major exception: It works if you look like Colin Farrell, Bradley Cooper or Ryan Reynolds.

While nothing is sexier than a man who knows who he is and what he wants, he must keep his paws off our magic creams. Use your own and yes, we know you’ve got some. That’s semi OK with some women,

as long as you don’t use more facial products than we do. I don’t care if you’re an “actor.” I find a few wrinkles around the eye to be very attractive. And don’t even think about Botox. You shouldn’t even know what that is. You should think Forest Gump is describing an ass when you hear that word.

Surprisingly, I did find that a lot of today’s women have no problem with their men wanting a manicure or pedicure. I agree. You better handle that hammertoe! I guess a little metro is better than gross toe nails.

I don’t know if I’ve lived in Austin way too long,

but it seems like the ’70s are coming back, and I personally find that to be totally groovy. The women I polled really dig it too. The longer, unkempt

clean them up a bit, especially if you have a unibrow.

But if you’re thinking of waxing them, um, OK, again, I think you’d really be interested in meeting Rafael.

While we are on to the naked truth, I have better things to think about than the boxers versus briefs debate, but I do want to say, as far as your undergarments are concerned, have a strict nothong policy. I experienced a man-thong incident in my 20s and it’s taken years of therapy to get past it. I struggle today with that vision.

Men, if she tries to get you to play dress up in her clothes, don’t do it. I’ll always remember what my older brother told me: “Sister, remember to always let a man feel like a man.” Sure thing, bro, as long as they don’t compete with me being a woman! Can I get an amen?

One more thing: If you’re obsessed with big muscles, tanning salons, slathering yourself in

I say leave the trimming up to her. However, the only reason any heterosexual man should ever be shaving his legs, chests or armpits is if he’s an Olympic swimmer.

haircuts, trimmed beards and, ahem, more natural way of being. Yes, I’m talking about what goes on below the equator. Trimming your body hair or the “Don King,” as my sister likes to call it, seems to be a controversial topic. I found no consensus with the women I polled. Totally different strokes for different folks, if you get me. I say leave the trimming up to her. However, the only reason any heterosexual man should ever be shaving his legs, chests or armpits is if he’s an Olympic swimmer. Oh, and as far as your eyebrows are concerned, yeah, it’s cool to

cologne and love wearing tight Ed Hardy shirts, just move to Jersey. I don’t want to see you around these parts.

Here’s the deal: I love real men. Honest, sincere, funny and direct. Be yourself, spend time pursuing your passion and support me in my pursuits. I don’t want to compete with you in the cosmetics section, mix up our jeans in the laundry or find you using my tweezers. I want to be embraced in your arms and hear about your day. Most importantly, ask me about mine when you are helping in the kitchen.

Here are my rules written in guy terms: Skinny jeans If you’re not skinny, your jeans shouldn’t be.

Veneers They better not look like chicklets you got in Mexico, and it helps if you’re an actor or a newsman.

Haircut Don Draper: Yes; Jim Morisson: Yes. Using lip balm Yes, but if you bought it at Sephora, it’s probably not balm.

Pedicure/manicure Totally appropriate and actually sexy in some cases.

Body hair Wolverine: Yes; Silver Surfer: No. Scarf/cufflinks Sexy and sophisticated!

Bright colored shirts Yes! But wear them with confidence.

Skincare/procedures Willie: Yes; Bruce Jenner: No.

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atxman.com 6 9

in the know

B single guy

five ways to create a miserable relationship

By Eric Leech Misery loves company, but nobody ever said good company couldn’t be found in misery, especially when we can learn from our mistakes.

Statistics show that many couples use poor techniques in their relationships, resulting in unpleasant outcomes. While a simple relationship may not always be simple to achieve, a miserable one can be quite easy to maintain if you focus on these five fatal traits.

1. argue like a badger

Badgers are very unforgiving creatures with one rule to live by. It’s either their way or the highway, and if you have any argument with that, they will persuade you otherwise through unpleasant consequences, otherwise known as scratching and clawing until you agree they’re right. Humans have a very similar technique when trying to change each other’s behavior consisting of using the phrase “you,” instead of “I,” as in, “You are to blame for this,” and “You’re the reason everything is wrong with my life.”

Other popular strategies and sure ways to guarantee a miserable relationship include refusing to listen, resisting asking questions when you don’t understand, attacking with sarcasm and verbal abuse, and ending every argument on a negative note. Your goal is to win every argument and never consider or compromise any reasonable requests offered by your spouse or partner. Winning every argument leaves behind a sticky residue on a relationship, almost guaranteeing hard feelings and misery the next time a conflict arises.

2. Guide Your Partner via Negative Reinforcement Many counselors claim that positive reinforcement is the best way to lead a partner by example, but those looking for a miserable existence will prefer guiding their relationships via negative reinforcement. Where positive

7 0 ATX MAN spring 2012

reinforcement teaches spouses the advantage and benefits of certain behaviors, negative reinforcement teaches fear, guilt and anxiety by nagging until they can’t stand to hear your voice anymore.

What this achieves is a very temporary change in

behavior, focused on merely achieving momentary peace and quiet. In time, this antagonistic behavioral learning technique creates a wedge between couples.

Instead of embracing positive change for the better, as positive learning is known to achieve, a spouse will become

only motivated by the reward of avoiding their partner altogether.

3. Pursue Happiness as if it Were On Sale at Wal-Mart While some fools might tell you happiness comes from our own purpose and happy thoughts, miserable couples understand that happiness can be bought just as easily as respect, admiration and faith.

Research suggests that true happiness would never be as sweet without the occasional sadness, but miserable couples know true happiness comes from achieving a perfect life, complete with the perfect wife and mostly perfect husband.

While we may only be able to control up to 42 percent of our happiness by choosing to focus on the good things, we can guarantee 100 percent misery by choosing to concentrate on the bad.

There are at least three levels of joy, all of which require money, including food, sex and fancy cars. Through our envy of other people’s stuff, we can finally forget about such needless blessings as love, health, family and friends. We will be devoured by your own selfish thoughts, forgetting that failure is not a learning experience, but rather an invitation to disappointment.

4. Let Go of Your Curiosities Miserable couples know that curiosity killed the cat, so they choose to be unenthusiastic about their own lives, the life of their partners and the world around them.

Whatever they knew about themselves or their partner probably still stands true today, so they allow themselves to become bored and disinterested. Despite what you may have heard, what

makes a happy relationship thrive is not passion, love, creative intimacy, surprise or the belief that your partner is truly interested in you.

It’s Your Life LIVE VIGOROUSLY!

Some psychologists say you can secure the likelihood of having a miserable marriage simply by creating a lack of curiosity in your relationship.

To accomplish this, avoid talking with your partner about your goals, dreams and aspirations.

Become a poor teammate in everything from work to social activities. Your goal should be to resist cooperation and compromise, choosing instead to seek a negative, prejudiced and judgmental viewpoint. Your favorite comment to all who ask inquisitive questions is, “I don’t know!”

5. Seek Excitement, Anxiety and Jealousy in All Your Relationships People are drawn to excitement in life. It is one of the fundamental reasons for finding and maintaining new relationships whenever you start to become too comfortable in your existing ones.

Boredom is the enemy of relationships for miserable couples, because they understand that behind all the dull, tedious repetition lies comfort, predictability, stability, support and faithfulness.

Studies show biologically, as time goes on, the opium-like injections of oxytocin in the brain subside, the butterflies that used to flutter now seek shelter in a dormant cocoon, and the sexual attraction we used to feel becomes challenged by a simple piece of chocolate. Multiple marriages and affairs can satisfy this urge for excitement, guaranteeing a life of endless anxiety, obsessiveness, risky sex and jealousy. Boring couples who live the daily grind of a mature relationship only have honesty, security, trust and intimacy to look forward to.

What is Misery?

There have been several schmucks as of recent years running around telling people that we don’t have to live with a miserable relationship. They say that we can make them what we want, just as long as we take the time to understand each other and work together toward our goals. One thing we do know is each of us has the capacity to make almost any situation miserable. What is misery?

It’s only a word.

Happy relationships come about not by how they are dealt, but how we choose to decipher their challenge and turmoil. Through mistakes come knowledge; misunderstandings breed perception.

Take everything that has been said in this article as a reminder that we have more control of our relationships than most of us realize.

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The Last Word by roy spence

entrepreneurship: The miracle of america

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or just a moment, I want to share with you a dream, not mine but the American dream. In America, when we are at our best, it does not matter what your last name is or what situation you were born in to. Here, if you can dream it, then you can build it. This is the Miracle of America. If America is to get moving again—and that includes Texas—we must have a rebirth of that miracle. And there is no place on earth better to re-launch the Miracle of America than in the entrepreneurial heart of America: Austin, TX. All we hear from most of our elected officials is the political debate about whether to cut and save or spend and stimulate. And the truth is neither road will create the jobs and economic prosperity to move America from status quo to status go. The only path forward is to create our way in to growth, jobs and prosperity. And who are those creators, dreamers, builders and architects of our future? Those people always have been and always will be the young and young at heart: entrepreneurs, the men and women who seek meaning and purpose in their lives through what they build and create from scratch. In the process of creating meaning and purpose for themselves, the good ones (the purpose-inspired entrepreneurs) create good jobs, momentum and meaning for others and for America herself.

7 2 ATX MAN spring 2012

Where do entrepreneurs flourish? In communities whose culture is forever young. In communities where the mantra is “You can do it.” In communities that have a spirit that lifts the dreamers up, champions and encourages them. In communities where the society is open and people live by the belief that no one is too good and everyone is good enough. In communities where pride lay not just in what we have done, but rather what we are going to do next. The engine of growth in those communities is fueled by talent, tolerance and technology. And most importantly, it flourishes in communities where the core attitude about life itself is full of optimism and determination, in communities inspired by the ideal that yes, “If you can dream it, you can build it.”

So where is that ideal community for the next generation of entrepreneurs? The ideal place for those who are going to jump off the building and build the wings on the way down so that America can soar again? Yep, it’s right here in the Live Music Capital of the World, the home of the Longhorn Nation and the Idea City of America. The city that is forever young: Austin, TX. So here is my ask of you. The next time you drive

by a mobile vendor who has started his or her business in an Airstream or food trailer, turn around and go buy a taco/pizza/sandwich/juice and thank them for being a part of the Miracle of America. The next time you read about a new start-up, email the hopeful owner and encourage them to never give up on their dreams. The next time you have a visit with your daughter/son/sister/brother/friend and they start to tell you what they would love to do with their life, encourage them to do it. Mostly, if you have a dream of making a living doing what you love to do and if you are like so many of us, that dream is only a whisper, because we tend to drown it out with the stuff of our daily lives, go to a quiet place and listen to that whisper in your heart. For that whisper of, “I don’t want to work for anybody anymore. I want to follow my purpose and passion in life,” is the whisper of America’s calling, the whisper that is the soul of the Miracle of America.

As Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.”

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