17 May 2012

Your Voice Is Not Replicable. Make it A Valueable Part of Your Startup's Brand

There's lots of ways to borrow from replicable models and platforms.  

Img_2867

Photo by me... shot on location at a carnival near the border of Mexico close to McAllen, Texas.

But when it comes to your brand's voice, it's something you need to own.

Literally.

Figuratively.  

It makes a difference in the context of the value of your brand.


 

16 May 2012

Reminder: #140conf / State of NOW June 19-20 in NYC

George Harrison once said: "It's being here now that's important. There's no past and there's no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever, is the now."

Screen_shot_2012-05-16_at_2

On June 19th and 20th in New York City during the course of two days, over 100 speakers will come forward to the stage at the 92nd Street Y to share their voice and their stories about the NOW at the upcoming #140conf / State of NOW conference. (  http://nyc.stateofnow.com )


You can review the current draft of the conference schedule over at:http://nyc.stateofnow.com/schedule


NOW would be a great time to purchase your tickets for the event over

at: http://nyc.stateofnow.com/register

 The current confirmed list of speakers include:

Aaron Huslage (@huslage) – Co-Founder of Tethr. Crisismapper. Humanitarian.
Adam Bellow (@adambellow) – Founder, eduTecher
Adam Cohen (@dadarocks) – Dad, Parent, Blogger
- Alicia C. Staley (@stales) – 3 time cancer survivor
Alicia Ybarbo (@AliciaYbarbo) – Producer, Today Show at NBC News + co-author "Today's Moms"
Alisa Roadcup (@AmnestyWomenRts) – Women's Human Rights Coordination Group, Amnesty International
Alyson Schafer (@alysonschafer) – Author / Psychotherapist/ Parenting Expert
Amanda Greene (@LAlupusLady) – Alliance for Lupus Research
Andrea Syrtash (@AndreaSyrtash) – MSN advice columnist and author
Andrew Rasiej (@Rasiej) – Founder Personal Democracy Forum; Chairman NY Tech Meetup
Andy Dixon (@andydixn) – ex-con with convictions
Anissa Mayhew - President, Slightly Bent Productions
Anne Ream (@VoicesandFaces) – Founder, The Voices and Faces Project
Anthony Rotolo (@rotolo) – Professor at Syracuse U @iSchoolSU. I teach Social Media (#RotoloClass) & Star Trek (#TrekClass). Chief Explorer at #NEXIS. Geek.
Arnt Eriksen (@arnteriksen) – Creative Director, Social Media Evangelist, Ducati-riding, gadget-geek, family dad, enjoys all beauty in life, nature and love. "Keep me where the light is"
Becky McCray (@BeckyMcCray) – Co-Host, #140conf Smalltown, Co-Author, Small Town Rules
Cal Reid (@calreid) – Senior News Editor, Publishers Weekly
Camillo Ricordi (@CureAlliance) – Prof. & Director, Diabetes Research Institute & Cell Transplant Center, Univ. of Miami. President, Cure Focus Research Alliance.
Carlos Delgado (@carlosdelgado21) – Recently retired after 17 years in MLB. Proud father of 2 awesome kids. President of Extra Bases non-for profit
Caroline Giegerich (@DailyMarauder) – Founder/Editor, Daily Marauder
Cherie-Lynn Buchanan (@CLBuchanan) – hotographer, CL Buchanan Photography
Colleen Curtis (@colleencurt) – Breast Cancer Survivor
Dan Levy (@danjl) – Editor, Sparksheet
Dan Lewis (@sesamestreet) – Director of New Media Communications @sesamestreet.
David Mitchell (@DeputyMitchell) – Deputy Headteacher and Founder of Quadblogging
Deepak Chopra (@DeepakChopra) – Author
Diana Dorell (@dancinggoddess) – CEO, Dancing Goddess, LLC
Diane Brogan (@DianeBrogan) – MomPopPow.com
- Dylan Pulver (@MusicIsGood4U) – Co-Founder, Solecamp.com
Eliot LeBow LCSW (@DiabeticTalks) – Owner, Eliot LeBow LCSW
Ellen Whitehurst (@EllenWhitehurst) – The Empowered Life Stylist…Fashioning Your Perfect Life!
Eric Alper (@ThatEricAlper) – eOne Music PR. Music news, daily contests, Song/Album streams, industry factoids. CTV's Canada AM Music Correspondent.
Geo Geller (@geogeller) – Photographer, Humanitarian
Gary Bolles - Co-founder, eParachute, Inc.
Gisli Olafsson (@gislio) – Emergency Response Director, NetHope
- Gotham Chopra (@gothamchopra) – Author, Filmmaker
- Greg Corbin (@JustGregPoet) – Executive Director, Philly Youth Poetry Movement.
- Hank Wasiak (@hankwasiak) – Author. TV Host. Partner – The Concept Farm; Adjunct Professor, USC, Marshall School Of Business.
- Heather Hamilton (@tjzmommy) – Chief Dream Fulfiller, Zack's Dream Room
- Hjalmar Gislason (@datamarket) – Founder & CEO, DataMarket
- Imal Wagner (@imalwagner) – branding communications innovator for emerging media
- Isaac Budmen (@ibudmen) – Syracuse University Student
- Jack Abramoff (@jackabramoff) – Former lobbyist and Washington insider – fell into the abyss, working to repent and repair
- Jacki Yovanoff (@JackiYo) – social media enthusiast
- Jake Pulver (@jakepulver) – Co-Founder, Solecamp.com
- Janos Marton – Director, The Living Museum
- Jason Pullara (@LordKaT) – The Corrupter, Geekstreak LLC
- Jeff Keni Pulver (@jeffpulver) – founder, #140conf
- Jeff Staple (@jeffstaple) – Founder of Staple Design & Reed Space
- Jennifer Severns (@jennerus) – Creative Strategist, Roundarch
- Jessey Pacho (@ArtofPhade) – Graffiti Artist
Jodi S (@KarmicEvolution) – Student of life, passionate, terrified & living one day at a time.
Jody Steinhauer (@bargainsgroup)
Joe Cheray (@wildheart4vr) – CEO/President, Wildheart Social Media
Joe Nicholas
Joe Trippi (@JoeTrippi) – Fmr Dean Campaign Mgr; Author
John Borthwick (@Borthwick) – CEO, betaworks
Johnny Diggz (@JohnnyDiggz) – pen Source Tools & Crisis Response, Geeks with out Bounds
Jonah Halper (@JonahHalper) – CEO, ALTRUICITY INC.
Joyce Sullivan - Founder and CEO, SocMediaFin, Inc.
- Julia Rosien (@JuliaRosien) – Evangelist, Owner of SocialNorth.com
Julie Cole (@juliecole) – Co-founder/VP, Mabel's Labels
Kathy Buckworth (@KathyBuckworth) – Author
Kedre Browne (@BubzArt) – Graffiti Artist
Kevin Honeycutt (@kevinhoneycutt) – out to change the world.. one classroom at a time!
Kevin Slavin (@slavin_fpo) – co-founder, area/code
Krupali Tejura, M.D. (@krupali) – Radiation Oncologist
Laura Berg (MSH) (@MySmartHands) – President, My Smart Hands
Leslie Hall (@dollyhall) – President, ICED Media (moderator)
Linda Descano - Managing Director and Head, Partnerships & Branded Content, North America Marketing and President & CEO, Women & Co., Citi
- Liz Nead (@LizNead) – Host of Life Dare TV
Liz Strauss (@lizstrauss) – Founder, SOBCon
Mallika Chopra (@mallikachopra) – Founder of Intent
Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal) – Advocate for the Homeless and Humanitarian
Mary Ann Zoeliner (@TodaysMoms) – Producer, Today Show at NBC News + co-author "Today's Moms"
Matteo Wyllyamz (@mouselink) – Beatnik super-human disguised as geek
Matthew Ebel (@matthewebel) – Musical Director, #140conf
Maureen Dennis (@weewelcome) – Have a baby & a life, founder.
Melissa Yarascavitch (@bourbonbaker) – Creator of FoodLove, Community Activist, Former Scaredy Cat
Monte Farber (@AskMonte) – Psychic, best-selling author of 45 books on ESP, Astrology, Tarot & Love
Nelson de Witt (@dewittn) – Chief Story Teller
Philip Nelson (@PhilipNelson) – SVP – Strategic Development, NewTek
Revolution MacInnes (@From_Nothing) – Secular Monk, Founder of @SmallThingsMttr Director of Development @TheHelpInst & Chief Philanthropic Officer at @GiftedDreamers
Ric Dragon (@RicDragon) – CEO, DragonSearch
Robert Stephens (@rstephens) – founder, Geek Squad
Ron J Williams (@ronjdub) – CEO & Co-Founder, Knodes
Ronnie Fieg (@RonnieFieg) – Owner & Founder of Kith NYC, Footwear Designer
Shelly S Terrell (@ShellTerrell) – Founder, The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators
Stav Shaffir (@StavShaffir) – Social activist, one of the Israeli social movement's leaders
Stefan Weitz (@stefanweitz) – Sr Director, Search, Microsoft/Bing
Stéphanie Montreuil (@fleur_de_lotus) – MarComm professional, mom
Stephen Brogan (@SteveBrogan) – MomPopPow.com
Steve Greenberg (@steviegpro) – Founder & CEO, S-Curve Records
Tan Siok Siok (@sioksiok) – filmmaker, entrepreneur and honorary geek with a deep passion for great storytelling in the age of the real time web.
Taylor Jones (@TJ) – Chief Memory Curator, Dear Photograph
Ted Rubin (@TedRubin) - Chief Social Marketing Officer, Collective Bias, Social Marketing Strategist
Theresa Albert (@theresaalbert) – Founder, My Friend In Food
Tiffany LaBanca (@TiffanyLaBanca) – SVP, Internal Communications, News Corporation
Tiffany Peterson (@TiffanyAndLupus) – Lupus Warrior
Tim Pool (@Timcast) – Independent Journalist covering political action and activism.
Tracey Jackson (@traceyjackson4) – President, TDJ Ent. Inc
Tracie Wagman (@HelpWeveGotKids) – Publisher, Help! … We've Got Kids
Warren Etheredge (@thewarrenreport) – Founder & Host, The Warren Report and The High Bar

(all speakers subject to change without notice)


 

15 May 2012

Five "How-To" Startup PR / Communications Strategies You Can Put Into Action Today

577573_10151710262185521_801085520_23741556_1984538262_n-1

Here's some simple and basic "how-to" posts that are part method and part belief sets that will help you in not only gaining media coverage, but in learning how to rise Above The Code.

1.  How To Write Great Content For Your Blog 

2.  How To Be Quotable By The Media

3.  Investors Invest in People Not Companies.  Does Your Startup Have Personal Branding Strategies for the Founders

4.  Is Your Startup Positioned Correctly?  Don't Let Others Position it For You.  The Value of Positioning

5.  The Startup Economy is Global.  Do You Have An Export- Oriented Mindset?


14 May 2012

The Rise of A New Type of Creative Class at @Geekdom / #Geekdom

I’m a huge fan of author, and social demographer, Richard Florida, whose premise about the rise of the creative class has helped cities around the world shape its economic development policies and long-range planning.   The general idea of the creative class is that when you bring together creative types in largely urban cores, economic magic starts to happen.

Screen_shot_2012-05-14_at_11

While Florida’s definition of the creative class is largely based on adults, there’s a new type of creative class that’s bubbling up in downtown San Antonio.  When you stand in front of what’s positioned as “San Antonio’s Best Office Address,” The Weston Centre is home to Geekdom,

Having been a community member at Geekdom since it first opened in December of 2011, my first real encounter with the potential of the facility was observing the incoming class of the TechStars Cloud, who had 11 startups and their teams move here for 3 ½ months to bring their startups to life.

When you enter The Weston Centre, you know you’re in a first class office building.  The expansive lobby, the piano player who is there to serenade you on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as you take a break for lunch, walk down to the San Antonio River for an afternoon stroll, or run downstairs to Page Barteau’s restaurant for a healthy meal or snack.

You could be in London, New York, or Hong Kong, surrounded by largely well dressed lawyers, bankers, consultants and Texan good old boys with boatloads of oil and gas money. 

And then there’s the Geekdom Gang.  

We’re the ones in cut-offs or jeans, t-shirts that have either a startup’s logo on it, or some geeky expression or artwork that brings a smile to you as you enter the elevator. 

We’re the ones wearing flip-flops, tennis shoes and carrying back-packs full of gizmos, gadgets and toys that have empowered us to be part of the global startup economy.

We may be grown ups, but at heart, we’re still kids, with an insatiable curiosity to learn, make, break, disrupt and monetize.   Now that the TechStars Cloud class has graduated, another creative class is starting to at enter Geekdom. 

This time, the class are real kids and well, yes, adults, who are taking advantage of 50 (not a misprint) new classes and workshops that are in process and will continue to expand on the 11th floor.  I’m finding myself staying late at work to sit in the back of the community room just to sit and observe fresh, new faces that are discovering the magic of the 11th floor at Geekdom as a place to learn, connect and share.

In addition to these creative classes, there’s some plans in the works for a maker shop, multiple unconferneces, and even some Geekdom community projects that will reach out to, and impact parts of downtown San Antonio outside of the Weston Centre. 

Keep your eyes on a new type of creative class – or rather classes, that are now underway and continuing to expand in the months to come.  

And if you are looking to start something new, or just want to meet what is clearly becoming a central meeting and connecting point for some of San Antonio and South Texas’ brightest minds, come for a visit and consider becoming part of a movement in a class of its own.

 

11 May 2012

#Startups: You Have The Power of Seeing Signals. Make Them Quoteable

Startups are creating a new future, that in many cases are really signals of what's next.

Dsc_0562

Story telling, and your vision of what's next can be a great insight to the media and your being a source for thought leadership.

If you're seeing something new, share your vision in simple to read English on your startup's blog.

Articulate what you are seeing in a language that's easily sourceable and most of all, quoteable.

10 May 2012

Startups: Do You Have A Trusted Content Strategy in Place?

Writing content for your startup's blog should be thought of as not just a place to self promote, but to become a trusted source for the media.

 

Dsc_2727

Your startup and the data you are collecting has huge value as you gain critical mass.  Share your insights, knowledge and wisdom on your blog.  Photo by me.  Shot on the Santa Monica Pier.

Shifting some of the mindset in this vein makes you a more valuable source for your insights, expertise and thought leadership.

9 May 2012

How I Can Help A VC / Angel Fund As Their Story Teller in Chief

If you're part of a VC or Angel Fund, I could be a valuable member of your team by helping your portfolio companies articulate and sustain their story, and help your fund do likewise.

Photo_11

As Story Teller in Chief, I can help your fund's brand differentiate, and help your portfolio companies become better story tellers.

Better Deal Flow

This article in TechCrunch, "Why VCs Are Getting Into PR" says it best, citing firms like Kleiner Perkins, Greylock and Andreesen Horowitz having a role in PR - (I expand the term a bit in the vein of story telling).   

The intent is help your portfolio companies and your fund think through, and act upon becoming more effective at telling their story on a sustained basis.  

The end game in this is being a source to the media, leveraging thought leadership for business development, and increased customer engagement.

Be Better Positioned

You want to be in a position to get better deal flow, better companies, and be at the front of the receiving line, not the end.  

With a great brand and story telling, you can share your mission, your purpose and what makes you a great partner to a startup above and beyond the almighty Dollar, Pound, Euro, Sheckel, Yen and all other currencies in between.

Most Startups Aren't Coded for Story Telling

Most startups I meet in my travels aren't very inclined to invest time, let alone money in thinking through, and executing on their story telling strategies.  

It's in their DNA to write code, get stuff done and ship.  Somewhere in the heart and soul of every startup I meet with is a great story that goes above and beyond, "we do X for Y, and help the enterprise do Z."

Either they don't see it because they are so close to it, or they don't see or understand the value of great story telling.

Does Your Fund Have A Story Telling Strategy in Place?

At the other end of the startup food chain are VC and Angel Funds who are now competing with each other for the best deal flow looking for places to deploy their funds in the global startup economy.  

Crowdfunding and platforms like Kickstarter are also changing the rules.  So are funds from around the world that are tapping into previously unaccessable markets.

Sounds Good.  How.  And How Much?

I have developed a clustered service offering ranging in price from $5 - $10K per month, that is aimed at helping a fund and its portfolio companies scale and sustain their story telling (OK - their PR) initiatives.  

The pricing depends on the fund size, the number of companies in the portfolio and what internal resources are available for me to work with.  

I believe it's best to limit this to no more than 10 companies at a time.  If you're fund has in excess of 10, we can also rotate portfolio companies on 90 day cycles.

I won't handle competing funds and will only serve one fund at a time.  

I'm interested.  What Do I Do?

Share your story with me.  

Tell me what's on your fund's mind, what you are trying to achieve, and some of the communications obstacles your fund and your portfolio companies might be experiencing.

Email me:  alan at weinkrantz dot com. 

I'll circle back.  

Let's get some good story telling going.




 

8 May 2012

Do You And Your Startup's Co-Founders Have Personal Brands?

Investors in startups invest in people, not just a company.

Dsc_0577
Open the door to new deal flow by making sure you and your co-founders have a personal branding strategy.  Photo by me shot on one of many airplanes over the last year or so.

Keep that in mind as you shop your startup for deal flow and funding.

External to how smart you may individually and collectively be, what do your personal brands say about you?  How do they attract the right people to your universe of opportunity and deal flow.

One commonality that I find in startups, is that often the founders have known each other for many years.  You may have met in high school, learned to code in a dorm room with the person who is now your lead developer, or just came up with an idea for what could be next while day-dreaming in your MBA classes.

Keep in mind that when investors are looking at your company, they are really looking at you and your co-founders.  Develop a story line on your social profiles that reflect what you're about, what you believe in and where the heart and soul of your company is.

You're not just competing for money.  You're competing for attention.  

Get it with a personal brand that attracts the right universe of people, who'll believe in your vision, your mission, and most of all, invest in the collective of what makes you and your co-founders a great team.

 

7 May 2012

My Interview with Julie Huls, Austin Technology Council President - 2012 CEO Summit - May 17 /18 - Brings Together Tech Leaders Focused on Growth

On May 17 and 18, 2012, the Austin Technology Council will host its second annual CEO Summit.

My interview with Julie Huls, CEO can be heard below.  The Conference agenda brings together like minded CEOs from around the State of Texas looking to drive growth in our State and be open to global opportunities that come about by connecting with with each other.

 

Quick Links:  Event FAQ, AgendaCompanies attending, Austin Technology Council on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Connect with Julie.... on Twitter or LinkedIn.

4 May 2012

Startups: Who Are You Writing To and For?

There's three universes that matter:  investors, partners, customers.

For the purposes of this post, the order does not matter.

Depending on where you are in your life cyle, you should seriously consider the words you use, the messages you promote, and calls to action who ask for.  

You're leaving digital breadcrumbs behind you.  

Make sure you're giving each universe plenty to snack on.

Contributors

Alan Weinkrantz