Tag Archives: startups

May 4 2013

Judge: Find A Job In 30 Days Or You’re Going To Jail

2 year Anniversary

“Nobody wouldn’t hire me so I hired myself,” said 19-year-old Dean Moxley, the Connecticut teen who was facing 2 years behind bars if he didn’t find a job in 30 days. “Day 24 I gave up hope and was so frustrated and just started preparing my mind for prison. I mean, I looked everywhere; online and offline. The string of interviews I did go on went well until I had to be truthful about my situation.”

Moxley was intoxicated and got into a fight that damaged a door at a friend’s house. He was charged with felony assault and vandalism. He was looking at 2 years in jail but made a deal with a public defender and got his charges lowered to misdemeanors. He was put on probation for a year. Since he was unemployed, part of the deal was to have a full-time job, go to AA and counseling at least twice a week. Moxley had to check in with the judge a month later, and if he was still unemployed, it would have violated his probation.

Judge Jon Ambrose said, “I was really impressed. Here’s a young man who could’ve gave up after hearing ‘no’ several times from employers but he let it motivate him to be in that position of power. Isn’t it strange that so often people have to be cut down by failure and defeat before they learn they have minds capable of mastering all of their problems? These past 30 days have been good for his mind. I plan on being a customer and will try to help him get more.”

Moxley started his own errand running company for Seniors and busy people called Back In A Minute. “I always run errands for my grandparents so it just made sense. Then I got all this time on my hands because I was unemployed that people didn’t have who were employed. Those people have to pick the kids up from school, go grocery shopping, go pay a bill, etc. I could do that for them. Despite what my legal matters say about me I am a very trustworthy person.” Moxley said business has picked up to the point he can’t run all the errands by himself and is looking to hire someone. “Not to discriminate or anything, but I hope I run into someone who was as desperate as me a few weeks ago, so I could be the one to say yes to them.”

Instead of being gone for 2 years, Moxley will be Back In A Minute.

Built on top of:

  • A CraigsList Ad

Happy 2 Year Anniversary FY!!!

Mar 17 2013

Your Idea Whoring Has Cost You Up To $70,000

My star on the red carpet

Hey Harold- wanted to let you know that we launched the Amazing Risk Startup Challenge today, or at least, submissions are open for a contest that will actually be held with finalists during Global Entrepreneurship Week. I’d be remiss if I didn’t reach out personally on this one- the winning startup receives $5k in cash and $5k in in-kind services.  Certainly no pressure- just wanted to make sure you knew about the opportunity.

Screw Pulp won the Amazing Risk Startup Challenge, taking home $10,000 in cash and in-kind services.

Care 2 Mange was crowned the winner of the “Everywhere Else Video contest”, taking home $10,000 in seed money.

Coyote Case won $25,000 coming in first place in the quick pitch contest.

AspirEDU was crowned best of the village and awarded $25,000.

What do all these contests have in common?

They were all pitch competitions!

How many have you participated in?

3 contests, however, pitched a total of 5 times, and already doing it like a pro.

This should make you turn into The Incredible Hulk …

Screw Pulp was one of the 4 startups that won at June’s 48 Hour Launch with Yadoog.

Your pitch advice to Ella aided in her winning $10,000 for Care 2 Manage.

Yeah, you wasn’t a mere attendee at the EverywhereElse.co conference and was pitch coach to Danielle for Pink Robin Avenue but y’all didn’t win the two pitch contests y’all was in. That’s $50,000 gone!

Worse, you shouldn’t have been a mere team member of a startup, but, the leader of one, either with Yadoog or Acquire For Pennies.

Your idea whoring has cost you who knows how much. In the least, $10,000.

Please commit to one idea and work as hard to keep it as you did in trying to come up with it.

Please , please, please, make up for this when these events come back around.

No one is a better pitchman than you!

The theme of Acquire For Pennies was action. Now, think of an idea you can commit to and act on. YOU!

FY,

Har+new

Related Reads:

 

Dec 14 2012
Video

“The BEST Pitch Coach In The City”

You almost sat this one out. Great thing you didn’t.

Would you have wanted to miss this?

  • Customer service-Helping people register, which led to a free ticket to the next 48 Hour Launch.
  • Danielle telling you she watched your pitch video for preparation.

  • Kyle walked up to you afterwards and said, “You know who she reminded me of? You when you first got up there. She killed it.”

  • You got to do the Home Alone Face.
  • Got to kill them clicks!!!
  • The upstart, Pink Robin Avenue, you chose to help develop during the weekend won a free booth at EverywhereElse.co

Flow of PRA

Steve Jobs compliment

Drumroll

  • Everyone on the LYC team said what an awesome job you did all weekend.

I’m proud of you giving your time and treating Pink Robin Avenue as if it was yours.

Don’t let Danielle’s inspiration go to waste either: How she started her PR firm, work ethic, passion, business-mind. All.

"I love your focus! Lol"

“I love your focus! Lol”

Keep the momentum going!!!

FY,

Har+new

P.S. I wish you recorded her Q&A.

Dec 7 2012

Why Don’t You Throw On A Wig And Pitch?

Women's Edition

You have no girlfriend pitching.

Why don’t you throw on a wig and dress and pitch?

FY,

Har+new

Related Reads:

Drumroll
Oct 25 2012
Video

It Wasn’t My Birthday But … I DID IT AGAIN!!!

You pitching tonight?

You pitching Pennies? Yeahhhhhh

Everybody’s waiting on you.

You went up there with so much confidence this time.

I saw you back in June pitching Yadoog and your performance was even better tonight.

I didn’t have to hear what you were saying. They could’ve had the volume turned down. You sold me on the way you moved. I was in!

This your third startup weekend event. You pitched at the 48 Hour Launch in June. Startup Weekend in July. Now, tonight. Har-old, you was up there pitching like a pro.

You not a businessman!

You are a business, man!

Get it? Well, I will explain what I mean on the next video.

FY,

Har+new

P.S. Sunday’s pitch video coming soon!

Related:

Aug 28 2012

A Man of Action

Remember when you read a comment saying, ” … it’s just a simple HTML page … .” ? What great news?! Alex confirmed your suspicions. Despite being a freshman at Code Academy you can still build something noteworthy on the web … AND NOW. Yeah, it would have to be simple, but remember this, users will pay more for simplicity. Your fundraising idea is more important than your big web idea. Why?

Well, first off, that you would have the insight to make the money before you make the baby is commendable. Lack of money and persistence are two reasons why startups fail. You have the latter bordering on being a pest, and this fundraising idea will give the former in abundance. Even help you pass that 100K bitch of a milestone.

Second. Look where Alex is today, 7 years after the Million Dollar Homepage. He’s doing something that’s probably even simpler, with Calm. Why didn’t you think of that, stupid?! And he’s living in California, a place you want to call home. The things he’s doing now would not have been possible if he didn’t become a millionaire first.

Lastly. You ARE that rare combination of “idea guy” and action figure. Reason you’re feeling more like the former is because you’re coming up with ideas that are outside of your skill set. Remember that time you said you think the wrong ideas sometimes because you don’t have the skills to quickly execute them? Well, with this fundraising idea, it’s so simple that you should be embarrassed if you don’t have everything ready by October 1st. An idea outside of your skill set can discourage you and make you question, “am I an actor? This fundraising idea will prove you’re like Bane: A man with a plan and a man of action.

FY,

Har+new

P.S. I know you only took HOH 10-20% serious at first but now the more and more you think about it you see just how much potential this baby has!

Related Reads:

Jun 23 2012
Aside

July 20th just got a whole lot more epic. How would you like to have the best weekend ever again?! You experienced being on #TeamNoSleep, letting others hold your baby and call it ugly, developing and launching, pitching and pitching and pitching. You already know what to expect. The decision you need to make is … will you play the background and be a team member this time around, pitch Yadoog again, or its successor? Because the decision to be there is already made. I made it for you. Buy your ticket Monday!

July 20th

Popular Vote
Jun 11 2012
Video

The Perfect Belated Birthday Present: Best Weekend Ever!

Kyle from Nibletz wrote,

I had to think to myself for a while, when was the last time a good photo sharing app was pitched. It’s been quite a while. However Friday night in Memphis a brand new idea for a photo sharing app was pitched and it’s great.

Founder Harold Strong started his pitch out by asking “How was your day” and pointing out that just about everyone in the world says “Fine”, which of course is a BS answer.

Strong’s app idea has you take 24 pictures on your smartphone throughout your day. Then at the end of the day at a set time, the app uploads all 24 pictures to the Yaddoog site. Why not one by one, why 24? Because 24 pictures tells a story.

Watch the pitch below… It’s good…

Over 20 startups was pitched and yours was one of the four chosen by popular vote among your peers to be developed over the weekend. That damn passion of yours is captivating!

What a way to give yourself the perfect belated birthday present.

FY,

Har+new

Related Reads:

Jun 8 2012

Can I Get A, Yeah Dude?!

Too bad you don’t have a black turtle neck, Levi jeans and a pair of running shoes, I wanted you to pitch dressed up as Steve Jobs. Today is the day. Treat this event as a learning experience. You’ll experience what it is to be part of mastermind alliance, working in a startup and launching a new service for the world. Most importantly, backing your idea up with ACTION. Take this serious but please have fun too. This weekend will give you the energy you need to make everyday like it. Can I get a, “yeah dude!”

Mar 13 2012

Your pitch will be much stronger with a Beta Waiting List. At least 500. Mostly girls. Why? Because they WILL rule the site. Will you approach potential users one by one? Will you use one user to get two? Will you build the front-end and funnel them? Whatever you decide to do, that list is important. Traction. Traction. Traction.