Who is Joe Kjar?

Google Partners YouTube Immersion Day - Toronto - 14 April 2015

Let me avoid waxing poetic here and give you some straight up facts about who I am and why I am so excited about this site. I grew up just outside the US capitol surrounded by exciting people, high competition, and impossible expectations. The oldest son of five kids, I watched my dad leave the security of a 4-year degree to sell computer software for WordPerfect to government agencies like NASA. He has always been an example of taking calculated risks and pushing technology forward.

I grew up surrounded by technology. I was only seven when my dad brought home two old computers from the office. WordPerfect had lost the battle for desktop supremacy to a Mr. Bill Gates, and my dad's office was cleaning out old equipment. I remember booting both computers up so that I could play two games at the same time. Remember processors at that time were slow enough that you had time to play a whole different game waiting for a new level to load. I was never a complete technology geek. I was never the kid to build a computer on my own - but I sure loved pulling technology apart and seeing the amazing innovations.

When I was a High School Freshman my parents sprung an idea on the family. "How about a move to Idaho," they asked. We did not know what to expect - but adventure is in my family's DNA - so we made the move. I met some of the most determined, humble and innovative people living in Boise, but I also ran across a fatal flaw that has stuck with me for the last fifteen years. I found that Boise, and have since realized the same is true in most communities across America, had an unfounded bias against improving life through technology.

We live in the greatest country in the whole world. I really believe that. The birthplace of the car, the Internet, Google, and Facebook is indeed a land of innovation. But we are not moving fast enough. Amazing concepts like AirBNB, Uber, self-driving cars, drones, GoogleGlass, tiny-homes, and smart home automation are frightening, causing legislation and public opinion to turn against amazing progressive steps that could change the world. Education and calculated risks are the keys to pulling ourselves out of today and into tomorrow.