February 2012
5 posts
More on Lawyer Relations
I was talking to a friend who is getting his startup off the ground and we started discussing working with law firms in the company formation stages. I think a lot of first-time entrepreneurs shoot from the hip when dealing with selecting and working with a corporate firm early in the lifecycle, so here are a couple simple things I learned along the way that I recommend to people doing startups:
...
The Legal Sink Hole
When GroupMe started one of my responsibilities was taking care of everything legal-oriented and keeping the company organized. Around eight months into it, two financings later, and with a staff of 15 people (and growing), I was stretched too thin and getting basic paperwork out was taking me too long. I was also dealing with multiple points of contact when it came to our legal initiatives, and...
“Mr. Lerer also imagined a day in which the combined operations would begin...”
– Advertising Age
If there’s anyone who knows media companies, it’s the Lerers.
“A young man wrote to Mozart and said, “Herr Mozart, I am thinking of writing...”
– This reminds me of the best entrepreneurs I have met!
Malkavian Quotes
December 2011
1 post
3 tags
The Big Syndicate
I recently spoke with an entrepreneur who was asking for guidance on a rather large syndicate he was putting together (a syndicate is the pool of investors a startup assembles for a round of financing). At GroupMe we had a big syndicate: 15+ investors participated in our Series B, most of whom were individuals. Big syndicates take time to put together, and they take more time to...
November 2011
3 posts
1 tag
Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the...
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
-Mike Tyson
After we launched the GroupMe Beta at TC Disrupt in September 2010, we inadvertently stepped into another round of fundraising. It was never our intention to raise money at that time, but there was considerable interest from several VC firms on the West Coast, and so it seemed like the prudent thing to do. The...
2 tags
The Right Fit
I saw something remarkable from a startup I’ve had the privilege of working with recently. The founders are in the midst of assembling their core team and they’ve been doing an awe-inspiring job at it. Steve Martocci and I have been working with them for a several months, and one of the first things we stressed most while they thought about hiring their first employees was to...
Back At It
It’s been a long time since I’ve actively blogged here. Life has been busy to say the least, but I’m looking forward to picking this back up again.
There’s a wealth of knowledge out there, and infinite literature on startups, raising capital, hiring, building products, building a company, etc. However, I think there are some critical and very situational things that...
August 2011
3 posts
A Good Year
It’s impossible to sum up the past year in a blog post, so I’ll stick with a bullet point list of some of the things I’m thinking about:
Thank you to my fiancé and my family for your support and putting up with me.
Steve Martocci is the best co-founder anyone could ask for. He’s brilliant and has taught me more than I could have ever imagined. And most important,...
1 tag
July 2011
3 posts
Spotify for Me
Spotify is my new obsession. I’ve been on it nonstop for the past week ever since my invite. I became a paying subscriber within 24 hours. The thing I like most right now is that I’m listening to music that I haven’t thought about in years - and it’s fun. I’m going back to the places where I first fell in love with music. Last week I rediscovered Less Than Jake....
“Never underestimate a table with a view.”
– Unknown
“For me, what I do is an artistic expression which is channeled through me....”
– Alexander McQueen
June 2011
7 posts
“Social networks do best when they tap into one of the seven deadly sins....”
– Venture Capitalist Reid Hoffman - WSJ.com (via mollybierman)
Good News for GroupMe
HS Dude on train number one: Do you know GroupMe?
HSDOT number two: Yeah, it's awesome
HSDOT#1: I'm in this GroupMe with Noelle and Amber. It sick; were on there all the time.
May 2011
7 posts
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But...”
– Steve Jobs (via brycedotvc)
“Everyone has a plan…until they get punched in the face.”
– Mike Tyson
“Man hopes; Genius creates.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
April 2011
4 posts
1 tag
WatchGroupMe’s first TV commercial! How freaking cool is that?!?!
groupme:
We’re on TV!
Check it out—Oxygen aired this awesome commercial this week to promote its Bad Girls Club featured group. The Bad Girls have been dropping into BGC groups over the last few weeks and talking with fans, even starting conference calls to chat about the show. We’re so excited that people are loving...
3 tags
March 2011
7 posts
WatchMore GroupMe WSJ love #)
February 2011
7 posts
GroupMe Blog: GroupMe at Foursquare Hack Day →
groupme:
We here at GroupMe HQ are big fans of Foursquare, and we’ve heard that a lot of our users love it as well. Today, we’re releasing a fun new feature that integrates the best of Foursquare into the GroupMe experience.
Try it out now: visit groupme.com/foursquare. After you connect your…
GroupMe Blog: We're growing again! →
groupme:
It seems like it was just last month that we announced a batch of new hires—oh, wow, it was! Time flies when you’re working hard. Well, we’re back at it again. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce the four newest members of Team GroupMe.
Chris Connolly, a good friend of Jared and Steve’s, …
This team is amazing.
January 2011
18 posts
Malawi Wants to Ban Public Farting →
About time!
“You’re a one-man shop and are, among other things, developer, support, and...”
– Rands In Repose: Interview: Marco Arment
GroupMe Blog: The Tale of the Secret Crunchie →
groupme:
Oh man, do we have a story for you.
So there we were, Friday night, at the Crunchie Awards in San Francisco. As you may have heard, we were nominated for two awards—Best Social App and Best New Startup of 2010. Well, we didn’t win either of them, but we’re proud to have been nominated, and…
Crazytown