like a month, tops. oh boy. wi-fi fast enough for the whole family is simple, easy, awesome. in many cultures, young men would stay with their families until their 40's. good morning. coming up on msnbc's "your business," in the tech world filled by new products and fresh faces, this boomer remains relevant. these innovators created a new kind of silk that will change the apparel market. and this owner stays current and profitable by capitalizing on e youtube. we have your back. that's coming up next on "your business."

msnbc "your business" is sponsored by american express. don't do business without it. "your business" is sponsored by american express. don't do business without it. hi, everyone, i'm j.j. ramberg. welcome to "your business," the show dedicated to helping your growing business. age is a mind set. my dad is 82 and goes to work every single day. he could retire, but he doesn't want to. he loves work, finds it interesting and is curious about new things. i believe that's what it takes to stay in the game. this year, at the consumer electronics show, we met a woman in the tech industry for 40 years. she spends her days surrounded by people decades younger, she's

figured out how to stay relevant after peers left the field. >> okay. good morning. >> robin loves technology. >> that is so crazy. >> and she's been part of it since before the internet. she runs living times, a company focused on tech. we met up at the conference in new orleans. i wanted to follow robin around to check out the latest start ups and get a peek at the future trends in the industry, all through her eyes. >> i'm going to try her cell phone. i can't reach her on the phone, so, let's see if she's over there. >> right away, she headed to these padded privacy booths, designed by room.

>> hi. you are martin. martin. >> nice to meet you. >> tina and ryan. from boston? >> the company is called room. this is our first product. >> the tech industry has become more diverse. i certainly see more women here than at other conferences, the majority of attendees are male and white. i hardly saw anyone in their mid-60s, like robin. as we walk around here, i don't see anyone that looks like you. do you notice that, too? >> only when i look in the mirror. no. i try not to notice. if i walk up to them, i get that reaction like what do you now about ai or data base. do i consider myself to be old? i do. i do. i definitely look my age. i walk up to a booth and i can see in their eyes, they are thinking, oh, my god, this

lady -- >> in an industry dominated by young people, i wanted to find out how she keeps herself relevant. >> i have 60 seconds to win them over. it's this constant need to win their approval. you have to have the self-confidence. >> right. >> like when you are 20 and you walk into a room and there are important people and you have no confidence, a lot of it is a woman thing. when you are older, also, you lose the self-confidence. >> when you get to a certain age, you have to prove yourself even more. the flip side of it, as i get older, i'm more opinionuated. i will skim 100 brags about the industry. mostly, i'm looking for new ideas, a new way of doing things. what is the next big thing? that excites me about shows like this where you can see the next generation of talent. they are talented. >> robin is not part of this

next generation, but she's got a successful playbook for keeping up with them. >> you built the website and the data base? >> it starts with staying on top of technology. >> press that there. >> so, you have to keep trying new tech, even if you screw it up. you own up to it. you do, you see the humorous side of it, you know? 32 hands. okay. if the screen -- >> smile, look at the camera. three, two, one -- perfect. >> i think humor is effective because it's an ice breaker. it makes people feel comfortable and that you are genuine. if you can inject humor and a smile, they change immediately. their attitude about the difference in age evaporates. >> another key is avoiding things that exaggerate the generation gap. >> you don't want bias in your

logo. how do you combat that? >> in general, i haven't hit as much bias in terms of myself as a female provider. i became a professional when people were bias. >> don't bring up the good ole days. nobody wants to hear how great things were when pc magazine was this big. it's time to move on. in general, you just don't want to live in the past. >> and, with 40 years under her belt, robin has real value to add. >> i can walk down the line, tell you who will succeed and who won't succeed. to i have to get past the appearance thing. so many of these kids are my comrades. i try to mentor the ones i can. this is me. >> thank you. >> i'm very interested, but i have to move on. >> this is my card.

this is the company card. thank you. >> i will talk to you. the number one thing is, are you a keeper. in other words, are you here today and gone tomorrow? after watching technology for umpteen million years, i have a good nose for that. i can walk through a show and say this is a really clever idea and star power. >> armed with context and a mind full of new ideas, she made her way through the rest of the conference without me. it was a busy afternoon. for her, just another day in the life. >> my husband says to me, when do you think you'll retire? i said, i don't know, i'm having so much fun. i feel lucky to have been part of all this. i guess i'll retire when i don't feel so lucky anymore. two innovators in a silicon valley are taking a queue and attempting to create ultra

strong spider silk. it could change everything you wear. we paid him a visit. >> reporter: it's the stuff of blockbusters. but, in silicon valley, artificial spider webs aren't just for superheroes. >> we had an idea what spiders do is cool and we could copy it. >> reporter: the co-founders dan and david, figured out how to spin faux silk. >> these threads are stronger than steel. nearly as strong as -- >> producing a web of opportunities from fashion -- and it's silk? >> it's silk. >> reporter: to the front lines. >> it's for things that don't melt. >> reporter: reengineering mother nature's work took years of redevelopment.

bolt discovered that brewing was the way to go, as in brewing beer. what, exactly, are you making here? >> this is yeast that are making spider silks. pumping bits of sugar into it, yeast eat it, produce cells and silk. it's like a shower head. liquid shoots out, then they turn into a solid, like spaghetti. >> reporter: in march, they released their first product, a spider silk tie. >> we launched a number to show this technology can work. >> this was grown in a fermenter, spun into fibers. >> $300 for the tie. bolt hopes to spin the silk soon. what's the point for a shopper to splurge a little more? why not continue on the path of getting a bargain, going with

fast fashion? >> a lot of consumers are going to continue to go with fast fags. things that start today, are new technology and material. it may be a thing you find in fast fashion tomorrow. we move from cutting edge technology to old school. we went down to visit someone who runs an accordion store. he's been smart about it. he uses the internet and youtube. he's used that instrument to be hip again. a packed house at open mike night at a restaurant in nearby philadelphia. instead of tuning a guitar or running through vocal scales these performers are making sure their accordions are ready for their moment in the spotlight. the accordion? it's an old-school sound that is finding a modern audience thanks to michael, founder of liberty

bellows. >> i was going to take a 19th century craft and bring it to the new millennium. >> in high school, he discovered his dad's accordion in the attic and fell in love. as you imagine, finding support wasn't that easy. there were not many other enthusiasts around. >> hard to get anyone information. i realized early on, there's not a lot of accordion players out there. there probably would be if they were easier to find and more resources out there. >> that thought stuck with him. when he returned to philadelphia to go to business school, he launched a small side business. >> i started earning money on the side by teaching and doing basic repairs than starting a small inventory. next thing you know, i had a big business and demand. less supply of people doing it. a lot of people that didn't know

about accordion or retiring. >> so much demand, he opened a store in 2009, which he grew out of three years later. today, he has three stories of old accordions, new accordions, repairs, lessons. if you care about it, this is your happy place. this is true for people who previously had nowhere to send their instruments when they needed tender loving care. >> over time, we found as we built up a reputation, we were good at repairing things. >> that got celebrities coming by. >> bruce springstein's accordion player got a couple from us. >> michael has his sights set high. it's what liberty bellows is doing online getting international attention. they post videos of all their instruments on youtube. >> instead of one viral video, a lot of small ones and push

content out. since then, 3,000 videos and millions of hits on our website and youtube. i think that was the hardest thing for people, when they buy a used instrument, there's a lot of things that can go wrong. seeing a video and what it sounds like is key to developing a trust with the customer that could be very far away, in a different country. >> the videos bring piece of mind to purchasers of used instruments and customers access to new accordions, ones they would never be able to access otherwise. beyond the commerce, he knows the core of business growth comes from nurturing of a vibrant community of active players. >> we are trying to get people to learn to play to get to a point they are comfortable, enjoying it. our thought is that, you know, if they keep making progress, they are going to keep buying accordions and accessories. >> that means providing lessons

which he does online and in the store. >> we don't fill in the gaps and have an artist and resident that is available to teach here or via skype or facetime. >> want to try that? >> hosting events where students show off their skills. ultimately, michael hopes infusing new energy into this old instrument, it experiences a renaissance. >> i don't think the accordion is going anywhere. it is an old craft, but it will always have a place. we want to continue to make the accordion great again. in today's world, power exists in many different areas than it used to because of social media. it used to be one ceo at the top of the company had all the power. today, there are pockets of power all over the place and you could own one of those pockets. let's talk about this. we have jeremy, the co-founder

of purpose and henry tim is the president and ceo of 92nd street y. they are the co-authors of "new power." great to see both of you. >> good to be here. >> you both have experience with this. you had a zero budget and now it's an enormous event. let's talk about how as a business owner you can tap into this. >> we think of power as this critical capacity in the 21st century. how do you mobilize people effectively? it used to be 20 or 30 years ago, it was about who you knew, the capacity to raise money, capacity to navigate a system. now, anyone has the ability to harness the energy of the communities around them. the question is how you do it.

all around us, we are writing this book and inspired of stories without this traditional power, old power. we broke through using these techniques and built extraordinary businesses from scratch. >> how do you breakthrough? i have a company in a small town somewhere. i'm not connected to anyone in power. how do i breakthrough the noise? >> another question is what are you asking your community to do? typically, we ask people to consume things. the companies who are getting ahead, working out, you want to ask them to do more than buy. how do you invite people to share your product and feel like they are owners of your product. how do they add energy to your cause? those are the key skills of our time. >> how do you? >> there's an organization that is a car company that typically things are big. what they have done is open up their process to invite their

crowd to help design the cars themselves. they have a community of 50,000 people out there every day working on how to design the cars, what the engine should look like and the wheels. by the time they are ready for sale, they have a huge group of people invested in that outcome. >> how do you build that community in the first place? everyone talks about you have to be authentic, not ask people to buy, but have a conversation. i can tell you all the tips on building a relationship with your users. it is hard. >> it is. we used this term in the book, how do you structure pull participation. if you want to build a community, it's about creating the right incentives to participate. they call this drawing the box tightly around a challenge. they really, carefully think, what can the crowd do for us? what's going to be gratifying for people to be involved in? it is carefully designed.

they are new and particular skills. there's another example in the boom that is a fun one of a beer company in britain. they came from nowhere. a couple roguish fellows that decided to start a craft brand. they raised 13 million pounds in crowd equity and created this identity around the people that supported them. it's equity punks. they are rebellious of this brand and turned an annual meeting into a massive party. >> how did they get the people in the first place? there are thousands of crowd funding campaign that is flop. yes, once they got the $30 million and have all these people on board, they can do something cool with them. how do you get them in the first place? >> in a world with all the changes, everyone is asking you to be part of a crowd. >> everyone is trying to be authentic. >> this has been true of

business forever. that's not a new dynamic. the question, what are they getting right? we think there are three questions. great product. the second thing is authenticity, this idea of purpose. things that have a real purpose to them. what supercharges product is participation. the bit people get right is not just making you feel authentic and good, it's not just a good product, you are genuinely a part of doing something. if you go into crowd funding and treat people like a cash register, give me money. you are going to get nowhere. if you make it part of your cause in a way they have to contribute, that's what moves the needle. >> people will actually pay more to take part. you know, we call it in the book, the participation premium. we have documented these examples of people. those guys who raise money, brew dog, they got a higher evaluation from the crowd. >> it's interesting, if you

think of personal relationships, you feel closer to someone once they ask you a favor. perhaps it is the same thing as a company. if you ask someone, it's a two-way street now. >> this has been true true fore but it's super charged now, everyone wants a sense of belonging and a sense of agency. they want to feel they're doing something. often businesses don't ask you to do more than just buy. that's the activities that we need to see next. >> con grat lakes on the book. thank you for stopping by. i think this is a fascinating topic. it's only going to grow. the people getting this right will win in the end. >> thanks, j.j. the way you present yourself in a business meeting can have a great impact on your career. here are five ways to feel more confident when you go in to one. first, dress the part. even if fashion isn't your thing, make sure you pay attention to your wardrobe. if you're dressed inappropriately, it can make you

feel insecure and absolutely take away from what you're trying to accomplish. second, practice. whether you're giving a presentation in front of 100 people or talking to just one potential customer, you'll do much better if you put in the time to ensure you've got your pitch down. three, do your research. if you know a little bit about who you're going to be talking with, you'll know how to taylor the conversation to make sure it's interesting to them. this saves you from having to spend too much time making sure you can keep their interest. fourth, be friendly. even if you're incredibly insecure or shy, don't give in to it. offer a smile and be open. fifth, block out the negativity. if you're starting to internally put yourself down, stop immediately. if you can't, find your favorite song and listen to it right before the meeting. we're in the middle of our second season of our podcast. i have learned so much from all the guests we've had on.

this week we're talking to joshua reeves, the ceo and co-founder of gusto, an hr and benefits platform. in just five years they've grown. he talked to us about how shoes are not allowed in the office and how he deals with the responsibility of running such a large business. i hope you have a chance to listen to it. do me a favor and give us feedback. the podcast is still pretty new. we love hearing what you think. go, listen for free. it's called "been there. built that." when we come back, what you need to do to keep your employees from going to the competition and how you can parlay your expertise into profits.

it's pretty amazing out there. the world is full of more possibilities than ever before. and american express has your back every step of the way- whether it's the comfort of knowing help is just a call away with global assist. or getting financing to fund your business. no one has your back like american express. so where ever you go. we're right there with you. the powerful backing of american express. don't do business without it. don't live life without it. how can i keep all this young talent that i'm training and i'm grooming from going to bigger agencies? >> so clearly you're doing something right because you're actually attracting the talent and nurturing them and the agencies want to hire them. so what i would want to find

out, if i were you, is why are they leaving? why is the talent leaving to go somewhere else? one of the things that you might want to think about is doing an outgoing interview to get that information and reflect on your business and how you're structured to see if it's a problem with your company or if it's that the people coming to your company are not the right fit. what i mean by ha is, when you meet with candidates, you could talk to them about the fact that you run a small agency, that you're always going to be a small agency. if that's something that they're looking for, then you're the place for them. otherwise, it might not be a fit for you. we have the top two tips you need to know to help you grow your business. melissa biggs bradley is founder and ceo of i understand gary travel and chris sug done is a managing partner at the growth equity firm edison partners. good to have you both?

>> good to be here. >> i've been following your company. i think the audience should check you out to see how you've grown over the years. congratulations. >> thank you. >> what's something you've learned that the audience can learn from? >> i think right now expertise is something people have to excel in. it's a competitive advantage in the world of information overload that the internet has brought us. i think there's so much information online that you need to know your audience and your market and you can create deep loyalty with your customers if you can differentiate yourself on your expertise. >> that's what you've done, right? you started your company as a content site and then realized, oh, people are coming to me for the content, i can do more with this. >> yes. the travel space is a great example of what the internet has done. there's lots of mass market sites out there. the average american spends 30 hours researching a trip. we focus not on the mass market and general, but really highnd and understanding our customers

want specific keends of trips with their families with great experiences. so we scout that and deliver it. >> you have raised multiple, multiple funds. so tell us something you see growing your own company and also with all the companies you work with. >> i like to say turn the prove people wrong moniker or cliche around prove people right. you have mentors and coaches that believe in you. entrepreneurs and small business owners for so many years have been told you're going to fail, melissa. no chance. are you crazy? you're going to start a content travel site in the middle of a recession? people have something negative to sachlt somewhere along the way someone said you're going to make it. i want to go back to entrepreneurs and explain why they helped you and prove people right. turn that negative energy into a positive. turn the old cliche when you're a kid, prove that coach wrong, son. prove them right. let's tell them why they're right about you and how they helped you become a success?

what does that do? a lot of times it's the proving something wrong that says psychologically, to do it a different way? >> as entrepreneurs, you have to be an optimist. the bottom line is proving people right turns that negative, that half empty into a half full. do you really expect the person who thinks you're going to be wrong to be flipped on a switch? so many entrepreneurs have three, four-five, six years to become successful. those people who thought you were never going toic ma it aren't going to believe it until you get there. go back to the people who believed in you. they'll tell you when you're doing something wrong and put you on the right track. that's what great coaches and mentors are for. at the end of the day, entrepreneurs by nature are positive. that's not all unicorns and rainbows, that's not what i mean. what i'm getting at is the mentors who told you to shift and pivot, those are people who

will continue to be a success in the future. >> thank you both so much. this week's yourbiz selfie comes from sint p cynthia johnson who owns the copycat and dog care. they provide pet sitting and walking services including overnight services as well. their slogan is they keep pets safe and sound under their own woof. i'm throwing out to my husband, i want that dog. take a selfie of you and your business and send it to us at yourbusiness@msnbc.com. thank you so much for joining us. we love hearing from you. so if you have any questions or comments about the show, send an e-mail to yourbusiness@msnbc.com. i promise we read all of them. if you missed anything from today's show, click on our

website, msnbc.com/yourbusiness. we not only put up everything from today but a whole lot more. do not forget to connect with us on our digital and social media platforms as well. czech out the podcast called "been there. built that" you can listen to it for free. we look forward to seeing you next time. until then, i'm j.j. ramberg. and remember, we make your business our business. the line between work and life hasn't just blurred. it's gone. that's why you need someone behind you. not just a card. an entire support system. whether visiting the airport lounge to catch up on what's really important. or even using those hard-earned points

to squeeze in a little family time. no one has your back like american express. so no matter where you're going... we're right there with you. the powerful backing of american express. don't do business without it. don't live life without it. good morning. i'm alex witt. the reverend al sharpton show will be again sharply. right now we're keeping our eyes closely trained on chaing rai thailand to find out what will happen to those 12 boys and their coach, the thai soccer team, boys aged 11 to 16 years old who have been stuck this 16th day being inside that cave 2 1/2 miles from the mouth, the area we're looking at right now. we had the great news at thend of last week end recerg