A little before 9am this morning, I had a great conversation with a PCB Designer in Ireland while also talking to a designer in Georgia.  No, I wasn’t in Ireland or Georgia, and no it wasn’t over the phone.  Instead we typed back and forth in a private chat, courtesy UP Media’s Virtual PCB show currently underway. Virtual Trade Shows are rising in popularity and I fully expect to see them more often in the future.  But as with anything, there are benefits and drawbacks depending on your role and …

A few weeks ago Morgan and I were doing a client visit, and had set up a table in the cafeteria of a large customer during lunchtime. It was a great opportunity for those who we currently work with to come and say hi, and also for co-workers to have an opportunity to learn about our services. We had a great time, and there was a lot of interest and great dialogue for the three hours we were there.
There was a particular moment, however, which really encouraged me …

It has been interesting to read both the 2009 “end of the year recaps” and the 2010 predictions for the printed circuit board (PCB) industry as we have drawn close to the New Year.  Most have been quite comprehensive and informative, yet I hope to add value by also providing some impressions, critiques and praises.  Many refer to me as the fresh, young kid… and so it is my hope that I can provide a unique and valuable perspective.
The year 2009 has been an intense crash-course and immersion into the …

Last week I had the valuable opportunity to speak at the PCB Atlanta show put on by UP Media in Alpharetta, GA.  The show is designed to serve professionals within the PCB industry by offering technical seminars for further education and by allowing pertinent companies to exhibit in a table-top format.  The show went very well, and I will be writing more about my experience there in the coming few days.
Below is the media portion of my presentation.  It gives a very general outline of the topics I covered and …

by Liam Morris
I have been blessed with the opportunity to speak during the afternoon sessions at PCB Atlanta on October 22.  UP Media has always been very kind to us and have now provided me with this opportunity.
The seminar I will be teaching will be on the topic of marketing yourself using the social media and online tools that are currently available online.  Below is the abstract I submitted when I approached them with the idea.
Are you trying to find a way to stand out among the crowd?  The field …

HotPCB is being represented at the Cirexx Booth (2246) at IMS 2009.  Be sure to stop by!  We would love to meet with you and explore content creation partnerships, meet designers who wish to be featured, and learn more about what’s going on in the industry.
Liam’s Cell: (413) 824-1987
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This is an article designed to be a guide for how to maximize your time at a trade show.  Read the Introductory article here. Since IMS 2009 (International Microwave Symposium) is the next significant conference I will be a part of, it will be the example used throughout these short articles.
For the attendee, there are three distinct aspects of the Symposium that ought to be taken advantage of.  The first is Networking, the second Vendor Qualification, and the third Education.   This first short installment is designed to give you some …

This coming June 7-12 is the International Microwave symposium and Radio & Wireless Symposium in Boston.  A large number of exhibitors will be present and it promises to be a great chance to interact with hundreds of vendors and professionals.  It is likely that I will attend and the hope is to take advantage of the Symposium in the fullest.  In response to my reflection on PCB East, Don Lafferty made a few excellent points concerning the history of trade shows within this industry and the failure of many to …

Windows up and Radio off, I made my way towards Waltham, MA this past Wednesday morning.  Silently I attempted to prepare myself for my first trade show.  This was my first opportunity to represent my company face-to-face with potential and current customers.  Having never been to a show, I was unsure what to expect.  Although anxious, there was no fear – just uninformed anticipation for a long day ahead.
It was instantly clear that although competitive, most vendors shared a sense of camaraderie, and were open to talking with me and …

Just as a boy becomes a man when he picks up his first BB Gun, so too have I entered the EMS Industry with the arrival of my first trade magazine addressed to my name.  Of course, I live by the motto of “go big or go home” and so it was only fitting that two would arrive, and that they would be the extent of today’s mail.
A little over a  month ago I applied for membership with IEEE and joined a variety of societies pertaining to my line of …