Founders Nextdoor: Entrepreneurship | Small Business | Startups | Freelancing | Washington DC

PJ Taei is the founder of UScreen, a video platform that enables content creators launch their own video streaming service and build a profitable business selling their videos online

In this episode, PJ talked about how he created UScreen from scratch, from building prototype and getting initial customers, to iterating on the product vision and launching marketing campaigns.

“Ultimately the best way to test your idea is to build something (quickly) and get it into customers’ hands.”

PJ Taei

UScreen
Facebook, Twitter

Reference:

Soundwise: innovative podcast publishing platform that helps you capture, keep and convert listeners

The post How to Build, Launch, And Improve A Software Product appeared first on Founders Nextdoor.

Ryan Croft is the co-founder and COO of TransitScreen, a technology company in DC that helps millions of people save commute time by providing real time display of local transportation information at different locations.

In this episode, Ryan shared the story of how TransitScreen found its market sweet spot by continuously studying its customers, trying new approaches and failing repeatedly. The journey to product-market fit is not a straight line. And Ryan’s story demonstrated that so well.

“I was a serial networker. I would go to an event every night or every other night, to meet as many people as possible, to get our name out there, and to try to understand our market. It was a lot of trial and error, with people saying no over and over again.”

– Ryan Croft

TransitScreen
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin

Reference:

Soundwise: innovative podcast publishing platform that helps you capture, keep and convert listeners

The post The Non-Linear Journey to Product-Market Fit appeared first on Founders Nextdoor.

Joel Holland is the founder and executive chairman of Storyblocks, a subscription-based online platform for high quality stock media.

Joel has won numerous awards for his work with StoryBlocks. His company has been listed on the Inc 5000 list six consecutive times and was named one of Washington. D.C.’s best places to work by Washingtonian magazine.

In this episode, Joel tells the story of how he started the business selling videos he made himself on eBay, gradually built up his customer base, and bootstrapped the company to what it is today—an online digital media subscription service that offers millions of royalty free videos, audios, and images.

“Until people are voting with their real dollars, you don’t know how customers are gonna behave.”

-Joel Holland

StoryBlocks
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Linkedin

Reference:

Soundwise: innovative podcast publishing platform that helps you capture, keep and convert listeners

The post From One-Man Shop On eBay To DC’s Best Place For Work appeared first on Founders Nextdoor.

Alex Hastings and Mike Galyen are co-founders of Guerrilla Vending, a company that creates custom curated vending machines, in collaboration with local Washington DC businesses.

In this episode, Alex and Mike talked about how they started Guerrilla Vending with a refurnished vending machine they found online, and how they discovered their business’ market sweet spot by constantly experimenting with different products they could carry and learning from their own mistakes.

“We had too many ideas (about what to put in the vending machines). We had to see what worked and what didn’t. There was a lot of trial and error.”

-Alex Hastings

guerillavending.com
Facebook, Twitter

Reference:Soundwise: innovative podcast publishing platform that helps you capture, keep and convert listeners

The post How to find your business’s unique positioning through continued experimentation appeared first on Founders Nextdoor.

Allen Gannett is the founder and CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform whose clients have included Microsoft, Marriott, Saks Fifth Avenue, any many other well known names. He has been on the “30 Under 30” lists for both Inc. and Forbes. He is a contributor to FastCompany.com and is the author of the new book The Creative Curve, on how anyone can achieve moments of creative geniu

In this episode, Allen talks about how he attracted early investments in TrackMaven, got initial customers from referrals, and grew the company using paid advertising. He also gives tips on how companies and entrepreneurs can become more creative in marketing by leveraging consumer psychology.

“When you’re trying to raise money, it’s more about identifying the right problem to solve in your market, rather then coming up with the perfect solution right away.”

– Allen Gannett

Reference:

thecreativecurve.com
allen.xyz
trackmaven.com
Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin

Reference

Soundwise: innovative podcast publishing platform that helps you capture, keep and convert listeners

The post How to Be Creative in Growing Your Business appeared first on Founders Nextdoor.