The "More Tags" Update

Hey! I just launched the first update of 2023 on ConnectHV.com, with two big changes:
- Lots more tags for your user profile and business page, so you can be reallllly specific about what you do.
- Mobile map of the Hudson Valley, so you can explore people and places nearby from your phone.
There's way more coming in the next few weeks. If you haven't signed up yet, go to ConnectHV.com and create your profile!
What can you do to help?
ConnectHV is still in the very early stages, and right now, our priority should be to build a community. Let's get lots of Hudson Valley creatives and small businesses using it. The power and vibrancy of a network comes from how many connections exist on it.
So please: sign up, create a profile, and send me feedback! If you own a small business, add a page for that business. And tell me what isn't working for you!
A personal note on building ConnectHV
If you're reading this, there's a good chance we've met — the Hudson Valley creative scene is close-knit, and I've been here for a long time. If we haven't met: hi! My name is Jordan, I live in Poughkeepsie, and I am obnoxiously enthusiastic about the Hudson Valley.
I want to start sharing more about what problem ConnectHV is solving and why I think it's worth solving. The TL;DR is:
- The Hudson Valley has incredible creative energy.
- The creative scene here is spread out, so pockets of creativity might never intersect.
- To foster serendipitous connections, we need additional infrastructure to connect those pockets of creativity.
- Since the HV is geographically decentralized, we need a geographically decentralized solution. That means digital.
- The Hudson Valley deserves better than the halfhearted solutions that already exist.
I've written a lot about this topic in the past, which you can read more of below:
- Digital Terroir | Talk given at CatskillsConf 2018
- The Hudson Valley is not "the next Silicon Valley" | Poughkeepsie Journal
- What I Hope for the Future of the Hudson Valley Tech Scene | Blog post