While startups and CEOs might be glamorized in TV shows and the media, the honest truth is that, “It often sucks to be an entrepreneur,” Matt Pittinsky, CEO Parchment said. When you own a business, you have to deal with competitors, raising money, putting out fires, hiring and firing people, try to have a work/life … Read more
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
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
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
Photo contribution Thomas Hawthorne Entrepreneurs, investors, government officials and startups filled the room at 111 W. Monroe for the kickoff of the inaugural Phoenix Startup Week. The event is a five-day extravaganza consisting of 130 events spread throughout the Valley with a multitude of speakers, workshops, mentoring and more on entrepreneurial topics such as raising capital, … Read more
If your Twitter profile picture for your startup or business is still the egg, then you’re doing social media wrong. In today’s growing world of social media you’ll want to make sure your online reputation is popping and at this month’s AZ Tech Beat Lunch and Learn panel you’ll want to pay attention. During the … Read more
Fist pumps, huge smiles and thumbs up were a plenty at Infusionsoft’s Pro Bowl event where patients from Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH) interacted with former NFL players, an astronaut and received a trip to the 2015 Pro Bowl. Infusionsoft, creator of the leading sales and marketing software for small businesses, didn’t hold back on this … Read more
Pivot Freight, a Phoenix-founded but Austin, Texas-based company that helps businesses compare and reduce shipping costs, announced Monday that it received $2.8 million in seed round funding led by Silverton Partners. The company moved to Austin this year to participate in the Techstars accelerator program, a highly rigorous and competitive three-month exercise. Pivot Freight graduated … Read more
Co-written with Travis Arbon You’ve met up a few times, there’s a connection, an attraction-after dinner and a few glasses of wine you’ve both made your way back to the apartment. “We’re totally having sex,” you think. You flip on the music, dim the lights and the vibe of Al Green owns the room. Then it … Read more
Photography contribution by Travis Arbon At the Arizona Technology Council Startup Connect AZ event, five startups from around the state pitched against each other for cash, bragging rights and some good face time with investors, CEOs, educators and influencers. In the end, the audience chose Crowd Mics, an app that turns your smartphone into a … Read more