Thursday September 9, 2004
1. Opening salvo – Snow’s opening thoughts and words. Be prepared to take notes!
2. Creepy Website, Redux – John Waupsh chimes in with more info
3. In Case You Missed It – The WSJ reports venture and angel investing on the up-swing
4. More Types of Start Up Characters…You Should Avoid – The readers chime in, en masse
5. Help wanted – Real live companies looking for real live people. You cannot lose!
6. Correspondence from the Masses
We can add India as another country where we have readers who chime in. Where will this stop? I already know we have readers in the UK, Poland, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Japan, as well as US locales such as Silicon Valley, NYC, DC, Pennsylvania, Atlanta, and Texas. What’s next? Rolling Meadows?
Actually, I’ve known for a while that I have quite a few readers in India. Before I coughed up the money for a real listserv, I managed the process manually, and I was quite surprised (and delighted) to find so many people from India were signing up. The reach of the Internet truly is wonderful.
Anyway, I’m having a blast doing my little newsletter. I hope to hear from as many people as possible. What would you like to see us discuss in this forum? Chime in!
This newsletter includes some follow up about the creepy website I (and others) recently encountered, as well as some job listings. That’s right. I am the epicenter of the economic recovery. I am your last bastion of hope and optimism. I am the facilitator of jobs, the expeditor of expectations, the bringer of good cheer and good luck. While other negative nabobs merely (and gleefully) report the downward spiral of other companies, I bring you jobs!
OK, maybe I shouldn’t get so full of myself, but I am very happy to provide these two job listings. Everyone should feel free to use this forum for the same purpose.
Two ideas have been bouncing around my head in recent days. And, no, I’m not wondering how I can shoot in the 80’s at Dubs Dread one week, then hack it up and fail to break 100 at Kemper Lakes 6 days later. I’m a hack and I got lucky while playing Dubs. I know this.
One of the things I’ve been thinking about is technology, molecules, science…and steak. See, I told you this was a venture capital/high tech/entrepreneurship newsletter. Kind of.
Here’s my thought: We know what comprises steak. We know the molecules and the atoms in steak. We know that steak comes from cows, that cows eat grass, and grass grows in fertile soil with the right combination of sunlight and water. So how come we can’t bypass the grass growing and cow growing parts of this deal, and simply combine the molecules we find in dirt, water, and sunlight to make a steak just as good as what I get at Gibson’s or Gene & Georgetti?
What am I missing? Why don’t we have this technology? Will we ever have this technology?
The second part of this question is the ethical one: Would a vegetarian eat this steak? No animals died. In fact, no plants died. We simply combined the atoms and molecules that comprise a steak, without first making grass and cows.
Does anyone have any insights or thoughts about this subject? Does anyone know if anyone is working on this technology anywhere in the world? Talk about a killer app!
Actually, it would be a “kill-free” app.
From: John Waupsh [mailto:j.waupsh@adsalon.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 5:29 PM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Re: Bill Snow Newsletter - Tuesday August 31, 2004
Great article about Start Up Characters! And in case you didn't think of doing this, a quick WHOIS search gives the following contact info for your creepy website:
JOHN TORREY (399PU) JOHN.TORREY@SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.COM
SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.COM
2711 CENTERVILLE ROAD, SUITE 120
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 19808
United States
Phone: +1 (516)2148365
Give 'em a call and investigate. Curious as well,
John
John Waupsh
Director of Marketing
Ad Salon
316.773.9131 p
773.527.2856 f
www.tomorrowaintfree.com -> Salon & Day Spa Marketing Blog
Ad Salon
#201
8918 W 21st St N., Ste 200
Wichita, KS 67205
3. In Case You Missed It…The Wall Street Journal Reports Venture and Angel Investing is Up
I was going to link to the WSJ site, but since the article is a pop up, and since you have to register to read it, here’s the article, as reprinted in NASVF. Good reading, and this gives hopes that we won’t have to wait another 30 years to see another Dot Com crazy age, replete with Expense Check Entrepreneurs, recent college grads who think it’s normal to buy a $700,000 house with cash when you’re 23, and the gadget culture elite coining new terms every nano second.
[Dripping with sarcasm] I can’t wait for the “normal” days of 1999 to return.
4. More Types of Startup Characters…to Avoid. The Readers chime in with their examples
My recent VC101 column on start up characters you should avoid has generated quite a bit of response. As I suspected, other people have had their own run ins with various negative characters in the start up world. Here’s a sampling of emails…
-----Original Message-----
From: J. CARLINI [mailto:carlini@northwestern.edu]
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 5:30 AM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Personality types
HI BILL
Great article. When I first saw the title (not knowing the author) I thought - Hey this might be good. When I saw who wrote it I said - Ah I understand.
How are things? My golf outing is the 20th if you are interested to bring a foursome ($440 for a foursome that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner plus free beer cart and pre-game driving range). It should be good - hope you can make it.
As for personalities…
They invite you to lunch and explain their "endeavor" and need to put together a crew of experts. He (or she) can't pay any money right now but want to "add you to the team" and need to know a little about what you do. They call again and want to have another meeting. No further commitment but now they need to know about this or that and how would you set up this program.
They keep trying to get you to come to meetings where nothing has really been done to solidify your "position on the team" (i.e. salary) but they need to know a little more about how to set up a sales team or how do you develop a marketing approach to target this company or do you know any (fill in the blank) businesses that can do (fill in the blank).
They think that lunch (or breakfast) is payment for an hour or two's worth of consulting.
Tagline - Let's have lunch (or breakfast)
This person signs a contract that stipulates they will pay you for services "when we get funding" or at a later date. They fail to get funding and now claim they don't owe you anything.
They send you a letter that reads "if you think I owe you anything, take me to court". If you don't take them to court the best you can do is put the time spent on your resume. Take them to court!
Tagline - We didn't get funding, guess you'll have to chalk it up to experience
ANYWAY - I agree with your assessment of these "types"
From: Anonymous
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 8:23 AM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Enjoyed the column!
The Seven Types of Start-Up Characters You Should Avoid...
There's another ... the "Snow White" Character (a variant of your "combo platter"), one who is all "seven dwarfs mixed up into one." On any given day you don't know who you're getting - happy, dopey, doc, grumpy...you get the picture. Kinda makes it difficult to visit clients.
From:
Burbules, Kimberly A [mailto:Kimberly.Burbules@ca.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 4:09 PM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Personality types
Bill,
You forgot "The Work Maker." This person is the antithesis of the Grasshopper; he or she makes and endless stream of work (or at least makes it look like that)! This person has no life outside of work. The start-up is his/her life. You'll find this person at the office late at night and on the weekends because there is "just so much to do." Ironically, "Work Makers" usually end up getting no recognition in the end because the "work" they are doing contributes nothing to the bottom line.
After all, how many PowerPoint presentations does one company really need?
Cheers,
Kim Burbules
Regional Marketing Manager, Illinois
2400 Cabot Drive
Lisle, IL 60532
Tel: 630.505.6176
Fax: 630.505.6589
Mobile: 630.452.5550
From:
Anne Rezabek [mailto:arezabek@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 3:20 PM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Personality Types
They sit there and nod as you talk about best practices, industry standards and alternative solutions. They nod and nod and nod. You’re excited! You think you’re getting through! But you’re really not. They have a tic that forces them to look people in the eye and move their head up and down.
The Waffle
Do it this way. No, that way. No, this way.
Slamming a fist on the table, they have an element of dictator in them, demanding that things be done a certain way. Amidst a chorus of folks explaining rational reasons for modifying a strategy or process, the Waffle won’t hear of it. Then, mysteriously, an email comes around the next day from the Waffle, saying that he had an idea to modify the company strategy, and that he talked to an investor about it who was keen on “his” idea. But then, when the Waffle realizes how much is involved in the new strategy, he re-implements the old one. Wait, it’s a month or two later, and it seems like the new strategy just might work after all.
Anne Rezabek
From: Deborah Lassa [mailto:dlass@harrisonsoftware.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2004 11:45 AM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Looking for help
Hi Bill.
We met a long time ago at a Ryze.com event. Our company is now starting to see some growth and we are looking to hire a couple of programmers. I thought I’d tap into your network and see if you knew someone who was looking for work or may be interested in taking a look at our opportunities.
We are looking for:
- At least 3 years programming experience
- At least 6 months experience with VB.Net or C#
- Familiar with MS SQL Server
- Familiar with source code control systems
We are also looking for a programmer with the above skills plus:
- At least 2 years experience programming accounting software and EDI
- Or, a former accountant with at least 2 years of programming experience.
E-mail resumes to:
Please indicate ‘resume’ in subject line.
Any help you can give would be appreciated. Thanks!
Deborah Lassa
HSI Technologies, Inc.
VP/Director of Sales & Marketing
9933 Lawler Ave. Suite 518
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 679-7201
(847) 420-6908 cell
From:
Franckowiak, Dave [mailto:DFranckowiak@siegfriedgroup.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 9:44 AM
To: Bill Snow (E-mail)
Subject: Opportunities at The Siegfried Group
Bill,
I have recently joined The Siegfried Group as one of the first members of the Chicago office. Based on the East Coast, The Siegfried Group employs high-caliber, experienced accounting and finance professionals to help financial executives improve their companies' performance by completing critical projects. The firm has averaged more than 35% annual growth over the past 16 years with operations in 18 markets throughout the country. In my short time with TSG, I am impressed by everyone's commitment to the core values of fun and fairness, work/life balance, respect and appreciation, including an attractive incentive compensation program. The business strategy is selective and focused, primarily serving Fortune 500 and other distinguished large organizations.
The Siegfried Group is seeking full-time accounting and finance professionals to join our Resource Group in Chicago and other key markets to assist our clients with a variety of important engagements, including Sarbanes-Oxley related initiatives.
The typical Siegfried professional has:
We're looking to build a strong team in Chicago. If you or anyone you know would like to explore a truly unique professional services firm, please contact me.
Dave Franckowiak
708-485-6191 office
630-878-1391 cell
DFranckowiak@SiegfriedGroup.com
-----Original Message-----
From: sguhan@vsnl.net [mailto:sguhan@vsnl.net]
Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 5:38 AM
Subject: Re: Bill Snow Newsletter - Tuesday August 31, 2004
Dear Bill,
After 20+ years in operating and functional roles in IT, I have been heading the technology related investment portfolio of an institutional venture fund the past 4 years. I was introduced to your website a few months ago by a friend and the Venture 101 is a brilliant nugget of wisdom (I see it mirror my experiences), a masterpiece in advise for those seeking VC funding! Thanks for including me in your mailing list!
With best regards,
Guhan Subramaniam
Bangalore
India
Guhan, we’re glad that you’re part of our community, and we hope to hear from you again.
- Ed.
From: Jim Ericson [mailto:jericson@line56.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 4:13 PM
Subject: great column
Bill,
I think your column was a hoot. I think you touched just about all the buttons and I really enjoyed it. Thanks.
BTW, I think you meant Zebra mussels, not muscles, but that's the editor in me talking.
Thanks again.
Jim Ericson
Editorial Director, Senior Editor, News
Line56 Media
328 Haverford Place, Swarthmore, PA 19081
tel: (610) 544 1743
Jim, thanks for the heads up and the correction. That Bill is often a bonehead with all that editing stuff. Apparently he thinks of himself as some sort of “artiste” who is above mere “editing.”
- Ed.
From: SImparl@aol.com [mailto:SImparl@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 8:04 AM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Personality types
Hi Bill,
I enjoyed your most recent article in www.ePrairie.com, "The Seven Types of Start-Up Characters You Should Avoid." I don't have any types to add at the moment, but I'll let you know if I do later.
I smiled as I read about the 7 types. I have met a lot o these people! I posted a link to your article on my own blog, "Steve's Midlife Crisis."
I'm also going to share the link with the guys in a "career transitions" group I'm running.
Take care and enjoy the weekend.
Steve Imparl
From: Dan Lyne [mailto:dlyne@worldbusinesschicago.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 3:01 PM
To: bill@billsnow.com
Subject: Personality types
Frucking Genius article.
Good stuff, Bill. Keep it coming!
-Dan
Dan, we’re going to have to ask you to refrain from referring to Bill as a genius. He has a big enough ego already. You should hear him brag about doing the crossword puzzle in ink. Feel free to use the “f” word when referring to Bill, however.
- Ed.
If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in the future, please unsubscribe from my list.
http://www.billsnow.com/Newsletter.htm
If you have any comments, questions, or criticism, please send me an email.
© 2004, all rights reserved
###