All companies were start-ups at some point and some remember their roots better than others. We’ll be at SXSW this year, hoping to help some other companies get their roots planted. Upstack has partnered with building43 to offer a start-up prize package to a lively entrepreneur with an idea that rocks!
We call it The Awesome Start-up Giveaway. You know why? Because it’s a giveaway… er… because it’s awesome.
To enter:
Just record a video telling us what you want to build or what you’re building and submit it to the contest page at http://upstack.com/sxsw. Record it on your own OR if you don’t have a camera or anything like that (aren’t you adorable), you can come by our booth at SXSW where we’ll be ready to hook you up. Record your brief video at our booth and be our movie star for the day.
So, what exactly is in this Awesome Startup Giveaway?
To sum it up: Here’s the truckload of stuff the winner will get… with a little help from our friends.
Upstack:
Custom graphic design Logo, website, stationery design and 2-year domain registration.
Rackspace Cloud:
$500 credit for Cloud Servers.
Freshbooks:
1 year of Shuttle Bus invoicing service
Pear Analytics:
1 year Site Juice SEO Monitoring
PSD2Live:
PSD to XHTML conversion and Wordpress integration
MailFinch:
1 year snail mailing service.
It’s just about everything you could need to make your idea into a reality.
In case you’re wondering what the video ’should be’… not this. 
**For the record, Pablo and Katelyn rocked this video! Thanks guys!
I had breakfast with an entrepreneur friend yesterday morning. We met to discuss his web platform and to brainstorm about how to best articulate and market his personal and professional narrative.
As we were leaving, he said something like “Thanks again for looking at my stuff. I really appreciate the feedback. That’s one of the things about being a sole practitioner — you don’t always have a sounding board at the ready.”
He’s exactly right, and smart to seek out constructive criticism.
Entrepreneurs, particularly in start-up mode, need additional perspectives, informed opinions and honest feedback. After countless hours of thinking, attempting and tweaking, we can get so close to our work that we miss the forest for the trees.
Another pair of eyes can (and often does) make all the difference.
So seek out sharp people to brainstorm with. Find discerning folks to test your prototype. Run your ideas by someone who has been there, done that. Call that friend of a friend who’d be perfect for what you’re trying to do. Pitch to a stranger on an airplane. Ask an older, wiser individual to mentor you. Have so-and-so introduce you to what’s-her-face who does such-and-such.
After all, if you weren’t afraid to undertake a new venture, don’t be afraid to ask for some help along the way.
–Kevin McConnell is a Managing Partner at ZANE | GARWAY and Adjunct Assoc. Director of Trinity University’s Center for Entrepreneurship. You can read his blog here.
Let’s talk about fonts in logo designs. Hey, wait! Where are you going? This is important stuff and it applies to everyone. Just look at NBC’s case of font copyright infringement. They allegedly made the mistake of only purchasing one license, transferring those fonts to multiple computers and then using them for their commercial marketing materials for their fall TV lineup. No one is immune to these restrictions.
It’s OK if you have no idea what’s right or wrong when it comes to the authorized use of fonts in logos and have nothing really to contribute to the conversation. That’s why we’re here. We’re going to try to clear all of that up right now.
As always, we like to cut to the chase in case you’re not too interested in reading me drone on and on, trying — I emphasize “trying” — to be funny. So here are some very quick guidelines that should keep you in the clear.
* If in doubt, do not use that particular font if you don’t know if you have permission. Only use fonts you know you have the rights to use.
* If you’ve purchased the fonts, you can most likely use them (but find out first).
* To find out if you have the rights, you can refer to documentation provided with the file in utilities like Font Book.
* Obviously, fonts you’ve created yourself are fine
* Convert your fonts to outlines before submitting your designs
Kevin McConnell, Adjunct Associate Director of Trinity University’s Center for Entrepreneurship in San Antonio, Texas, was kind enough to share with us a thought-provoking piece about something that happened to him when he was in school. Why is this relevant to Brandstack? Read on and you’ll see:
In grad school, I lived in a tiny efficiency with no washer/dryer hook-up. So I’d take my dirty laundry to a wash-n-fold down the street. They would do it for me, even putting my nicer clothes on hangers. It saved me hours of sorting, washing/drying and folding, but it was a bit expensive. Thankfully, they had a student discount and a 20 cent per pound discount on Wednesdays.
Once, while I was waiting to pick up my clothes, I overheard the manager say she needed more hangers. Seeing as I had a closet full of extras, I said, “I have a bunch of your hangers at home. If I run back and get them for you, could I have my next load of laundry for free?” She quickly agreed, so off I went. When I came back, she had a voucher for me.
Needless to say, I wore every piece of clothing I owned before taking my next load in for the free wash-n-fold. I even threw in my towels, dishrags and bedding. Clean never felt so good.
I love “win-win” solutions. I use quotations because true win-win solutions are the exception to the rule in the business world. In this instance, I gave up something I didn’t want (extra hangers) for something I wanted (free service) while the manager gave up something she wanted (revenue) for something else she wanted (hangers). Hardly a win-win.
Still, I hope she felt as though it was a win-win solution. If she did, then I got what I wanted while avoiding the ill will that comes as a result of getting the short end of the stick; in fact, I might’ve even made a friend. The key then is to not only win the negotiation/exchange, but to make the other person feel as though they’ve won, even though they haven’t.
After all, if you win all the time, no one will want to play with you anymore.
Do you have a written identity program in place going forward as you build your brand equity? It’s easy to think of and conceive the need for a graphic identity. But what about your written identity? Is your written identity aligned in the context of your branding strategy?
What comes to mind when you think of your corporate identity? Perhaps it’s your graphic – or visual identity. You know, your colors, logo, typography, and overall graphic look.
But what about your written identity? Do you have a written identity in place? Is your written identity aligned with your branding strategy?
Your written identity communicates your messages – the verbs, nouns and adjectives which illustrate how you are positioned and want to be seen, heard and most of all – written about in the media, in analyst reports and in the blogosphere.
The words you have chosen to describe your company, the industry you are in, or the industry you are helping to create (or disrupt) can also help to drive the very look and feel of the graphic identity you taken on in order to personify the image of your business or organization.
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you align your written identity for 2009:
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Just two days ago we announced the rebranding of IncSpring to Brandstack. Apparently it’s a good week for launches because Building43, a site for people who are fanatical about the internet, just launched today. The site is manage by Robert Scoble, of Microsoft/Fast Company/Social Media fame, and sports contributions for other big names on the internet. On the home page, or Main floor as they call it, you’ll see an interview on Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg and an article about entrepreneurship from Guy Kawasaki.
Well, somehow I was asked to contribute to the site’s launch with a piece on Brandstack’s views on branding. Read the full article here. In fact, Brandstack will have a more permanent presence on Building43 in the coming days. This is a great opportunity for Brandstack and it’s users considering the number of eyes the site will attract. Be sure to check it out, read a few posts and spread the word.
Alan Weinkrantz, a San Antonio based journalist/blogger/PR extraordinaire, wrote a great piece about Brandstack today on San Antonio Startups. In the article he touches on the site’s new direction of building an entire brand and the benefits for buyers and sellers. Read the whole article here:
http://www.sanantoniostartups.com/2009/06/10/brandstack-reinvents-the-branding-supply-chain/
The site is worth checking out if you’re interested in San Antonio Startups. Read dozens of other startup blogs on the parent site Spring Stage for national news.
