Engagement to sales, using video to build your business

Lights, camera, action! These words should be in the minds of every entrepreneur who wants to reach the audience in an engaging manner, according to Wirebuzz Director of Startegy Marcus Krieg. [youtube]http://youtu.be/l-glhokxcXM[/youtube] More users stay on your website when there is a video, Krieg said. And they’re more likely to buy the product after the … Read more

Calculators required – SaaS metrics you need to attract investors

Photo contribution Thomas Hawthorne Class was in session at Axosoft headquarters during Phoenix Startup Week when founder of Pure Chat Hamid Shojaee spoke about metrics every Software as a Service (SaaS) firm needs to know to build their business and attract investors. Shojaee said none of these metrics help out a SaaS firm if they aren’t in … Read more

Applications open for Spring 2015 Innovation Challenge

Arizona Commerce Authority announces the opening of the Spring 2015 Arizona Innovation Challenge (AIC). Applications are available for download right now and the submission window is scheduled to close on March 27th, at 3:00 PM Arizona Time. The AIC has one of the highest award amounts in the country for a business plan competition, and … Read more

400 hackers and drones – InnovateUA hosts massive hackathon – March 6-8

InnovateUA, a student-led entrepreneurial organization at the University of Arizona, is hosting the Southwest’s largest-ever hackathon from March 6-8, 2015. The hackathon, dubbed ‘Hack Arizona,’ expects close to 500 participants, mostly students, to partake in the three day hacking event. With drones as a focus at Hack Arizona, Nick Morin, Director of InnovateUA shared that lead sponsor … Read more

Don't try to be something you're not – Phoenix Startup Week Day 4

Co-written with Jesse Millard and photo contributions from Thomas Hawthorne Today the Phoenix Startup Week speaker theme was about knowing who you are, understanding your competencies and don’t try to turn your company into something it’s not, including the next Google. TK Kuegler of Wasabi Ventures kicked off the day at GoDaddy and gave startups advice on … Read more

Wasabi Ventures to open Phoenix offices in 2015

Video contribution by Jesse Millard and photo contribution by Thomas Hawthorne Wasabi Ventures, a bi-coastal venture capital firm and incubator for early stage startups, plan to open offices by the end of 2015 where they intend to fund and found 20 startups within two years, said TK Kuegler, founder and partner at Wasabi Ventures. Kuegler … Read more

Overcoming obstacles to achieve your dream – Phoenix Startup Week Day 3

Photo contribution by Thomas Hawthorne Whether it be raising capital, building your product, attracting customers or balancing work and life, there will be obstacles at every turn. Phoenix Startup Week filled the Tempe Center for the Arts with speakers who shared their motivational stories about overcoming obstacles to achieve their dream and offered advice on how … Read more

Why it's important to connect with the right customer – PHX Startup Week

Photo contribution by Thomas Hawthorne Newsletters, ads, social media, online…the list goes on about all the different ways to reach customers – and it’s not as easy as it looks. Darren Wilson, co-founder of Blind Society, presented at Phoenix Startup Week about owning the power of connection and doing it well. Too many companies try to … Read more

Building a startup nest – Phoenix Startup Week Day 2

It’s day two of Phoenix Startup Week and Scottsdale Director of Scottsdale Economic Development Danielle Casey kicked off the day’s events at the DeskHub theater in downtown Scottsdale. The City of Scottsdale is an entrepreneur’s dream, Casey said. Scottsdale is supporting startups and entrepreneurs so they can grow and find top talent through city led … Read more