Disqus - Latest Comments for sweller

Re: How to focus in a startup? Make a daily “not until”.

sweller — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 10:20:22 -0000

Hi Igor,

I will follow up soon with a post showing some examples.

Scott

Re: How scaling a company is like riding a motorcycle

sweller — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:29:48 -0000

Great perspective. Trust is the key.

Re: Boston's Startup Identity: Embracing Who We Are and Aren't

sweller — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:30:04 -0000

Accessible. It a town where newcomers can easily jump in and are embraced.

Re: The Problem and the Opportunity Of Mobile Advertising

sweller — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:08:43 -0000

Great post. Spot on.

Re: The Boston Success Project - 10 Ways We're Winning

sweller — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:16:39 -0000

haha. sorry. need tor retake that speed reading course. ;)

Re: The Boston Success Project - 10 Ways We're Winning

sweller — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:29:40 -0000

Jason, I think you should add a section for press & events. Think WebInno, InnovationNights, OpenCoffee, Nantucket Conf, etc. Also, think bostinnovation.com, Scott Kirsner, etc.

Also, we have DogPatch, TechStars, CIC, etc. Great resources for incubation.

Re: There is no shame in monetization

sweller — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:11:35 -0000

When you realize that you can speak clearly and be passionate about how you monetize, then it's time.

Re: http://bijansabet.com/post/5876771435

sweller — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:32:00 -0000

You need @sanebox technology for meetings.

Re: http://bijansabet.com/post/4423445601

sweller — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:35:48 -0000

Check out 1:02 on this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Rock it.

Re: http://bijansabet.com/post/4423445601

sweller — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:44:56 -0000

I'm there -- tambourine and the triangle in hand!

Re: The end of the app store innocence?

sweller — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:11:24 -0000

There is a gold rush in mobile right now and I do believe we are leaving the countryside and there is an emerging metropolis being created. Think NYC circa Gangs of New York.

A few big positives:

We still live in a society where ideas are worth more than gold.

We also live in a time where you can create real meaningful products and services from thin air -- and the tools to do this become simpler every day. This means they are more accessible to the masses, to the creative spirit, which creates for a dearth of competition.

How we index and access content is altered under the shear weight of this magmatic potential. What we understand to be the internet today will be forced to change in order to support this.

I'm fairly certain that these paid techniques will be a significant conduit for getting attention.

But genuine attention?

That's a bigger question.

If you've tried any of these paid techniques, there is real question in how genuine the activity is.

Re: Rachel Sequoia Comes Clean: Hippie Pitch Was a Prank

sweller — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:26:15 -0000

The concept reminds me of the Perri-Air scene from Spaceballs.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: Does your company culture allow mistakes

sweller — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:04:27 -0000

Anyone can break a few eggs to make an omelet. It takes culture to make a soufflé.

Re: http://bijansabet.com/post/4006390826

sweller — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:43:42 -0000

Twitter has become how I find out about stuff in the world. It's my news feed and moves at my speed.

Re: Stack Exchange (fka Stack Overflow)

sweller — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 08:00:47 -0000

This is a smart investment. Congrats.

Re: How Many Investors are Too Many?

sweller — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:08:35 -0000

Great post, great advice. Very helpful.

Re: http://sweller.tumblr.com/post/3103988752

sweller — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:59:41 -0000

It was freezing!

Re: Loving my new setup

sweller — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:06:48 -0000

Thx Seth!

Re: Loving my new setup

sweller — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:54:11 -0000

Thanks Seth. Glad you mentioned Dropbox, as I was just looking for something like that for large file transfers, file sharing and syncing.

Re: I want to get rid of my phone number

sweller — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 09:33:51 -0000

This is a really interesting idea Bijan. It seems like Google Voice or Skype could offer something like this. You really need a service that enables name-to-number(s) look up. You also need an app on the device to do the look up.

Re: My love affair with SMS may come to an end

sweller — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:41:59 -0000

For me TXT messaging represents supporting broken thinking and a broken consumer-supplier relationship. Why am I buying an unlimited data plan for $35/mo and still have to kick in $10/mo for unlimited text messaging? Seriously? Did someone spice up the TCP/IP packet of an SMS message to make it super valuable? Is there a Mercedes Benz logo attached to each packet? To your point, SMS TXTs are far *less* reliable than their digital counterparts running off the other aspects of our data plans.

If a consumer is willing to pay $10/mo a month for unlimited TXT, then they certainly should be willing to pay $20/mo for unlimited "Facebook". Right? That concept is written on conference room whiteboards and sent around as technical Visio diagrams throughout the annals of AT&T, Comcast and Verizon, every single day.

SMS is broken for you because it represents broken thinking. It's just not Zen.

Re: http://bijansabet.com/post/2810839390

sweller — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:05:22 -0000

Software is content.z

Re: http://bijansabet.com/post/2711985209

sweller — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:41:48 -0000

This post got me thinking.

My perspective as an entrepreneur (what I look for in a VC)...

I think there is a difference between investing and having a vested interested. I prefer to work with people who are not only investors but also like to get really into what they are investing in. Those who see the value of the team and experience. Those who like to wrap their head around the product -- those who want to be a part of the magic of taking the imaginary and turning it into something fun, useful, profitable.

I am drawn to VCs that could care less about "pitch decks". I appreciate those who ask to see a demo, or want to signup/install/test the app/platform/etc.

I appreciate those who have spent time riding on the turnip truck before becoming a VC.

I value those who haven't been viciously infected by buzzwords.

Team is so important to me. I see the VC as a partner and most importantly, a critical team member. First impressions are important and I can almost immediately tell after a few moments of conversation if the VC sitting across the table is going to be someone I would like to work with, or someone who is going to slow us down.

I am drawn to those who can first discuss where the *value* sits and how to best position that value. I am impressed by those who can take in the concept and spit it back out in a whole new way, using their perspective. How they might use it, which markets it may apply to, how to describe it to other people using their words, what additional features they would like to see, etc. I appreciate those who can have an honest down-to-earth conversation about how to mitigate our challenges using that value as leverage. All web based business will face varying degrees of market challenges. The real question is, as an investor, are you not only going to be by our side when we win the campaign, but also with us in the trenches when the bullets are flying by?

In the end, however, you know it's a good match when the VC you're working with turns the fund raising process into something that feels productive, not something that feels inherently laborious or cumbersome. If they are asking for more definition on market landscape slides for your pitch deck, then you know they do not fully understand your product. If you find yourself having to teach them your market, then there is immediate misalignment. If you feel friction, if you feel like the relationship is reducing momentum for your start up, that can be a good litmus to tell you it may not be a good fit.

Oh -- and I like to see the VC hit the whiteboards too. That's when I know they really dig the product and are mentally vested in it.

Re: A few weeks with the Nexus S

sweller — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:59:20 -0000

I just purchased the Droid X through Verizon. I traded in my BB.

Have you ever played around with it? So far I love it, but it's only been three days.

It's a little larger than the iPhone, but the form factor has quickly become very comfortable.

Re: Proving the skeptics wrong

sweller — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 13:10:19 -0000

I love stories like this! Having perspective is good but it's a constant challenge to signal out the noise (the techcrunchification).

Congrats!