TechCrunch had a cool: what Superhero are you? post. Mike Arrington and Jason Calacanis are Green Lantern. I don’t know about green lantern. “Cut your finger off and take your ring man” could kick Green Lantern’s ass. Robin is still by far the WORST superhero.

Your results:
You are Iron Man

Iron Man 95% Spider-Man 90% The Flash 85% Green Lantern 80% Hulk 75% Catwoman 70% Wonder Woman 60% Supergirl 60% Robin 50% Superman 45% Batman 40%

Inventor. Businessman. Genius.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

[tags]superhero test, jason calacanis, mike arrington, tech crunch, iron man, web 2.0, publictivity [/tags]

Merry Christmas everyone from the (small for right now) team here at Publictivity.  Let’s all be thankful for our family, friends, and the good times ahead. I’m in New Jersey visiting family and doing a little bit of work until the 29th.  Drop me a note if you want to meet up by chance.
[tags] web 2.0, christmas, publictivity, new years [/tags]

Hey Everyone, I rarely do blog plugs on here, because I think I’d get in over my head with the amount of blogs I’d have to suggest. Today is one of those rare times. I’d like to suggest Geektastik by Monica Betancourt over at Max Borges Agency. It’s a great blog on a number of different topics from Web 2.0 to business to blog tips. The reading is thoughtful and provides some great insight from a PR professional. Let me, but well, more importantly Monica know your thoughts on the blog.
PS- I’m slightly biased towards great blogs from the local community in Florida
[tags] geektastik, web 2.0, publictivity, monica betancourt, max borges agency, pr, florida, florida blogs [/tags]

Sleep.. hahaha, what is that? Anyway, everyday I go through and think what this company should mean to a cusotmer. I’ve always been huge on a company getting it right, and it’s something I desperately see Publictivity doing. So here’s my list:

1. No Friction Simple Pricing- I’m sick of software, especially on-demand software that has 5 different levels of pricing, minimum user requirements, and strings attached. We’re going to make Publictivity simple. Try our software for 60 days, if you like it, pay us for what you need. A set fee per user per month, that’s it. No minimum user level either. 1 person shop? Great 50 person shop? Just as great. Last I checked our goal is to save you time, not waste it with thinking heavily through the pricing format.
2. Deliver What We Say- I can’t stand companies that don’t deliver what they say. so many bait and switch tricks out there. You’re going to get exactly what you pay for. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
   
   
3. The Customer is Always Right- this motto seems to have vanished. Lately it is: the customer is right except for sections 5 and 6 in the service agreement. No, you pay us money, and sometimes the rules have to be bent to meet your needs. You trust us enough to power your business, we’ll trust you enough that you’re not trying to screw us.
4. Personality and Care- some have told me “this will all change when you get big”. No, we’re always going to care about the customer in a very personal way. I’ve wasted most of my day today dealing with inconsiderate assholes that have no common sense or regard for his fellow man/woman. Everyone in this company will provide top notch software with top notch customer care. In a world where boring drones pick up the phone and don’t care whether you get what you’re need, Publictivity is going to surprise.
   
   
5. Innovate- I’ve talked about it before, but sooo many companies could care less about giving the customer the innovation and future feature sets they want. It really boggles my mind. People Want “A”. If you give them “A”, they pay you $. Somehow companies love to give “Q”. Who wants Q, when no one asked for it!!!!

Sorry if this is partially a rant, but I’m just sick of the way companies conduct business now.  It’s truly sickening.  Some of the horror stories I hear are unbelievable.   I hope the guys at AlwaysBeta get this story on digg.  Power to the customer and the good ole’ days of satisfaction.  gooodnight :-).

[tags] publictivity, web 2.0, customer service, customer care, northwest airlines sucks [/tags]

Seems this blog tag thing has gotten pretty darn popular recently. Dan Rua over at Inflexion Partners tagged me earlier. Here we goooo:

1. The University of Miami Hurricanes are my pride and joy. I actually originally began my studies at Boston College, but transferred to Miami my sophomore year. I also spent a summer semester studying terrorism at Harvard, post 9/11.
2. I used to train aggressively for bodybuilding, and at one point powerlifting. I haven’t been as serious in quite a while, but I still workout 5 days a week for about 2 hours. A Balance of Body and Mind are key.
3. I got my first taste of development and love for the web in an odd way at 10 years old. I was into the Warez scene in the early days of AOL. I created one of the first punters/bots for AOL 4.0. From then on, I’ve been trying to do cool things with the web. So thank you Steve Case.
4. Frank and I met through my first startup, where Frank was in business development. Almost 2 years later and we’re still kickin ass together.
5. My niece and nephew have a fatal form of Muscular Dystrophy called Pompe’s Disease. They’re one of my biggest inspirations in life. For such young kids, they are the strongest fighters I know. Oh, and Megan has quite the personality. She doesn’t take crap from anyone!

Ahh, so who do I tag. Noah Kagan at OkDork, Alex De Cavarallaho at Tapio, Brian Solis at FutureWorks PR, Brian Breslin at Infinimedia, and Leonard at theGorb.com (Notice I tried to keep it mostly Miami themed).

[tags] dan rua, boston college, inflexion vc, university of miami, florida gators, aol, steve case, jason l baptiste, harvard, pompes disease,warez [/tags]

I think I’ve just watched the most mindblowing and inspiring video ever. It’s a documentary explaining the process of making a Ferrari. Here are some of the highlights:

• Ultrasonic testing to make sure paint is even
• If the paint isn’t even, it is repainted
• Touchpoint sensors touch 800 points on the paint to make sure it is done right
• Electric shocks help melt metal. One day of electricity used on this one part could power a house for a year. Yes, a year.
• The entire engine is crafted by hand by one individual, taking a day’s work.
• Everything is inspected beyond belief

I won’t spoil the rest/ I don’t remember everything. This really inspired me and got me to thinking: What if we approached every inch of Publictivity like building a Ferrari? From the design to the code to the marketing to the team to the image. Honestly, I think it would create a monster like none other. We’re talking complete and utter perfection with no exceptions. Apple and Steve Jobs work along the same lines as well. So next time, when you think of just half assing it and going with “whatever, just think again. Do you want a used Honda or do you want a brand new Ferrari? Take pride in your work. Don’t settle for anything less than perfection.

[tags] ferrari, entrepreneurship, web 2.0, publictivity, steve jobs, apple, product development [/tags]

Had another development meeting and brainstorm session. We’re doing some very very cool things.  Do yourself a favor and just say no to install software.  I hate keeping my mouth shut and being hush hush.  Sign up for our beta test, and then we can show you the cool stuff.

[tags] publictivity, beta, web 2.0, beta testing, office 2.0 [/tags]

[yt]GMDMQGLUvtk[/yt]

Credit FloridaVentureBlog/PayPerPost.com and Tim Draper. Donate To The BizWorld Foundation
I think I’ve learned to enjoy taking risks and going for uncertain change. I went through this today in a small way when looking for a new apartment. I had two choices:

Normal Apartment with a normal layout

or

A Loft apartment with a pretty different layout from what I’m used to.

What did I go with? The Loft. Why? I wanted to go for something different. I wanted to take a risk. honestly, I’ve never lived in a loft, but it’s something different. I think the same holds true for entrepreneurship and running a company: You Need To Take Risk. Want to know a bullshit statement, and I’m sick of hearing it from people who have no clue about or passion for running a business:

99% of All Businesses Fail….

NO…99% OF PEOPLE FAIL.

There’s a lot of reasons a business can fail, but its really comes down to the founders. It comes down to whether they really want to go to the point of no return. I’m talking to the point where up is down, down is up, you’re broke, and living a life that can make you filthy rich one second or dirt poor the next. People put in some half ass effort, and always have their fallback plan in the back of their mind. I think we’d see a lot more successful businesses if entrepreneurs could just act as if they will die unless their business succeeds. That’s right, value your success as much as you value your life, and see how much more productive you get. I think the entrepreneurs that see starting a company “as fun” and only a real business until things take off will fail. I will bet on that 100%. Guess what? Your business will not “take off” unless you consider this as serious. Your business will not take off until you risk it all. This may sound obsessive, but any true and/or successful entrepreneur will tell you: your startup must consume you. It all comes down to is risk. Will you risk it all? If so, take the risk, and don’t look back. Enjoy the ride, because it will change your life. It’s a ticket paid with blood, sweat, and tears.
[tags] entrepreneurship, publictivity, loft, web 2.0, risk, failing, winning,payperpost,tim draper, riskmaster,bizworld foundation [/tags]

Everyone always asks me, “What’s the secret to building a business as a successful entrepreneur?” I often get questions about venture capital , hiring, bringing a product to market, and more. Everyone always thinks that it is some insane formula, that is a big secret. Psst… there is no holy grail or secret. It’s just really simple: Surround Yourself with Individuals That Get It. By Get it, I mean understanding the vision of the Web 2.0/ Internet Market, The Current Market You’re In, and most importantly your company’s vision. Within one meeting, you’ll tell if someone “gets it” or doesn’t “get it”.  This is something you learn naturally, not in a textbook. Here’s some signs to look for as to whether an individual “gets it”:

A Key Hire

You don’t need to educate them on anything. They’re up to date on the industry and what’s going on specifically in the case of their role. ie- If you’re a developer, you understand the Web 2.0 way of things. After a short description of your product and vision, they start chiming in, as if they’ve been with you all along. I will tell you, it is priceless.

A Co-Founder

Co-Founders have a special bond. They have the distinct ability to be in sync with each other. Both of you have the same vision, and working together allows it to become more powerful.  Frank and I have never once had an argument that ended in a childish manner or the two of us hating each other. Things might have gotten heated, but we looked at the facts, and decided what is best for the company. Don’t argue, solve.
An Investor

They believe in where you’re going. They don’t see innovation as scary or as a major risk, but the reason they want to invest. Scoble mentions VC’s laughing at Seagate’s original 5 mb hard drive as “too large and un-needed”. The VCs who eventually invested weren’t scared, but motivated by this innovation. They also believe in the founders and Mgmt team. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received recently came from Dan Rua at Inflexion Venture Partners: There’s three things an investor looks at: Magic (the product), Markets (how big of a market, and Management (the people and their ability to make the vision come true). I think the third is by far the most important. It’s the jockey, not the horse. Of course you need the other two, but it comes down to Management. My brother asked me: Why Can’t Someone Just Copy What You’re Doing? I said, it’s simple: Our DNA is unique. Unless the competition hires us away, which would never happen, then it won’t be the same. The management of a company is the DNA of the company.

Biz Dev

They understand you’re company’s vision, and more importantly, how the synergies between their company and yours can improve both visions. They want to innovate. They want to give value, not just take value and run.  Giving is a beautiful thing.

Your Competition

Didn’t expect this one, did you? :-).  Healthy competiton is a must have as a startup. Competition forces innovation.  Your competitor needs to get it, and innovate as well.  This pushes a company so much further. Think about it… Would you really innovate as much, if you knew your competitor was a dinosaur that hasn’t been innovating and trying to one up you? (Holding my tongue back on a comment I could make here. If you’ve been talking with us, you’d know what I’d say)

I’ve been meaning to write this post for quite a while.  Whether someone gets it or not, is the simple litmus test I apply to any decisions I make as CEO.  If you get it, I want to work with you.

PS- I’m finally back to blogging. The past 10 days have been hectic.  A very large decision coming up for me in the next two weeks.  Its outcome can only further Publictivity.

[tags] web 2.0, enterprise 2.0, office 2.0, publictivity, getting it, blogging, robert scoble, seagate, venture capital,entrepreneurship,seagate, al shugart [/tags]

I think everyone is there most productive when they’re on edge, no sleep, and pushing themselves to the limit.  It’s that do or die mentality that really shows who we are.  For some reason, I’m almost addicted to getting things done this way.  It’s not procrastination, trust me, that just doesn’t work.  It’s the rush of getting things done, seeing the sun rise, breathing in the air.  It makes you feel alive.  Every day should be a page in a book about your company.  I think this morning is also when I realized we’ve gone from knowing the what to also knowing the how.  We know the end goal of this company and what it is, but the exact roadmap of how was still a little bit blurry. Everything is coming together, and its pretty bright.  All I can say is: I’m smiling Ear to Ear.  When things just connect and feel right, it’s the greatest feeling in the world.  We have a ways to go, but we’re getting there piece by piece.  Btw,an entrepreneurs best friend are:

• Red Bull/ Monster Energy
• Mcdonalds at 5 am
• Kinkos open 24/7
• Great music
• Lazyboy chairs
• Inspirational Blogs

[tags] web 2.0, publictivity, insomnia, entrepreneurship, scrapblog, miami, skyline, pictures [/tags]