Category: Start Up

What’s it like creating a start-up?

Not many people can say they grew up in Boulder, and lived down the street from Anthony Robbins. And not many can head a fast growing start-up company. But Jud Valeski has been spent most of his life living in Boulder, being inspired and running companies. As a child, he discovered that having a business was easier than conforming to the structure of school. Now, as head of Gnip (ping spelled backwards), Jud thrives on the contrasts of bicycling to work and spending the day mentally jumping between daily “fires” of activity.

What’s it like being a venture capitalist?

This is the kind of success that it easy to replicate. First, start from a good base. Make sure your Dad is a doctor and your Mom is an artist. Then have your uncle teach you the ropes of business and tech. For college, go to MIT. Then sell your first company at the age of 28, take some on your money (and money from other folk) and invest it in new companies. You’ll have great fun, meet lots of interesting people, and get to live in Boulder, CO. At least that’s how it worked for Brad Feld. Your mileage may vary.

What’s it like to start a company from scratch?

Aaron Fulkerson grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area but now lives in San Diego. So he’s a west coast guy who went to school in N. Carolina. His grandfather introduced him to a wide range of philosophical ideas. But instead of becoming a philosopher, Aaron got excited about computers. He boot-strapped his company which now successfully helps other companies manage their corporate knowledge base.

What’s it like being a CEO?

This is the story of how a smart girl from the farmland of New Zealand goes off to explore the world. On the way, she learns to surf, starts a travel biz, gets a Harvard MBA, and becomes CEO of her own marketing software company. Wildfire Interactive is the name of her company, and not a bad description of her life.

What’s it like to be a drive-by teacher?

Although he grew up in a home environment that was more out-patient clinic than family fortress, Steve Blank found his passion for technology blossomed in the military. He also discovered the value of volunteering and honed the skill of troubleshooting. Now, as a writer and teacher, he shares the principles underlying entrepreneurism. And one lesson he has is that starting a business requires a different skill set than working in one. It’s an act of creation, and needs to be viewed in those terms. For Steve Blank’s website click here.

What’s it like founding a company?

Wil Harris says that online advertising is quite different than you’d think. Advertisers think locally and are quite slow to adopt new methods. Wil should know. He is the founder of UK-based ChannelFlip, which presents professionally-produced short-form videos (less than 5 minutes) that people want to see. Apparently even after you prove the concept, it’s not easy to get convince advertisers to become sponsors. Fortunately, Wil learned arguing and persuading in law school. But now days, he spends more time doing financial modeling than beating the bushes. You deserve a break. To check out ChannelFlip click here.