Delta (and company) are so far behind Virgin America it is not even funny. And I am not talking just about having wi-fi on board (we all know that trick already). I am talking about the business model and the way it operates. Where can I start? On-demand movies, food menu, free satellite tv, foreign films, seat-to-seat chat (coming soon)… And this is not first class. Trust me, I do not fly first class…
Virgin America feels like a BUSINESS. A money-making costumer-satisfying business. When I fly Delta, I feel like I am flying in a bankrupted company that, even with all the ridiculous subsidies, it is always trying to get money out of you for things that make no sense. Their employees also look miserable… like they really hate their job and having to say ‘no’ to any request by any costumer. Virgin America has two credit cards input devices per seat. But you know what? It doesn’t bother you. Because what you get for your money is actually worth something. If you were not flying, you would be buying this in the ground without complaints. Why is that the other companies don’t have a system like this? They would make money! Virgin does… Anyways, I am going back to my movie.
First time I am flying Virgin America (in the main cabin) and I am already a fan.
Dear Amplifyiers in DC:
Next week’s event on Monday, May 17th is Goethe’s first blogger-specific event in the form of an open house for bloggers from the DC area and beyond to network and check out what Goethe Institut DC has to offer–in hopes that they will pass along their experiences to readers and peers. (Address: 812 Seventh Street, NW Washington, DC).
The first hour of the open house will be networking, the second a tour of the institution, then a film and short presentation. And, of course, refreshments! Admission is free, dress is casual and anyone is welcome to take photographs. We are essentially opening our doors to bloggers to spread the word about the exciting summer classes and events taking place at GI, which you can find at http://goethedc.org.
I am tired of the government getting in the middle of EVERYTHING… just in times were this country needs entrepreneurs and startups! Would New Law Hamper Startup Fundraising? |
The U.S.’s proposed Financial Reform bill could place some pretty tough constraints on angel investors, possibly upsetting the balance of early-stage venture capital for tech startups. A report today got into the nitty-gritty details of the massive bill and uncovered some stipulations that would definitely affect the early-stage investment market, possibly making raising funds for web-based and technology startups a whole lot more difficult. Three main points have been identified as applying to angel investors, who are typically among the first to find and fund very early-stage tech companies: |
1. Investors will have to be worth more money. |
2. Startups will undergo a 4-month SEC review. |
| It’s ironic to note that, at that point, the startup would have to pay money in order to raise money. |
Which World Cup Fans Are the Most Passionate? Facebook Knows |
 On June 11 the world will be united by football — or as we Americans call it, soccer — when the 2010 FIFA World Cup begins in South Africa. The once-in-every-four-years competition has the the tendency to elicit extreme emotions from players and fans alike. This year Facebook will track the latter with its Goal! Leaderboard application.
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| Today, IBM is introducing a new social media monitoring tool, one that it says will measure consumer sentiment from data gathered on Twitter, blogs and other web services and networks. |
The software, called the SPSS Modeler data mining and text analytics workbench, will use natural language processing (NLP) to analyze everything from product names and industry jargon to slang and emoticons, and it’s already being used by some pretty big businesses. |
Companies already using IBM’s application have used this data to improve CRM and make better-informed choices about products and marketing. Read more at mashable.com |
I clipped some parts that mark the tone for the rest of the interview. Really good blog entry and interview. Highly recommended. | I encourage you to listen to the entire session (high quality audio, and lasts about 45 minutes). Just hit “play” on the widget below. Or, if you’d prefer, you can read the entire transcript at the bottom of this post. |
When asked “Why do you start companies”, Paul has one of the best answers I’ve ever heard: I start companies because it gives me an opportunity to create teams.
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| “Our priorities are always team first, customer second and profit third.” |
| The difference between an A team and an A+ team is the difference between a million in revenue and a billion in revenue. |
| Sometimes people Paul is interviewing say “I’ve heard a lot of great things about you.”. Paul: “Trust me, after a few months, you’ll learn that the reason you’re here is not me, but the people around you” |
| Paul English on recruiting (I’m paraphrasing this from a meeting I had with him and some pieces from this interview): When someone mentions the name of a person that they’ve worked with that they think is
exceptional, a little clock starts ticking in my head. My world goes to black and white, and this clock is in color. From when the clock starts, I give myself seven days to track them down, back channel, get them in for two series of interviews that are intense and focused, and make an offer and have them accept it. That’s seven days from when I hear the person’s name. |
| At least one of the co-founders needs to be passionate about recruiting because that absolutely makes all the difference in the world.Read more at onstartups.com |
Ning: We Have a $4 Billion Market Opportunity |
Rosenthal believes that the social network creation market is a $4 billion market opportunity, based on the company’s research and estimates. To capture that market, though, it is “doubling down” on its premium products, which means the dissolution of the free versions. |
In return, though, Ning promises to bring a lot of new features for its paying users. Pro users, for example, can expect premium HD video support, social analytics, and the ability to offer and charge for premium subscription content, all within Ning. These features and more will roll out during the summer and the fall. |
Only time will tell whether these changes will help Ning rebound from the turmoil of the last two months. Read more at mashable.com |
These respondents love using the mobile web overall, this study shows; 94% said they use their phones to surf even when they’re at home and can access much more powerful devices, such as laptops and desktop PCs. These heavy mobile users are big on social sites — 86% access Facebook, Twitter or similar networks on their mobiles — and 93% said they’d feel lost without their cellphones. |
Moving to another segment of the Venn diagram of women — cell phones and shopping — 74% of these same mobile-loving women said they sometimes shop for splurge items they might not necessarily need. The majority of these women also said they’d be open to learning about discounts, deals and event promotions on their phones. |
Here are some other findings from the survey: |
- 85% use the mobile Internet almost daily.
- 70% expect their mobile Internet usage to increase in the future.
- 84% have noticed mobile advertising, and 57% have clicked on mobile advertising.
- 67% are interested in receiving mobile coupons or vouchers.
- 93% are always on the lookout for bargains.
- 93% like being up-to-date with new technology.
Read more at mashable.com |
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