Hallie Bram Kogelschatz & Eric Kogelschatz
/ Why they're interesting / Apart, they are two hip, urban-centric Midwesterners who believe in Cleveland. Together, Hallie Bram Kogelschatz and Eric Kogelschatz are the dynamic duo behind Cleveland's outpost of the heralded annual TEDx event, a conference celebrating technology, entertainment and design that attracts speakers from a range of disciplines throughout Northeast Ohio. They're also shark&minnow, an innovation and action collaborative devoted to their hometown.
Hallie Bram Kogelschatz
/ Fresh water / "I'm the minnow. What it really talks about, to us at least, is that you're sometimes going to be the underdog, but even underdogs can achieve great things. I think that's a great metaphor for the city of Cleveland."
/ On TEDx / "There's so many amazing things happening in Cleveland that people just don't know about, so anything that we can do to draw national or global attention to the city is a good thing. One of the largest problems Cleveland faces is that it's got a branding problem."
/ Choosing Cleveland / "If you want to dwell, you can go to places like New York and Chicago and Boston. They're very easy places to live. The infrastructure is there; the programs are there. But if you want to create, you come to a place like Cleveland or Detroit, where in some ways it's like a blank canvas in certain areas."
/ On her marriage / Hallie and Eric do everything together. "We're both endurance runners, so we run together, we bike together. I think the only thing that I love that Eric will do but doesn't love is I love to cook."
Eric Kogelschatz
/ Music man / Eric's first band was a punk rock group with his brother called the Flux Kapacitors. That experience led him to his future career. "I enjoyed promoting my band so much, some friends suggested I take an advertising class."
/ Trip adviser / Living in Boston taught Kogelschatz an appreciation for exploring a city, even areas that may seem cheesy. "Cheers is a tourist trap. But if you don't go there, you're missing out on that experience. Be a tourist in your city. Go to those places you haven't been before."
/ On his marriage / "We jump on the train to go home, and we start talking about ideas. We have the absolute example of the modern romance: We have our Google calendars synced. And it's awesome."
/ The payoff / "We like to joke that it's like the wild, wild West. You have the opportunity to do anything here in the Midwest. Startups in a city like New York, it's going to get lost. In the Midwest, you'll see the difference you make. We can see the change we make right away, and that's a great reminder to us."
Interesting Couple
What intrigues them about each other
| Hallie says |
Eric is a great mentor. "He really wants to inspire other people. He was very involved with a reading and mentorship program [in Detroit]. At AdCom, he's forming an internship partnership with Cleveland State. Good on behalf of himself isn't enough for him; he wants good on behalf of the community."
| Eric says |
Hallie takes charge when they meet with the city bigwigs. "She's so intelligent, she's so articulate. It really comes out with the people we meet for TEDx, all these different entrepreneurs, foundations, leaders of our city."
