Hacker News Reader

mattheweron Designers should make things: Digital Fabrication

These guys have a fantastic blog. Always something fun and exciting. I don't know them.

mattheweron Why I’m Moving Across the Country to Join a new Startup

I would like to move across the country to join Tutorspree.

mattheweron The i/o ventures application deadline is today.

Love these guys, and think they are doing amazing stuff.

mattheweron Meet 30 Cool Young Entrepreneurs

Press is just part of the bigger picture of success, but you certainly can't ignore it. And it DEFINITELY makes things easier to move forward.

mattheweron Meet 30 Cool Young Entrepreneurs

Guys,

Its really kind of simple to be on this list. You just need to apply. Every year they ask for submissions to be included on the list. PR companies will send in their clients names or people will send in their own names. You really want press? First - and this is obviously simplified a little - live in NYC, SF, LA or some major city. Way easier if you live in NYC or SF because that is where all the reporters for big publications in the tech space are based. Then hit up some networking events, have a little personality, and try to sell a story. A story is something as simple as I have been working on this for three years, and it will change the world to my mom is dying and I am doing this for her. Then hustle, hustle, hustle. Present at everything you can. Meet everyone. Tell everyone what your doing. Find reporters, meet reporters friends, if that is really your goal you can make it happen. Cold call reporters. Send in your article. Get on HARO and respond to requests. The Press needs you bad, they need you more than you need them. They HAVE to tell fun and interesting stories. Make your story awesome.

mattheweron How to make a minimalist user interface design intuitive

Cool! Looking forward to checking it out.

mattheweron How to make a minimalist user interface design intuitive

What apps have whitegloveapps made? Didn't see any links on the website.

mattheweron Ask HN: Compete with Facebook?

Niche social networks are dead. People are fatigued by the idea of a social network. The word itself makes me pretty much want to puke. Social is the web now; its a fluid idea. What do you want your product to do? to achieve? How is this going to make my life easier, better, more fun? Even if it is all about my profile and moments - how is it better?

mattheweron This is what people you know like on the Internet right now

@zachallia is awesome.

mattheweron [dead]

err.. feeling dumb. Not sure how I missed that.

mattheweron “AngelList is the real deal”

Would you use this? Could doing something like this be a turn off to other angels in the future?

mattheweron SXSW Interactive is Dead

I think SXSW was a mess this year - but it was still a worthwhile conference to be at.

Was advertising everywhere and totally in your face? Yes. Were there a million people trying to get into the parties? Yes. Did all the panels totally suck? Yes (this is something the author totally failed to mention BTW.)

The benefit to going to SXSW is to see / meet people in your space. The most important part is just being there, and getting awesome introductions. The noise is totally outrageous. I don't think anyone launching a product (including us) would be able to make huge waves unless you already had nice little buzz going.

SXSW is amazing because everyone from SF, LA, NYC, Austin, and a million other places come together expecting to meet people.

One last thing - Nick posted this comment: I am part of the mid-to-high-profile blogger/media crowd; I'm entitled, but I know how shitty I sound saying that I'm entitled. We're the crowd who demands VIP access.

Dude you are so lame it hurts. All these parties were the same. Do you really need to get drunk and have awkward social media conversations at 3 AM? Do I really want to watch an overweight blogger try to ride a mechanical bull? Sure the parties are fun (for a moment) but like btilly said, its all about what your looking for. If I am looking for a party I would much rather go to music (hot girls,) you go to interactive to get a feel for the people in the digital space and what they are trying to do. But yes... last year was a little cooler.

mattheweron Solvate is simple outsourcing for startups

I know the founder of this startup. She is awesome. I think their methodology is smart when it comes to temporary talent. I would rather hire someone connected to me via linked in rather than a random off elance or craigslist.

mattheweron Online backup to S3 for the Mac

Has anyone tried both Backblaze and this?

mattheweron Why the NYC Startup Scene is Hot (Hint: Not Fred Wilson)

Name ten startups that are awesome from NYC off the top of your head. Ten with products you use at least once a week? I live in NYC, and am happy to see things growing, but NYC is not 'on fire.'

mattheweron David Rose: Why NY Angels Charges Entrepreneurs

As a New Yorker, I can honestly say I don't think I have ever heard anyone actually pitch NYA. David Rose frequently gives how to get funding talks, and they all sound the same.

NYA's portfolio of companies is simply un-compelling: http://newyorkangels.com/portfolio/default.html

How can an organization like this compete against innovative forms of funding like Betaworks and Founder's Collective?

mattheweron SeedStart NYC

Yeah, I truly think NYC Seed is the worst case scenario for any startup. We have met the people behind it, and I don't think they are capable of helping in the way Y Combinator can.

Even the application should be a turn off. The questions they ask are not asked in a way that someone with startup experience would ask. They are asked in a way a finance person would ask. Not necessarily a bad thing - if you a are building a finance company.

Finally, I would also argue that their portfolio companies are not really inspiring...

Not trying to hate, but there are so many better options right now. NYC definitely needs a strong seed program, but this is not it.

mattheweron Introducing Our Ridiculously Simple Twilio SMS API

Either way, imagine you need to send out 100 messages. That would be 100 seconds (or even worse 100 minutes.) Imagine if you needed to send out 1,000 or a million. Its going to be hard to build a solely SMS service around this based on that limitation. I think this is awesome if you want to add SMS alerts to your existing website or build a proof of concept, but I don't think your going to build an SMS app on top of this API.

mattheweron Introducing Our Ridiculously Simple Twilio SMS API

Keep in mind that you can only send one message every second. That is a pretty low throttle. If your service were to take off you would probably need to switch to a bigger aggregator.

mattheweron AppFund

Berkshire-hathaway's core competency is not digital or web-based. This is not a financial site. It is a site designed to entice entrepreneurs (its version of consumers.) Berkshire-hathaway is 44 years old and a fortune 500 company. Appfund is brand new and needs to build its brand/trust.

mattheweron AppFund

Does this feel sketchy to anyone else? This is supposed to be a multi-million dollar fund, but their website looks like that? It feels pretty unprofessional.

mattheweron Why there's no real startup culture in New York

As a the co-founder of an NYC startup I would like to share my insight. NYC is a great place to do business if your startup is consumer facing with a marketing skew. If you are an engineering company you do not belong here. I also truly believe it is extremely hard to raise funding here, much more so than in the Valley. NY Seed is the biggest joke in the world. Most of the VC firms are run by ex-finance guys that are not willing to take chances on ideas. Obviously this is changing (think Betaworks and USV.)

I also think the Startup scene here is especially small, and full of the kind of people you should avoid. If you really want to meet the kind of people that will help you and are doing innovative things you need to head to Brooklyn or hunt them down. They are not at New York Tech MeetUp or any of the other startup events. Most people doing interesting things (I am only doing somewhat interesting things) are doing them off the radar. The people you hear about are kind of like the football players from High school - everyone knows about them, but they don't really amount to anything.

If your doing a startup in NYC, you should surround yourself with other interesting people outside the tech community. Meet people from Fashion, Music, Art, Advertising, PR, Marketing, ect. NY has so much to offer - the key is not to get stuck in the tech community. NY is all about expanding your horizons, and that is truly the benefit of starting a business here.

mattheweron Ask HN: Has anyone ever set up a free conference call system?

Thanks! Would you be interested in helping us with this project? Seems like you have a lot of experience.

mattheweron Ask HN: Has anyone ever set up a free conference call system?

Awesome! This is cool; thanks for the help.

mattheweron Pre-Beta seed funding sources?

Your not going to want to hear this, but there are really no options. Your best bet is to raise from friends and family. Maybe, maybe you could get lucky and raise from a government grand or biz plan contest, but still unlikely. Get something built, get users, then the funding should come (well at least a little easier.)

mattheweron Ask HN: Which blogs did you contact to get coverage when you launched?

I wanted to write about going after the mainstream press. Why just focus on bloggers?

1. Do not use a PR firm. If you are on HN you are probably a startup with out funding. They will charge you an arm and a leg. You can do better on your own. Be passionate about your product - people will respond more to that, then anything else.

2. Make your product sexy. Sexy sells. A new way of using mobile phones is more interesting than a new DB model. If it is not an inherently sexy product, make sure it looks professional. People want to write about companies that 'feel' professional.

3. Come up with a story. "we are two guys who sold baseballs for 3 years and worked on this in our spare time." "the recession hit, and we both lost our jobs, and this was the result."

4. Reach out to reporters. Every newspaper/magazine/tv news show now lists reporters emails. Reach out to them; tell your story. Find them, and buy them a drink. They are often young and looking for cool stories.

5. Network your face off. Go to places where new startups launch, and launch there. Meet everyone. Get business cards. Tell people you are looking for press contacts. You should be doing this stuff anyway.

6. Use http://www.helpareporter.com/ Journalists need stories to write about. They need new (sexy) material. Craft your story to fit theirs - don't lie, but if you started in a recession and they are talking about new businesses in the recession, make your story fit.

7. Leverage your friends in PR / make friends with people in PR. If you are based in a major city, if you went to college, if you know anyone in marketing - you have a friend or friend of a friend in PR. Leverage them to write Press Releases (which I don't think work in the beginning) and to send you out the emails they get looking for stories.

8. Make an awesome product - at the end of the day, if your product sucks, nothing else you do will matter. No one will write anything about it (unless your FB)

Ok, just a bunch of quick thoughts from a guy who has had a little luck with this.

mattheweron Founder Institute Expands To Seattle

I wonder why none of these incubators/schools come to NYC? It is the 2nd largest tech scene in the US. It would seem obvious.

mattheweron Should your startup have an advisory board?

I feel like everyone thinks 'man you need an advisory board to be considered real.' Most meetings with anyone investing in you they ask 'who is on your board.' Even with all that being said, I just don't see the value. Most people will help you along your way because they care about what you are doing. The ones that want something from you in return, I would stay away from anyway. Either way, like hwijaya said, its all up to you.

mattheweron First Round Capital to open NYC office

Lets all hold hands and start praying that more seed capital comes to NYC.

mattheweron Meet the Marijuana Snack Kings of the Future

Struck a nerve, all I was saying is that this article is not really interesting compared to what normally makes the front page of HN. I think the fact it has to do with Marijuana made people just up-vote it. If you actually read the article, it is the equivalent of two dudes talking about opening a bake shop.