A recommended event

There are very few events which I recommend you attend. The better events are those which offer related content and speakers relating towards what you do in a small venue which allows for communication between speakers and attendees. I also like conferences which are below the radar as size does matter and bigger isnt better. Under promising and over delivering is what Im expecting from CoInvent Startup Summit. Here is link to the event. http://coinvent.co/events/cssny14

Why go to this CoInvent Startup Summit? Is small, its focused, it has speakers well known and relevant in their areas and topics of discussion.

How to get the most out of CoInvent Startup Summit?

Some of you have leftover T&E budget should go, more of you can afford it should go because it will be a better day than a day at the office.

Here is how to attend CoInvent Startup Summit and succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

Do your homework. Review speakers, learn what they do and find out your relationships with them. Doing a linkedin search will more then likely show more then one connection with a 2nd degree connection. Now you have a mutual name to drop.

Focus on what are your goals and if the speakers are in your sweet spot. Wanting startup capital and have never done it before don’t ask a VC unless you have an strong introduction to them. You are wasting your time and you are wasting their time. Why are they speaking and what can you help them? HINT: it doesn’t have to be in business if you have an interest in a charity they support ask to help, ask for an introduction and permission to copy them on the email or forward email to responsible party at the charity. Accomplish something great for their charity and you have a heads up on all those who didn’t help. Now they know you can successfully do something.

Once you have found out what you can do for them now you should focus on what they can do for you.

A VCs job is to manage successfully the growth of their investors capital They have a mandate from their investors and they don’t do otherwise.

Get your elevator pitch down. Its not what you do, its what problem you solve. if you can’t describe what you do in a few words you have a problem. HINT Its not about what you do its about what problem you solve for your customer.

Bring lots of business cards and write on all of them the name and date of this event. Additionally, you write down the question or comment you are sharing with the speaker?

Do the same with your cards for those who ask really interesting questions. This way you can introduce yourself with a card that shows your attention to detail. You make it easy for them. BTW you probably want to take photos of these cards before you give them away. Thank god for smartphone cameras.

Arrive early and leave late. Buy drinks if you can for anyone at the event. TRUE STORY a friend of a friend bought a fellow attendee a drink, the guy said I have 20 minutes before I get to airport, so did my friend, no really but he wanted the face time. Their conversation is going well and they continue it in the cab, 5 minutes into the cab and the guy is having a heart attack. My friends friend knew what to do. He knew where the nearest hospital was, when the cab was stuck at the lights, he offered the cabbie $100 for each red light he ran through. He comforted his new friend to the ER. He paid the cabbie, he went to the ER with his friend, did what he did in terms of helping him contact his family etc. IN SHORT he showed this guy he was a take charge guy and he could trust him with his life. Long story short. My friends new friend has become a strong supporter and mentor for this stranger who saved his life.

Take photos. Share with those in the picture. A class act will frame them and send by overnight fed ex. Personal handwritten note, please.

This event is great to start getting value from your attendance. When I work a conference my average revenue obtained from those in attendance or referred by those exceeds $250,000. You should do better.

HINT: like blues and jazz? One of the speakers has a family foundation relating to the birth of the blues. Want his attention?, help him with the foundation. SOLVE his problem. Show him are good you are. If you don’t know what the foundation problem is, ask?

BTW this information is in his linkedin profile.

Attendees are also a great source of information. Same rules apply except you have to do more thinking on your feet.

Considering the cost per lead added to the fact that you get out of your office Go!, its a win win situation. http://coinvent.co/events/cssny14

TUESDAY, DEC 16
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Registration + Breakfast + Coffee

9:00 AM – 9:40 AM

Fireside Chat with David Pakman, Moderated by Andrew Wong

David Pakman – Partner @ Venrock Associates
Andrew Wong – Founder & CEO @ CoInvent
9:40 AM – 10:00 AM

Software Eating The World: Finance

Jonathan Stein – Founder & CEO @ Betterment
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM

Software Eating The World: Mobile, Moderated by Nihal Mehta

Taylor Greene – Principal @ Lerer Hippeau Ventures
Matthew Witheiler – General Partner @ Flybridge Capital Partners
Nihal Mehta – Founding General Partner @ ENIAC Ventures
10:20 AM – 10:40 AM

Software Eating The World: Marketplace, Moderated by Lori Hoberman

Micah Rosenbloom – Partner @ Founder Collective
Lori Hoberman – Founder @ Hoberman Law Group
Eric Mason – Director of Marketing Communications @ WIX.com
10:40 AM – 11:00 AM

Software Eating The World: Social, Moderated by Lori Cheek

Lori Cheek – Founder & CEO @ Cheek’d Inc.
Dino Dogan – Founder & CEO @ Triberr
Brett Martin – Co-Founder @ NewCo
11:00 AM – 11:20 AM

BREAK

11:20 AM – 11:40 AM

Software Eating The World: Internet of Things

Steven van Wel – Co-Founder & CEO @ Karma
11:40 AM – 12:00 PM

Software Eating The World: How to Get a Physical Goods Startup Off the Ground

Nick Taranto – Co-Founder & Co-CEO @ Plated
12:00 PM – 12:20 PM

Do’s & Don’ts when Applying to a Startup Accelerator, Moderated by Charlie Kemper

Mark Wachen – Managing Director @ DreamIt Ventures
Charlie Kemper – Co-Founder & Managing Director @ Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator
J. Skyler Fernandes – Managing Director @ Simon Venture Group
Alex Iskold – Managing Director @ Techstars
12:20 PM – 12:40 PM

Redefining Customer Service for Startups

Peter Shankman – Founder @ Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
12:40 PM – 1:40 PM

LUNCH

1:40 PM – 2:10 PM

Keys to Getting Star Investors for Your Startup, Moderated by Kelly Hoey

Kelly Hoey – Strategist, Speaker/ CMO @ Cuurio
Brad Svrluga – Founder and General Partner @ High Peaks Venture Partners
Somak Chattopadhyay – Founder & Managing Partner @ Armory Square Ventures
Brian Cohen – Chairman @ New York Angels
2:10 PM – 2:30 PM

Software Eating The World: Payment, Moderated by Xavier de Ryckel

Jay Bhattacharya – Co-Founder & CEO @ Zipmark
Mark Egerman – Co-Founder @ Cover
Xavier de Ryckel – Co-Founder @ Downtown, Inc.
2:30 PM – 2:50 PM

Software Eating The World: Education, Moderated by Ainsley O’Connell

Daniel Friedman – Co-Founder & President @ Thinkful
Alex Rappaport – Founder & CEO @ Flocabulary
Ainsley O’Connell – Reporter @ Fast Company
2:50 PM – 3:10 PM

Software Eating The World: Money + Crowdfunding, Moderated by Amanda Barbara

Ryan Feit – Co-Founder & CEO @ Seedinvest
Stephen Plattman – CPA – Partner @ Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
Oren Bass – Co-Founder @ PAVE
Amanda Barbara – Co-Founder & Vice President @ Pubslush
Daniel Miller – Co-Founder and President @ Fundrise
3:10 PM – 3:30 PM

Software Eating The World: Fashion, Moderated by Pavan Bahl

Madison (Maddy) Maxey – Co-founder @ The Crated
Pavan Bahl – Founder @ Open Source Fashion,
Amanda Parkes – Founder @ Skinteractive Studio
3:30 PM – 3:50 PM

BREAK

3:50 PM – 4:10 PM

5 Things You Shouldn’t Do in Operating a Startup

Mark Peter Davis – Founder @ Interplay Ventures
4:10 PM – 4:30 PM

How We Raised $800k Fresh Out of School

Kat Vorotova & David Foult – Co-Founders @ Try The World
4:30 PM – 4:50 PM

How to Do Marketing/PR on a Budget, Moderated by Matthew Capala

Michael King – Founder @ iPullRank, Global Moz Associate
Matthew Capala – Founder @ Search Decoder
Alicianne Rand – Vice President of Marketing @ NewsCred
Miranda Tan – Founder & CEO @ MyPRGenie, Inc.
Mallory Blair – Co-Founder @ Small Girls PR
4:50 PM – 5:10 PM

Peter Thiel’s Thiel Fellowship & How It’s Life-Changing – Moderated by Andrew Wong

Eden Full – Founder & CEO @ The Sun Saluter
Zachary Hamed – Co-Founder @ Bowery
Andrew Wong – Founder & CEO @ CoInvent
Spencer Hewett – Founder & CEO @ SKIP
5:10 PM – 5:30 PM

Fireside Chat with William Porteous, Moderated by Andrew Wong