Entrepreneurship

My First Startup Event in Montreal

| Danielle Geva

Yesterday I went to MTL New Tech Demo #44 to get a taste of what Montreal entrepreneurs are working on. Each demo lasted 5 minutes with an additional 5 minutes for Q & A, a great format for most founders who were better at answering questions than pitching their ideas.

As in most tech events, women were a minority but I was glad to see some ladies step up to ask questions and others as part of the presenting startup teams. Beth from Lanoba even took the initiative to follow attendees on Twitter before the event.

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Startup Mistakes by Software and Tech Companies: The Rebuttal

| Danielle Geva

A friend of mine shared this article with me over Twitter, after we discussed (and agreed), that tech startups underestimate the power of sales and marketing. I still believe that to be true, but the article sounds like someone in a suit with a ‘real’ job wrote it without the slightest insight into the mind of an entrepreneur.

While some points are valid, the majority of them were presented so poorly that any entrepreneur reading this would just shake their head in disgust and miss the message. Seeing as Twitter arguments usually go nowhere, I decided to write my ‘rebuttal’ here and highlight the important points from a different point of view.

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How to Survive Launching a Startup with Only One Founder

| Danielle Geva

Scoutzie

Beautiful Idea
Those of you that have been following me on Twitter know that my new favourite startup is Scoutzie, founded by Kirill Zubovsky. Scoutzie is a curated community for the best mobile designers in the world. The beautiful site does an awesome job showcasing only the best mobile designers for hire.

The Setup
After approaching Kelly Smith for a job at Zapd, the two got to talking about Zubovsky’s passion for starting a business and the rapid growth of mobile applications. Since Smith is already involved with other companies, they decided it would be best for Zubovsky to pursue the opportunity, with Smith as an Advisor/Investor.

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How to Build and Maintain Relationships with Mentors

| Danielle Geva

Five steps for building and maintaining relationships with mentors were revealed during a Mixergy interview with Darryn Lee. Darryn has been practicing these 5 techniques since high school, and has since landed his dream job.

Events

Events are often used to network with prospective mentors, however, it is also an opportunity to reach out to current mentors and touch base. Take advantage of every invite you receive, but focus on seeking out people and events within your industry. Be sure to talk to as many people as possible, and connect with both potential and current mentors.

Business Cards

While the practice of exchanging information electronically is gaining momentum, most people still prefer a physical business card. Be sure to ask each individual for a business card, and be ready to give out your own card. Keep in mind that obtaining a business card from a desired mentor is not the end goal. Once you receive the business card, convey its importance by reading the information and putting it away carefully. After the conversation ends, jot down 3 memorable things on the back of the business card. This step is crucial, as it will serve as a launch point for a later conversation or email.

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Advice for New Entrepreneurs from 50 Fans

| Danielle Geva

Entrepreneur Magazine asked their fans “If you had to give new entrepreneurs one piece of advice, what would it be?” After adding in my own two cents, and reading over 200 comments, I decided to share some of the insights.

  1. It is ALWAYS too early to quit. – Pamela
  2. Think Big! – Ramakrishna
  3. Learn from your mistakes, as you will make lots of them, but DON’T throw in the towel! – Sloan
  4. Start small. – Andrej
  5. Be true to your word and your friends and inspires others. – Julie
  6. Sacrifice in order to be successful entrepreneur and consistency is the key. Don’t waste time with college; it’s nothing but a debt when you graduate. – Janelle
  7. Bootstrap as much as possible. – Mary Lynne
  8. Stay Committed. – Amarilys
  9. Surround yourself with a good team. – Yael
  10. Please your customers. – Colin Continue reading →