[L]earning Media:
Lessons I Learned From SXSW (Even Though I Didn't Go to SXSW This Year)
Entrepreneur 3.14.14
OK, I didn't go to South by Southwest this year. It's the first time I haven't been there since 2009. While it’s bittersweet, it’s also signifying a new chapter -- not just in my business, but in life. In reliving the origin of the birth of my first business, here are a few lessons I learned from attending SXSW all these years that can help you succeed in your entrepreneurship journey.
Let's Stop Repeating One Of The Biggest Lies About Startups
Business Insider 3.7.14
In Silicon Valley and beyond, it's become common to only equate "serious" entrepreneurship with gobs of venture capital. If a company isn't funded, it must be a lifestyle business. Generally, lifestyle businesses are ones the founders don't dedicate their entire lives to; you won't see them working intense 70-hour work weeks because they see their company as a smaller aspect of their lives.
Behind the Scenes at SXSW Interactive
Vooza 3.6.14
Booze! Bats! Apps! Go behind the scenes with both an organizer and an attendee of South by Southwest Interactive. Keep Austin weird! (This episode of Vooza is sponsored by [L]earned Media, which provides startup founders with strategic content marketing to help launch or grow your business.)
He Failed on 'Shark Tank' - but So What?
The Wall Street Journal 3.9.14
Failing to get funding on "Shark Tank," the entrepreneurship reality TV show, didn't sink Jamie Siminoff's most recent startup. On the contrary. After the show aired on ABC last November, the company, DoorBot, the maker of a doorbell that allows homeowners to see who is outside by looking at their smartphone, sold 10,000 units in a month and raised $1 million from venture capitalists.
@WSJ
These Startups Found Unusual Ways to Get Funded
Entrepreneur 2.28.14
Securing funds is the first problem an entrepreneur encounters. It often requires courting a venture capital firm with the aim of wowing its members into opening the coffers. Sadly, there can be only so many winners, and a number of entrepreneurs walk away empty-handed. This is when it's time to be resourceful, to get creative and to engage in truly entrepreneurial thinking.
Startups (and Life) Take Balance
Begin the Begin 3.6.14
Balance is something that I think a lot about these days. Having a startup requires a great deal of balance. There are so many moving pieces and decisions that need to be made on a daily basis. Decisions like: Where do you focus your time? What initiative or feature is most important?
Win $30K in Prizes and Sitdown VC Meetings at Vator Splash Oakland
VentureBeat 3.7.14
Vator is one of the largest business networks dedicated to entrepreneurs and investors, and it’s holding its popular inaugural two-day event on May 6 and May 7 at the historic Jack Landon Square in Oakland, Calif. The event will showcase 15 promising startups (with no more than $2M in venture funding), who get to present onstage in front of an audience of some 1,000 attendees in the high-tech space.
The Guy Who Sold a Company for $56M Explains the Secret of Raising Money
Mixergy 3.5.14
In 2002, Seth Goldstein founded Majestic Research. About 8 years later, he sold it for $56 million. That’s one of many companies he launched and helped grow, including: Stickybits, which enabled people to attach digital media to real-world objects using barcodes that smart phones could use.
17 Traits That Distinguish the Best Startup CEOs
Business Insider 3.7.14
Three out of four startups fail, and a full 90% of those in the tech sector don't survive. The startups that become successful typically require exceptional leadership — and a lot of luck. In a recent Quora thread, users answered the question, "What separates the top 10% of startup CEOs from the rest?"
Do Entrepreneurs Really Need to Sacrifice Everything?
Founder Institute 3.7.14
Entrepreneurs are always told that in order to build their dream companies, they must possess a deep passion for their ideas, while simultaneously be willing to sacrifice many things. And though these concepts generally hold true for Mick Liubinskas, he also talks about the possibility of having a more nuanced approach to entrepreneurship.
NYU Setting Up Lab As a Hub for Entrepreneurs
Xconomy 3.7.14
There are lots of programs at NYU, including incubators and the last week’s entrepreneurial festival, designed to help founders build their ideas into businesses. But coordinating such resources when they’re spread across a large university can be a bit daunting. “It’s often hard to find a place for students from all 15 colleges to collaborate,” says Frank Rimalovski, executive director of the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute.
A New Startup Contest Promises A World-Record $5 Million Prize To Winners
Business Insider 3.7.14
A new startup contest has emerged called 43North. This business incubator is offering $5 million in cash prizes to applicants who can create an innovative new business idea. Six $500,000 awards and four $250,000 awards will be allocated to the runners-up.
Feeling Left Out of the Startup Bus? Play the Game!
Nibletz 3.4.14
There’s so much happening on the buses. We’ve been traveling with the Tennessee Startup Bus, which I’ve gotten pretty partial to. But, there are also buses winding their way from Washington state, New York, Guadalajara, Tennessee, Florida, Missouri, and California. Every bus has encountered some issues along the way. (Last we heard, the Mexico bus kept getting stopped at the border.)
How High-Growth Companies Can Preserve Their Startup Cultures
Under 30 CEO 3.6.14
Our company, Nextiva, was launched in 2008 with a small team and a small office. This year we are on par to employ over 400 people. While this growth has been exciting for us, it has also come with significant challenges—namely: how can we preserve a cool startup culture of hard work and fun while growing so quickly year-over-year?
The Who, What and How to Survive SXSW 2014
Entrepreneur 3.7.14
The interactive portion of the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) festival is officially under way today in Austin, Texas. While tech geeks, hungry startups, eagle-eyed investors and celebrities decent on the funky city iover the next several days, there are several keys to keep in mind. No doubt, SXSW has evolved dramatically from the simple music festival that launched in 1987.
5 Tips for Picking the Perfect Partner
Entrepreneur 3.6.14
Business partnerships, like romantic relationships, can be tricky and are statistically more than likely to fail. However, a healthy and functional partnership can help both of you achieve success greater and faster than what you could ever do alone.
10 Wicked Cool Boston Startups You Should Know
Mashable 3.6.14
If someone asks you to name a U.S. city associated with tech startups, chances are you'll start your list with San Francisco or New York, but probably not Boston. It's the city where Facebook and Dropbox were born. It's a city with top universities like Harvard and MIT, and one of the highest rates of venture capital investment in tech companies. And it's a city whose reputation for tech is frequently overshadowed by others.
The Rise and Future of the New York Startup Ecosystem
TechCrunch 2.28.14
Like many who have been active in the New York startup ecosystem over the past decade, I am optimistic about its future. The last 10 years have seen an increasing number of startup successes in New York.
There Are Massive Opportunities in the Ad Industry for Startup Growth
Ventureburn 3.5.14
The talented technology specialist has become the go-to guy when big advertising agencies go looking for digital skills for an internet, mobile or social media campaign. It seems like desirable status. In fact, the ‘go-to’ reflex explains why some small, under-resourced techie start-ups stay small, under-resourced techie start-ups. You go to them. They don’t come to you.
Why You Can’t Wait to Create Content as a Startup
LinkedIn 3.7.14
Investors. Promotion. Staffing. Networking. Cash flow. As a startup founder, you have a lot on your mind, which makes it easy to push a content marketing strategy to the back burner (i.e., a future quarter). But if you don’t invest in laying early groundwork, you’ll miss out on several key benefits.
Startups Anonymous: A List of Fears From the CEO of a Startup In NYC
PandoDaily 3.12.14
It has been one of those days. You know those days. The down days. Not the good days when I can convince anyone that I am taking over the world. These days are usually entrenched in fear. This is a weird feeling because I have never really been scared of anything in life until the past two years. So what am I afraid of?
Blogs:
Flex Your Creative Muscles in the Nickelodeon Writing Program
2.27.14
If you’re a writer looking to take your skills to the next level with one of the most established networks on television, the Nickelodeon Writing Program might be your next big move. The program is open to those over the age of 18 looking for experience in comedic live-action and animated programming.
Ella the Engineer: The New Female Hero of Coding
2.28.14
As a father of three kids, two being girls, Anthony Onesto noticed that there is a significant lack of female figureheads in the world of coding and software engineering. This was especially prevalent in the new trend of teaching coding to young children. Anthony discovered that most young girls had absolutely no interest in coding, which will have a profoundly negative effect on the diversity of upcoming businesses and rising startups.
A Victorious Oscars for the Selfie and Samsung
3.4.14
Sunday’s Oscars ceremony was full of stars, laughs and product placement. Usually the last one on that list would make a critical viewer cringe, but celebrity use of Samsung products created some of the most memorable Oscar moments in recent years. Although their media buyers filled the ceremony’s commercial breaks with extensive product advertising, it was the use of their phone with host Ellen Degeneres that stole the show.
Engage Your Most Valuable Followers On SocialRank
4.6.14
While garnering a large following is great for both individuals and brands, having engaging followers on Twitter is just as important. The new product SocialRank allows users to find out more about those that follow them on Twitter.You can find out your MVF (Most Valuable Follower) as well as your MEF (Most Engaging Follower).
New Yorkers: Take a Break at Windsor Gansevoort
4.6.14
We at [L]earned Media get a lot of work done, but we definitely know the importance of kicking back when necessary. Our friends over at the Windsor Gansevoort Park have always created a great environment for getting together. They recently expanded their event offerings by adding new trivia nights, happy hour and brunch events.
STRZ - The Label's Noelle Bean Chosen for Round 2 of March Music Madness!
4.7.14
Our client, STRZ The Label, has signed an eclectic collection of talented artists, and it looks like one of them is about to make a huge splash! Noelle Bean has been chosen to enter Round 2 of Ryan Seacrest’s#MarchMusicMadness Contest for her cover of “Say Something” by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera. She collaborated with Jamison Murphy to create the magical tune (no, we are not over-emphasizing!).
Blue Ribbon Bags: Your Baggage’s Guardian Angel
3.10.14
Let’s talk losing baggage… It’s every traveler’s nightmare, but unfortunately, despite all advances in technology and safety, it’s all too common. Not only is losing baggage at the airport scary, it’s just plain frustrating. Having to restock on the essentials, keep track of reimbursement receipts, reorganizing – it’s all a pain.
[L]earned Media Startup Spotlight: Import.io
3.12.14
Team KITE spent the weekend in Austin at SXSW Interactive to discover innovative startups and learn about some of the newest digital marketing solutions out there. One highlight was Import.io, a London-based big data platform designed to make it easier than ever to collect and understand multiple large data sets.
3.11.14
*From the creators of Wendr, [L]M is a New York based branded content company that focuses on social, mobile and earned media. We develop products and provide services for both agencies and brands.
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