I would like to re-introduce myself. My name is Ryan Havers. My background is in audio, music and broadcast radio. I worked at SiriusXM for 22 years, first as a broadcast engineer, working my way up to managing a 24/7 broadcast operation with a team of 8. I wore many hats (PM, tech, systems admin, etc) since I had quite a bit of institutional knowledge. I weathered many changes within the company (merger with XM, onboarding of Howard Stern, streaming, video, acquisitions…)
I made the decision to leave the company in January of 2024 because I needed to cool the engines and spend time with my family (my kids are growing up waaaay too fast lol). Since then, I’ve taken on artistic projects, mixing recorded/live music and theater tech work. It’s made me realize just how much I like A/V multimedia projects.
I’m currently getting certified in Dante and will probably move on to Avixa certs after that. I’d love to be a part of a team who builds immersive multimedia experiences.
If you know of any companies in the Hudson Valley who is looking for a tech or PM in the world of A/V, please send them my way. Thank you!
Ryan
A bit about me professionally (formerly design at Instagram, Coinbase, etc) I’m also an avid musician, car and watch enthusiast. Let’s hang out 😊
The next meetup will be on February 12 in Kingston at the Senate Garage — mark your calendars!
And: if you took any good pictures or videos last night, post them here!
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Another big thanks to Quantious for sponsoring ConnectHV this week! Quantious (founded by @lisa) is an award-winning marketing agency that works with companies like Meta, Google, Akamai, Adobe, and Microsoft — all while being based in the Hudson Valley 🎉
In their own words:
> A two-time Inc. 5000 honoree, local agency Quantious empowers creative minds—designers, marketers, developers, and more—to deliver their best work with less stress. Whether it’s bridging gaps, managing execution, or tackling big ideas, Quantious has your back.
>
> Learn more at Quantious.com and see how they help you shine!
Thank you!
I've built an Unsplash-like interface so anyone can browse, search, and filter the drone footage I've been shooting for ConnectHV marketing & b-roll. It's all licensed under CC0, so use it for whatever you like, no permission or attribution required. Have at it!
https://connecthv.com/drone-footage
https://deadline.com/2024/12/spencer-grammer-ajay-naidu-pilot-books-1236241012/
This is in very early stages and we're excited to have a resource like HV for support! We have a loose (and small) but strong network already of designers, real estate developers, operators, enthusiasts, investors, and 100+ responses to our interest survey already. Help us grow all of it!
Please reach out to join the network and/or fill out the survey below:
https://tinyurl.com/3n76hktx
My wife Katie (Chief Growth Officer at The Farmer's Dog) and I have lived in Newburgh since 2019, Brooklyn/Manhattan for 15+ years before that. We ran a marketing agency together from 2010-2015, and created the Digital Marketing course for General Assembly along the way. We have a 4yo son Forest and a 1.5yo daughter Genevieve. ❤️
My strengths are Growth, Product & Ops, in that order. I'd say I'm 60/40 B2C > B2B, but I've done it all including many deals with large enterprises. I love helping entrepreneurs grow, and I especially enjoy helping people avoid the same mistakes I've made (there are many).
More details on what I'm working on soon, as my hope is to be useful to as many of you as possible. Until then, thanks so much to @Jordan Koschei (ConnectHV), @clarissa.deng and @Eliza Edge for the warm welcome to the community so far, and I look forward to connecting with more of you soon and throughout the year.
If interested in chatting about anything at all, please just DM me to discuss.
Wishing you all the best 2025. :)
Take care,
Matthew
I’m Trevor, a photog/videographer and licensed drone operator. Excited to start the new year and meet more creatives and clients in the area! I’ve done some work for restaurants, vineyards, event spaces, weddings, real estate, personal shoots and more!
You can check out my website here nyaerialmedia.com
Best of luck to all of you growing your business and network in the new year!
If you have any questions please let me know!
Capitalregionadfed.com/addys
If you're interested in showing off your project or company on social media, fill out this Google Form! https://forms.gle/QveFx2BSnRMfYvbf7
IP, COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK CONSULTANT
Hello everyone,
My HV-based startup is growing, and we are in need of assistance trademarking and copyrighting our various IP property in preparation for the expansion of our brand. Our operating team currently consists solely of myself and my partner (we are the founders and owner-operators) and we don’t currently have the time to take this project on ourselves. We are looking for someone who would be interested in a full or partial equity trade. Our business has been operational for 6 months and we are post-revenue. We operate in a very demanding industry, and I’ll be happy to give all relevant details to those who may be interested and suited to the opportunity.
To learn more, please reach out to me directly via DM with a little bit of info about yourself and we’ll start the conversation & talk more details!
Thank you!
Skyla Schreter
Hi Hudson Valley Connect crew:
🙏 An ask to my network: I’m conducting some very interesting customer research for one of my clients in the banking / payments industry and need help finding research participants.
:magright: I’m looking to conduct 1-hr 1:1 virtual interviews with startups and small business leaders who are either the decision maker, or closely influence the decision, on which bank your company uses. These folks should be close to the money management of your business, what tools the company uses, etc. The respondents must be from startups and small businesses operating in the US. :us:
😃 :facewithopeneyesandhandovermouth: :facewithsymbolsonmouth: We will discuss:
- which bank/s you chose, and why;
- your experiences using that bank - the good, the bad, the ugly;
- what’s important to you on integration with other financial, accounting and payments tools you use.
🤐 The interview will be kept confidential inside the company and only used to help inform roadmap and product decisions.
:heavydollarsign: :stopwatch: You will be compensated $150 for your time.
If you’re interested, or know others who might be, please get in touch! You can DM me here on Slack and we'll move it to email if there is a good fit! 🙏
Make sure you RSVP!
https://connecthv.com/events
I think one of the biggest hurdles is that for all of Meta's faults, which are innumerable, their platforms are still pretty good for local discovery. Groups and Marketplace are the only good things about Facebook, and Instagram has sort of become the de facto public bulletin board.
Is there anyone here who would be interested in working on spinning up a Hudson Valley Pixelfed server (essentially a federated Instagram clone) and coming up with a strategy to recruit local businesses and municipalities to begin using it?
We're talking about it over in the Hudson Valley Meet Discord, and I think it really has legs, but would require a concerted effort to get it off the ground.
Cheers!
Matthew
If you're so inclined, I would looooove to be nominated, for I am vain and think that winning a Chronogrammie would be amazing. Add your vote here! https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/awards/Page#/gallery/473367876
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Big thanks to ProProject Bookkeeping (@darell) for sponsoring ConnectHV this week! In her own words:
Hey! I’m Darell—Brooklyn born, Yonkers-based, and passionate about helping businesses thrive. 8 years ago, I launched ProProject Bookkeeping to bring clarity and confidence to entrepreneurs like you.
I know that juggling creative projects and financial tasks can feel overwhelming. That’s why I focus on making bookkeeping simple and stress-free. Whether you’re a creative director or small business owner, I’m here to handle the numbers so you can focus on your passion and build the business of your dreams. Learn more www.proprojectbooks.com & @proprojectbooks
We want to do something similar for the February meetup! I'm looking for a handful of businesses who'd be interested in providing some kind of discount or offer that we could include for the first 100-150 people who come... things like "10% off your first [insert service here]" or "buy 3, get 1 free". Something that'll help get people to your business, while also making everyone who attends the event feel like they got something valuable and tangible there.
If you're interested in participating, or have something else you'd like to offer, DM me. It'll be a good opportunity to get your business in front of a wide cross-section of the community while also helping us provide something nice for everyone who attends.
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Another big thanks to ProProject Bookkeeping (@darell) for sponsoring ConnectHV this week! Check out this message including a generous offer for our community:
Hi again, it’s Darell! I know how hard it can be to juggle your creative work with managing the numbers. As a bookkeeper specializing in creative businesses, I’ve seen how much easier things get when you have a little guidance.
That’s why I’m excited to share 5 Golden Rules to Get Your Books Ready for a Pro. This guide breaks down simple, actionable steps to help you organize your info and prepare to work with a bookkeeper. — Hand off the stress and focus on what you love. Download @ https://proprojectbooks.com/connect
I'm Kayiu and I'm an experience designer. My husband and I are in Pleasant Valley with our 8mo baby. There's a <#C074EGLM5FG|> channel you can check out!
We're hoping to attend one of the meetups soon too! (baby bedtime and sleeping schedule makes going out challenging!)
First up is, Marketing Plan Essentials if you don't have a marketing plan or are overwhelmed with putting one together this class is for you! It will get you started with an easy-to-complete marketing plan. Not only am I offering classes, but I’m also offering intensives (the week after the class) to workshop your marketing plan for your business.
All classes are online (it's cold out there!) and are held Thursdays, 6pm -8pm
Current Class Offerings:
Marketing Plan Essentials, 2/6
Branding Basics, 2/20
Stress-Less Social Media, 3/6
Marketing Beyond Social Media, 2/20
Best part- they’re only $34 each!
Head over to https://mapsolutionsgroup.com/classes to learn more and to register.
Questions: <mailto:[email protected]|[email protected]>