Janeen Terrano, the founder of Topia Technology visited our class on Tuesday. Her achievement in technology industry is extremely impressive. A small software development company moved from 0 to 3 million dollars in 18 month with government contract and survive from the Dot Com bubble impact. A 37 employee company created a cutting edge technology product that out beat hundreds of IBM software engineers, and earned federal contract from US Army intelligence Security Command. More surprising is that Janeen does not have any technology education background to start her enterprise. Instead, she is humble and open minded person with great vision. Which is probably what bring her success.
Topia is a "High Tech" company. I was very surprise to hear her definition of "Low Tech"- anything withing browser. Moving beyond browser is whats define "High Tech" and cutting edge technology. It is a very interesting concept and is quite simple yet complicate at the same time. From what I understand, she and her company is trying to create a brand new infrastructure whiten cloud to solved network computing problems. She also mentioned the simplicity for user is their focus. I also really like the advice she gave to as on creating business model "Speak to your customer directly to find out your business model, not your investor" I admire this kind of attitude, and I believe this is what bring Topia success.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
STARTUP.COM - The Dot Com Bubble
Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and Tom Herman, 2 business college student and good friend started their dream together in May 1999 to create a web based company call GovWorks.com. The company was designed to target $600 billion market space in providing online access to help people deal with governments. In less than one year, govWorks going from one room office with few staffs to over 200 employee and over $50 million company value. In April 2000, the competitor EzGov launched its website ahead based on the same business model. By end of the year 2000, company had nearly layoff all its employee. Finally, in January 2001, govWorks was sold to First Data and the dot com bubble for govWorks has burst and came to its end.
This documentary was not so much about business development and strategy, neither includes any technical development process as I was hoping to see and find out how Dot Com Boom impact small start up technology companies, and how business survive or what caused its failure. However, looking at two main characters' story, I can certainly feel the enthusiast and craziness of technology entrepreneurs at that time. It was almost can be called 19th century gold rush, and the Dot Com boom was that gold Mine. Many people like Tom and Kaleil, spent all they have to pursue their dream and do whatever it takes to find that gold. Unfortunately, this gold rush didn't last long enough, and before you know it, the Dot Com bobble burst.
Aside of govWorks.com, looking at Kaleil and Tom's story makes me wondering if partnering with friend for business is a good idea. Every time when there is money involved, it's always end up business only. Look at their third partner Keith, he basically didn't do anything for company and end up good return from the company. He said it loud and clear, its all about money. Kaleil and Tome had express their friendship and love to each other almost through out entire movie until the end when the company went side way. Their story brings out my memory about the business experience of my grand father, my father and my uncle. Each of them had their own business and all of them involved with their friends. Not surprising, non of those "friends" are still maintaining contact before or after their business partnership. If you really serious about your friendship, don't go in to a business with them
This documentary was not so much about business development and strategy, neither includes any technical development process as I was hoping to see and find out how Dot Com Boom impact small start up technology companies, and how business survive or what caused its failure. However, looking at two main characters' story, I can certainly feel the enthusiast and craziness of technology entrepreneurs at that time. It was almost can be called 19th century gold rush, and the Dot Com boom was that gold Mine. Many people like Tom and Kaleil, spent all they have to pursue their dream and do whatever it takes to find that gold. Unfortunately, this gold rush didn't last long enough, and before you know it, the Dot Com bobble burst.
Aside of govWorks.com, looking at Kaleil and Tom's story makes me wondering if partnering with friend for business is a good idea. Every time when there is money involved, it's always end up business only. Look at their third partner Keith, he basically didn't do anything for company and end up good return from the company. He said it loud and clear, its all about money. Kaleil and Tome had express their friendship and love to each other almost through out entire movie until the end when the company went side way. Their story brings out my memory about the business experience of my grand father, my father and my uncle. Each of them had their own business and all of them involved with their friends. Not surprising, non of those "friends" are still maintaining contact before or after their business partnership. If you really serious about your friendship, don't go in to a business with them
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Dot.com to Dot.bomb
Professor Andrew Fry using his own experience to talk about the history of Dot Com Boom from beginning to its end. There are five stages through out the whole dot com period. 1. An innocent beginning. 2. Boom. 3. Insanity. 4. Bust. 5. The crawl back to sanity and Bonus stage. During the 15 years of dot com period, there are huge amount of new technology companies starts its business and failed at the end when dot com busted. Many new company founders and investors had made them rich by following this dot com train ride. And many of them also end up losing business and bankruptcy.
In Andrew's speech, he used plastic dinosaurs to visualize major technology companies that plays important role of leading this dot com revolution. During the year 1992 to 1995, there was only abut 40 web sites on the Internet and most of them are government and research related message board like web pages. When Internet started to take off around 1993, company like Microsoft, CompuServ, Spry INC, and free Range Media captured the opportunities of the power of the Internet to start the dot com market and revolution. Professor Andrew Fry, the founder of the Free Range Media, presented Internet market potential in the 2nd annual conference of the World Wide Web project. At the time, HTTP is only 2 years old. By the year of 1995, many companies has follow the Internet market to create all kinds of web access. In 1996, the dot com boom has began. From 1996 to 1999, AOL took charge and bought CompuServ. The Infospace went to public, and it worth more than Boeing at the time. However, it all comes to the end during the year of 2000 and 2001. Many big companies such as Exodus Communication, DrKoop.com, FreeZone, Luminant Worldwide closed it's door and declares bankruptcy. In year 2002, after Amazon posted a profit report, Internet job market starts to rebound. Google went public in year 2005, and Venture capital also rebounds.
Dot Com period was a crazy and exciting time for technology industry. What will be the next technology revolution is the question to many people.
In Andrew's speech, he used plastic dinosaurs to visualize major technology companies that plays important role of leading this dot com revolution. During the year 1992 to 1995, there was only abut 40 web sites on the Internet and most of them are government and research related message board like web pages. When Internet started to take off around 1993, company like Microsoft, CompuServ, Spry INC, and free Range Media captured the opportunities of the power of the Internet to start the dot com market and revolution. Professor Andrew Fry, the founder of the Free Range Media, presented Internet market potential in the 2nd annual conference of the World Wide Web project. At the time, HTTP is only 2 years old. By the year of 1995, many companies has follow the Internet market to create all kinds of web access. In 1996, the dot com boom has began. From 1996 to 1999, AOL took charge and bought CompuServ. The Infospace went to public, and it worth more than Boeing at the time. However, it all comes to the end during the year of 2000 and 2001. Many big companies such as Exodus Communication, DrKoop.com, FreeZone, Luminant Worldwide closed it's door and declares bankruptcy. In year 2002, after Amazon posted a profit report, Internet job market starts to rebound. Google went public in year 2005, and Venture capital also rebounds.
Dot Com period was a crazy and exciting time for technology industry. What will be the next technology revolution is the question to many people.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Congressman Adam Smith - The Rise of The Rest
Congressman Adam Smith came to class to talk about global economic and technology industry. It was very interesting and informative to hear from political point of view. He pointed out the critical issue we are facing with global economic changing dramatically in the past 20 years, and raise the sense of urgency for American to be ready to compete with the rest of world. American has strong capital market and stable government as foundation to compete with other countries in global economic. However, we are so used to the way we dominated the world economic in the past, and not realize that we are no longer dominate technology industry. He purpose that changing government policy will be the key to prepare US market to be ready to compete. The policies includes Education, Energy, and Stability for people. He specifically mentioned that in order to create stability for people, we will need to reform our health care and retirement policy, changing our "Old" Tax code to be more suitable for currently economic, and finally, continue to improve education policy to create higher education opportunities for everyone. It is a long and difficult road. However, we all need to realize that the change must be made in order to compete with the rest of the world.
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