Tumblr is about to make WordPress worth at least $5B.

— Sean Percival (@Percival) May 19, 2013

As best reported by Kara Swisher and Peter Kafka with ATD, Yahoo is close to buying Tumblr for a cool $1.1B. No big deal.

Actually it is a big deal because it seems publishing platforms are still sexy. It’s also refreshing to see in an industry that has become so fixated on mobile or social platforms that catalog the minutiae of our lives. Of course Tumblr has a little of both. In this case however the power is in the platform and what it has yet to become.

So what does that make platforms like WordPress and Medium worth? $5b? $10B? One hundred million gizzilion dollars? Hard to say, but you can still pick up a Posterous on the cheap if you act fast. The service is closing down for good this month.

Pub’n ain’t easy but for some it’s still extremely lucrative. For others it’s a way to buy a massive younger cohort of prospective users.

For large tech companies getting access to a fountain of youth doesn’t come easy (or cheap apparently). Unfortunately history has not been so kind to those who have tried. Even poor Ponce de Leon tried to find the fountain once, only to end up in Florida. Let us hope Yahoo has better luck.

Allen Stern, a blogger, entrepeneur and all-around great guy, passed away this week. He was best known for his blog CenterNetworks, an early tech blog focused on our industry. During the “Web 2.0″ days many of us spent time with Allen via blogs, early social networks like FriendFeed, and at events like SXSW.

Allen’s story is one to remember and celebrate. While the tech industry still remains tough to navigate and break into, Allen was proof that anyone can make an impact. Demonstrating an unbreakable resolve and sense of integrity, Allen pushed through. His voice was honest and critical, something lacking today and underappreciated back then.

Recently Allen made amazing progress with his health, losing over 125 pounds and becoming a voice for healthy living through his blog Let’s Talk Fitness. When we last spoke I asked him what drove this new lifestyle. He answered that he realized something had to change when he found himself walking down a street in San Francisco and having to stop at each parking meter to take a break. He set out on a program of exercise and better diet, sharing that journey unselfishly, as he did all of his passions.

Today tech blogging is big business, but years ago it was more personal. Allen was a champion of that time and has been an inspiration to thousands since. Thank you, Allen, you are already greatly missed.

Around the web remembering Allen:

• Allen Stern, Web 2.0 Tech Blogging Pioneer, Passes Away - Louis Gray
• Allen Stern, blogging pioneer and entrepreneur, passes away — we will miss you Allen - GigaOm
• Statement from Allen’s sister – Facebook

So “Weird Twitter” is a thing. If you need a little background be sure to check out Weird Twitter Explained by Nick Douglas. At a high level it’s a collection of Twitter accounts that together write in a similar and less accessible writing style. There’s a lot of personas and insider jokes going on that are extremely funny to an extremely specific audience.

When it comes to the tech industry and startups we have our own little Weird Twitter happening. Ours consists mostly of parody accounts and lighthearted mockery of our unique industry. These accounts make for a nice break from the usual drudgery of tech found on Twitter each day.

Here’s a handy guide to some of the accounts of note.

@fakesacca

One of the original tech parody accounts this basically started it all. As the story goes, its creator would go on to become an integral part of Twitter’s history. Before that he poked a little fun at early Twitter investor Chris @Sacca.

Finished cycling across USA. Next, cycle back across USA to hear the fascinating stories of those who met me
— fakesacca (@fakesacca) October 22, 2009

@FAKEGRIMLOCK

Perhaps one of the best examples of Weird Twitter for tech, this giant dinosaur spits out fire and advice for entrepreneurs.

BEST TIME TO FIX BAD CODE IS WHEN YOU WRITE IT.

— FAKEGRIMLOCK (@FAKEGRIMLOCK) February 21, 2013

@StartupShakespr

When two star-crossed investors are united, magic happens.

A hoodie!A hoodie!My kingdom for a hoodie.

— Startup Shakespeare (@StartupShakespr) August 13, 2011

@BadVC

Looking for a good VC? How about a bad one instead?

it’s the weekend… Don’t Pitch Me, Bro.

— The Bad VC (@BadVC) August 1, 2009

@alexia_tsotsis

A parody account so good you might have trouble telling these tweets apart from the real @Alexia Tsotsis.

If you can’t beat ‘em, limit their API access.
— Fake Alexia (@alexia_tsotsis) September 7, 2012

@yurimilner

Despite his large investment in Twitter, well-known Russian investor Yuri Milner does not tweet. So this parody account will have to do for now.

I find some money in couch. Give to the Twitter.
— Yuri(@yurimilner) August 1, 2011

@the_tech_bubble

Tech is constantly close to repeating another bubble. This account serves as our official doomsday clock.

$40 million funding for a pre-launch photo sharing app with no clear biz model… Now we’re talkin’
— The Tech Bubble (@the_tech_bubble) March 24, 2011

@Pendinglarry (now private)

After an earnings release was published prematurely this topical Twitter account fired off a few zingers. A few days later @matthewkeys claimed credit as the author.

@NextTechBlog

Tech headlines range from the brilliant to completely absurd. Some where in middle of that is this account publishing consistently funny headline mockery.

I’m Replacing My Old, Black Rectangle With This Brand New, Black Rectangle Because This One Is New

— NextTechBlog (@NextTechBlog) March 15, 2013

@ProfJeffJarvis

Are you ready to be thinkfluenced? Can cloud computing stop malaria? Find out from this brilliant account authored by @RurikBradbury

Will Big Data be replaced by Cool Data?
— FakeJeffJarvis (@ProfJeffJarvis) February 23, 2013

@StartupJesus

Blessed be our valuations and forgive us for our sins to find revenue.

Am I enough of an authority figure to self-sign an SSL certificate? I’m having trouble convincing @digicert that I’m really Jesus.

— Jesus H. Christ (@StartupJesus) June 25, 2011

@SeriesACrunch

Is the Series A Crunch real? It must be because it has its own Twitter account.

Andreessen passed on us but they did invest in a message board for rap lyrics. Now I’ve got 99 problems and apparently a pitch is one.

— Series A Crunch (@SeriesACrunch) December 2, 2012

@StartupLJackson

The path of the righteous startup founder is beset on all sides by the inequities of the fundraising process.

VCs taking credit for a startup success is like the salt taking credit for the chicken tasting good.

— Startup L. Jackson (@StartupLJackson) December 28, 2012

@LeanYoda

Get lean you must.

tempted by vanity metrics you will be

— Lean Yoda (@LeanYoda) October 4, 2011

@NiceRyanLawler

Pro blogger @RyanLawler is a nice guy and loves getting pitches from PR pros. This account is a must read for those looking to change the world with a “Pinterest inspired” layout.

Just before I post each story, I pause and imagine the joy I’m about to bring to the PR pro reading it, who helped make it happen #synergy

— Ryan Lawler (@niceryanlawler) October 16, 2012

@fauxstolo (Formally @fakedorsey)

Here’s where Weird Twitter Tech Edition ends, much like how it began. Weird.

A fake account for Twitter CEO Dick Costolo that used to be a fake account of Twitter creator @Jack. Stay with me now.

That account (@fakedorsey) is now home to a mock account for the short lived Bravo TV show “Silicon Valley”. Someone changed the name at one point and the tweets stopped flowing on both accounts. The secrets of this and so many other Twitter shenanigans we just may never know…

INTERESTING twitter.com/fauxstolo/stat…

— Not Dick Costolo (@fauxstolo) March 7, 2013

Stay weird, Twitter.

I recently returned from a trip to India as part of Geeks on a Plane, an event put on by 500 Startups. Should you have a chance to join one of these trips, I highly recommend it. If you need a new perspective or want to expand your business internationally, this is definitely the way to do so. You’ll gain invaluable insights and connections—and, oh, you might even have some fun along the way.

Our trip was pretty packed, meeting with local startups, entrepreneurs, and investors. So we didn’t venture too far from the cities and major hubs. In other words, I didn’t do much of the touristy/inspirational stuff. However, in India, inspiration can often be found right in front of you. In my case, I found some right along the many packed streets as we made our way through the dense traffic each day. These jammed streets reminded me a great deal of the journey we take with startups. Here’s why:

Driving without Lanes

Most of the roads in India don’t really have lanes. Where one lane ends and another begins is, well, up for interpretation. Drivers are forced instead to flow around each other haphazardly resulting in a strange but beautiful ballet of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and yes cows.

Startup Lesson Learned: Make your own lane or when needed push your way into someone else’s. Don’t wait for infrastructure to catch up when you need to reach a new destination.

No Time to TXT

Drivers on busy Indian streets never text while driving. To do so would not only be dangerous, it could also prove deadly. Traffic is so heavy and unpredictable that you absolutely must give the road your full and undivided attention. This is essentially the complete opposite experience one has while driving in Los Angeles, where many drivers continue to send text messages from behind the wheel despite it being illegal. As such, I found India’s lack of drivers’ texting simply glorious.

Startup Lesson Learned: Don’t get distracted. Keep your eyes on where you’re headed, and save the distractions for later. Your TXT message can wait. You’re not missing anything important on Twitter/Facebook. Just remain focused on where you’re going and what you’re building.

When in Doubt, Honk

Every major street in India is flooded with the cacophony of car horns. It’s both intoxicating and overwhelming. If you’ve been to Manhattan, you’ve experienced something similar, but it’s far more intense in India. A cab driver in Mumbai joked with me that his horn provided “lane control” as he honked three times and smiled. Drivers are so tightly packed (literally inches apart) into the streets, the horn essentially signals, “Hey, I’m right here! Don’t hit me!”

Startup Lesson Learned: Make some fucking noise as you move around. And sometimes your team members could probably use a little honk so they know you’re there.

Painted Work Trucks

I couldn’t help but notice most of the work trucks of India were elaborately painted, and some were even adorned with flowers. I’m talking about the trucks that haul cargo, move livestock, and pick up trash. These tasks aren’t the most glamorous, but the trucks were painted as if they were competing in a beauty pageant. As it turns out, these are well-loved trucks because they typically provide the means for the family’s entire livelihood. Their appearance is a matter of pride and deep appreciation for the vehicle.

Startup Lesson Learned: Take some pride in your vehicle, office, desk, startup, appearance and your own livelihood. Even if your startup is not terribly sexy, make it great and something others admire, even if that admiration is coming from their rearview mirror.

Just Believe You Won’t Crash

Through all the twists and turns and while surviving the overflowing intersections and intense traffic, I didn’t witness one single accident. That was the most remarkable thing about the busy streets of India. There are thousands of drivers packed into tight spaces, inches apart, and yet fender benders seem uncommon. The streets, as imperfect as they were, gave no driver a reason to think he or she might crash. Drivers had an unbreakable sense of confidence they would make it through any tight situation.

Startup Lesson Learned: Sometimes you just have to believe you’re going to make it—that your crazy ideas and maneuvers might just actually get you there. Simply believe you’ll escape unscathed, and you might do exactly that.

Entrepreneur-turned-investor is a classic story arc in Silicon Valley but recently the plot has earned a twist. Certain operators are foregoing the traditional path of joining a traditional VC to instead create a studio-like holding operation. By doing so, they remain engaged with the grit and grassroots challenges of building a startup. They remain company builders. -Leena Rao for TechCrunch

Here’s probably the best reason why the recent explosion of accelerators/incubators/studios/etc makes some sense. The bulk of them are not started by traditional investors. They are started by builders. Former founders who have been in the trenches recently and know what it takes. The good ones even get their hands dirty right along side you.

At the same time I’m watching these new vehicles gets better/stronger/smarter every day. They’ve become highly iterative just like the companies they help build. The “bankers” on the other hand haven’t changed their lobby furniture in 10 years.

Let’s hear it for the builders.

As we start to talk more about the pressure on founders these days, it’s important for new entrepreneurs to truly understand what’s required here. I was lucky to have mentors who repeatedly told me of the stress yet to come. Their persistence in discussing that helped me greatly even if it didn’t truly sink until the third or fourth time. So I thought it would helpful to talk about some of my experiences with both.

Your mileage may vary, but here’s a good starting point for what to expect with either:

• They require an infinite amount of tinkering to keep running. There is never a time when everything is running perfectly.
• They take your time, your sweat, and even your blood. Some days they’ll take all three.
• They take a great deal of capital to do right. You’ll overextend yourself countless times to get “parts money.”
• Markets changes and rarely do so for the better. In tech especially, today’s hot rod is tomorrow’s junker.
• You probably don’t want to build a restomod (?) such as AirBnb for Motorcycles or Uber for Omelettes for example.
• You need to build something original and, with luck, timeless, such as a factory fresh ’67 Mustang. Make it sustainable.

However, I will also say that when everything is running right, even if just for a brief moment, when the engine is firing on all cylinders and the compression is strong, when your marketing is converting and your charts are bending up, when the paint is fresh and and every little dent knocked out, and when the press is cheering, and investors salivating—well there’s just nothing cooler and absolutely no better feeling. Enjoy those moments if you get them, but know they’re likely fleeting.

In the end, if I had to pick one over the other, I would keep the startup. So if you want to buy a somewhat restored 1962 Thunderbird, please let me know. Having a cool car is great, but it’s more important where you go than how you get there.

Happy cruising.

Only a week earlier, a mutual friend had reconnected Jody and I. We had met once before and I had sat on a panel with him another time. We had done some co-marketing between our companies, but nothing major. Now it sounded as though he could use some additional help on the marketing side. I could understand that, knowing the ups and downs of an inventory-based business.

I didn’t know Jody terribly well but admired him greatly. I was glad to help him. He needed to meet early that Sunday, and my local coffee shop wasn’t yet open. So we met at my office around the corner. We talked for a good hour before he left to drive that long road back to Las Vegas. We shared war stories. We had suffered similar wounds running similar businesses—similar victories as well. It was immediately clear we should have been talking much more this past year. In the end, it was also clear we could use each others help, and we had started to outline a few ideas.

As we walked to our respective cars, we laughed and joked about various things. He told me about all the exciting things happening in Vegas and his future plans. He drove off in the opposite direction, and I felt as though I had just gained a new friend and ally. I was excited about that and went home immediately to gush to my wife about our meeting. Even though Jody was a fairly candid person, I unfortunately didn’t know just how much help he must have really needed. And now I’m struggling with a great number of questions in that regard. I know I can’t change the past, but this tragedy has truly consumed me. I hope that now (and with your support) we can begin an open dialogue about suicide and the pressures founders face. It’s time.

To the other founders out there, please know this if nothing else:

• Having a start-up today is not about crushing it. It’s about not getting crushed.
• We are always on the brink of making it big or losing everything.
• Your company sits atop a pendulum, and you won’t be able to control how it swings.
• Every other founder and startup is going through the same challenges you are. You are not alone.

So please, founders, I beg of you. When it feels as though there’s no hope left, please ask for help. Ask for it directly and without shame. Talk to your family, investors, lawyers, mentors, friends, or even enemies. Just talk to someone. Talk openly; be candid and unafraid to reveal your struggles. I know that sometimes you just want to run face first into a wall before asking for help. Stop it. I know that sometimes you literally want to go into a fetal position and hide from the world. Please don’t.

I was to the edge and back a few times this past year with my business and own depression. I was not afraid to talk about that with colleagues, friends, family, and now publicly. I was lucky to have a support network that took me through the darkest times. I understand that not everyone has this though. So in honor of Jody, I want to make myself available. If you’re about to lose it, please contact me. If you just need to talk about your business, investor problems, love life, or anything, please contact me.

Let’s meet at my office, and allow me to tell you about my failures, my struggles, and how I have worked through them. If you think I’m nothing but a success, let me assure you otherwise. It’s time for some #realtalk. I encourage, no, I implore you, to do the same thing with your network.

Related:

• Lets.org - Erasing the stigma of talking about suicide
• The Show – By Francisco Dao
• We Need to Have Empathy for Those With Depression. It is an Illness – by Mark Suster

Earlier this week I released a little side project called angel5. It’s a founder friendly dashboard for building your investor network on AngelList.

The inspiration was driven mostly from own experiences fundraising in 2012.  I spent a lot of time talking to a lot of investors and they weren’t always the right match for my business/stage. So I wanted to see if I could help a few founders avoid the same fate.

Each list has a unique topic or focus, some super niche while others more broad. Just clicking through a few pages on angel5 should help you quickly build up your network on AngelList. With legislation changing and the venture marketing down turning now is the time to build a strong network on AngelList. I see this platform continuing to innovate and scale throughout 2013.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Following angel5:

• On the web
• On Facebook
• On Twitter

Recent angel5 press:

• Angel5 Debuts A Founder-Friendly View Of AngelList, Sorts Investors Into “Top Five” Groups By Market, Region & More – TechCrunch
• Angel5 Highlights Top Angel Investors – Socaltech
• AngelList’s top investors revealed – Venturebeat
• Find Top Investors with Angel5 Tool – TechCocktail
• Canada’s Top 5 Angel Investors by AngelList Popularity – TechVibes

I get it that the future is mobile, mobile, mobile. I’m just not convinced that a constantly bright hand leads to a brighter life.

— Sean Percival (@Percival) October 1, 2012

I tweeted that sentiment a few weeks ago and have been thinking a lot about how smartphones have been changing our lives—mostly for the better, but that’s not always the case.

Naturally, I believe the current wave of mobile technologies represents a massive sea change in the way we do everything. I would only argue that it might not be the smartphone itself but the always-on and accessible connectivity that accompanies it that is making the real impact. The recent tragic events of Hurricane Sandy have shown just how important that connectivity is.

Today, it’s the smartphone, but tomorrow, that same connectivity is likely to be found elsewhere instead—in places such as your car, your clothes, and your general surroundings. In the meantime we spend a good portion of our time staring into glowing rectangles. Probably too much time.

So a few days ago, I turned off my iPhone. I don’t plan to turn it back on for another 30 days. For a techie, this is akin to ceasing to breathe for an entire month. It’s an experiment, and these are the main reasons I’m conducting it:

The Distractions

While the modern smartphone certainly makes life easier, it also adds many distractions. From the beeps to the tweets to the constant flow of e-mails, it’s becoming increasingly harder to focus on any one thing. Simply put, smartphones create a lot of noise. I actually use very limited notifications on my phone; however even then, the phone’s just too noisy. Right now, I need an extra focus on my business, so I just can’t afford anything that might interrupt that.

My Health

Does your neck hurt more these days? It probably does since you can’t stop looking down at your damn phone. Ask any health professional, and he or she will tell you just how bad that posture is for your body. I have to say that after only a few days without my phone, my body already feels much better. My neck doesn’t hurt, I’m sleeping better/longer, and even my hand feels stronger. I just feel happier across the board and with a renewed sense of energy. No, really.

Family Time

I have a start-up, so I have limited quality time with my family. That’s a sacrifice we’re willing to make, but that also means I need to make the most of any time we do have together. As such, when I’m lying on the floor as my boy learns to crawl, building a massive block fortress with my daughter, or talking with my wife, my full attention is needed. My family deserves this. It’s simply not fair to have some of these precious moments stolen by an e-mail or the minutiae of someone’s social media update.

As I thought about this experiment, I started planning out the supplies needed. Because the modern smartphone does so much, it’s easy to forget how many things it has replaced in our lives. While I can certainly appreciate the consolidation, I’m already taking some pleasure in the technology reversion a smartphone-free life entails.

My Supply List:

• Pager: Remember these? Well I actually rented one of them just in case any emergencies should arise. That way family and co-workers can get a hold of me right away when needed. They can even do it with pager codes (?).
• Camera: One the best things about modern smartphones is the amazing cameras they come with. I really enjoy taking photos, so I’ll bring my Nikon around with me more often. The end result will be fewer photos but probably more meaningful ones. I’ll be living full frame as opposed to only within an Instagram square.
• GPS/Maps: My Nissan Leaf has a built-in GPS unit, so I should be good there. Given the current state of Apple Maps, I’m likely better off with printing a good ol’ MapQuest out anyway. Worst case I have a Tom-Tom.
• Flashlight: I probably need to get one of those small pocket flashlights. Don’t try to act as though your cell phone doesn’t serve as a light of hope on many occasions. It’s the modern day torch.
• Alarm Clock: Another victim of the smartphone era. I haven’t had one in years and haven’t needed one with my phone at my bedside. Although, it’s clear that having kids means you already have one of nature’s greatest (and most convincing) alarm clocks.

So there you have it. I’ll set up an ongoing log file in a separate blog post, but so far, the experiment has been a positive experience. I will admit it does feel somewhat similar to when I quit smoking. It’s not easy to break some habits once they become deeply ingrained parts of your life. I’m also not entirely certain I’ll be able to make the 30 days without my phone, so I view this as a true challenge.

Please wish me luck; just don’t send those wishes via text message.

—

*Rules and disclaimer for friends, family and colleagues:

I’m allowed to touch other peoples smartphones during this experiment. For example to look at a photo or checkout a new app. iPad use is also allowed. I may carry my phone while traveling for emergencies but it will remain in the off position (not even airplane mode!). My cell phone number has been forwarded to Google Voice so I’m still available there. Text messages will actually be lost during this time. To request my pager number please email me with the subject “143″. 

Los Angeles is an enormous city.

As is true with finding a good apartment or home in this city, securing office space for your start-up can be quite a daunting task. And while, yes, the majority of the LA tech chatter focuses on Santa Monica, it’s important to remember you have a great many other options.

In fact, I would say that for most start-ups, Santa Monica is probably the worst city in which to set up shop. With limited real estate, high costs, parking challenges, tourists, and an over abundance of good-looking people, there are simply too many distractions with which to contend. In the end, you need to be focused on building your business and not on the beach, social events, and yoga pants.

Thankfully, though, our local Cushman and Wakefield representatives are here to help. They created the above map, which breaks down the costs and the pros and cons of the various Los Angeles rental markets. The full PDF goes on to include the Valley, Pasadena, and the seven habits of highly effective tenants.

Happy hunting!

Map and PDF provided by:

SCOTT D. STEUBER, LEED AP, MCR Director
License # 01427534
213-629-7359
scott.steuber@cushwake.com

When we first launched Wittlebee, I wasn’t sure whether anyone would actually want to purchase any of our products. Therefore, we tested our plan by putting up an extremely simple homepage and checkout form—literally a two-page website. I knew if we could get someone to check out through that questionable experience, we had something truly special. Unsurprisingly, we had no sales during the first few days. However, after about a week ,the orders began to flow in faster and faster. We had one slight problem though. We didn’t have any inventory to ship—not even a single onesie or a pair of socks.

To satisfy those first orders, we ran down to local retail stores and bought their entire clearance sections—literally, the whole sections. In case you’re wondering, some cash registers do indeed have a 500-item limit before they crash. We discovered this personally much to the dismay of anyone unfortunate enough to be standing behind us in line that day. The local stores came to know us eventually and helped us better split up orders to avoid such crashes. The store personnel never really questioned our motives in buying so much merchandise so frequently. Thankfully, today we obtain our merchandise through direct partnerships and through manufacturing. This certainly beats retail, but without those retail channels, we could never have gotten started. Of course, the irony of using retail to destroy retail is not at all lost on me. I’m also certainly not the first to have begun this way.

Back in 1999, local (and even global) legend Bill Gross wanted to determine whether someone would buy a car online. He used a similar approach when launching CarsDirect.com (source):

“We put a site up on a Wednesday night; by Thursday morning, we had four orders. We quickly shut the site down (we’d have to buy four cars at retail and deliver them to these four customers at a loss) but proved the thesis.”

When Zappos founder Nick Swinmurn couldn’t find exactly the shoes he wanted, he launched his own site (at the time called Shoesite.com). Because he didn’t have any inventory, he negotiated a deal with the local Footwear Etc. store in Sunnyvale, California (source):

“I’ll take some pictures, put your shoes online, and if people buy them, I’ll buy them from you at full price.”

These past two stories illustrate how starting an online commerce site without any existing inventory was possible even back in the early days of online commerce. Today, it’s happening much more frequently, thanks in part to the modern ecosystem of highly efficient customer acquisition tools and increased access to potential customers. You used to hear a great deal about “pre-revenue start-ups” (LOL), but as the next generation of commerce companies develop, I hear more and more stories about pre-inventory start-ups.

But be careful what you wish for.

Before we knew it, Wittlebee was shipping 50,000 items per month. Obviously, that’s significantly more than our local retails stores could provide. Remember, use but do not abuse retail to get your business started. Make sure you’re aggressive about finding more suitable channels and the staff to support your business. Once you’ve crashed your first retail cash register, it is likely time to move on.

Looking for a great baby shower gift? Be sure to checkout our Wittlebee Baby Showers Basic Box. We partnered up with Joyus to bring you this unique gift option.

This box of amazing kids clothes makes a perfect present for any shower. There’s three different options:

The girl’s box: Be the belle of the baby shower with a Wittlebee Baby Shower Basics box for girls. The box features 8 items in various shades of pink, sized for babies from 0-3 months old. Items include onesies to t-shirts, leggings, and socks.

The boy’s box: Make sure to arrive at the baby shower with the coolest gift in tote. The Wittlebee Baby Shower Basics box for boys has 8 items of clothing for your friend’s newborn, size 0-3 months. Colors include blue and green and there’s a wide variety of onesies, shorts, leggings, and socks.

The gender neutral box: So she wants to save the big surprise for later? Give her a little surprise in the meantime, with the Wittlebee Baby Shower Basics box in neutral. We played it safe on this one, with 8 items of clothing in shades of yellow, pale green, white, and cream. Clothing items include: onesies, t-shirts, pants, and socks, fit for a baby from 0-3 months old.

Order through Joyus now to receive a special discount price of $35.

So I’m here in Austin Texas for the annual geek shindig known as SXSW. More precisely I’m huddled under the covers in my room using my laptop for warmth as it’s just too damn cold out. Yes the rain is pretty much ruining SXSW for me but I’m a big whiner when it comes to bad weather.

I’m also starting to wonder how can this trip be saved? I think the only way is through the two things that make SXSW great. Drinking and the latest social app. Better yet, let’s just combine the two.

First let’s start with Highlight. This is the break out app at SXSW this year. It’s similar to the location check-in app Foursquare except you don’t actually check in. Instead your location is broadcast at all times and you are alerted when friends (or friends of friends) are nearby. It’s both creepy and interesting and I plan to use, iPhone battery permitting. They call it ambient social networking and if you can say that with a straight face, well, good for you.

However it’s lacking a lot of context. For example, there isn’t really enough info to encourage the serendipitous encounters I believe the app creators are looking for. So let’s give it a little help as we introduce the official Highlight SXSW Drinking Game, aka #highlighting.

Here’s how it works:

1. Download and install the Highlight app
2. Charge your phone (you’ll need the juice)
3. Change your bio/blurb in the app to use a structure like: Hello I’m <name>, I’m into < your interests> and I’ll buy you a drink if  you <an action you want>. #highlighting (See more examples below)
4. That’s it! Now await for your first Highlighter to approach you to share a drink, a story and perhaps more.

Example Blurps:

• Hi I’m Sean, I’m into online marketing and I’ll buy you a drink if you tell me my hair looks nice. #highlighting
• Hi I’m Katie, I’m into PR and I’ll buy you a drink if you don’t interpret that as flirting. #highlighting
• Hi I’m John, I’m into coding and I’ll buy you a drink if you can help me find another Python developer. #highlighting
• Hi I’m Brian Solis, I’m into engaging and I’ll buy you a drink because I buy everyone drinks. #highlighting
• Hi I’m Bob, I’m into social media and I’ll buy you a drink if you come back to my room so we can make some bad decisions together. #highlighting

There you have it! Happy Highlighting and best of luck with your kismet.

Introducing Wittlebee, a new way to keep up with your kids’ basic clothing needs. Get a box of amazing kids’ clothes every month, with styles and sizing that intelligently adapt to your needs.

Ever since I first blogged about subscription commerce, I’ve been quietly trying out a few concepts in the space. You see when I became a new parent last year, my entrepreneurial itch quickly shifted from social media to the needs of the modern family.

To say becoming a dad is a transformative experience would be an understatement in my case. It completely changed my outlook on life and redirected my passion inward to my growing family. Along with that, I saw a lot of opportunities to disrupt the various industries that parents depend on. I wanted to start with kids’ clothes, an expensive and difficult thing for parents to keep up with.

With Wittlebee I’m looking to save parents time and money, but also to help put an end to those “mall meltdown” moments. So please check out the site and help me get the word out.

I also want to send a huge thanks out to Mike Jones and the team at Science - without them, none of this would be possible. Oh, and of course my wife Laurie and daughter Charlotte. After all, they’re the inspiration for everything I do.

Press from Today’s Launch:

• “Birchbox For Children’s Clothes” Wittlebee Wants to Automate Your Kid’s Wardrobe - TechCrunch
• Science launches its third startup this month, mom-commerce site Wittlebee - Venturebeat
• Wittlebee Launches, Headed by Sean Pervical, Backed by Science - So Cal Tech
• Startup Series: Wittlebee A Clothing Club for Well Dressed Kids – Jessica Gottlieb
• This Company Has Launched Three Startups In One Week – Business Insider
• Never Want to See The Inside of a Mall Again? Sign Up For Wittlebee! – Mom Finds
• Kids Clothes Go Subscription-based with Science Inc. Backed Wittlebee – TechCocktail
• What happens when geeks have kids? They create shopping sites like Wittlebee – The Next Web
• eCommerce Service Wittlebee Shops For Your Kid’s Clothes, Giving You Less Stress - Bubbilicious
• Good idea: Wittlebee kid clothing club – Babycenter
• Wittlebee Reviews

It’s literally that good.

Really though, it’s a new bookmarking service that has been all the rage lately. Seeing how it just surpassed 10 million monthly visitors, it’s hard to deny there’s something there.

Now that I think about it, I remember when we relaunched Myspace last year and the Pinterest team accused us of basically ripping off their layout. I knew that wasn’t the case so I also remember sarcastically tweeting at them something along the lines of ”Wow, you invented the grid layout? You guys are going to be rich!”

I guess I was right.

Of course, there has been no shortage of articles about Pinterest lately. Most focus on two things though, the amount of women that use the site and the amount of money dirty marketing people are going to make from it. While both of those things are relevant to my interests, this article is about neither. Instead, let’s talk about the men of Pinterest.

The few, the proud, the Peen-terest.

Hunter Walk

http://pinterest.com/hunterwalk/

The inspiration for this blog post via a recent Tweet, Hunter is a force of good at Youtube and Google. On Pinterest, he has compiled one of the best collections of vintage sports posters you’re likely find anywhere.

Tristan Walker

http://pinterest.com/tristanwalker/

Tristan runs biz dev for Foursquare and was one of the first dudes I followed on Pinterest. His boards include some great collections of dream cars and iPhone home screens.

Evan Sharp

http://pinterest.com/sharp/

As a co-founder of Pinterest, Evan has a massive amount of Pins as you might imagine.  This former architect certainly has an eye for nice things to look at, including his board of beautiful complexity.

C.C. Chapman

http://pinterest.com/cc_chapman/

Sure C.C. is a well respected author, photographer and consultant but he’s also generally a great guy to follow on any social network. That’s also the case on Pinterest where he pins bits of awesome and products he loves. He also recently blogged his feelings on Pinterest mania.

Chris Brogan

http://pinterest.com/chrisbrogan/

As a general rule of the Internet, by default, Chris must be included in every list-based blog post. If you’re in the market for a new bag, Chris may have already pinned it for you.

Matt Galligan

http://pinterest.com/mattgalligan

An entrepreneur several times over, Matt has started to create boards that feature his want list and personal style.  He’s also collecting inspiration for the office space at Circa (his latest company).

Sean Percival (hey, that’s me!)

http://pinterest.com/seanpercival/

Yes, I put myself on my own list. I’m apparently that shameless. Currently I’m pinning photos of pretty ladies and various computers I’ve used over the years.

Other men of Pinterest that belong on this list? Let us know in the comments.

In case you needed more proof they are one of the few web companies to support the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). A bill that currently threatens to ruin the Internet and probably kill a few kittens in the process. Obviously we don’t want that.

So to that end I propose a new meme. Introducing Scumbag Godaddy (inspired by Scumbag Steve of course).

Make your own!

Ready to move your domains away from Godaddy? Here’s their directions.

Looking for a good domain name provider? I recommend Dotster and Namecheap.

Want to know more about SOPA? Check the Wikipedia.

Get the latest news on this Techmeme thread.

The post received a lot of good feedback and several CEOs of the companies featured reached out to me. I was able to talk with a few of them since then and gain more insight into this emerging space. KISSmetrics was even nice enough to turn my graphic into a full-blown infographic.

So to keep the discussion going I’ve been keeping notes about the main ingredients of a good subcom business. Here are my thoughts so far, after poking around, talking to folks and signing up for many of them.

 Authoritative Curation

Two very pretty buzzwords that are a big part of the subcom movement. Since many of these subscription services focus on a narrow niche it’s implied that the people behind the site really know the space well. When you sign up to a subcom you really want to feel it’s the best possible experience.  Everything from the tone of the marketing, the design, and of course the product offering should shine through as very authoritative.

 Simplified Ecommerce Funnel

The checkout process on a subscription service can be much different from your standard ecommerce user flow. For a subcom experience it’s best to strip away as much as possible in fact. Take a very Apple-esque approach to your design and user experience. Take away from it until it just works. This is where A/B testing becomes a critical exercise for any new subcom.

 Convenience

People can be lazy and associate high value to solutions that save them time. It’s not enough on its own to carry a subcom business but if you can marry convenience with a few of these other ingredients you’re on the right track. If you can provide the convenience without charging a massive premium you’re doing really well. Bathroom consumables seem like a huge market that is going to really take advantage of the convenience of auto-ship.

 No Stockpiling

It’s important for all subcoms that subscribers never feel like they have “too much of a good thing”. For example if you sold a perishable item you would never want the customer stockpiling too much in their pantry. As soon as they start to think they have too much of a product they’re on the ropes, possibly ready to unsubscribe. One nice thing some companies are doing is giving customers the option to pause or skip a subscription. This is a win-win because the seller doesn’t lose the customer and the customer can always reactivate themselves at a later time.

 The Zappos Experience

Most readers are likely familiar with the Zappos experience, specifically around customer care. Basically going above and beyond to keep a customer (and employees) happy. Since most subcom businesses start off small it’s probably important to instill these values from the beginning. I had one monthly membership club call me personally to check my order details only to follow that up with an email right from the CEO. That level of personal touch is not typical today but can help define a company. I love the personal touch and I’m sure I’m not alone.

Small Delights

Some might argue that it’s the little things in life that matter. For a subcom it’s really about a lot of small delights. In fact some of these businesses are nothing but small delights in the form of many product samples. Other subcoms are supplementing their core offering with small delights. Those little things go a long way to keeping the customer happy, subscribed.

Content

Content was king of course until the Huffington Post turned into a sausage factory. Just like sausage, you really don’t want to know how it’s made. However, with subscription commerce there are a lot of great opportunities to create content around the brand and its audience. I’m talking about going beyond just a blog to super-serving customers with compiling content across multiple channels each month. Only a few existing subcom businesses are doing this well right now.

Are there more key ingredients to subcom businesses? Let me know in the comments below.

“Most people make money pointing to content, not creating, curating or collecting content.”

-Rishad Tobaccowala

This quote is bouncing around today thanks to the WSJ. I think it makes a lot of sense and wonder if this thinking can help end the land rush around curation and the desire to be a “super curator”.

My genuine feeling is that, at this point, we have too many curators. If any major event happens (especially in the tech space) my social streams are now flooded with the same information and links over and over to the point of nausea. Everyone wants to share, I can appreciate that. People are also gunning for that coveted “first to post” status. This makes a little less sense to me, but is also understandable. As we build larger audiences across social networks we look for more and more ways to delight and entertain those audiences.

For the consumer, however, over-curation can be a really bad thing. A web service wins when it can distill a topic of interest (or many topics) into its purest form. Google has done this with search, for example. A contrasting example, on the other hand, would be Twitter. For both general feed consumption and search on Twitter, well, it’s a real mess. I’m sure we have all had that feeling of “OK, yes I get it, I’ve seen that headline 500 times now” when a major news cycle is making the rounds. I know I have, and with increased frequency of late.

Of course being in the tech space makes one more susceptible to over-curation, but I see the same patterns outside of tech. It’s also happening on platforms other than Twitter. Yes, even normal people are over-curating the web. From moms to mom and pop brands, everyone is resharing and it can be downright annoying.

It’s probably a good time for some more lessons on how to be a good curator before things get really out of hand.

Personally I love the model so I’m bullish on the opportunity here. I’m going to both build and invest into the space, so lately I’ve been doing a lot of research on it.

To start with, some people have been calling this different things. For me it’s easiest to describe the model as subscription commerce or subcom for short. I’ve also heard things like “lazy boxes”, “sample boxes” and “replenishment” but subcom is probably sufficient for industry insider talk and blogging. It’s also nice and short for platforms of brevity like Twitter.

In terms of what’s out there let’s first take a look at the subcom brands already launched or in beta. Below I’ve laid that out in one of those matrix grids. To keep things simple let’s start with some basics about the businesses and organize them by rough scale and whether they target males or females (or both).

clicky to enlarge

As you can see these businesses are leaning female-focused right now. That makes sense but means there is likely a lot more opportunities for male-focused subcom. It’s also important to note that Amazon is already part of this space and while they don’t push subscription very hard they could at any time. Any of these businesses that reach large-scale are likely acquisition targets from Amazon as well.

Here’s a more extensive link directory of the various players. Click around and see if any of them excite you enough to sign up. If you have experience with some of these brands already, please let me know in the comments.

Clothes and Fashion

• ShoeDazzle
• Jewelmint
• Stylemint
• Me Undies
• Manpacks
• The Under Shirt Club
• Panty by Post
• Trunk Club
• Adore Me

Google+, the new social platform from Google, has now added support for verified names.  The team over there is moving quickly to iterate the product and extend its reach throughout other areas of Google. That’s a good sign for fans of the platform.

Verified names are similar to verified accounts on Twitter (notice the difference in the language used). A small badge appears next to the user’s name on their profile. See the above video for an example of the hover-over behavior.

There has certainly been no shortage of debate over Google’s controversial real names policy. This quick move and the language used tells me they really want to drive that policy even further. Structured data, segmentation and verified identities are going to be very important for the future of both social networks and search engines. Google is going to need things done a certain way to maintain ownership in those areas.

I can relate to many of the concerns of that policy and know many of those affected. I haven’t commented much on the issue because it’s not how I do things. I’ve always put my real name out there (likely too much) as I’ve experimented with the various social networks over the years.

Now it’s now longer progressive to build an online identify around your real name or a pseudonym. A name on a Google search results page is going to be a big part of that online identity. Having a Google verified name might just be the ultimate ego SEO for some. I only see people turning to Google more and more to verify other people’s identity or intentions.

I was a bit of a hardware hoarder to say the least.

At the time I lived in a tiny guest house in Hollywood, and this monster was right next to my bed. Actually it was a futon so I’m not sure that qualifies as a bed. It’s amazing I was able to get laid at the time.

Once Laurie and I moved in together much of my hardware hoarding had to end. Our first few apartments were so tiny there was simply nowhere to put the stuff. Around this time desktop computer technology (and pricing) was also changing. It was much easier to just punch up Dell and build your own system instead of the Frankenstein machines I was building from both found and stolen parts.

Now that I can actually afford some decent hardware I keep it pretty simple. For the desktop it’s Dell XPS system. I usually rotate out the complete system every 2-3 years. After playing with a few monitor configurations I’m now using three 30” monitors. I still spend the same amount of endless nights staring into these windows; they’re just a little bigger than they were in 2003. :)

Even though the laptop has become a standard for most, I still really enjoying having a big ol’ desktop setup. It’s always here at home waiting for me and does so many wonderful things.

Long live the desktop.

]]> http://www.seanpercival.com/blog/2011/08/11/my-desktop-now-vs-then/feed/ 1 dude 3-monitor-multi-setup http://www.seanpercival.com/blog/2011/08/03/one-year-as-a-dad/ http://www.seanpercival.com/blog/2011/08/03/one-year-as-a-dad/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2011 04:23:43 +0000 Sean Percival http://www.seanpercival.com/blog/?p=5151

Today my daughter Charlotte turned one. Hard to believe that it has already been a year since her birth, but then again, you all warned me the time would go by much too fast.

Turns out you were right.

That’s OK though. We’ve had some great moments this last year, and I’ve treasured every one of them. I’ve buried them deep in my mind to never forget them and shared some of them across various social apps to preserve them further.

I haven’t blogged much about being a dad mostly because it’s just hard to blog period these days. I think for many the blogging barrier to entry is just too high now compared to the smaller formats available today (like Twitter). Shame too, because personal blogging is still one of the most compelling formats on the Web. Just take a look at the author known as ”EJ” and the recent Airbnb dust-up if you still need proof of that.

Back to the subject of daddy blogging–another reason I haven’t blogged much on being a dad is that frankly, I didn’t even know what I didn’t know. In terms of being a dad, there’s an incredible amount to learn and to do that first year. I’m actually surprised they let you walk out of the hospital with these tiny creatures without first making you take some type of 6-week training course. Thankfully, my wife has always been there to help us. Seriously though, without her, we would both be lost and probably be wearing dirty diapers. To the single parents out there who manage to do it all, I really salute you.

I hope to be able to write further about being a dad and share more stories here. I miss the writing and hope it can serve as some type of record for Charlotte later in life. That’s probably the biggest change that has occurred inside me this year. Now, with everything I do today, I’m thinking about how it can improve her tomorrow and the tomorrows that follow.

How can I have the right answers to any questions she has?

How can I have enough money to cover it all?

How can I get her not to date until she’s 30?

See, I’m already getting way too ahead of myself. Let’s just work on year number two for now.

Normally I recommend a company like Adblade to friends and clients. They have a nice offering and some great partners that include a lot of the major news sites like USA today, Fox News and MSNBC. In addition to great placement on these news sites they also use some unique ad creative that tends to out perform the usual stuff.

Oh and if you’re looking at the other side of the business and trying to monetize your own library of content they can help with that too. Overall its a pretty nice holistic approach for publishers or brand marketers out there.

Check it out and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Here’s a roundup of some of the more popular images circling around Google+, listed roughly in the order of their appearance. We’ve been through so much already people, so many bad animated GIFs.

You can encircle me here.

by Josh Fisher

The Joy of Tech comic from GeekCulture.com

By Yiying Lu