Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1499197
12 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2023 my first Cup of Joey in March, where I con- nected with people from all parts of life and industry, including Alert Tech SMT, a Hous- ton-based EMS provider. During my visit, Joey Sanchez gave a tour of the facility to a very interested crowd that included an Italian trade agency and a ven- ture capital group. He shared with the group that Houston is the fourth largest city in the country, but 89th in the country in density. He pointed out that Houston has the Johnson Space Center, a very large energy district, and a state-of-the-art medical center, each located in different areas of the city. I asked Joey about the greatest challenge fac- ing Houston today. "Creating density and con- nection is the biggest challenge," he said, not- ing that the city is so vast—nearly the size of Rhode Island—that it can take hours to drive from one district to another. It was this realization that crystalized Joey's purpose "to connect people to a more fulfilling future" and to start Cup of Joey. "I don't know what that fulfilling future is unless I know someone's purpose, and then I'm able to make that connection pretty seam- lessly," he said. "e Ion allows me to connect people on a daily basis, so I'm currently very fulfilled in my professional life. At home my purpose is very similar—to connect my wife and kids to a more fulfilling future." Here is more of my conversation with Joey Sanchez. With that clear purpose, you set out to change the world, starting in Houston. Cup of Joey is the catalyst for connecting peo- ple in the community and the foundation for innovation. It began with the pandemic, which Joey Sanchez A large and enthusiastic crowd at Cup of Joey.