Market Opportunities Unlimited (MOU) Blog

Virtual Business Cards (Part 1): Would You InfoStripe?

For decades, paper-based business cards have been invaluable for providing easy contact information to potential customers, clients and business partners.

 

However with the advent of the Internet and mobile technologies, there is need for a different kind of business card.

 

Enter: The virtual business card (vcard):

 

So instead of trying to pack all the types of contact information (e.g. your name, website address, email address, telephone number, mobile telephone number and social media contact information), unto one little "3" x "5" paper business card...

 

...All you need is a URL or (in the case of the mobile apps which we'll review later this week), just a few pieces of your contact information stored on your mobile phone and wallah!...

 

...Your potential clients and business partners can get your information virtually.

 

In the case of the InfoStripe vcard that we'll introduce today, InfoStripe provides you with one URL which points to your InfoStripe page.

 

On this InfoStripe page (really a stripe on a page), your potential clients and business partners can view your website address, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and other of your social media profiles, when they visit your InfoStripe URL.

 

Additionally, potential clients/business partners can see status updates that you've written on each social network, thus giving them a better feel for who you are.


...Which enhances their ability to decide whether or not to do business with you.

 

Will InfoStripe Make Conventional Business Cards Obsolete?

 

So the next logical question is...

 

...Will InfoStripe make conventional business cards obsolete?

 

The answer is no, but they'll enable business cards to be smaller and shorter, as only 2-3 pieces of information would be needed:

 

Your name, title and InfoStripe URL. 

 

======== Word of Caution =========

If you are having any delays in your upgrade, after paying by Paypal, please contact InfoStripe CEO, Harold Fudge,  so that your upgrade can be enacted.

 

Although this company charges a very small fee for an upgrade, this slight delay in  processing upgrades, is something to consider when making purchases with this company.

 

We experienced a slight delay with our upgrade, but...

 

...Thankfully, Mr. Fudge immediately responded to our query and the updgrade was enacted, immediately.

 

If you are having any problems whatsoever, re this, please contact Harold Fudge and I'm sure he'll do his best to rectify the situation, speedily.

=========================

 

 

In our next post we'll introduce you to 3-4 mobile apps that are are vying to make business cards obsolete.

 

We'll give our opinion as to whether or not they'll actually achieve this goal and if these special virtual business cards are usable, globally.

 

Please stay tuned! 

 

(The inset photo above, is the draft and abbreviated version of the InfoStripe page for our parent site: Market Opportunities Unlimited).

 

Gillian

Pinterest Co-Founder, Paul Sciarra moves to Andressen Horowitz

Just in case the above sounded like Greek to you, please allow us to explain:

 

Technology magazine, TechChrunch, is reporting that Pinterest Co-Founder, Paul Sciarra, is now Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at Andreessen Horowitz . 

 

(Andreessen Horowitz  is a venture capital (VC) firm that specializes in early-stage funding for technology startups.

 

But they are a bit different, in that they also offer incubator-like services e.g. marketing and business training to young startups.


So far, they have rasied over US $2.7 billion (within 3 years of starting) for the startups in their portfolio. 

 

Pinterest is the newest social media wonder-kid on the block, where users graphically store and share information of interest to them, namely through the process of pinning (photos, text, videos) unto virtual pinboards.

 

According to Pinterest, "people use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes".

Pinterest is boasting 11.9 million unique visitors.  Anderssen Horowitz is one of the VCs funding Pinterest).

 

Apparently, VC firms have been recruiting CEOs as EIRs, to enable these VCs, to better-manage their portfolio of startups.

 

Please read TechChrunch article, "Pinterest Co-Founder Paul Sciarra Is Now EIR At Andreessen Horowitz", for more information re Paul Sciarra's move. 

 

(I would like to thank Kikishua for the use of his Flickr inset photo above entitled,"03 08 11 Sowing the seeds of thyme".  It is of  plants growing in a petri dish culture (so that growth is monitored and fostered, akin to what VCs do with startups).

Gillian

 

Sources Include

1) Article, "Pinterest Co-Founder Paul Sciarra Is Now EIR At Andreessen Horowitz", by Ingrid Lunden, TechChrunch,April 3,2012

 

2) Andreessen Horowitz  website accessed April 3,2012

 

3) Pinterest About page, accessed April 3,2012

Launch Your Start-Up in a Weekend!

Startup Weekend is a  global initiative by the Kauffman Foundation, whereby which developers, marketers, product designers and startup enthusiasts meet for 54 hours over a weekend, to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups.

 

(The Kauffman Foundation is a US-based foundation dedicated to helping individuals attain economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success, consistent with the aspirations of their founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.

 

They claim to be the world's largest foundation devoted to entrepreneurship :)).

 

The aim of Startup Weekend is for entrepreneurs and budding entrepreneurs to ascertain if their start-up ideas are viable...

 

... thus saving them thousands of dollars from investing in an idea that may not have sufficient market demand to make their companies profitable.

 

Here's are some quick answers re Startup Weeekend that will help you ascertain if it's right for you:

 

How Does the Start-up Weekend Work?

 

According to the Startup Weekend website, "over Saturday and Sunday, teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing LEAN Startup Methodologies  and building a minimal viable product.

 

On Sunday evening, the teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts".

 

How does one Participate in Startup Weekend?

If a Startup Weekend is already scheduled for your city, state or country, then you can register online and pay a registration fee of less than US $100.

 

 

Volunteers and other invited persons from within and outside of your country, will then meet at the pre-arranged venue on the scheduled weekend.

 

If no Startup Weekend is planned for your city, state, region or country, then  maybe you can start one.

 

You can read the Organizer's Guide on the Startup Weekend site, for information on how to get started.

 

Additionally, you will be able to receive assistance from 1-2 of the over 200 volunteers at the Kauffman Foundation to help you through the process.

 

You will, however, have to make arrangements to host the event, including promotion of the event, finding sponsors, providing a suitable venue and food and drink.

 

How do I Know if There is a Startup Weekend Planned for my Country or City?

Please look at the Startup Weekend events page.

 

On the right-hand-side, is listing of upcoming Startup Events  for the current  month. You can scroll through, to see the events planned for each month for the rest of the year.

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Please let me know if  the above information has helped!

 

Gillian