Walk with me for a moment into California’s employment future, following a path I took on a recent afternoon.
We start at my law firm, Sedgwick LLP, headquartered at 333 Bush, on Bush near Montgomery in the center of San Francisco’s financial district. We walk down Montgomery Street to Market, passing the high rises that house San Francisco’s traditional economy of finance, law, real estate and professional services.
As we cross over Market at Second Street, there is no signpost announcing the emerging internet economy, but we have entered it. Wherever we turn are young women and men, most in their twenties and thirties, who are involved in an internet start-up or pursuing an idea for an internet start-up.
Many of these start-ups involve the consumer economy: selling goods or services in different ways on the internet, or establishing platforms for consumers to share information or recommendations. Others involve using the internet technology on new approaches to social issues: financing micro businesses, improved linking of patients and health care professionals, better use of alternative energy sources.
At 58 Second Street we stop to see Jeremy Wallenberg, executive director of sf.citi, the industry group of over 600 internet firms assembled by Ron Conway. Jeremy is involved in several internet projects, including a real time parking program for the Warriors Arena, and a series of high school tech academies.
Proceeding down Second toward Howard Street, we run into Chris Correa, a denizen of the internet economy, who is heading back to his nearby office. Chris is one of California’s experts in advertising on the internet, and the migration of advertising from traditional media.
Then it’s on to 589 Howard, the offices of FWD.us. Joe Green and Manny Yekutiel of FWD.us currently are laser-focused on the immigration debate . But Joe also has pioneered several internet enterprises, using the internet and social media to market small businesses as well as nonprofits and political movements.
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