How to Get Started in Social Media for Art League City
VOKA BRYO Keynote Speech
1. So. You want to start up ?
some final words for starting entrepreneurs
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com STARTING UP SERIES Entrepreneurship in Europe me@filipmaertens.com
2. • 1994: Selling “late night video bootlegs” at school
• Parents cancelled Filmnet subscription
• 1994: Selling “software CD’s” at school
• Apparently, that was illegal. Parents shut me down
• 1995: Had to set up Kreative VOF to sell hosting
• Selling hardware and hosting. Friendly MBO in 2005.
• 1998: Set up Securax bvba
• Acquired by Ernst & Young / eSO in 2000
• 2005: Bought shares in Uniskill nv
• Resold profitable in MBO
Born 28/12/1978
University drop-out (sort of) • 2007: Bought shares in Attractel (+ VC funds)
Two modest exits, one failure • Shut down due to trouble at the top
Lived in U.S., & Middle East • 2009: VOIP Depot (angel investor)
Passionate about technology!
• 2006: Avydian Cyber Defense
• Tradesell to Videre Technologies (Singapore) in 2011
• 2011: Argus Labs (ongoing…)
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
3. Warning: Bad reasons to do a start-up.
Money ? Get a real job.
Power ? Join the army.
Boredom ? Figure it out first.
Flex time ? LOL.
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
4. Some words of advice ?
10 years in 10 topics
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
5. 1 Your company must be your passion
Passion is the only force that will
keep you going when the going
gets though.
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
6. 2 Nobody cares about your idea.
Execution is the only key to
success. Disciplined, brutal and
never stopping execution.
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
7. 3 Find a real problem! And solve it!
Many people are simply in love
with their idea and are a solution
waiting for a problem
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
8. 4 Product distribution and scalability !
Great products fail because
founders have no idea how to
distribute or scale.
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
9. 5 Be lean. Iterate fast !
Don’t wait for perfection. Break
things and keep moving!
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
10. 6 Take on big problem, big market.
Pick a big and growing industry!
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
11. 7 Failure can happen. Afraid ?
Running a start-up requires
total commitment.
Be prepared to dine in hell.
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
12. 8 VC’s? Get revenue!
Revenue is the cheapest money a
company can buy
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
13. 9 Focus. Focus. Focus.
Build one product really well and
make money on one revenue
stream only
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
14. 10 Be specific about what you do.
No buzzword lingo. Please.
Convey a clear message under
one minute!
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
15. A guideline adlib
My company, __(insert name of company)__, is developing __(a
defined offering)__ to help __(a defined audience)__ __(solve a
problem)__ with __(secret sauce)__.
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
16. My latest startup: Argus Labs ?
Changing your smart-phone into a smart-agent
Filip Maertens www.filipmaertens.com BRYO Brussels me@filipmaertens.com
Editor's Notes
Don’t drop-out. There is a wrong image about successful enterpreneurs and how they almost need to be dropouts to be good. That’s a lie. Dropouts rarely succeed and the few exceptions only prove this.
The wrong things why to become a founder.
Don’t drop-out. There is a wrong image about successful enterpreneurs and how they almost need to be dropouts to be good. That’s a lie. Dropouts rarely succeed and the few exceptions only prove this.
ANECDOTE ABOUT ULF PRALLE. GERMAN FRIEND THAT IS OBSESSED ABOUT SEX BUT WANTED TO START A LOCAL SOCIAL NETWORK. JOYCLUB.DE FOUNDED & NOW WORKING ON MOBILE VERSION.
HOLY SHIT MY IDEA SUCKS. AN IDEA IS A RANDOM BRAINFART. DEVELOP THE IDEA. STUDY IT. CHECK IT WITH FRIENDS, PEER GROUPS, POTENTIAL CLIENTS, (NOT PARENTS ! :p). VALIDATE THE ASSUMPTIONS OF YOUR IDEA.A VERY IMPORTANT PHASE !!
Is it a problem you had to deal with yourself ? COOL (Twitspark example)Be cheaper = PLEASE DUDE. SERIOUSLY?Improve on existing technology, RED OCEAN = GOOD (BUT TOUGH)Innovate and be one of the first, BLUE OCEAN = BETTER (BUT RISKY)
DON’T ASSUME JUST BECAUSE YOU BUILD A GREAT PRODUCT, USERS WILL FLOCK. USE SIMPLE DISTRIBUTION TECHNIQUES (MAIL SIGNUP, FACEBOOK PROPAGATION, …)USE “VIRALITY” ONLY IF YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE WORD MEANS (VIRAL PRODUCT FEATURES, LOCK-IN FEATURES).KEEP COST OF ACQUISITION LOW (OR PREDICTABLE) => FAB.COM EXAMPLE
I MADE THE MISTAKE OF WAITING A BIT TOO LONG JUST TO GET IT PERFECT. I WAS CONVINCED THE WORLD WAS UNFORGIVING FOR IMPERFECTION; WRONG !YOU NEED TO CONSTANTLY VALIDATE WHAT YOU ARE DOING ! VERY QUICKLY !
Petit Pays, Petit Esprit, Petit ZiziProblem with Belgians is we are equally afraid of failure as we are for success!
Chances of Failure are higher than TOTAL COMMITMENT: Sports