Let me take an example, Redfin. Redfin started as an online real-estate search tool, it created a new channel for existing real estate agents. However over time it graduate to create its own real-estate business. Following a few interesting observations about the company -

1. Focused on solving a core consumer need of having a better experience around short-listing real estates.
2. Hand picked superior agents in select cities to create a top of the line real estate shopping solution by incorporating higher standards based on consumer review and feedback
3. Created a fundamental change in the market by offering commission-back incentive. This was possible because cost of acquisition of new costumers is super low.
4. Made an up-market move by establishing its own real estate service business!

Let me contrast that with Uber. Uber is trying to do something like Redfin in the taxi-cab business.

1. Uber provides great tools for a consumer to ask for a taxi-cab. You can see the location of the cab driver as they are driving towards you!
2. It handpicks taxi-cab drivers to provide a much better service. In fact through power of technology it enables the drivers to greet your personally when you enter the cab.
3. Its not creating a fundamental price disruption but is competing on provider up-market and high-end  services.
4. We yet have to see if Uber will run its own fleet but currently they just source from existing cab companies.

With the analysis of above two companies I think there are lot more business models around these lines. Essentially using technology to provide a better experience in existing markets has a lot of potential especially around web & mobile.

I’m trying to list a few which I find useful

• Gartner Hype Cycle — Hype cycle is a great tool to understand where emerging technologies are on the curve. For 2011 here is a link.
• IDC
• GigaOm Pro
• Crunchbase
• Hackernews

There is long list of things which need to be done for a small establishment and here are the choices we made, feel free to give feedback –

1. Intranet and communication among partners — Google Apps (http://www.google.com/a)
2. Project planning — Google Apps
3. Website — WordPress / Dreamhost
4. Point of sale software — Dinerware
5. Mobile payment solution — Square
6. Marketing — Yelp

Any more suggestions?

I thought I’ll take this chance to list a few of the tool lists elsewhere on the web and then perhaps append the ones we think are useful overtime.

• HBS Startup Tribe Tools List
• PBworks startup tools List
• Startup Foundry tools list
• Small Business tools list

• F4 – Show type hierarchy
• F3 – Show declaration of a function
• Ctrl+Shift+T – Show types in an assembly
• Ctrl+Space – Auto Complete
• Ctrl+Shift+G – Find all the references for a symbol

Here are 3 things to remember so you get it right -

1. Use JSONP – JSONP provides a way to specify a callback function in the calling document to consume the JSON data provided by the server.

2. Return plain ol’ JSON if no Callback is specified

3. Provide a shorter and a longer version of your payload

Please feel free to add your tips to the comments.

I’m impressed by the business model of Crederity and implementation of CommonFloor

You can view the content of this conference, just click on the title of the talk on the iPhone2010 link and if there is a presentation file it will show up in the right column!

Enjoy! Looking forward to your iPhone physics game ideas..

Finding cofounder is a hard task. Sometimes you are a technical guy looking for a business person or a business person looking for a technical guy. What is important is a good fit of complementing skills and a decent overlap of ideology!

In my personal endeavors I have found cofounders mostly through a personal network (friends, social network and co-workers) and a bit of e-mail list based recruiting. In case of WiseVoter, I had a mix of people helping me and in case of WalkMe I became a co-founder with a colleague.

In an effort to crystallize a set of tips to help you find co-founders, I would definitely list:

1. People you have worked with: Most of the times people you have worked fit the best bill in being your cofounders as the work experiences with them are most revealing than the social context.
2. Personal Network: You should definitely tap your personal network and find if any of the folks in the network would be good candidates for co-founding. Cofounders are not only about skills but also motivation and perseverance.
3. Entrepreneurial Organizations / Events: In many instances folks have found it immensely useful to connect with the right people through volunteering at Entrepreneurial organizations (like various startup groups, TIE etx.) and attending entrepreneurial events (Startup days etc.).
4. Advertising on Craigslist: I haven’t tried this but a most people I know have had a surprising success rate from advertising on craigslist!

What else would you add? Comment away!!

• Versant (http://www.versantventures.com): Situated in Bay Area, Versant funds 5amVenture which seeds in to HealthCare segment. They have a very interesting mix of  Bio and Device companies – http://www.5amventures.com/portfolio_profiles.htm
• MPMCapital (http://www.mpmcapital.com): Primarily focusing on Drug delivery and discovery.