Archives
CSB Interviews - Josh Weinstein of GoodCrush
March 2, 2010 | Filed under Blog
Company: GoodCrush.com
Name: Josh Weinstein
Title : Founder
Email : reps(at)goodcrush.com
Give us the 30-second elevator pitch of your company
GoodCrush is focused on connecting student bodies. We started out with the CrushFinder – a simple anonymous matching service where you have a risk-free way of making a match - that was used by 30% of Princeton within 24 hours [...]
CSB Returns and Upcoming Events
February 16, 2010 | Filed under Blog
Hey everyone.
My apologies for the extended absence. I’ve been working a TON (not at a startup right now), trying to get my personal site back up and running (if any of you are good with WP let me know…. Fantastico doesn’t let me install in my root directory and I’m having issues there), doing the [...]
CSB Interviews - Andy Beal of Loomagoo.com
September 29, 2009 | Filed under Blog
The Textbook Market is one that’s badly in need of an overhaul. I recently (or not so recently, sorry Andy!) connected with Andy Beal, who’s trying to reshape that market and perhaps make it a little more efficient.
Company: Loomagoo.com
Name: Andy Beal
Title : Founder
Email : andy(at)loomagoo.com
Give us the 30-second elevator pitch of your company
Loomagoo.com is online marketplace [...]
Shark Tank is Not the Real World
September 4, 2009 | Filed under Blog
Alex over at the Texas Startup Blog has had several posts about this new TV show called Shark Tank.
I’ve subscribed to the RSS feed on Hulu and have watched all the current shows.
Verdict? I really like the show. It’s got drama, hope, heroes, bad guys…. It’s nice to see a major network giving an inside [...]
How Scrappy Are You?
September 3, 2009 | Filed under Blog
Paul Graham has an excellent new article up about some of the things that an architect has come to realize about startups after having been involved with Y Combinator.
My favorite part is number 4, where the YC architect, Kate Courteau, says:
4. How scrappy founders are. That was her actual word. I agree with her, but till [...]
Before You Send Me Your Pitch…
September 1, 2009 | Filed under Blog
I get an average of 3-4 students a week pitching me their startup ideas every week. I’ve found some common themes among the folks that send me their ideas.
Selling to Google/Microsoft/Facebook is not a revenue stream. This might be a possible exit strategy, but it is not a source of income. If this is how [...]
Why I Hate the Words ‘Guru’ and ‘Rockstar’
August 20, 2009 | Filed under Blog
I hate the word guru almost as much as the word rockstar when referring to business people.
If you see a job posting for a Rockstar Web Developer or a Rockstar Designer or a Marketing Guru, run the other direction, because the person hiring obviously doesn’t know much about developers, designers, marketers, rockstars or gurus.
I’m guilty [...]
Why the Recession is Great for You
August 18, 2009 | Filed under Blog
Times are tough for some folks. Thankfully, not so much for you. You are either involved in a startup, or interested in them. Here’s several reasons that the recession is good for you:
There’s an abundance of talent around due to layoffs and cost cutting. Maybe even some folks that haven’t been laid off are looking [...]
How to Network
August 3, 2009 | Filed under Blog
I don’t mean hooking computers together my friends. I mean hooking people together. Figuratively speaking of course. No CAT-5 or handcuffs required.
4 Tips to Help You Become Better at Networking
Be interested. Don’t be interesting. I know this advice abounds, but I still meet people that talk all about themselves. I do it too occassionally. (Usually [...]
CSB Interviews - Zach Blatt of Blattistics
July 30, 2009 | Filed under Blog, College Startup Profile, Founder Interviews
Over the past few months I’ve had a chance to exchange a few emails with Zach Blatt, the founder and CEO of Blattistics. Last week we were able to do an interview via email.
Company: Blatt Financial, LLC
Name: Zach Blatt
Title: Founder/CEO
Email: contact(at)blattistics(dot)com
Give us the 30-second elevator pitch on your company
Blattistics sells investment models to individual investors. We [...]
Passion
June 30, 2009 | Filed under Startups
If you aren’t as passionate about your startup as this guy is about his World of Warcraft. Go find something else to do. It’s not easy, and there will be a lot of times that you will think about giving up. If you aren’t totally committed to your business, then go work for someone else.
I’ve Got An Idea!!! Now What?
May 28, 2009 | Filed under Blog
You’re a college student or a fresh college graduate. Maybe you’re $30,000 in debt to Wells Fargo for the last 4-5 years (10 in my case) of your life. Maybe you’re doing an internship while you wait to graduate, or maybe you don’t even know how to start looking for a job. And then it [...]
May 15, 2009 | Filed under Blog
Since I’m all done with finals, I’ve been catching up on my Google Reader (doesn’t help that there’s a Woot-off going on right now), and just came across this video that Derek Johnson (founder and CEO of Tatango.com) posted yesterday. I interviewed Derek a little while ago, he’s a great (and very smart) guy. This [...]
Reminder: SHH in Dallas Tonight
May 4, 2009 | Filed under Blog
College students: This is a great way to network with other folks working at startup companies, VC’s, Angels, and yours truly. Hope to see all of you there. Details can be found by following the link. Please RSVP.
Larry Page Commencement Speech
May 3, 2009 | Filed under College, Founder Interviews, How To
I just finished reading this, Larry Page’s commencement speech given at the University of Michigan. My favorite part is below. These are wise words, and the whole thing is worth a read (and shorter than a lot of commencement speeches I’ve read). The best part of the speech is really the end. You’ll have to [...]
Choose Your Friends By Choosing Who You Want To Be
April 17, 2009 | Filed under College, How To
Having good friends is essential to leading a happy life. There’s no arguing that. Human beings are social by their very nature.
What’s important is who those friends are. I will now share with you one of the best pieces of advice that I’ve ever received.
“Choose to be friends with the people that you want to [...]
If You’re Going to Be Around Abilene Christian University Monday April 6th
April 6, 2009 | Filed under College
You should stop by and hang out with Chad, who is another SpringStage blogger. Free co-working event, similar to the Jellies that we see here in the Dallas Forth Worth Area. More info can be found at the Abilene Startup Blog.
What Are You Looking At?
April 4, 2009 | Filed under Blog
Now that we’ve been going for a little while, you should all know a little bit about me. Hopefully.
So now it’s my turn. What are you looking at?
You’re looking at the College Startup Blog. You should know that your exit strategy isn’t selling to Google, or “we’ll figure it out later.”
You should know what the [...]
How To Pitch A VC
March 30, 2009 | Filed under College, How To, Startups, Venture Capital
Watch and learn friends. Dave McClure gives a great presentation on how to pitch to a VC. Watch the following video and flip through the slides. You will laugh. You will cry. You will have a chance at wowing the room the next time you pitch to a VC (or even an angel investor).
Dave McClure [...]
Want $20K in cash; $20K in free stuff and 20 mentors for your startup?
March 27, 2009 | Filed under College, Startups
San Antonio Startups (and Startups to be) here’s $20K in cash; $20K in free stuff and 20 mentors for your startup (not a misprint) | San Antonio Startup Blog.
I just found out about this and wanted to get it posted for all of you right away. Click the link above to find out how you [...]
$50,000 New Venture Creation Contest at University of North Texas
March 26, 2009 | Filed under Blog, College, Venture Capital
I just found out that the Murphy Enterprise Center at the University of North Texas is having a Venture Capital Contest. Details and submission form are on the linked page. From the website:
The New Venture Creation Contest (NVCC) is intended to simulate the real-world process of entrepreneurs soliciting start-up funds from early-stage investors and venture [...]
Don’t Be Best Friends With Your Co-Founder (And Don’t Start a Company with Your Best Friend)
March 19, 2009 | Filed under Blog
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make as a founder of a startup is to co-found it with your best friend. There are certain difficult decisions that need to be made, and you cannot risk clouding your judgment just because you don’t want to hurt your friend’s feelings (and vice versa). It’s fine [...]
CSB Interviews - Derek Johnson of Tatango.com
March 4, 2009 | Filed under Blog, College Startup Profile, Founder Interviews
This is the first in what I hope to be a series of interviews with startup founders that started either while still in college or within a year or so of graduating.
The purpose of these interviews is to create something of a guidebook from the experiences of those that have been there before.
Tatango is a [...]
The Credit Crisis — Visualized ∞ Get Rich Slowly
March 2, 2009 | Filed under Blog
Amazing video courtesy of J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly. I had been working on a post to try and explain in non-technical terms what was behind the bailout, but….. this does so much better than I could have hoped to. About 10 minutes long, and worth every second.
The Credit Crisis — Visualized ∞ Get [...]
Dallas Startup Happy Hour - March 2 (This Monday)
February 27, 2009 | Filed under Blog
Reminder that the monthly Dallas Startup Happy Hour is this coming Monday. For details and to RSVP, see here.
Other SpringStage events in and around the DFW area listed here. Hope to see some of you at one or more of them.
