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Dr. Gordon Jones
Evangelizes the Sport of Pickleball, AI in Sports, Blockchain for Decentralization
Professional Background
Dr. Gordon Jones is a distinguished leader in the intersection of technology, healthcare, and athletics. Currently serving as the chief AI guru at Picklezone, an innovative esports and technology platform centered around pickleball, he plays a crucial role in augmenting the gaming experience for enthusiasts. His work emphasizes the integration of advanced technologies including blockchain and artificial intelligence, creating a unique Social-Fi + Game-Fi environment where players not only enjoy the game but also enhance their skills while creating monetization avenues. In addition, Dr. Jones holds a certification as a USAP/PPR Pickleball Coach, actively participating in the development of high school pickleball clubs and leagues, and leveraging AI technology to uncover athletic potential at an early stage.
With a career spanning over 35 years, Dr. Jones has established himself as a prominent philanthropist, investor, mentor, and author, all while fostering a spirit of community and social impact through various initiatives. He is also recognized as a certified blockchain expert, having completed the esteemed Draper University Startup Hero Program. As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of South Carolina, he plays an instrumental role in shaping the next generation of professionals by teaching blockchain and data privacy courses.
Education and Achievements
Dr. Gordon Jones's academic journey is marked by resilience and dedication. After earning his Bachelor's Degrees in Business Administration from The Citadel and in International Studies with a focus on China from the University of South Carolina, he pursued further education in Health Administration at the Medical University of South Carolina. His doctoral research addressed the critical adoption of internet-based tools in healthcare, exploring enhancements in communication and access to medical services.
Dr. Jones's involvement at the University of South Carolina extends beyond teaching; he is a Fellow within the iSchool and mentors aspiring professionals through the College of Information and Communications. His contributions to the field of information sciences and blockchain are recognized nationwide, reflecting his commitment to education and innovation.
In his notable athletic career, Dr. Jones has showcased exceptional talent across various sports. He was part of a state champion soccer team, a triathlete, and a member of the US Men’s Masters Beach Ultimate Team, where he contributed to winning both Silver and Gold medals at the World Championships in 2004 and 2007 respectively. Dr. Jones remains active in sports like golf and pickleball, earning his certification as a coach to nurture upcoming athletes.
Philanthropic Endeavors
Aside from his professional achievements, Dr. Jones is devoted to philanthropy. Together with his wife, Dr. Jennifer Jones, they have opened their hearts and home, adopting five special children. They founded ApparoAcademy.org, a nonprofit preschool designed for medically fragile children. This unique institution employs an innovative, integrated, and inclusive educational model that prepares students for transitions into K-12 education, helping to ensure that all children receive the support they need to thrive.
As a passionate biohacker, Dr. Jones focuses on enhancing healthspan and longevity through natural organic foods and exercise, emphasizing a holistic approach to wellness. His expertise in nutrigenomics and cellular health further augments his philosophy of well-being and vitality for himself and those around him.
Achievements
- Chief AI Guru at Picklezone, enhancing the pickleball experience through technology.
- USAP/PPR Certified Pickleball Coach, contributing to the growth of high school leagues and discovering athlete talent.
- Extensive 35-year career as a founder, mentor, author, and philanthropist.
- Fellow and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of South Carolina, teaching crucial subjects in blockchain and data privacy.
- Member of the US Men’s Masters Beach Ultimate Team with notable achievements in international championships.
Summary
Dr. Gordon Jones is not just an accomplished professional; he is a dedicated advocate for education and social change. His multifaceted career encompasses various roles in education, technology, healthcare, and philanthropy, making him a well-rounded individual committed to improving lives through innovation and community service. In an era where technology shapes our future, Dr. Jones embodies the potential to harness these tools for positive impact, both in sports and beyond.
Highlights
Typical AT&T #BS
This Spring AT&T laid #Fiber in our neighborhood (what a mess that was) and I decided to switch from Comcast (Xfinity) to get the higher speeds at a lower price. Of course, later I get a call from AT&T - Get Wireless Now to move my cell services as well.
While I did get a military discount on my wireless, I didn't really get much else. We went through the 2-hour ordeal to move from T-Mobile just last week. Then today, I got this email telling me that, because I am an AT&T Fiber customer, if I move my cell service to AT&T, THEY WILL GIVE ME AN IPHONE 14 w/o having to trade in my iPhone 11 (which I want to keep).
So, I called them to get the deal.
First, the AT&T Fiber would not give me the deal because we had already switched, but they said to call 611 and chat with AT&T Wireless which I did. After about an hour of the rep taking me through the whole process and saying I could get the iPhone 14 by only upgrading my phone number to a 36 month contract; I said cool, let's do it! We got everything set up. They were going to charge me $5.98 a month for the phone, a $35 upgrade fee, and $58 in sales tax. That would all total $300.40 for me to get a new iPhone 14 - that's a deal!
After everything was set to trigger, the rep says, "Oh, I have to ask an account specialists to finalize the deal." Guess what, she came back, saying that my account was "TOO NEW" to get the iPhone.
That is stupid because AT&T Fiber's deal was for getting a new AT&T wireless line - so wouldn't the fact that I have just set up 3 new lines with them suffice better?
I hung up! I have no new iPhone 14! I am now pissed at AT&T at nearly the level of Comcast!
Jeez...
BTW, Stuart Dunleavy, Jessica S., Mitch Farber, and Heather L. Marissa Mayer, Sam jackson, Donald Hester et al at AT&T. I know it's no real big deal, but I do have 32,000+ followers on LinkedIn, another 5,500 reading my LI Newletter, 47,619 readers of my regular newsletter, and 4,500 followers on Meta Facebook - now all reading the facts about the typical "rule" scheme you're playing trying to get people to call so you can upsell them while not taking care of your newest customers only a week after buying.
Apparo Academy teachers, therapist, staff, and nursing teams are all preparing for the summer of session tomorrow. If you want to have your preK educated in such a loving and caring environment, learn more at apparoacademy.org #makingchildrenready #theraputiceducation #summer
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Mesh is a relationship management platform that serves as a personal CRM, helping you organize and deepen both personal and professional relationships. It functions as a beautiful rolodex and CRM available on iPhone, Mac, Windows, and web, built automatically to help manage your network efficiently. Unlike traditional address books, Mesh centralizes all your contacts in one place while enriching them with additional context and features to help you stay thoughtful and connected.
Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
- Comprehensive Contact Management: Automatically collects contact data and enriches profiles to keep them up-to-date
- Network Strength: Visualizes the strength of your relationships relative to others in your network
- Timeline: Shows your relationship history with each contact
- Smart Search: Allows you to search using natural language like "People I know at the NYT" or "Designers I've met in London"
- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
- Home Feed: Displays updates about your network including job changes, news mentions, and birthdays
- Groups: Organizes contacts into meaningful categories
- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus primarily on sales pipelines and business relationships, Mesh is a "home for your people," attempting to carve out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. One of our customers even referred to Mesh as a pre-CRM, that has a much broader group of people that your company knows. Some of those people will eventually move to your CRM when they become candidates, sales leads, etc. Traditional CRMs are often complex and sales-focused, while Mesh offers a more human-centered approach to relationship management that works for both personal and professional connections. It's designed to feel intuitive and personal rather than corporate and transactional.
Mesh takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Mesh encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Mesh work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Mesh is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Mesh is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Mesh is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Mesh offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Mesh offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Mesh for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Mesh accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Mesh offers extensive integration capabilities. Mesh introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Mesh supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Mesh also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
Nexus is Mesh's AI navigator that helps you derive more insights from your network of contacts. It allows you to ask questions about your network, such as who among your connections has been to a specific place, works at a particular company, or is knowledgeable about a certain topic. Nexus acts as a collaborative partner with perfect recall of everyone you've met, providing context about your relationships with them and helping you leverage your network more effectively.
Mesh makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Mesh's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
Mesh isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Mesh instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Mesh is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Mesh can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
Mesh is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Mesh's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Mesh has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Mesh a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Mesh's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Mesh's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Mesh has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Mesh's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Mesh as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Mesh eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.