James Gebhardt On The Future of The Internet of Things (IoT), And How It May Improve Our Health & Our Lives
An Interview With David Leichner
Don’t Quit (From time to time adjust, tweek, and continue. I was feeling down, and later had the occasion to explain our business to a lady who slightly teared up while listening. She said she wished her husbanb could have had this for there two daughters, because she had lost him a year earlier.)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is beginning to become more mainstream. Millions of people use Fitbit health trackers, Nest smart thermostats, and Ring doorbell cameras, which are early examples of IoT. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential commercial applications of IoT. IoT has the potential to change the way cities are run, the way our healthcare is managed, the way our cars communicate, and the way our supply chains and manufacturing are utilized. But how exactly will IoT improve our lives? How can it improve our health? What are the new IoT technologies that we should expect to see around the corner? How does one create a successful career in the IoT industry? In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders who are incorporating IoT into their business or who are developing IoT applications, who can share stories and perspectives about the future of IoT. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing James Gebhardt.
James Gebhardt is a entrepenuer from Lakebay in Washington state. He has had carriers as a automotive mechanic, commercial photographer and as a journeyman electrician. He recently sold his LLC electrical business to focus all his efforts on his new adventure being MyArkit.com
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started in the IoT industry?
It was out of necessity that IoT dragged me into it. I had a video I took of my dad, back in 1997 asking him questions about his life. It was a fun time. But later after he passed away, those memories where very important to me and also there was the family photo albums and multiple devices with photos all over the place. How to put stories to all that and hand it down for generations. So while eating a ham sandwich in my work truck I started to put together what would become MyArkit.com
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Being invited to a party that was outdoors which had a Jimi Hendrix tribute band playing. The party was for Richard, a Sea Fair Pirate “Seattleites know what I’m talking about” He was in good spirits as he struggles through having stage 4 lung cancer. It was my great honor to give his wife a Lifetime account with MyArkit, so she could sit down with her husband and save his life, to remember him in his own words.
Ok wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell our readers about the most interesting IoT projects you are working on now?
Our main focus with MyArkit is to give people the ability to take those special moments in life, which now days are all digital, and put stories to those images/video and securely and privately save them for future generations. Most cloud services have a clock running on our accounts, and if you don’t access or use them (180days to 24 months) you may be deleted. Many social media sites have heavey censorship, and at there discretion you can be deleted. We are a private/public site (you decide) where we secure your data, first through our ISP then AWS, then as we grow we’ll implement Iron Mountains services.
How do you think this might change the world?
People want to be remembered. Everybody has a story to tell. Maybe by passing on your experiences in life to future generations we’ll feel closer to one another.
Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks of this technology that people should think more deeply about?
Suicidal and Anti social types wanting to leave a mark of fame in life.
What are the three things that most excite you about the IoT industry? Why?
Free flow of information. How to fix something or news of the day.
Medical device advancements relaying info to online doctors.
Choice of entertainment.
What are the three things that concern you about the IoT industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?
- Free flow of information (not all info is correct) so much is agenda driven. Cross check info.
- To much entertainment (we are losing the ability to talk and socialize without our devices) Set one’s limits.
- If an event (solar radiation, EMP, terrorism etc) happens will critical infrastructure handle it without internet connection.
Can you share with our readers a few of the exciting future applications of IoT that you have seen?
Well besides MyArkit.com there is the IP phone from Tesla with Starlink.
Online University and Trade school training.
Virtual Business meetings.
Can you help articulate to our readers a few of the ways that IoT can improve our health and improve our lives?
#Medical monitoring of one’s condition anywhere, anytime.
#Online doctors, no waiting rooms with other sick people.
#MyArkit can help with connection to loved ones.
My expertise is in product security, so I’m particularly passionate about this question. In today’s environment, hackers break into the software running IoT devices, for ransomware, to damage brands, or for other malicious purposes. Based on your experience, what should IoT manufacturing companies do to uncover vulnerabilities in the development process to safeguard their IoT products?
Death Penalty, LOL or robust enforcement and fines.
What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In The IoT Industry?
- Patience (Your computer hates you, the internet hates you, you will crash) I live in the country, down a hill which gives me poor cell service and internet access. My computer’s are usually groaning away processing info or telling me I don’t have the correct browser. UGH 1 minute before I am to go live on a podcast I find out I have the wrong browser.
- Communication Skills (Have good verbal skills, email skills, and texting skills.) Our web site needed to change something, so I took a screen shot and drew up on it showing what is to be done) Trust me use big arrows and font.
- Seek Advice with Caution. Experts are always right in their mind (I was explaining our business online to a person giving a seminar to help in marketing and he told me to sell it as a monthly paid service, I asked “How do you collect from a dead person?” Silence and mumbling was the answer.
- Have a sounding board or boards (When I had an idea, like Myarkit, share it with friends, business groups, family, get feedback, the good the bad and the ugly.) One of the first times I pitched this idea to a group event was at the Columbia tower in downtown Seattle. I was way out of my comfort zone. The place was packed with energetic hopefuls and buzzing with idea’s. I watched what a pitch was and then got up and was pulverized during my pitch by a panelist commenting on “no one’s gona want to take the time to leave there teenage brats with that” I think someone had issues.
- Don’t Quit (From time to time adjust, tweek, and continue. I was feeling down, and later had the occasion to explain our business to a lady who slightly teared up while listening. She said she wished her husbanb could have had this for there two daughters, because she had lost him a year earlier.)
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Let people be remembered for being them. Then we all have value.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Myarkit.com
Twitter/MyArkit
Facebook/Myarkit
Occasional Podcast
Thank you so much for the time you spent doing this interview. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success.
About The Interviewer: David Leichner is a veteran of the Israeli high-tech industry with significant experience in the areas of cyber and security, enterprise software and communications. At Cybellum, a leading provider of Product Security Lifecycle Management, David is responsible for creating and executing the marketing strategy and managing the global marketing team that forms the foundation for Cybellum’s product and market penetration. Prior to Cybellum, David was CMO at SQream and VP Sales and Marketing at endpoint protection vendor, Cynet. David is the Chairman of the Friends of Israel and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Jerusalem Technology College. He holds a BA in Information Systems Management and an MBA in International Business from the City University of New York.
