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5.
The Power of Heart-Set – The fabric
of Geekdom is more than a mind-set.
It’s a “heart-set” that grants members
permission to take risks and to fail.
We believe that all entrepreneurs
must work through problems to arrive
at the right solutions.
Now, the organization draws over 1,600
members who are spread throughout a
40,000-square foot facility over eight
floors, working collaborative with
Geekdom’s 150 supporting mentors.
Members engage in events like content
clinics, mixer nights, “Fermented Fridays”
beer bashes, and even the occasional yoga
class. There are also more intensive
special events that take place, like
Geekdom Mentor Week, Start-Up
Weekend, and a Students + Start-Ups
college internship program. Start-Up
Weekend is a 54-hour event held in
collaboration with Techstars, which brings
LIVING THE SERVICE MANTRA
together designers, entrepreneurs, and
other experts to grow and nurture their
ideas.
Interestingly, the Weston Centre, which
first housed Geekdom, has a long and
illustrious history. First, as Rackspace’s
original home, and later as the birthplace
of a small company you may have heard of
called YouTube, which famously called
one night during our early days, asking for
overnight installation of 10 new servers for
its fledgling business.
I also participate in organized
philanthropy through my other area of
focus: the 80/20 Foundation, which is
helping our city develop into the type of
livable city that most young entrepreneurs
tend to gravitate toward. The foundation
name draws from the Pareto Principle—or
80/20 rule—wherein we try to identify and
invest in the 20 percent of nonprofits that
19
will drive 80 percent of San Antonio’s
transformation into the next hub of
entrepreneurship. The tools we use to drive
toward our goal are mentoring, support
services, networking, and financial and
human capital.
My purpose here is not to boast of my
accomplishments but to pave the way for
other successful entrepreneurs to build
structures that will allow us, as a nation, to
grow the next generation of leaders that
can help us solve problems and move
technology forward. By giving back in
such a direct and meaningful way, not only
have I found self-fulfillment but I have also
enjoyed immersing myself in an
ultracreative environment day-in and
day-out. Whether you are a budding
entrepreneur, seasoned leader, or just a
creative thinker, take stock of how you can
contribute to today’s sharing economy and
join the party.
Graham Weston is a prominent figure in San Antonio business and real estate circles. He is owner of Weston Properties, with its flagship
Weston Centre the premier office space in San Antonio since 1992.
He also co-founded Weston Urban, which is focused on redevelopment of commercial properties in downtown San Antonio, and committed
to forging a district dedicated to residential living and entrepreneurial activity in the downtown area. Weston Urban has acquired the Rand
Building on Houston Street, which now houses Geekdom, and several other historic downtown buildings, including the landmark Milam
Building on Travis Street, which will be converted to an apartment tower with ground level office and retail tenants.
He is perhaps best known for his role providing seed capital and later management expertise to the startup tech company, Rackspace, where
he was chief executive officer until 2006, when he became chairman. As a managed hosting company, it grew rapidly in the early 2000s,
and under his guidance, went public in 2008, trading on the New York Stock Exchange before going private in 2016, when Apollo Global
Management purchased the company.
Rackspace’s success brought with it a number of initiatives designed to attract more technology investment and job opportunities in San
Antonio. Graham Weston established Geekdom in 2011 to accelerate the tech startup community in San Antonio and provided much needed
workspace and a collaborative environment for young entrepreneurs. Today it has 1,500 members.
He stayed focused on technology through the years and founded the Open Cloud Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio, an
initiative to develop degree programs in cloud computing and big data. He has also established the Open Cloud Academy, which is approved
by the Texas Workforce Commission. The Academy is a full-time, nine-week, cyber-security boot camp in San Antonio where students
are able to achieve industry-recognized certifications and gain hands-on experience. The goal is to develop technical talent and enhance
technical career opportunities in Texas.
Graham Weston has been broadly recognized for his contributions to the business community in San Antonio as well as for his role in city
planning endeavors as a tri-chair on Mayor Castro’s SA2020 committee. He was inducted into the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame in 2011
and has been recognized several times as a distinguished entrepreneur by various organizations. He was commended by the City of San
Antonio for his role creating shelters to help victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He served on the board of regents at Texas Lutheran
University and is currently a board member at Frost. He earned a BS from Texas A&M University.
grahamweston.com