Greenville GROK
GROK is About People
GROK is a gathering of creative people who want to connect with their peers and discuss the most pressing issues of our day. It’s a call to Greenville, SC for everyone who is tired of events where attendees sit for hours at a time and listen to speakers on stage. It’s an event for active learning and sharing. The term Grok comes from a book by Robert Heinlein, where a human raised on Mars returns to Earth and teaches empathy and humanity. At GROK, every voice truly matters. Instead of listening to speakers, GROK is built around group discussions called 10/20s.
10/20s
10/20s are mediated discussions between about a dozen participants. Any participant in a 10/20 can propose a topic for discussion. You can talk about software, your work environment, your personal challenges – anything that’s on your mind.
After 10 minutes of conversation, the session leader can choose to close the topic and ask for another. If the conversation is particularly interesting, the session leader can extend the clock for another 10 minutes, hence the name, “10/20s.”
Who Attends GROK?
Everyone is welcome at GROK. Most of the attendees are creative professionals - designers, developers, writers, artists, architects, etc. They are freelancers, employees, students, and CEOs. The magic happens because there are so many diverse perspectives in every conversation. We bring in some of the best designers and thinkers in the industry to mediate the 10/20s, so they infuse the discussions with their experience and insight. Whether you're just starting out or internet famous, you can learn a lot from the people you meet at GROK.
"Grok flips the whole thing on its head: yes, there are a few presentations, but conversation is the attraction. That format completely overcomes the common complaint that "we could have just seen that presentation at home"."
LogosCreative.com/grok14
"Grok was just awesome. I’m inspired and excited about my work and its potential - but that’s normal for right after a conference. Grok is different because it offers information in the context of relationships. I’ve learned real lessons from real people, and these are lessons (and people) I can go back to again and again."
Matt McManus
"A group may consist of a designer, an entrepreneur, an architect, the CEO of a relatively large successful corporation, and a freelancer trying to decide if she should learn HTML and leave Photoshop behind. No one person has the stage. Everyone's attention is on the person who happens to be speaking."
Colin Devroe
Tickets: $250
Get yours nowThe Speakers
We've brought in a handful of awesome speakers to provide some keynote presentations.
Aaron Draplin
Draplin Design
@draplin
Raised in the Michigan Northwoods, schooled at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and currently hunkered down in the mighty Pacific Northwest, the Draplin Design Co. proudly rolls up its sleeves on a number of projects related to the Print, Identity, Web Development, Illustration and Gocco Muscle categories.
Carl Smith
nGen Works
@carlsmith
Owner and founder of nGen Works, Carl’s role is that of an advisor, to nGen and other companies, on how to create self-sustaining teams that perform at the highest levels.
Dr. Paul Roof
Holy City Beard & Mustache Society
Paul Roof is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Charleston Southern University and specializes in urban studies and popular culture. In 2007, while teaching at the College of Charleston, Paul founded the Holy City Beard & Mustache Society. This American Beardsman has had recent beard contest victories and has been featured on Buzzfeed, GQ Magazine, UK Telegraph, Reader’s Digest and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!.
Moldover
Musician
@moldover
If technology and music are your life, brace yourself- MOLDOVER is about to reformat your soul. Hailed as "The Godfather of Controllerism", Moldover is a new breed of music icon. Combining the charisma of a rock star, the mad genius of a basement inventor, and the radical inclusiveness of the DIY internet generation, Moldover is "throwing away the rule book and reinventing the wheel" (Remix Magazine). Pick up and play the "LIGHT THEREMIN" packaging of his debut album and understand why the next paradigm for music is a one-man-brand called Moldover.
Schedule
GROK is centered around the people. Most of the time is dedicated to 10/20s. We also have awesome keynote speakers to get the ball rolling, and a full day of 10 minute show and tell presentations on Demo Day. Three jam-packed days of fun with designers, developers, thinkers, good conversation and beer! GROK takes place at the Huguenot Mill and at The Iron Yard's HQ both in Downtown Greenville. Besides the scheduled events, we have some awesome side projects in the works. Previous years have had cooking classes, laser tag, beer brewing classes, and kickball. This year will be just as awesome.
Wednesday @ Huguenot Mill
9:00 AM
Opening Remarks
The Iron Yard Crew
9:30 AM
Morning Keynote
Carl Smith
10:30 AM
10/20s
Groups switch each hour
12:30 PM
Lunch
Provided by somebody great
1:30 PM
10/20s
Groups switch each hour
6:30 PM
Opening Night Meetup
Location TBD
Thursday @ Huguenot Mill
9:00 AM
Morning Keynote
Aaron Draplin
10:00 AM
10/20s
Groups switch each hour
12:00 PM
Lunch
Provided by somebody great
1:00 PM
10/20s
Groups switch each hour
4:00 PM
Evening Keynote
Moldover
6:30 PM
Mid Event Meetup
Location TBD
Friday @ The Iron Yard HQ
9:00 AM
Morning Keynote
Dr. Paul Roof
10:00 AM
Demo Day Talks
10 minute Show & Tell talks
12:00 PM
Lunch
Provided by somebody great
1:00 PM
Demo Day Talks
10 minute Show & Tell talks
6:00 PM
After Party
Location TBD
Thanks to our Sponsors
These sponsors help to make GROK awesome. We use and love these products. Please take a moment to check them out.
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