Austin, TX
Michael Dell takes stage at SXSW 2024 to talk about failure, AI, Austin, UT and more
Michael Dell, founder of Round Rock-based Dell Technologies, views himself as technology optimist, and has had a front row seat to technology changes for the past 40 years since founding his company.
“It’s all just the preview for what’s to come,” Michael Dell said. “When I think about the future role that technology will play in the world, I think about the incredible innovations that we’re already starting to see in healthcare driven by technology … there’s never been a better time to be alive.”
During South by Southwest, he said these hopeful views also extend to Central Texas.
“My optimism is not just about technology. Technology has played a major role in all the great things that have happened in the world and certainly here in Central Texas,” he said.
Dell Technologies is one of the largest private employers in Central Texas, and employs 133,000 worldwide, including 13,000 in the Austin-area. The company saw a strong pandemic-era boom as people shifted to working from home and the company saw demand for its personal computers and other products boom. But it did cut 5% of its employees in 2023 to prepare for an expected economic downturn.
The founder and CEO spoke about his company, his thoughts on entrepreneurship, business, risk-taking and Austin in a Thursday South by Southwest session with Austin-based analyst Patrick Moorhead, of Moor Insights and Strategies.
Failure is a part of learning
Michael Dell founded the company when he was a freshman at the University of Texas, and said it was these early days where he learned about the importance of developing a team.
“You’ve got to surround yourself with great people, stay curious, always be learning,” he said. “We learned that integrity, reputation are the most valuable things and took a long, long time to build up and it’s really easy to destroy.”
He described being fortunate to be able to get a lot of people to join him “on this great adventure” and that Austin turned out to be a great place to attract people to.
Failing and making mistakes is a part of the learning process, he said, and it’s important to be agile and flexible. He said that at Dell Technologies it’s okay to make mistakes as long as the same mistakes aren’t being made twice. He views it better to try 10 things and get six right, than to try five and get all five right.
“Nobody has the right answer,” Dell said. “You’ve got to go figure it out.”
Michael Dell says artificial intelligence development is enormous
“It’s amazing to see the rapid pace of innovation and what’s going on,” Micheal Dell said, adding that technology comes in waves, but this one seems “bigger, more important and more significant.”
He said technology has always been a part of “enabling human potential,” and while he’s optimistic about AI, he acknowledged it will be hard for regulators to imagine how fast the technology is evolving.
“(AI development has) got to be done in a thoughtful way and reflect our humanity and I believe it’s going to be enormous,” Michael Dell said.
Moorhead also said AI is going to transform businesses.
“The last big opportunity out there was the Internet,” Moorhead said. “We’re at the beginning of a transition that’s not only going to make a lot of waves in the tech industry but also with people and corporations.”
On taking Dell Technologies private
Michael Dell, who founded Dell Technologies in 1984 and took the company public in 1988, took the company private in 2013 before returning to the public market in 2018. In the session, he said the time period that Dell Technologies was a private company brought a lot of challenges, but ultimately helped bring the company to its latest chapter. He added, public investors don’t really like volatility, so going private was a way to accelerate the company’s transformation.
“We’re in an industry where the pace of change is only going to accelerate,” Dell said. “It’s a ‘make quick change or die’ kind of industry and major transformations involve financial volatility.”
Austin then and now
Dell said he has had a front seat to watching Central Texas grow over the past several decades, and while it has grown significantly, the region has a great combination of innovative businesses and universities that make businesses of all sizes thrive.
“I believe that entrepreneurs go where their ideas flourish and are welcomed. Capitol goes where there’s opportunity, and extreme wealth,” Michael Dell said. “Turns out Texas is a great place for that … It’s been fun playing a part in that.”
Michael Dell said Austin’s natural beauty, balance between growth, development, mobility and all the things that make Austin special, will continue to help the city remain a great place full of opportunities.
“I’m bullish on Austin and Texas,” Dell said.
The importance of universities ‘can’t be overstated’
During his session, Dell emphasized the role the University of Texas plays in making Austin’s innovation scene and companies such as Dell Technologies possible, and said higher education institutes bring incredible resources.
“The importance of the University of Texas and the other universities in Texas, really can’t be overstated,” Dell said. “If you find great companies, there’s always a great university nearby. There’s no place in the world where that doesn’t exist.”
Advice for a nine-year-old
Michael Dell also answered a question about life advice from perhaps the youngest audience member, a 9-year-old.
“Learn as much as you can. Dream big. Have as many experiences and learnings as you possibly can, prepare yourself for the future,” Michael Dell said. “Find something you’re interested in and curious about exploring, and hopefully parents will let you do it.”
AUSTIN, Texas – Central Texans gather to celebrate Juneteenth or “Freedom Day” on June 19 and commemorate the end of slavery.
What you can do:
The Greater East Austin Youth Association (GEAYA) is hosting the Central Texas Juneteenth Parade and Festival today (6/19).
It’s free and taking place at Rosewood Park in East Austin located at 2300 Rosewood Ave.
The schedule for the events is as follows:
- ACME Juneteenth FunRun – 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Juneteenth Historical Parade – 10 AM – 12 PM
- Park Celebration and Fireworks – 12 PM – 9:45 PM
Other events
On June 20, the Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition will be taking place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center located at 1165 Angelina Street.
It will be a day of celebration and remembrance and there will be BBQ plates and music as well as vendors and hands-on activations.
The backstory:
Juneteenth commemorates the end of formal slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and more than one month following the end of the American Civil War.
Colloquially known as “The Black 4th of July,” Juneteenth marks the beginning of an African American journey to carve a new place in society for free people to shape identities independent of racial caricature, eradicate slave culture, promote ethnic pride, and create economic prosperity.
The Source: Information from City of Austin and Greater East Austin Youth Association and reporting by Jessica Rivera.
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.
Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That
When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.
“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”
Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.
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