Building The Small Business CRM Solution: CircleDog CEO Charlie Crystle (Part 5)

SM: I have done three startups myself, the first of which I started while I was at MIT. I came out here as soon as possible to be a part of this ecosystem. CC: It is an amazing ecosystem. Every time I am out here I am reminded how isolated we are.

Building The Small Business CRM Solution: CircleDog CEO Charlie Crystle (Part 3)

SM: What was the evolution of ChiliSoft? CC: We started with the store and after a year left that business. The retail level was just too tough at the time. Software was way too hard for most people because it required DOS and Windows 3.1 had a terrible interface.

Building The Small Business CRM Solution: CircleDog CEO Charlie Crystle (Part 2)

SM: You say you see opportunities where others do not, but you also have the guts to pursue them. CC: I suppose that is true. Success or failure, you have to try. I think that entrepreneurs are naturally optimistic. We see a better place and love solving problems.

Building The Small Business CRM Solution: CircleDog CEO Charlie Crystle (Part 1)

Charlie Crystle is passionate about music, nonprofit institutions and entrepreneurism. He has founded several companies including his current effort, CircleDog. His past ventures include ChiliSoft, which was purchased by Sun. He focuses on product usability, economics and policy, all of which are themes which can be found in each of his successful ventures. SM: Let’s

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Accidental Entrepreneur: Cryptography Research President Paul Kocher (Part 7)

SM: With 23 people employed, how do you target revenues? PK: My goal is $4 million per employee annually. That is what we have been shooting for long-term as we build things.

Accidental Entrepreneur: Cryptography Research President Paul Kocher (Part 6)

SM: What do your IP licensing structures look like? PK: My favorite is to go to someone who is losing a ton of money. We only get paid if we solve their problem. Customers like that because it is a no-risk proposition for them and they clearly know what their problem is.

Accidental Entrepreneur: Cryptography Research President Paul Kocher (Part 5)

SM: You can gage a key from power consumption? PK: Yes. This is one of our biggest business areas. At the lowest level you have transistors, which are just voltage-controlled gates.

Accidental Entrepreneur: Cryptography Research President Paul Kocher (Part 4)

SM: What kinds of people come to you, and how do they find you? PK: Hiring is our most difficult problem. If I were to pick the thing that most limits us in doing the things we want, it would be finding people who simultaneously meet our three criteria: we want people who are technically

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