QuasiPreneur.comTidbits, tips and the way to a woman’s heart
Tidbits, tips and the way to a woman’s heart
Posted by John Cook at July 26, 2007 5:42 p.m.
Anything can happen when you get Internet entrepreneurs out of the office — especially if free beers and ribs are involved.
Following up on my earlier post on Tuesday’s "Naked Truth" party and, inspired in part by Redfin Chief Executive Glenn Kelman’s funny run down
of the events, I thought it might be worthwhile to pass on some of the
tidbits and gossip that I collected from the night. Meanwhile, Redfin
just posted the video from the panel.
Not since Loudeye’s over-the-top IPO party of 2000 had so many geeks gathered in a Seattle parking lot to talk shop.
Here’s a quick look:
walked away from the panel inspired to start a blog, especially after
TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington noted that he takes entrepreneurs
100 percent more seriously if they have their own blogs.
St. John, who before founding WildTangent in 1998 helped create
Microsoft’s DirectX technology, already contributes a monthly column to
Computer Power User Magazine.
But his possible entry into the blogosphere could be interesting to
watch. After all, the Redmond online gaming executive is known as
provocateur, who is not afraid to speak his mind — especially as it relates to his former employer: Microsoft.
new business cards. That, in itself, was an achievement for the
entrepreneur. After all, his company’s Pioneer Square headquarters
building caught on fire May 21, just a day before the startup was set to launch its Web site.
The online travel startup set up temporary offices with an investor, plowing ahead with the Web site roll out on schedule.
But now the startup, which lost almost all of its paperwork,
computer equipment and furniture in the blaze, has found a new home in
Pioneer Square at 315 1st Ave. S. The new office has a deck with a city
view. And Romary joked that Voyager Capital, the startup’s new venture backer
which is located a few blocks away, could look directly into their new
building with a high-powered telescope to see if they are "goofing
off." Now, that would be a new level of venture capital meddling.
(including a class action law suit) — really wanted to hear the
different perspectives of journalists on the panel. But they were
nervous whether they would actually get into the party.
After all, someone deleted their names from the wiki that was
serving as the guest list. (Maybe a low-rated lawyer did it.) In an
effort to make sure they would be admitted, Britton called Redfin Chief
Executive Glenn Kelman — who was hosting the sold out party with
Madrona Venture Group. At the event, Kelman expressed dismay that
someone would go to such lengths and considered launching his own
investigation.
The startup was founded last July with an investment from Ignition
Partners and they started marketing the LandWatch.com service to real
estate professionals several months ago. It has already generated more
than $1 million in revenue, hardly the profile of a stealth mode
company.
But Barnett, who serves as director of corporate marketing at the
Bellevue startup, said they kept things under wraps because they didn’t
want to attract attention to the products before they were ready. Then
why start marketing to customers?
Barnett said while LandWatch.com was ready, they wanted to wait
until ResortScape — which allows people to find second homes and
condos — was robust enough to market.
In a word: "diamonds."
Told that movies such as "Blood Diamond"
don’t always portray the industry in a positive light, Silverberg
countered that there’s something about a diamond that just runs in a
woman’s DNA.
Of course, the former Microsoft senior vice president had other motivations. He’s also a board member at Ice.com, an online retailer of diamond rings, bracelets and pendants.
was a bit esoteric. After all, how many people really want to take the
time to create customized ringtones for their mobile phones. But then
word started leaking out
that Apple was working on a new custom ringtone service for the iPhone.
All of sudden, Manning — who serves as chief marketing officer at the
company — said his phone was ringing off the hook with potential
partners asking about the custom ringtone business. I wonder what
ringtone Manning uses?
said everyone is talking about building applications for Facebook. And
like everyone else, Cape — whose company develops calendars and
messaging systems for families — is thinking of how to do something
truly unique with the popular social networking service.
entrepreneurs and not find at least one company operating in "stealth
mode." That was the case with The Green Couch Conspiracy, which is led by Serials Solutions
co-founder Steve McCracken. The Web site at this point is pretty bare,
though McCracken’s business card tells a little of the story. It calls
the GCC the "intergalactic leader in local events." That’s a bold claim
considering the service has not launched, though Crosscut founder David Brewster — a local news service targeting the Pacific Northwest — appeared especially interested in the idea.
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