Reading list – Q4 2017

by Alex Patton | Jan 11, 2018 | Ozean Media

I was asked yesterday “Whatcha reading?”

Here is the 2017 Q4 Reading list:

• Principles by Ray Dalio- GREAT business/life book.   I wish I would have read it before I ever started any businesses.
• The Drunkard’s Walk by Leonard Mlodinow – A look at how randomness, probabilities, and uncertainty affect our lives.
• How Not to Be Wrong:  The Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordan Ellenberg – A dense read about math, decision making, and thinking.  I need to re-read this one, but I enjoyed the challenge and the writing.   Been chewing on the concepts for weeks.
• On Writing by Stephen King – part autobiography, part how to write, part how to edit (with examples), part how to structure your work, and part screed against adverbs.  At times, hilarious.  Easy read, enjoyed very much.
• Rat F**ked by David Daley – about the most political process known to politics: the process of drawing political districts.   Remember:  one party’s map is another party’s gerrymander.
• Slingshot: The Defeat of Eric Cantor by Lauren Cohen Bell and David Elliot Meyer- a deep dive into the Cantor defeat/Brat win.  Short, accessible, and must read for political nerds.
• Break Your Invisible Chains: Own The Power Of Your Story by Brandon Telg,  Jaron Jones,‎ Carly Barnes – local Gainesville authors about storytelling.  Offers writing prompts on how to tell your story and the importance of stories.

Book Awards:

Most Enjoyable Read:  On Writing

Read that has stayed with me for weeks:  How Not to Be Wrong

Need to Read Again:  How Not to Be Wrong

Most relevant to political nerds – Slingshot

Book(s) I wished I read much sooner: TIE:  Principles / How Not to be Wrong

Best Title:  Rat F**ked

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What is an Ozean?

by Alex Patton | Oct 26, 2017 | Ozean Media

A long time ago, we were going to change the world.  We decided we had enough of that stuffy corporate world with its salary, benefits, and ample cash flow.  We thought we had a good business plan, we thought we had completed the research – and we jumped.  We started our own company, and damn it we were going to change the world.  

Now, what to call this company?

Our brainstorming led us to German words.

The two founders of the company had strong ties to Germany – specifically Heidelberg, Germany.  Alex Patton, Ozean’s co-founder, attended high school in Heidelberg (go lions!), and Ozean’s other founder was born in Heidelberg.

As a side note, Heidelberg, Germany is beautiful, and you should visit!

Ahh…inspiration was taking over.

Several rounds of brainstorming later, we came across “Ozean”.  Ozean made PERFECT sense to us.

“Ozean” is the German word for “Ocean.”  O•ze•an, pronounced Ozean! 

THEN inspiration met cockiness – we were going to change the world by “making waves”….

BOOM!  A company was named, a logo made complete with waves, and a brand birthed.

Fast forward years later, and I still get asked: “What is an Ozean?”, “How in the world did you come up with that name?”, “Can you spell that?”

At times, I wondered if we should have just named the company “AAAA Communications” and been done with it.

It begs the questions, “Do you name a company for personal reasons, name it for your potential customers, or does it really matter?”

In this case, every time I am asked, I explain the origin story.  I would like to think it is somewhat memorable.

Regardless of whether it is memorable or not, the name is meaningful to us.

I’d like to believe we have matured from “making waves” to “Navigating to Victory – even the hard ones” but that evolution story is for another day!

Well, now you know….the origins Ozean. – a name inspired by Heidelberg, Germany, and cockiness (maybe naiveté).

PS.  You really should plan a trip to Heidelberg, you’ll thank us!