March 2012
1 post
Startup Threads: Swag Bag #1 - Hipmunk, LevelUp,... →
startupthreads:
Our first swag bag came packed with goodies from Hipmunk, LevelUp, and 10gen. Missed out? Sign up here by March 15th to get the March box, featuring Twilio
Here is what subscribers received in their first month:
- Hipmunk T-Shirt
- Hipmunk Sticker
- LevelUp Gift Card worth $10
-…
October 2011
1 post
My Steve Jobs Story
After my junior year of college I was able to finagle my way into an internship at Apple. I moved out to Sunnyvale, worked in Cupertino coding for an internal team and only passed by Steve Jobs a few times. He was always walking quickly, but would give eye contact and that brief half smile and head nod that strangers give each other.
I heard him speak in the executive lecture series, where all...
August 2011
3 posts
How To Throw The Perfect Hackathon →
Check out this post by Ben Doernberg on how to throw Hackathons.
Node Knockout Entry: DanceKombat →
Check out my submission for Node Knockout: Dance Kombat, an online dance battle site. Video chat + dance battle somebody, vote on who wins. If you like it, vote by clicking the link in the top left corner. Tweets are appreciated.
If I Ran It: Zaarly
Dylan (best rapper of all time) could have use Zaarly to get sugar cookies for Diddy
Zaarly is a platform that lets you buy and sell goods and services to people nearby. It is buyer powered, meaning the buyers post what they want (each of these posts is called a ‘Zaarly’) and others come in to fulfil the requests. Some of these requests range from headshots to McDonalds hash...
July 2011
1 post
On Honesty in Startupland
My experience in NYC Tech over the past year has been highlighted by great conversations with people of all backgrounds. I’ve been lucky to get support and feedback from various people in the community. Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey, but with a supportive ecosystem it can be manageable. The issue of honesty does come up frequently in these discussions with New York tech...
June 2011
2 posts
If I Ran It: Turntable.fm
If you haven’t heard of Turntable.fm, its the new music web app that is all the rage in the tech scene. It is a great site that lets you listen to music in rooms with your friends/coworkers. There are some great social elements to it, and it just works well. The game mechanics are also interesting and can encourage people to buy music. As someone working on my own music startup in private...
How To Hack Conferences and Meetups
Discuss this on Hacker News here.
I’ll admit it, I am a conference junkie. Traveling is my thing, and meeting new inspiring people who are on the same journey I am on helps to keep me in good spirits. It took me a while to get the stamina to truly enjoy networking, but it is a skill I have developed over time. Here are some tips that may help you.
HOW TO GET INTO EVENTS
So you want to...
May 2011
3 posts
You Did What!?
A few weeks ago I made a split second decision to quit my full-time job and go fully independent. I gave the company a few weeks notice and this was my first week on my own.
With most decisions I try to weigh my options, putting myself in a position to have all the necessary information to make the right choice. This type of thinking works for many things, but can paralyze you in situations...
Music Hackday SF and SF Music Tech
I had a great time in San Francisco at the Music Hackday and SF Music Tech events. I worked on a new version of SongVoodoo (http://new.songvoodoo.com) and a mothers day version of Songsicle (sign up at Songsicle.com and I’ll hook you up soon). The reactions I got for both were very positive and helps to encourage me to push forward on these ideas.
SongVoodoo ended up winning the MusixMatch...
Startup Summer by NY Tech Meetup
When I look back on my own history in technology, I find that my experiences in high school were critical to me falling in love with technology and programming. NY Tech Meetup (NYTM) is looking to help more students in NYC have a similar experience, by joining them up with startups for 6 weeks during the summer.
Partnering with Camp Interactive and MOUSE (local technology based non-profit...
April 2011
1 post
Startup Weekend Book: My Story
This was written for the Startup Weekend book, which you can find more information about on their Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/h6hoaY
I sat rigidly on a white plastic chair, fidgeting with my phone as I tried to look occupied. Looking around I saw a sea of strangers, all conversing and laughing. The din of conversation all melded together into an incomprehensible stream of noise. It all felt...
March 2011
3 posts
Billboard's Twitter 140: Music-Industry Characters... →
I somehow finagled my way onto this list, with some of my music industry heroes such as Chris Lighty and Scooter Braun. Hope to earn my spot in their ranks one day.
Frank Denbow Wins Our Music Hackweek Contest with... →
musiXmatch Blog: Frank Denbow is The new... →
musixmatch:
Let’s say you’re out somewhere and you hear a great song playing on the sound system but just as you’re getting into it, the tune ends. And now you’re singing the chorus to yourself and trying to figure out how to identify the song and artist. Here’s where our hero comes in. …
December 2010
1 post
New York Tech Meetup Nomination
Hi NYTM! My name is Frank Denbow and I have been nominated to the NYTM board. For the past year I have been involved in the NY tech community and have learned a great deal from meeting many of you. Particularly, I have enjoyed the discussions with people I have met at NYTM. I would love to give back and support this community further by being involved with NYTM as a board member. For a few years...
October 2010
2 posts
SingSend Wins Twilio 'Play' Developer Contest
A few weeks ago I entered into the Twilio Developer Contest and found out this past week that the project won! Working with Twilio has been a pleasure and they have been very supportive of my efforts. I encourage other developers to try out their API; you can get up and running very quickly.
SingSend Blog Post on Twilio:...
TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco
Finally got a few seconds to breathe after an eventful week in San Francisco for TechCrunch Disrupt. I went out there to participate in the hackathon and volunteer primarily, while also listening to the intense lineup of Silicon Valley heavyweights and networking with other hungry entrepreneurs. It was an escape from the regular day-to-day life that I needed.
Volunteering again (as I did in the...
September 2010
1 post
NYC Startup Weekend
I participated in the NYC Startup Weekend event this past weekend and had an incredible experience. I had an idea for a voice application that I could build on top of Twilio. My team and I ended up building SingSend which lets you create a karaoke recording on your phone and send it to a friend. It is still live and you can call 201-564-0921
The most enjoyable parts of the weekend for me were...
August 2010
2 posts
If I Ran It: Assisted Serendipity
Originally posted on FrankDenbow.com and 9to5am.com
Assisted Serendipity solves the problem of finding a venue where the ratio of guys/girls is in your favor. By looking at recent check-in data, you can tell when the ratio “tips” and Assisted Serendipity will email or text you with the news, and with pictures of the recently checked in people. This is an idea that just makes sense...
Why I Am In Tech
Watching the conversation about race/gender and technology by Tristan Walker and Charlie O’Donnell caused me to think about the origins of my involvement in technology. In particular if the statistics in this article are indicative of problems in the technology industry. Looking back I can identify the key points in my life that have lead me to the decision to be involved in technology.
My...
July 2010
5 posts
How I Became a Member of the NY Tech Community →
Some timeless advice on how to get connected in the NY scene.
“My goal with everyone I meet with is to be more helpful to them than they are to me” - This is how life should work.
Thanking Mentors
I had a great conversation yesterday with one of my mentors through my college years. There are few feelings better than thanking someone who truly made an impact on your life. If you have the chance, thank someone who has helped you become who you are today. I promise you will enjoy it :-)
10 Inspiring TED Talks for Startups →
“Realize that a startup puts you on an emotional rollercoaster unlike anything...”
– Marc Andreessen
via mikehudack : saadiq
(via msg)
(via ajvaynerchuk)
June 2010
2 posts
“You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you...”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson