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- The Startup Velocity Question
- Platform as a Service
- Man and Superman
- Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS)
- The Future: End of Capitalism
- Capitalism 2.0
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Voices.com CEO David Ciccarelli (Part 4)
Sramana Mitra: Can you help me understand, timeline-wise, when you managed to get this two-sided marketplace figured out? By the way, this two-sided marketplace going through credit cards and escrow is a very popular trend today. In your evolution, you came to this conclusion organically. When was that in the history of your entrepreneurial journey?
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Voices.com CEO David Ciccarelli (Part 3)
Sramana Mitra: While you were going through this evolution, did you still have the recording studio running? David Ciccarelli: We began a working relationship. We quickly grew quite fond of each other. Stephanie likes to say that’s when it got to be romantic. Through that experience, we recognized that we couldn’t exactly have garage bands
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Voices.com CEO David Ciccarelli (Part 2)
Sramana Mitra: It was basically a recording studio business model, right? David Ciccarelli: At the very outset, yes. This is where the story gets a little bit more interesting. When I opened the studio, I got my name in the local newspaper. What I didn’t realize was that my wife was a classically-trained singer. She’d sing
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Voices.com CEO David Ciccarelli (Part 1)
If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. Voices.com started as a small recording studio, and pivoted into a two-sided marketplace for voice talent. Along the way, a thriving corporate business gained momentum. Read on to study the maneuvers. Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your personal journey. Where are you
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Greg Besner, CEO of CultureIQ (Part 7)
Sramana Mitra: Switching gears to the business model, it sounds like it’s a regular SaaS business model. What kind of average deal sizes are you seeing? Are you focused on the large enterprises or is this also mid-market? Where is the target audience? Greg Besner: The wonderful part of culture and engagement is the diversity
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Greg Besner, CEO of CultureIQ (Part 6)
Sramana Mitra: You mentioned that there were a few things that you zeroed in on. You had very good access to validate your idea. In fact, your decision to start this company came out of people coming to you on this topic. What were those nuggets around which you built the product? Greg Besner: Let
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Greg Besner, CEO of CultureIQ (Part 5)
Sramana Mitra: So CultureIQ begins in 2009? Greg Besner: No. CultureIQ was started in 2013. Sramana Mitra: Let’s jump to the CultureIQ beginning. What was the concept? Why did you start CultureIQ? What problem were you going to solve? Greg Besner: I would say that the interest in culture was from being involved with Zappos.
Capital Efficient Entrepreneurship: Greg Besner, CEO of CultureIQ (Part 4)
Sramana Mitra: What year did you start the corporate business? Greg Besner: 2002 is when Sarbanes-Oxley was made effective. I actually don’t remember exactly when we launched with our first corporate client but it was probably in 2003. Sramana Mitra: What was the sales model for the corporate business? At that time, were you selling