I have a platonic man crush on Ramit Sethi. I’ve pretty much been stalking him since 2007 (when I started ODOJ) by subscribing to his blog, signing up for his e-mail list, reading his book, poring over his Delicious links, and buying one of his courses. We even met in person once. It was in the lobby of a trendy W hotel waiting for him, and when he walked up I played it cool by slamming my head into some stupid lamp that was hanging over the lounge chair that I was sitting on. Why am I so obsessed with some random Indian dude who is only a couple years older than me? Because he has built an amazing business that helps people achieve their career and financial dreams. I tend to gag at most of the advice that I hear from “career experts,” yet when I see something come from I Will Teach You To Be Rich (Ramit’s company–he used to have to reiterate that it’s not a scam because the name sounds so questionable), my eyes get all dreamy and I just start nodding in agreement. I occasionally even yell “YES!” at my computer.
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Yesterday we looked at Yoga Alliance and how they’re helping the field of yoga grow from a cultural curiosity to a mainstream activity that millions of Americans participate in. Yoga is a perfect example of how we can take traditions from other cultures and integrate them into our lives to improve our health. The problem is that for every tradition that will actually make you healthier, there are probably a few that have little or no benefit (or even a negative effect). ALOHA is a New York, NY based startup that “combines traditional wisdom from diverse cultures across the globe with the latest scientific research and collaborates with the world’s most esteemed experts and health gurus to develop innovative products and inspiring content.” They’ll help you discover new ways to live a healthier, more enjoyable life–and you won’t have to worry that you’re wasting time with something that is scientifically unproven.
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Yesterday we took a look at View The Space and how they’re changing the commercial real estate business. Today we’re going to talk about the kind of real estate that you’re more familiar with: residential real estate. While I was looking for a new apartment, I did most of my searching online (though walking around the neighborhood that you want to live and looking for For Rent signs is an underrated tactic). While Zillow was my preferred searching tool, I ended up on Trulia a lot. In case you’ve never used it, Trulia is a site that “displays more than 4.5 million real estate and rental listings nationwide.” The company is based in San Francisco, CA and also has offices in New York, NY and Denver, CO. They’re only about 9 years old, but they’ve grown to nearly 500 employees and are already publicly traded.
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Finding office space is easy for me. It’s anywhere that I can put my laptop, get an Internet connection (which is especially easy with a mobile hotspot), and occasionally find enough quiet to talk on the phone. Most companies need something a bit more formal, and that means leasing space. Finding an appropriate office space can be a grueling process, which is why View The Space is aiming to simplify and expedite it. They are a New York, NY based startup that is “built around streamlining the leasing process through HD video tours, targeted distribution and analytics.” The company’s customers are broker and landlords, but the software saves lessors a lot of time too.
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Yesterday was a day to celebrate our freedoms. Being able to speak and express ourselves freely is the most important in my book. Even though we have that right, there is no guarantee that anyone will listen or pay attention to us. If you want to be heard, you have to promote your voice. That’s what See.Me is all about. They are a New York, NY based company that has built a platform that allows artists of all kinds to “share the best of what [they] do and gain recognition and support within [a] vibrant international community.” It’s a place to get exposure, meet other artists, and even earn financial contributions from those who want to support your work.
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I’m moving in two weeks… because I’m getting a puppy in three weeks (and my current landlord does not approve). This will be my third move of under 2 miles in the past five years, so I expect it to go pretty smoothly. However, I realize that for a lot of people moving is a huge deal and causes a ton of stress. The physical move is usually a big part of it, but it’s all the little things like forwarding your mail and setting up new utilities that drive you crazy. Managing those things would be a lot easier if the actual move was mostly taken care of for you. That’s what Moveline offers. They’re a New York, NY based startup that is offering “a radically easier way to move.” A radically easier move is still a huge pain in the butt, but I’m not sure there will ever be a startup that can change that.
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The last time that I picked up a hard copy newspaper was because I was in it. I consume almost all of my news online, and I don’t even have much loyalty to a particular source. I guess it’s people like me who have ruined the news business, but I’m not going to change. The news businesses that adapt and innovate are the ones that have the best shot of being around in a decade. Digital First Media might be one of them. They are a New York, NY based group of companies that has more than “800 multi-platform products” that reach “61 million Americans each month across 18 states.” They’re still all about the news, but they realize that an outlet can only continue to put out quality content when it is backed by a solid business.
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While I’ve been getting much better about making healthy food choices, sometimes it’s impossible to resist a burger, fries, and a milkshake. It’s hard to find a more efficient, yet enjoyable way to consume calories. If you’re going to do it, you need to do it right–and that means going to Shake Shack (we’re getting one in Chicago soon!). It may sound like a dive, but it’s actually run by the same restaurant group that runs one of New York City’s best restaurants (Gramercy Tavern) and used to run one of the world’s best restaurants (Eleven Madison Park). The company is called Union Square Hospitality Group, and they’re based in New York, NY. They have restaurants that fill every niche, and they’re all excellent. I’ve been to a couple of them (with multiple visits to Shake Shack), and I’ve always enjoyed my meal.
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What do Laura Bush, Julia Child, Katharine Hepburn, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Eleanor Roosevelt all have in common? Besides the fact that they all are/were women, they were also all members of the Junior League. I’ve heard of the Junior League from friends Facebook posts, but I never really knew what it was today. It is “one of the oldest, largest and most effective women’s volunteer organizations in the world.” There are 155,000 women involved in 293 Leagues across four countries, and those Leagues make up The Association of Junior Leagues International. The organization was founded in 1901 and is based out of New York, NY. Their aim is “to develop exceptionally qualified civic leaders who collaborate with community partners to identify a community’s most urgent needs and address them with meaningful and relevant programs and initiatives that not only improve lives, but also change the way people think.”
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Amy and I are getting a puppy in about a month! I don’t think we’ve processed how much it is going to change our lives yet, but we’re getting really excited about being new “parents.” While our little puppy is going to have a great home, many dogs and cats aren’t so lucky. There are way too many pets that don’t live in safe, caring environments. Bideawee is an organization that has been trying to change that for more than 100 years. They are a New York, NY based non-profit that aims “to cultivate and support the life-long relationships between pets and the people who love them.” They do this by offering a wide array of services for animals and pet owners.
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Market research is an essential part of marketing these days, but it can get out of hand. It’s easy to keep requesting more research and never take action. The goal is to predict people’s behavior, so once you have a good idea of what they’ll do, it’s time to put the research to work. BrainJuicer is a market research firm that aims “to inspire brave clients to do great marketing by translating a generation of breakthroughs in psychology, behavioural economics and social sciences into Juicy tools that better understand & predict people’s behaviour.” That extra u in behavior may have tipped you off that BrainJuicer is based in the United Kingdom, but they U.S. based offices in Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; and New York, NY. There are also quite a few other offices across the world. BrainJuicer’s website is pretty funky. It has a fun feel and makes it interesting to explore what they do (there’s a simpler version if you find it overwhelming).
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My parents still have some of my childhood art around the house, though they probably have 10 pieces of my sister’s art for every one of mine. It’s not that they love her more (I keep telling myself that), it’s just that she’s actually an artist. Not only has she produced way more art than I have, but hers is also much better. As much as most artists would hate to admit it, the art world is largely a meritocracy. Art House Co-op is a Brooklyn, NY based company that is democratizing art by organizing “global, collaborative art projects.” Their projects are open to everyone, so even I could participate if I wanted to.
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Most of you are probably too young to remember when travel agents were a thing. Before the Internet, booking and planning a trip was much easier with the help of a professional. Today, having someone book your travel is often an unnecessary complication for most travelers. But if you’re the kind of person who travels all the time for work or wants everything to go perfectly, then you might appreciate something higher touch than booking online. That’s what FROSCH offers. They’re a New York, NY and Houston, TX headquartered company (with 30 offices across the country) that provides “high-touch leisure and corporate travel to individuals and companies.” While most travel agencies have been made obsolete by the Internet, FROSCH has continued to grow by offering a superior level of service.
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If you’re taking your job search seriously, you’ve probably read at least one article that advised you to start monitoring your personal brand online. Most people who spend time doing this face the sad reality that nobody is talking about them. Still, it’s nice to get a notification when your name does pop up. For many brands this kind of tracking is a necessity. The tools that you or I might use can’t keep up with the volume, and that’s why Brandwatch has grown so quickly. They’re a Brighton, UK based company with a growing New York, NY office that is “all about monitoring what people say about your brand, products, competitors, industry or any related topics.” If someone is saying it on a publicly accessible website, they’ll find it.
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When social media marketing first started getting serious attention, I was all about it. SEO had been huge in helping me grow this site, so I thought that social would be the next big thing. But as I started working on using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other sites to drive traffic, I realized how ineffective they were. I’ve recently decided to give social another shot because I see a lot of companies making it work for them (though I fear that the Careers space will never be as social as it should be). Most companies that take social seriously use a platform “to measure, engage and advertise across social media.” Unified is a New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Chicago, IL based company that offers exactly such a platform. Unified’s software is especially focused on “activating social audiences and impacting consumer actions.”
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I spent last night in Las Vegas as a stopover on the way to somewhere far more relaxing. I’d never visited Vegas before, but everything about it reminds me of a cheesy game show. It’s not really my thing–if I wanted that, I’d just turn on GSN (aka Game Show Network). In case you’re not familiar, GSN “is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and classic game programming and competitive entertainment via its 77-million subscriber television network and online game sites.” The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA and also has offices in New York, NY, Waltham, MA, San Francisco, CA, and a few other cities. GSN has been around for almost 20 years now, and they’ve expanded on what used to be mostly rerun based programming with original game shows and tons of online games.
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The quickest way to convince your friends that you’re a nerd is to start talking about safety. There’s nothing cool about smoke detectors, security systems, or locks on your doors, but they’re all extremely important. It’s easy to take your personal security in your home for granted until your house gets broken into (happened to me in college) or your smoke alarm starts chirping in the middle of the night and you can’t turn it off (this is more frustrating than scary). There has to be a better way of protecting ourselves without having to be a total freak. Canary is a New York, NY based startup that is working on that exact problem. They have developed “patent pending technology to bridge the physical world and the mobile world” and keep your home secure.
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Your face is how you interact with the world (even though the Internet is doing its best to change that). Like it or not, how you look matters whether you live in New York City or a small village in India. Cleft lips and palates not only have a tremendous cosmetic effect that can cause shame and isolation, but they can also greatly inhibit the ability to eat and speak. Luckily, clefts are very easily repaired. Smile Train is a New York, NY based non-profit that believes that “every child born with a cleft – anywhere in the world – should have the opportunity to live a full and productive life.” That’s why they’re working towards making one million smiles (they’re already 88.29% of the way there).
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I’m getting married a week from today, which is why Amy and I went to three dance lessons last week. We’re not looking to do anything special. We’re just making a last ditch effort to be merely below average when 200+ people watch our first dance. The standards for dancing ability are a bit different for Youth America Grand Prix, which is a New York, NY based non-profit that runs “the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition.” Every year they put up more than $250,000 in scholarships so that some of the world’s most talented young dancers can get the training that they need to pursue a professional career. The competition was started in 1999 by two Bolshoi Ballet dancers, and has gained momentum ever since.
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Cupcakes are supposed to be a miniature version of cake–a more reasonable and practical dessert. Yet as they moved from grade school birthday celebrations to being a culinary trend, they seemed to get bigger and more unhealthy–with some even pushing towards 1,000 calories. Tons of businesses popped up and seemed to offer more and more decadent cupcakes, and then the bubble burst. So how did one cupcake company continue to grow despite tons of competition and fading interest from consumers? By offering mini cupcakes that won’t instantly make your pants feel tighter. Baked By Melissa is a New York, NY based company that was started with “the idea that people should be able to taste more flavors without that post-dessert guilt trip.” Three cupcakes from Baked By Melissa add up to 140 calories. It’s still not health food, but it’s a reminder of what cupcakes were originally meant to be.
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If there’s a time to get out and enjoy your city’s parks, it’s right now. The weather is beautiful, everything is in bloom, and most people will be in a good mood as they enjoy the first few weeks of great weather. While a nice park is great on its own, it can be even better with some top notch programming to bring the community together. City Parks Foundation is a New York, NY based non-profit that creates “programs in parks throughout all five boroughs of New York City.” They got their start in 1989, and since then they’ve been enriching and connecting “New Yorkers through free and accessible arts, sports, education and community-building initiatives.”
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While I really enjoy reading about entrepreneurs’ personal journeys, I don’t take much interest in their personal lives unless it’s especially relevant to the business’ story. A divorce would typically be completely irrelevant in one of these posts, but today’s it worth talking about. You’ve probably heard of Tory Burch, an extremely successful fashion brand named after its founder (who is now a billionaire). Tory Burch, the person, got divorced from J. Christopher Burch in 2006. After the divorce, Chris Burch decided to start a chain of retail stores called C. Wonder. His ex-wife obviously left a lasting impression, since it’s widely cited that New York, NY based C. Wonder has taken a lot of inspiration from Tory Burch’s designs, while selling the “preppy” goods at a much lower price. There were a few lawsuits and some bad blood, but all seems to be settled now.
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As an online publisher I understand how difficult it is to balance ads and content. I’m lucky in that the job search space allows a little more flexibility–most job postings are technically ads, so people don’t really differentiate between “editorial” and paid placement (though I still try to). The toughest part for most publishers is that ads perform best when they blend in with the content. This is really hard to do in an honest and unobtrusive way, but that’s exactly what Vibrant Media tries to do. They are based in New York, NY, and they are “the world’s leading provider of in-content contextual technology that gets brand content and advertising discovered across platforms.” With a network of more than 6,000 publishers they are able to reach upwards of 300,000,000 unique visitors every month.
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Right after I graduated college, I started investing in the stock market. I’ve more than doubled my money since then, which means that I made some pretty good decisions. One stock that I was considering at the time was CWTR. It was around $45 back then, and I thought that I had a few good reasons to believe that the stock would go up from there. Luckily, I didn’t buy. The stock is now at less than $4 per share–and that’s after a 4 for 1 reverse stock split. I’m glad that I avoided that -98% return on investment. While Coldwater Creek, which is based in Sandpoint, ID (with a design center New York, NY), has certainly struggled over the past 6 years, that doesn’t mean that you should overlook the potential opportunity. The multi-channel “specialty retailer of women’s apparel, jewelry and accessories” started as a one-room mail order business. They obviously had an amazing growth period that took them to going public, and now it’s time for them to get back on track.
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It’s extremely important to surround yourself with ambitious people. Unfortunately, that much easier said than done. Where do you find people who can challenge you? Even if you go to a great college or have impressive parents, it can be hard to find the right kind of people to push you. It gets even harder if you come from a low-income community. That’s why iMentor “builds mentoring relationships that empower students in low-income communities to graduate high school, succeed in college, and achieve their ambitions.” They’re a New York, NY based non-profit that was founded in 1999 and has connected well over 10,000 students with mentors.
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Some of you (though probably not most of you) should quit your internship search and start a business. It’s what I did, and I can’t imagine having done anything else. That’s why I’ve spent hundreds of hours talking with and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. Yesterday I came across a Quora answer by Noah Kagan that I wish they had all read before I talked to them. It explains why most people who hold off on pursuing their dream of starting a business are doing so for the wrong reasons. There’s a movement called The Lean Startup that preaches a similar philosophy–starting a company doesn’t need to be expensive and you don’t even need a brilliant idea. Lean Startup Machine is a New York, NY based company that is spreading the philosophy not only to new entrepreneurs but also to people working in more corporate positions.
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I have a lot of shoes for a guy. I’m pretty average when it comes to sneakers, dress shoes, and flip flops, but I have a lot of boots. A lot. Snow boots. Rain boots. Wading boots (3 pairs). Hiking boots. I can keep going… In my opinion footwear is all about specialization–there’s a shoe for every occasion. I think the people from DNA Footwear would agree (though they seem more concerned with fashion, while I’m obviously more concerned about how much water I’ll be stepping into). DNA Footwear is a Brooklyn, NY shoe retailer that is now working to be “the top online destination for today’s latest trends in the world of footwear.” They have a really wide selection with tons of notable brands.
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Our country has produced some truly amazing individual success stories. They are names that we all recognize like Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Walton, Buffett, and Gates. Not surprisingly, most of those names have ended up attached to foundations–when you have that much wealth it’s hard not to put it to work doing good. Just look at The Rockefeller Foundation. They are based in New York, NY, and their mission is “to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world.” The Foundation was incorporated in 1913 with a $35 million gift from John D. Rockefeller Sr. (he added $65 million the next year). More donations and smart investment have led the endowment to grow to over $3 billion today.
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I live in a sixteen unit condo/apartment building. The unit that I rent is pretty nice, but the building’s common areas are kind of gross. It seems that the condo association is reluctant to invest in upkeep (and that’s why I’d never buy a unit in this building). Luckily for Bright Power not all associations are like mine. Bright Power is a New York, NY based company that “provides practical energy management and solar energy solutions that save building owners energy, money and time,” and they specialize in multifamily residential buildings just like mine. By focusing on buildings instead of individual homeowners, they’re able to have a bigger impact while at the same time making it more likely that an investment in their solutions will make sense.
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The Internet is essentially endless in terms of opportunities to find cool and interesting stuff, yet I often find myself visiting the same sites repeatedly. There is no excuse to be bored when you’re surfing the web, but it happens to all of us. Discovery still isn’t easy as it should be, and that’s why “curation” has been a big buzzword in the startup world over the past few years. Fancy “is the place to discover, collect and buy from a crowd-curated catalog of amazing goods, wonderful places and great stores.” They’re based in New York, NY, and when you land on the home page you might think that they’re just a blog, but they’re actually a company with more than $40 million in venture capital funding.
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