Last week, I traveled to the San Francisco Design Center for the TechCrunch50 conference, highlighting early-stage startups that are pushing the boundaries of technology. Besides some amazing presentations around Youth and Culture as well as Advertising and Commerce Monetization, the focus of the conference (from my point of view, at least) primarily centered on acquiring the right customers and connecting entrepreneurs with the right people. Although the core of these two themes were not necessarily technology related, it was the individual who was discussed, analyzed and even praised.

Many of the companies I met over the course of three days were concerned about finding and hiring passionate leaders who shared a vision for driving innovation. (Innovation, of course, is something that Silicon Valley has no shortage of.) Interestingly enough, innovation is only as good as understanding your customers.

For marketing communication professionals, our job relies on building and enhancing relationships. It’s also our job to focus on servicing the client but also educating them on what works as well as what fits for their unique problem. In many ways, our responsibility, like that of an entrepreneur, is helping propel applicable innovation in markets where possibilities are limitless (and occasionally, limited).

Although I was in room of 1,700 hyper-forward-looking technologists and venture capitalists who may sometimes drink the “kool-aid,” I was (and still am) a firm believer in incorporating new thinking for the benefit of advancing desired goals for not only a company, but also the customer. Technology is just the start of this process.

Where have you seen entrepreneurial spirit in the marketing communications industry?