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Web Startups

For founders, employees, and those interested in web startups. Whether your inspiration is Facebook, 37Signals, Yelp, Craigslist, or RescueTime, and whether you read Hacker News or the Wall Street Journal, this is a group for us to talk about looking for, creating, being in, and running a web startup.

Network Leader: Jay Neely
Groups > Web Startups
 
Jay Neely If you have a second, a quick vote for my startup at MassChallenge would be really appreciated: http://masschallenge.org/profile/RelatedRiver - could help us get office space, funding, and mentorship!

5 weeks ago from Web Startups

 
Ryan Paugh What are your favorite books for entrepreneurship? Here are some faves from members of our YEC Women program: http://bit.ly/vnj75e What would you add?

20 weeks ago from Youth Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurs, Shotgun Startups, Web Startups and Upstarts!3 more

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Timothy Johnson III: I'd add "The Personal MBA: Mastering the Art of Business", by Josh Kaufman and "168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think" by Laura Vanderkam
17 weeks ago
Beatriz Alemar: The E-myth and Get Clients Now. My personal favs about entrepreneurship.
16 weeks ago
 
Ryan Paugh One of the biggest issues that entrepreneurs of all ages have trouble with is dealing with problem clients who don't pay on time, don't respect scope of work, etc. My friend and fellow YEC member, Ashley Bodi, started an amazing business to help entrepreneurs deal with these issues. Tomorrow at 8:30pm est (5:30pm pst) we're producing a live video Q&A with her. Stop by and ask her your questions. Rsvp here: http://live.theyec.org/ashleybodi How do you deal with these issues in your own business?

18 weeks ago from Youth Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurs, Shotgun Startups, Web Startups and Upstarts!3 more

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Noel Rozny: That's an awesome business idea!
18 weeks ago
JRandom42: You mean that businesses can get paid by their customers on time without having to send out Uncle Dominic, Cousin Carmine and Cousin Vito to ...MoreYou mean that businesses can get paid by their customers on time without having to send out Uncle Dominic, Cousin Carmine and Cousin Vito to sprain their thumbs? No Way! :)
18 weeks ago
 
Ryan Paugh 2011 was the year of the protestor. 2012 will be the year of the entrepreneur. At least that's what we're pushing for at YEC this year. We just published an article on TIME that outlines our stance. Would love to hear your thoughts and ask you to share with your peers to support the movement. http://moneyland.time.com/2012/01/03/2012-the-year-of-the-entrepreneur/

20 weeks ago from Youth Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurs, Shotgun Startups, Upstarts! and Web Startups3 more

 
Jay Neely I've just launched http://startupsinboston.com/ - a list of Boston area startups (with those that are hiring marked), filterable by industry, location, etc. Would love feedback and suggestions.

23 weeks ago from Web Startups

 
Megan Williams I'm looking for a good, reliable Drupal developer for an ecommerce site (I was already scammed by one). Anybody ever used a good one for a web startup?

24 weeks ago from Web Startups

 
Brett Kunsch I'm compiling a list of the top 10 films for entrepreneurs. Citizen Kane, Social Network, Jerry Maguire, The Aviator, Ghostbusters (!) are making the cut so far. What else would you add to the list? Thanks ahead of time!!

65 weeks ago from Web Startups, Upstarts!, Business Development, Film and Entrepreneurs3 more

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JRandom42: Here's one you forgot:

Boiler Room

MoreHere's one you forgot:

Boiler Room

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181984/

And while it's not a movie, it's still relates to enterprenuers pretty well

Burn Rate by Michael Wolff
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_Rate_(book)
http://tinyurl.com/3t4ts7r


29 weeks ago
Peter Weyant: Have to add an Ann Rand movie, either the recent Atlas Shrugged or the classic Fountainhead.
27 weeks ago
 
Jason H. Parker Thought this article "When Smart People Make Bad Employees" from Forbes was particularly interesting: http://bit.ly/e6Fr7q What do you think? Does anyone have a story about one of these "types" of individuals? Does anyone (else) see tendencies towards one of these "types"?

71 weeks ago from Shotgun Startups, Web Startups, Entrepreneurs, What I Wish I Knew Then and Web Development3 more

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Tracy Brisson: Context matters, also. It's about who else is on the team, the diversity of roles within a company, etc. I have worked with successful people who ...MoreContext matters, also. It's about who else is on the team, the diversity of roles within a company, etc. I have worked with successful people who leaned toward one of these stereotypes, but there was someone else to balance and develop and lead them.
71 weeks ago
Jason H. Parker: The world does need better HR professionals, this is true. More importantly, the world needs awesome CEOs and managers who create HR departments ...MoreThe world does need better HR professionals, this is true. More importantly, the world needs awesome CEOs and managers who create HR departments that work in accordance with the diverse culture of the company. @tracy, I think you're absolutely right about context. And you also raise the point of setting people up for success by involving them directly in mentoring or coworking type relationships.

71 weeks ago
 
Jason H. Parker What are your thoughts on this recent article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43976881/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/ Love the idea of student loan debt being forgiven or delayed for entrepreneurs.

41 weeks ago from Shotgun Startups, Web Startups and Entrepreneurs1 more

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Nicole Bienfang: I don't think it is a good idea to tie this program with "success" because success is very vague. Also, this country is dead set on punishing ...MoreI don't think it is a good idea to tie this program with "success" because success is very vague. Also, this country is dead set on punishing failure when really failure can be amazing if the person actually learns from the experience.I like Edward's idea with employee salary= the amount of the loan forgiveness, however that does not help the struggling entrepreneur who is just starting out. But guys like this should be rewarded:http://store.soy-yer.com/AboutUs.asp I don't think we need a program based off of the teacher forgiveness program as I have experienced that first hand. Even though it brings teacher's to "bad areas" it is only for 5 years and I've seen time and time again teachers (good or bad) high tail it out of town as soon as they can after the 5 year mark.Maybe giving forgiveness based on staying in the same town or state could be awarded for entrepreneurs? Maybe those who want this type of loan forgiveness need to show what steps they have taken to build a business, do they have a history of starting businesses, selling them, did they go to school and take courses that pertained to being an entrepreneur etc.I know personally if I didn't have student loans I would be at a totally different level with my business by now.It really hinders progress whether you are starting business or just trying to start your adult life out on the right foot.
40 weeks ago
Kathryn Smith: This may be a bit of a devil's advocate kind of a thing to say, but... maybe the kids in college right now should just take this as a lesson to ...MoreThis may be a bit of a devil's advocate kind of a thing to say, but... maybe the kids in college right now should just take this as a lesson to get more creative with funding their education instead of taking out massive amounts of loans. It is possible to graduate without much debt, it's just that those of us who weren't forced to reevaluate our funding generally didn't.

If there is ONE thing that I feel entrepreneurs need to have a firm grasp on, it is accountability. I don't think there needs to be an advertised way out of financial obligations to encourage entrepreneurship. Sure, maybe "success" is vague, and it's great when people buck up and learn from failure, but it's also great when people buck up and learn to overcome obstacles, like student loans. Entrepreneurship is NOT easy, and it should not be advertised as such. The government is not in a financial position right now to fund failure, as measured by contribution to the health of the economy, so forgiving loans to entrepreneurs whether they start a successful business or not is just a downright bad idea.
40 weeks ago
 
Andrew Shell If you've started (or are starting) a company, where did the idea for your company come from? Did you already know your target demographic before you started or did you find it as you went along?

94 weeks ago from Nomadic Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurs, Consultants R US, Web Startups and Upstarts!3 more

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Patricia Stewart: Hey Andrew, you should like at a business that gives you passive, residual income. You don't want to be self-employed and you be the system and ...MoreHey Andrew, you should like at a business that gives you passive, residual income. You don't want to be self-employed and you be the system and always be tied down by that business if you aren't there. You should look at network marketing it is the business for the 21st century. Read, Napolean Hills, Think and Grow Rich. David Schwartz's book, The Magic of Thinking Big. Also, Robery Kiyosacki's book The Business for the 21st Century.
94 weeks ago
Lindsay Browning: I started a company over 5 years ago and sold my shares 2.5 years later. The idea came from being in the industry already and I spotted a gap in ...MoreI started a company over 5 years ago and sold my shares 2.5 years later. The idea came from being in the industry already and I spotted a gap in the market for what I went on to do. Regarding target demographic this grew as the business expanded and we managed that growth. As the business flourished in growth we always developed into new services. Personally you start of with an idea and you cannot help but develop into new markets/services. Whatever works and makes the customer happy! Plus making profit helps
94 weeks ago
 
Eric Sforza I'm currently working on 3 startup projects that are looking to create websites. Since all of these companies are lean, I'm trying to find the most cost effective solutions. Each company does something different (social venture, small business w/ online store, consulting) so I'm looking for a variety of options. For example: Is it better to use a site builder - if so, which ones and why? Is there better value at getting a freelance graphic designer to build a few pages? Thanks in advance!

53 weeks ago from Shotgun Startups, Freelancing, Social Entrepreneurs, Web Development and Web Startups3 more

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Kelly Seiler: @Eric - you might need to tweak the CSS in your theme so that content shows up the way you want (fonts, size, center, left, etc) consistently ...More@Eric - you might need to tweak the CSS in your theme so that content shows up the way you want (fonts, size, center, left, etc) consistently across the site. When you update you shouldn't be doing much - if any formatting.

Of course I'll caveat that with the advice to never copy stuff out of Word directly into Wordress. They don't play nice. Copy text into Notepad or a similar program that strips away the formatting then copy into Wordpress.
50 weeks ago
Sadya Siddiqui: Outsource it, so that you can focus on building your business and your clients. Try out Brazen Careerist Lindsey Donner
50 weeks ago
 
Harriet May The company I work for, Loom Learning, is about to start looking for a new help desk agent. We're a startup elearning company, so everything is new and exciting. No experience necessary, although some tech knowledge would be beneficial. Great hours, great people. Must be a good communicator and in the Charlotte area. Let me know if you or someone you know is interested! www.loomlearning.com

80 weeks ago from North Carolina Bloggers, Web Startups, Young Professional Women (YPW), Work/Life Blur and Cloud Computing3 more

 
Eleni Miltsakaki I have built a new engine that evaluates web content for schools. I have hired developers and the engine is ready. Before I go out for serious funding, though, I need to find a CEO for the start up. It's hard. I need someone who understands technology and internet but also the education/school market. Any ideas where to look?

111 weeks ago from Web Startups

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Justin Goldman: Eleni, are you full time on this business? If you are, then I highly recommend focusing on the Customer Development methodology by Steve Blank. ...MoreEleni, are you full time on this business? If you are, then I highly recommend focusing on the Customer Development methodology by Steve Blank. As you'll learn, start ups don't need CEO's. Your job as the founder is strictly "search for a repeatable and scalable business model." During that search you'll likely pivot several times. Once you find it, then you can start thinking about building a team which would include a CEO. Until then, there is no CEO, just a Customer Development Team and a Product Development team..... Here is a great post by Steve on raising capital: http://steveblank.com/2009/11/05/raising-money-with-customer-development/ and here is his keynote speech at last week's start up lessons learned conference: http://www.justin.tv/startuplessonslearned/b/262670582
107 weeks ago
Eleni Miltsakaki: @Justin Goldman: Thank you for much for the pointers. Very useful advice. I know this comes late but I didn't get a notification of your post.
62 weeks ago
 
Brett Kunsch I'm compiling a list of the top 10 films for entrepreneurs. Citizen Kane, Social Network, Jerry Maguire, The Aviator, Ghostbusters (!) are making the cut so far. What else would you add to the list? Thanks ahead of time!!

65 weeks ago from Entrepreneurs, Film, Business Development, Upstarts! and Web Startups3 more

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Megan Atkinson: A great female entrepreneur movie is Real Women Have Curves! Definitely a chick flick but a good business lesson regardless. I'd like to add Hitch ...MoreA great female entrepreneur movie is Real Women Have Curves! Definitely a chick flick but a good business lesson regardless. I'd like to add Hitch because it's about confidence in selling yourself. Also, It's a Wonderful Life because it's a classic!
64 weeks ago
Brett Kunsch: Thanks @Megan - I'll need to check that one out. Good call on Hitch and It's a Wonderful Life!
64 weeks ago
 
Sal Pellettieri Does anyone know where I can find some (volunteer) beta testers for my site? I'm looking to expose any gaps in usability that I may have missed

68 weeks ago from Web Startups

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Jay Neely: I'd also describe the site a bit when asking for beta testers, or places to find beta testers.
68 weeks ago
Sal Pellettieri: Thanks for the feedback. I guess I'm trying to find out why a number of people sign up for my site then don't do anything, i.e. never come back. I ...MoreThanks for the feedback. I guess I'm trying to find out why a number of people sign up for my site then don't do anything, i.e. never come back. I suppose this common since I sign up for a lot of sites just to see what they're about and never return
67 weeks ago
 
Rebecca Thorman So, if you're like me, you love to wireframe your ideas out (even if they don't always make it to the next phase!) I recently found http://www.hotgloo.com/ - I've been using it for the past couple weeks and love it. Really intuitive to learn and I like that it's in the cloud (since everything I do is in a browser). It's more advanced than GoMockingbird.com, but you can keep it simple if you want. If you're looking for a desktop app, Mockflow.com is a hybrid. Hope that helps someone!

72 weeks ago from Entrepreneurs, Shotgun Startups, Upstarts!, Web Startups and Productivity & Time-Management3 more

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Ed Barrientos: Very cool Rebecca. How long have you been using it? Are you still happy with its capabilities?
70 weeks ago
Rebecca Thorman: @ Ed - Probably just for five or six weeks. But yes, it's great - I'm not sure what real designers/ideators use, but this makes me feel like one! :)
70 weeks ago
 
Sal Pellettieri Can anyone tell me the difference between an Alpha and Beta website? I know Beta is more advanced than Alpha, but are there any technical differences or is it just subjective?

71 weeks ago from Web Startups

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Dave Ellis: Wholly subjective. At YouTern, we chose the 'Alpha' designation internally to signify V 1.0 of the site. It was chosen also to remind us that we ...MoreWholly subjective. At YouTern, we chose the 'Alpha' designation internally to signify V 1.0 of the site. It was chosen also to remind us that we are a first-to-market niche, and proof of concept was critical before moving on to V 2.0 (beta).
71 weeks ago
Sal Pellettieri: Thanks guys! This is what I thought, but just wanted some other opinions. I also love that difference between website.
71 weeks ago
 
Ryan Healy Are we in the midst of a new revolution - the entrepreneurial revolution? I think so. Steve Blank does too - http://bit.ly/i1DEcx

72 weeks ago from Web Startups, Upstarts! and Entrepreneurs1 more

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Kevin Li: Absolutely, all those points are way true. At the end of the day it's a numbers game. All those dynamics (lower cost of development, quicker time ...MoreAbsolutely, all those points are way true. At the end of the day it's a numbers game. All those dynamics (lower cost of development, quicker time to market, lower capital barriers, etc.) are all improving one metric at the end of the day: number of start-ups one person can launch in their career.

If an entrepreneur used to be able to launch X number of start-ups in their career (due to these external limitations) and now they can launch 2X, more things are ultimately going to be created (hopefully value doesn't diminish). I think it's just a more efficient model for entrepreneurship in general.
72 weeks ago
Ryan Healy: Glad everyone seems to agree with this one! I know Im excited to be a part of this revolution. It's not often you can recognize that you are in ...MoreGlad everyone seems to agree with this one! I know Im excited to be a part of this revolution. It's not often you can recognize that you are in the middle of a historical change, so I feel lucky for that. Now it's time to execute!
72 weeks ago
 
Rebecca Thorman I have a friend who is looking for a web developer for a side project he is working on. It would be a marketplace type-site with a heavy focus on community. Interested or know someone? Let me know and I'll connect you to learn more. rlthorman (at) gmail [dot] com

76 weeks ago from Web Development, Web Startups, Drupal, Joomla! and Entrepreneurs3 more

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Kevin Fernandes: Rebecca, I'd recommend a good Web Developer / Specialist who can be reached at MoreRebecca, I'd recommend a good Web Developer / Specialist who can be reached at jassimfidwi@gmail.com
76 weeks ago
Benjamin Kuker: Hi Rebecca, if your friend's project is still available, have him look us up: MoreHi Rebecca, if your friend's project is still available, have him look us up: http://www.virtuosimedia.com/
73 weeks ago
 
Dave Ellis I just read a great article on branding for start-ups. I liked the point it made about making your brand and customer interactions "human" in an anthropomorphic way. See what you think... http://www.inc.com/howard-greenstein/what-start-ups-can-learn-from-the-b...

74 weeks ago from Shotgun Startups, Web Startups and Entrepreneurs1 more

 
Harriet May Looking for a new customer support rep in the Charlotte area! Since we're a startup (in the elearning industry) it's nothing like being in a call center and reading from a script. Our team all works together and we all work outside job descriptions. Ideal candidate would be recent grad looking for entry-level job and chance to gain valuable experience. Anyone interested or know anyone who might be?

75 weeks ago from Entry-Level Young Professionals, Location Independent, North Carolina Bloggers, Personal Development and Web Startups3 more

 
Ian Ford I've been writing software for 20 years, and completed hundreds of contracts. It's high time to get into bigger things. I find that people overvalue superficial exposure to buzzword technologies and undervalue engineering experience. (For example, what's the value of making sure a billing algorithm is threadsafe?) How do I find the capital and marketing expertise to mix with my "old-fashioned" project management expertise to create a super-efficent super-profitable business?

75 weeks ago from Web Startups

TroyW: What IS the value of making sure a billing algorithm is threadsafe? Finding out, and expressing that as a value proposition, is the first step. Is ...MoreWhat IS the value of making sure a billing algorithm is threadsafe? Finding out, and expressing that as a value proposition, is the first step. Is this a common problem? What will be lost if the problem occurs? Who would care about this problem? Do the people who would really care have the power to do anything about it (such as buy your solution)? If not, how can you retool it so that buyers will find it a good idea to buy?

It sounds like you're presenting high quality as a value proposition. Quality itself never sells; rather, the problems you avoid with quality, and possibly the prestige you accrue with quality, are things to think about.
75 weeks ago
Ken: I think Troy is on the right path. As you know with any IT development project, the business need must drive the IT solution. When you make your ...MoreI think Troy is on the right path. As you know with any IT development project, the business need must drive the IT solution. When you make your marketing pitch, I'd suggest that you work from your business value in terms of skills and abilities. The tech stuff is in the documentation (ie. your CV).
75 weeks ago
 
Sal Pellettieri Does anyone have any data on the relationship between number of users for a site and advertising revenues? I'm just wondering how much traffic one needs to make money from advertising.

75 weeks ago from Web Startups

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Jamie Wilson: @Sal: I never said advertising wasn't viable. In fact, I said the opposite. I just pointed out that there are more factors involved than simply ...More@Sal: I never said advertising wasn't viable. In fact, I said the opposite. I just pointed out that there are more factors involved than simply throwing ads on a page.
75 weeks ago
Sal Pellettieri: Sorry Jamie, my mistake. Yes I wonder the effectiveness of Adsense as opposed to choosing your own ads on an affiliate network.
75 weeks ago
 
Dave Ellis Do you tweet til the wee hours? Check your Facebook before breakfast? Has social media made your (former) 9-to-5 work day obsolete? (I ask that as I post this on a Sunday night...) :) http://bit.ly/h7S0lD If this sounds like you, what do you do to try to regain / maintain your work-life balance?

75 weeks ago from Shotgun Startups, Web Startups, Entrepreneurs and Social Media2 more

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