-
Frebbys Revisited: Irma L. Olguin, Jr.
If you haven’t met “Irms” yet, you’re probably not around The Hashtag or Twitter into the wee hours of the morning (it’s nice to know you’re not the only person up working at that time!). After winning one of the first Frebby Awards in 2010, this young woman has been going nonstop with new ventures, projects, and even cool ways of giving back. She continues to be the epitome of the kind of person who doesn’t just have good ideas; she acts on her idea and makes them happen. She connected a group of people doing amazing things through her creation of 59 Days of Code, an application-writing competition that is now in it’s third year.
Though our Frebbys team would love to take credit for foreshadowing so many incredible new projects and people coming into the local spotlight over the past few years, we’re starting to realize that these winners have simply always been winners, with or without the Frebbys. Now we’re just glad to be a part of it.
-Alisa
Frebby Winner 2010
Category: Connection
Project: 59DaysofCode
What’s the latest news or progress with your Frebby-winning project?
59DaysOfCode is about to have its 3rd showcase (this Saturday, at the Holiday Inn in downtown Fresno). It’s the largest yet with 33 projects competing. 59DaysOfCode started with an idea and has grown to become the largest tech event in our area. In addition to the projects that compete, we’re also the go-to place for headhunting and networking in the industry. Technologists and entrepreneurs come to check out the competitors and connect! Pretty neat how that happened!
What else have you been working on?
I started a new company called Edit with two partners, and we should be launching our product by the end of this year. Stay tuned for more on that. Some friends and I are also launching Hashtag Academy, a place for local pros to teach small groups real-world and interesting stuff. Our first course is an Intro to Web Programming series, but we’ve got things in the works to do with Photography Staging That Isn’t Awkward, Editing Video for the Web and Talking to the Media. We’re looking for people who want to teach in addition to people who want to learn. As a project of The Hashtag, our goal is to maintain the collaborative element. Our pilot course starts July 21st.
Who’s doing Frebby-worthy things on the web right now?
I hate to call out specific names, but I would watch out for Ventata.com and CityRemi. Both 59DaysOfCode projects (no, I’m not a judge, so this won’t help them), and useful and local!
Does your Frebby have a nickname?
HeavyD
What are three alternate uses for a Frebby?
- I use mine as a stopper when I don’t want my dog to push the door open.
- The top is very sharp, I’ve used it to open a box in a pinch.
- Sometimes I like to see what I can stuff into the hole in the middle. Just for funnsies.
