031 : How to raise money to fund your app with Hunter Gray

Hunter Gray from KlutchIn 2011, Hunter Gray turned his app idea into the capital needed in order to get the product built. In this episode of the podcast, he shares exactly how he pitched his idea for the original version of Klutch to investors, and how the venture capital world has changed in just a few short years. Not everyone will be able to turn their ideas into cash, but Hunter explains the methods that worked for him and talks about what might work for you, too.

There’s so much discussion of bootstrapping today (and for good reason, it works), but it’s nice to have a different perspective on building an app business. If you’re dying to get your app idea in front of investors, Hunter explains exactly what you need to do to make that interaction as successful as possible.

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028 : Better products through storytelling with Donna Lichaw

Donna LichawStorytelling has been a part of the human experience since the beginning of history (one of the reasons that we even have history). Our brains are wired to respond to stories — whether it’s an urban legend told to us around a campfire as a child, or the tale of an obese man who lost weight with an all-Subway diet.

Donna Lichaw knows a thing or two about the importance of narrative, having studied film for both her undergrad and graduate degrees. She now uses the power of the narrative arc to build compelling products that engage the user by leading them through a carefully crafted experience. She’s worked with companies such as Seamless, Citi, Bloomberg, and Atlantic Records, diving into the user experience and building products that stick.

This episode is amazing. My favorite part is when she applies the narrative arc to an app I’m working on, and we get to see the entire process in action (starts at 52:45).

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027 : Growth hacking Guides.co with Franco Varriano

Franco VarrianoThe growth tactics you use when your company is just starting out are different from when the company is a few months old. They change even more as the company grows to handle more and more users. Applying the wrong growth tactics, at the wrong times, can be just as bad as not acting at all.

Today, I have Franco Varriano of Guides.co on the show. He shares how Guides.co started as a company called Startup Plays, and the exact moment when it grew into its current form. As the company gained momentum, Franco has been there to guide its progress — fostering communities of both guide authors and users. He shares some of his insights on this week’s episode.

Even if you just have an idea, Franco has insights about how to collect the most valuable feedback. This is a great episode for entrepreneurs of all levels.

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025 : From Crash Bandicoot to a smarter inbox with Dave Baggett

Dave BaggettHow many unread emails do you have in your inbox? If you went all the way back to the very oldest unread email, do you think you’d actually need it? If not, why is it still there? When are you going to do something about it?

Email itself first came on the scene circa 1993, alongside Windows NT 3.1 and massive brick phones. Since then, our computers have evolved substantially — and just look at our smartphones — but our email inboxes remain mostly just a big dumb bucket.

Dave Baggett is using machine learning to bring your inbox up to speed. He’s the founder of Arcode, creator of Inky email client (iOS, OS X). Dave shares the interesting story of how Inky came to be, starting with working on the first two Crash Bandicoot games and then joining a travel startup that would end up taking over the industry (and eventually get acquired by Google).

He’s got an interesting story and a fresh take on email. It’ll make you think about your own projects differently.

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023 : An entity’s warm blanket with Matthew Moisan

Matthew Moisan LegalWhen I was talking to my friend Andrew about joining him to help co-found TripExpert, I was handed a big stack of legal papers to trudge through and eventually sign. As I was reading them, my eyes began to cross. I thought I understood most of it, but I had no idea whether anything in there was good or bad, or if anything should be added or removed.

I knew I needed to get some help from someone who was better versed in founders’ agreements than me. On the recommendation of a friend, I got in touch with a lawyer specializing in startups and had him take a look. With just a 30-minute phone call and a few emails back in forth, he potentially saved me thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars. And I now had full understanding of the document I was signing.

Law can be an intimidating field, and first-time entrepreneurs often have so many unanswered questions: when should you talk to a lawyer? What type of lawyer should you hire? Where can you even find a lawyer?

My guest today is Matthew Moisan of Moisan Legal. We discuss exactly what you need to know about law as you’re delving into entrepreneurship, and how to best set yourself up for success.

In just 50 minutes, he’ll raise you out of law novice-dom, and there’s honestly not a dull moment.

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