Comments on: If I Were Running That Company… http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/ Jeff Nolan's take on investment, innovation, entrepreneurship and the technology industry Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:27:53 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Renkoo Revisited : Venture Chronicles http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/comment-page-1/#comment-170295 Renkoo Revisited : Venture Chronicles Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:09:45 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/#comment-170295 [...] I wrote a post a while back about my observations on a demo that Renkoo did at the Techdirt Greenhouse event. Basically, I took the provocative position that I didn’t understand what their business was. Fast forward to today and some things are getting clearer. [...] [...] I wrote a post a while back about my observations on a demo that Renkoo did at the Techdirt Greenhouse event. Basically, I took the provocative position that I didn’t understand what their business was. Fast forward to today and some things are getting clearer. [...]

]]> By: Jackie Danicki » Techdirt Greenhouse II: Renkoo http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/comment-page-1/#comment-3166 Jackie Danicki » Techdirt Greenhouse II: Renkoo Sat, 17 Jun 2006 17:32:28 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/#comment-3166 [...] Jeff Nolan, a former SAP VC who is currently helping the company implement social networking and who was in my discussion group after the first three Techdirt Greenhouse demos, does a pretty good job of summing up the general feeling about Renkoo, whose Joyce Park had the unenviable role of giving the first five minute demo. (I’d shorten that sentence if I could be bothered, but I won’t because I can’t.) Zoli very diplomatically describes the demo thusly: Before we knew what was going on, we were deep into looking at features, the presenter typing away live, when all she had was 5 minutes. I would have spent that 5 minutes describing the business, the problem I am solving - basically focus on the what and why, rather than the how. [...] [...] Jeff Nolan, a former SAP VC who is currently helping the company implement social networking and who was in my discussion group after the first three Techdirt Greenhouse demos, does a pretty good job of summing up the general feeling about Renkoo, whose Joyce Park had the unenviable role of giving the first five minute demo. (I’d shorten that sentence if I could be bothered, but I won’t because I can’t.) Zoli very diplomatically describes the demo thusly: Before we knew what was going on, we were deep into looking at features, the presenter typing away live, when all she had was 5 minutes. I would have spent that 5 minutes describing the business, the problem I am solving – basically focus on the what and why, rather than the how. [...]

]]> By: Joyce Park http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/comment-page-1/#comment-3021 Joyce Park Wed, 14 Jun 2006 22:14:12 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/#comment-3021 Hi Jeff, I didn't mean I wasn't supposed to talk about my company for secrecy reasons :-). I just meant my understanding of the event format was that we were supposed to demo for 5 minutes flat. I did not even think our 5 minute sessions were "topic intros" per se... I thought I was just supposed to show enough of the app so Techdirt attendees could all be on the same page about what we're building. Beyond that, I was there to listen and learn. I wanted to hear what the Techdirt crowd had to say about what they thought our market was, and whether or not the world needs another social app, and how i can make their lives better. I actually learned a great deal from my breakout group, so it was valuable for me -- sorry if you didn't get much out of it though. I'll try to do better next time! Hi Jeff, I didn’t mean I wasn’t supposed to talk about my company for secrecy reasons :-) . I just meant my understanding of the event format was that we were supposed to demo for 5 minutes flat. I did not even think our 5 minute sessions were “topic intros” per se… I thought I was just supposed to show enough of the app so Techdirt attendees could all be on the same page about what we’re building.

Beyond that, I was there to listen and learn. I wanted to hear what the Techdirt crowd had to say about what they thought our market was, and whether or not the world needs another social app, and how i can make their lives better. I actually learned a great deal from my breakout group, so it was valuable for me — sorry if you didn’t get much out of it though. I’ll try to do better next time!

]]> By: Zoli's Blog http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/comment-page-1/#comment-2927 Zoli's Blog Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:45:03 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/#comment-2927 <strong>Techdirt Greenhouse: It's all about the Participation...</strong> The success of traditional conferences largely depends on the quality of the presentations: that's not the case with the Techdirt Greenhouse. Techdirt's secret sauce is to minimize "presentation" time, and get everyone involved in lively discussio... Techdirt Greenhouse: It’s all about the Participation…

The success of traditional conferences largely depends on the quality of the presentations: that’s not the case with the Techdirt Greenhouse. Techdirt’s secret sauce is to minimize “presentation” time, and get everyone involved in lively discussio…

]]> By: vinnie mirchandani http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/comment-page-1/#comment-2898 vinnie mirchandani Tue, 13 Jun 2006 03:13:22 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/#comment-2898 Jeff, if you were running the company, the demos may be better, but the T-shirts would be drab -) http://renkoo.typepad.com/renkoo/2006/05/beeta_breakers.html Jeff, if you were running the company, the demos may be better, but the T-shirts would be drab -)

http://renkoo.typepad.com/renkoo/2006/05/beeta_breakers.html

]]> By: Jeff http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/comment-page-1/#comment-2877 Jeff Mon, 12 Jun 2006 17:47:06 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/#comment-2877 Hi Joyce, That's a fair point, the Greenhouse segments were introducing a topic for discussion in the breakout sessions, but if the topic intro you did was about pain points in personal relationship management I don't know how you couldn't talk about your market... that's what you do. Also, if you were not supposed to talk about your company then doing a demo of your product probably wasn't a good idea. I would still like to know why the marketplace needs another service like what you are doing, if you want to take the challenge I will post it here for everyone's benefit. Lastly, in a format like this telling a story about "a day in the life" that articulates why your service is making my life better is still a good idea. Hi Joyce,
That’s a fair point, the Greenhouse segments were introducing a topic for discussion in the breakout sessions, but if the topic intro you did was about pain points in personal relationship management I don’t know how you couldn’t talk about your market… that’s what you do. Also, if you were not supposed to talk about your company then doing a demo of your product probably wasn’t a good idea.

I would still like to know why the marketplace needs another service like what you are doing, if you want to take the challenge I will post it here for everyone’s benefit.

Lastly, in a format like this telling a story about “a day in the life” that articulates why your service is making my life better is still a good idea.

]]> By: Joyce Park http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/comment-page-1/#comment-2871 Joyce Park Mon, 12 Jun 2006 16:33:53 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2006/06/11/if-i-were-running-that-company/#comment-2871 Hey Jeff, sorry for the lame demo. It was totally my bad. However, let me make it clear to the blog audience that this was a FIVE MINUTE DEMO. With a timer and everything! It was not a "pitch" in the VC sense. I was not at all supposed to talk about our business, our market, or the long-term prospects of the "Web 2.0 thing". So I totally accept your criticism about the demo not working, but I'm afraid you might have had expectations that there was no way we could meet. Hey Jeff, sorry for the lame demo. It was totally my bad. However, let me make it clear to the blog audience that this was a FIVE MINUTE DEMO. With a timer and everything! It was not a “pitch” in the VC sense. I was not at all supposed to talk about our business, our market, or the long-term prospects of the “Web 2.0 thing”. So I totally accept your criticism about the demo not working, but I’m afraid you might have had expectations that there was no way we could meet.

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