Radish Sprouts

FUNDING START-UPS; FUELING GROWTH

It has been said that ‘it takes money to make money.’  Entrepreneurs are often pressed to find more funds. There has been a decrease in private venture capital funding in Colorado over the last few years.  Where do start-up companies find the cash they need to start and grow their companies?

 

Funding of Entrepreneurial Ventures Is Important.

 

Entrepreneurial ventures fuel the economic engine.  They produce jobs, experienced entrepreneurs and team members who go on to start other ventures, products / services that provide value to customers, investment return for investors, tax dollars, employees who purchase goods/services from other companies and who pay taxes, and much more. 

 

“For a business, cash is like oxygen.  You can’t live without it,” says, Verne Harnish, author of Mastering the Rockefeller Habits.  While customer revenue is the best producer of cash, pre-revenue start-up companies need other funding sources.

 

“For every dollar a venture capitalist or angel invests in a venture, there is an eight to ten times economic benefit,” said Brian Wallace, Managing Director of Access Venture Partners and Co-Chairperson of the Venture Capital in the Rockies (VCIR) 2012 Winter conference.  “It is hard to find another investment that produces this result.  For example, Access invested around $100M over ten to twelve years along with approximately $1B from other investors in small companies which have created tremendous economic value.”

 

Situation of Colorado Funding for Entrepreneurial Ventures.

 

“Ninety percent of funding in 2011 for Colorado-based entrepreneurial ventures came from out of state.  Fewer and fewer start-ups have a local investor.  It used to be one third of the firms seeking funding had at least one local investor; now that percentage is down,” stated James Linfield, Managing Partner, Cooley LLP at the VCIR 2012 conference co-hosted by Rocky Mountain Venture Capital Association and KPMG.

 

The venture capital industry in Colorado has declined with regard to the number of active VC firms.  “The venture capital industry—in particular, limited partners—has trended away from regional VC funds, resulting in a contraction of Colorado-based institutional money.  Combined with the retirement of the first generation of the region’s VCs, the Front Range has seen a decline in Colorado-based VC funds,” reports Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado in their recent “Mile High Tech Entrepreneurship Conference” program.

 

Colorado Senator Rollie Heath explained, “We tried to set up an advisory board to learn how to get venture capital back in the state.  Other states actively participate in increasing the amount of venture capital.  This bill is completely dead now, unless the Governor does this by executive order.”

 

In addition to private venture capital there is the Colorado Venture Capital Authority (VCA).  VCA was allocated by 2004 General Assembly action with $50 million in premium tax credits.  The first $25 million is sold out.  The remaining funds for seed- and early-stage capital investments in businesses are limited and have restrictions.

 

Bottom Line:  It is harder now for Colorado start-ups to get venture capital funding.

 

Some Good News in Colorado Funding.

 

A few new venture funds are becoming in Colorado.  Point B Capital, headquartered in Seattle, has opened a Colorado office. David Cohen, founder of TechStars, has announced his second seed fund, totaling $28M, which is NOT only for TechStars companies.  While a step in the right direction, more is needed.

 

The JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Start-ups) Act was signed into law on April 5 by President Obama.  This helps startups raise money from new methods such as crowd funding.  For example, Story Stock Exchange LLC (SSX), a crowd funding incubator in Boulder, just formed to help entrepreneurs more easily find investors.

 

Six Funding Tips for Entrepreneurs.

 

Here are six creative ways to finance start-up businesses.

 

• Founders’ Capital.  Prepare by saving.  It will take much more money than planned. Consider inviting a wealthy and trustworthy friend or relative to be a co-founder, and perhaps silent partner.  Other people and firms who might consider investing want to see that the founders are truly committed to the venture with their own funds.
• Team.  Attract experienced entrepreneurs to join your team who have funded prior ventures.  “With the right idea and team, you can find funding,” stated Wallace.
• Business Model.  Develop products and business models which can very quickly generate cash and customers.  The easiest way to fund the venture is through your own customers.
• Angels.  Angel investor networks have formed throughout the country.  These high net worth individuals are sophisticated investors interested in early-stage private equity investment in emerging firms with great potential.  They may also want a management or board position in your firm as part of the deal.  Many online groups are active such as www.Angellist.com  and www.gust.com  
• Connect.  The entrepreneurial business community is taking steps to connect investors to entrepreneurs.  Get involved—for example, consider participating in Rockies Venture Club, Silicon Flatiron Center, Meet Up groups, TiE Rockies, and many other groups.
• Venture Capitalists.  Realize that a small fraction of start-ups get funded by VCs.  Ask if this is the right approach for you and what other options are available.  If it is your best option, don’t give up.  Persist.  Get help.  Attract out-of-state VCs to Colorado.  Consider joining an incubator or accelerator which has connections to the money.   

 

One Request.

Take Action.  What can we together do to improve the venture capital funding situation in Colorado?  How can businesses, investors, legislature, governor’s office, local government, entrepreneurs, and other members of the entrepreneurial community work quickly towards solutions that increase VC sources? Who will champion this cause?  We all will benefit. 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com; www.RadishSystems.com; www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com) 

FIVE TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL LUCK

Over lunch last month, I asked a successful business man what attributed to his great success.  After all, as CEO he had sold his previous company for over $25B and then went on to found, grow, and recently sell another successful $Billion revenue-producing firm.  He said, “I’m lucky and I take risks.” 

 

What’s your definition of luck?

 

Oprah Winfrey says, “Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.”  The Oxford American Dictionary states luck is ‘chance thought of as a force that brings good or bad fortune. ‘  

 

In his recent New York Times article, “What’s Luck Got to Do With It?” Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to Great and co-author of the new book Great by Choice, states “Luck, good and bad, happens to everyone, whether we like it or not.  When we look at 10xers [companies that are 10 times more successful than expected] we see people who recognize luck and seize it, leaders who grab lucky events and make much more of them.”

 

A new and better definition of luck would be ‘good or bad fortune based on chance or destiny and the individual’s response to the situation.’

 

What can you do to improve your luck?

 

1. Be Open.  See situations and recognize them as lucky opportunities.
2. Take Action.  Grab the event, make a decision on how to respond, and then act.  Take advantage of luck.
3. Surround Yourself with Proper People.  Find people who believe they are lucky and who take action in response to opportunities.
4. Have a Lucky Attitude.  Just like the successful CEO mentioned above believe you are lucky.  Look to the bright side of things.
5. Think Like a Billionaire.  Learn and live by the wisdom Rick Sapio discerned from his interviews of 23 extremely wealthy people as shared in this article  http://www.cobizmag.com/articles/how-to-think-like-a-billionaire/

 

You have a choice.  Success is self-determined.  In the end, business and life are exactly what you choose to make of them. Choose to be lucky!

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose, www.RadishSystems.com)

FIVE SECRETS FOR STARTUP SUCCESS from Bob Metcalfe

We can learn much from those people who have successfully pursued their passionate purpose.  During the recent StartupCamp4:  Comm Edition (http://itexpo.tmcnet.com/west/collocated-event/w11-startupcamp-communications.htm)  at ITEXPO 2011 in Austin, TX where we were honored to present our startup Radish Systems, Bob Metcalfe  (inventor of Ethernet, founder of 3Com, author of Metcalfe's Law, Venture Capitalist, and Professor) shared his wisdom.

 

1. Learn from Steve Jobs.  Have the courage to FOLLOW YOUR HEART and INTUITION.  Do what you LOVE.  Live each day as if it were the LAST – someday it will be. (See Steve Jobs in the best video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc) 
2. A startup’s NETWORK is its secret weapon.  The fate of a startup is a function of the networks they form.
3. Successful start-ups have:  founders who do not let their ego get in the way of the company’s success (the success of the company is more important that having a certain person run it), focus, sufficient funding, good technology/product, and good leadership. 
4. The five most important qualities of a startup CEO:  has a lifestyle which brings forth great ENERGY (sleep, eat well, and get exercise), knows how to WRITE, can SPEAK, has ability to PLAN, and can SELL. 
5. The richest companies get money from CUSTOMERS, not from investors.

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com and www.TMSworld.com and www.RadishSystems.com)

FIVE TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP AND RESULTS

"How do you sleep at night?" That was a question a Venture Capitalist asked the soon-to-be CEO of our previous start-up. The answer, "Pretty well, until I wake up at 3:00 AM and think about work and can't fall back to sleep." Too many business leaders and others with important responsibilities on their shoulders, including me, know this scenario and start the day sleep-deprived.

The Sleep Situation

If you don't get enough sleep, you're not alone. "40% of Americans (100 million people) are moderately to severely sleep-deprived! High school and college students are among the most sleep-deprived people in our population. 60% are sleepy during the day and 30% fall asleep in class at least once a week," says Dr. James B. Maas in Power Sleep.

Sleep's Impact on Your Business

In his New York Times bestseller, Brainrules, Dr. John Medina shares, "Bad things happen when we don’t get any sleep. Brainrule #7: Sleep well, think well."

Medina’s book has had a significant impact on me and my sleep behavior. I always burned the candle at both ends, working hard and playing hard. With more demands at work, I just reduced my sleep hours without realizing the impact it was having. As Mitch Albom, New York Times Bestselling author ofTuesdays with Morrie explains in his new book, Have a Little Faith, "There was a stretch where I could not have worked more hours in a day without eliminating sleep altogether. I piled on accomplishments. I made money. I earned accolades. And the longer I went at it, the emptier I began to feel, like pumping air faster and faster into a torn tire."

Medina summarizes, "When people become sleep-deprived, their ability to utilize the food they are consuming falls by about one-third ... you appear to accelerate parts of the aging process. Sleep loss cripples thinking. Sleep loss hurts attention, executive function, immediate memory, working memory, mood, quantitative skills, logical reasoning ability, general math knowledge. Sleep is rather intimately involved in learning. Some kind of offline processing is occurring at night."

Medina asks, "What if businesses and schools took the sleep needs of their employees and students seriously?" Here are a few suggestions.

Five Tips to Better Sleep and Results

 

1. SLEEP IN A STORM. Albom shares a sermon from an eighty-two-year-old rabbi in his book, Have a Little Faith. "My friend, if we tend to the things that are important in life, if we are right with those we love and behave in line with our faith, our lives will not be curses with the aching throb of unfulfilled business. Our words will always be sincere, our embraces will be tight. We will never wallow in the agony of 'I could have, I should have.' We can sleep in a storm." Business leaders, consider what you can do to follow this advice so you can sleep through the night regardless of the challenging storms in your work. Does it include getting the right help, delegating, setting reasonable goals, letting go of control, and believing that things will work out?

 2. NAP. Medina states, "People vary on how much sleep they need and when they prefer to get it, but the biological drive for an afternoon nap is universal. One NASA study showed that a 26-minute nap improved a pilot’s performance by more than 34 percent." Why not treat a nap similar to addressing other biological needs such as having lunch or taking a bathroom break. Rather than having employees hide their naps in their cars, companies could provide a space for and encourage a daily half-hour nap.

 3. SLEEP ON IT. When people are allowed 12 hours to pass from being given a challenge to providing a solution, they will have more insights. If they are allowed to get eight hours of regular sleep during this period, they perform even better. When presented with a problem, give employees a chance to get a good night’s rest before presenting a solution.

 4. HAVE A FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE. Medina recommends allowing employees to choose their work hours so they can experience their major productivity peak. As explained in Kenneth Thomas' book, Intrinsic Motivation, four rewards ignite internal enthusiasm — a sense of meaningfulness, choice, competency, and progress. Providing people the ability to choose is important. If people find meaning in their work, have choice over what or how they work, get feedback that they are competent at this work, and see progress being made, they are more intrinsically motivated and ultimately more productive. This is good for both the individual and the organization.

 5. MEDITATE, JOURNAL, EXERCISE, TAKE A BREAK. When you can’t sleep what helps you? All work and no play, makes you and me more stressed and sleep-deprived. The week is designed with a weekend for a purpose. Are you taking a break so you can recharge? If so, you may sleep better and think better as a result.

Radish Case Study. 

 Okay it’s true, sometimes I do not sleep as I would like during this entrepreneurial storm.  One day I might be up at 2:52am, the next 3:48am, and the third 4:18am.  The best thing I can do is get up immediately, write down my thoughts, and let insights flow, rather than twist and turn for hours in bed.  I follow journaling with a half-hour meditation session and sometimes a walk.  Then I get to work on one of those issues so that I can cross something off the list.  That night, I go to bed early. 

 

 Summary.

The world, and especially corporate leadership, needs better sleep.  I wrote this article to help me, and hopefully you, sleep in a storm and ultimately improve performance while pursuing a passionate purpose.   

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com, www.RadishSystems.com)

Ten Tips To Go Beyond Stress to Happiness and Productivity

If you at times feel stressed out and overwhelmed, you are not alone. As highlighted in Greg Easterbrook’s book The Progress Paradox:  How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse,  “Stress is the dirty secret of success:  as life gets better than ever, people are feeling worse.”  The result is negative for the workplace and home life.  Here’s what to do about it.

 

Impact of Stress.

 

“In the short-term, acute stress can boost cardiovascular performance.  If the stress is not too severe, the brain performs better.  Its owner can solve problems more effectively and is more likely to retain information.  If the stress is too severe or too prolonged, however, stress begins to harm learning.  Stressed people do not do math well, don’t process language very efficiently, and can’t concentrate.  Stress attacks the immune systems, elevates book pressure, and can cause depression, which alters the ability to think. Stress causes companies to lose between $200B and $300B a year – as much as $75B of red ink a quarter,” summarized Dr. John Medina, author of the New York Times bestseller Brainrules.  “The perfect storm of occupational stress appears to be a combination of two malignant facts:  a) a great deal is expected of you and b) you have no control over whether you will perform well.” 

 

Easterbrook states, “Research also shows that those who enjoy career success and exhibit stress symptoms are twice as likely as the population at large to describe themselves as ‘very unhappy.’  That the stressed-out are likely to be unhappy is a warning sign, because stress, measured either by emotional state or by cortisol (i.e., stress hormone) levels is rising in society.” 

 

Ten Practical Pointers:  What Can We Do to Reduce Stress?

 

These suggestions to move to a healthy level of stress include both short-term lifestyle changes as well as longer-term goals.

 

1. Exercise.  Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily.  Medina’s Brainrule #1 is ‘exercise boosts brain power.’

 

1. Turn off TV / media.  Media presents us with information to worry about.  Bad news sells.  There are then even more entries on your list of worries, activating more stress.  Zac Bissonnette presents five things every high-school graduate should try to remember (these apply to people in general) in his 5/22/2011 article in the Denver Post Wall Street Journal Sunday article and “No 5:  TV makes you feel poor.  One of the fastest ways to make yourself better with money is to smash your television—or just watch it less.”

 

1. Meditate.  Stop and be in this moment.  Meditation, which involves observing what is and then accepting it, brings tangible results of improved concentration, energy, relaxation, and more positive emotions.  Andrew Weil, MD, reports, “Meditation may not only make you happier, but also keep you healthier.  It can benefit health concerns ranging from stress and anxiety to atherosclerosis and chronic pain.” 

 

1. Connect.  Use the “Connections Strategy” described in Chapter 11 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose to surround yourself with positive people who care about you.   Be part of the interconnected web of life and connect with your true self as well as spiritual sources and other beings such as animals – your stress level will be more manageable.  Get in nature.  Open to grace also called serendipity, synchronicity, divine intervention, intuition, or random opportunity.

 

1. Sleep.  Brainrules #7:  Sleep well, think well.  Loss of sleep hurts attention, executive function, working memory, mood, quantitative skills, logical reasoning, and even motor dexterity.  Since reading Medina’s book, I have started sleeping more, rather than working late into the night.  The result is very positive.  Try it.

 

1. Divide and Conquer.  You don’t have to do everything on your plate now.  Use the “Persistence Strategy” described in Chapter 9 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose to mindfully persevere with focused determination using a divide-and-conquer tactic.  Rather than being overwhelmed with a huge project, divide your purpose into parts, focus your attention, and choose to accomplish a small section well.  This increases the likelihood you will get a sense of choice, competency, and progress.  These three attributes build intrinsic motivation, which build passion and more desire to continue.

 

1. Enjoy the Journey.  Tap into life as a river flowing. Laugh at yourself and the situation, if possible. Have a playful attitude. Take a break.

 

1. Be Grateful. Have gratitude for what you have, rather than regret over what you don’t have.  Change your attitude.

 

1. Cut Debt.  The burden of debt and finances run amuck can be very stressful. Whether you are managing a business or your family, live within your means.  Cut your expenditures and cash flow.  Avoid debt and payoff whatever debt you have.  Bissonnette’s No. 1 recommendation:  Debt is slavery. 

 

1. Review Your Long-term Goals.  What do you really want with your life?  Are you living the life you want?  If not, consider modifying your plans.  Perhaps the job and life anxiety is not worth what you are gaining.  How can you establish reasonable expectations of what is expected of you and gain more control over producing the end result? Should you slow the hectic pace and not buy into the societal rat race? “Lives of thrift and conscientiousness lead to less stress, great enjoyment of the things we do have, and a lighter carbon footprint, “ says Bissonnette in his recommendation No. 4:  Materialism is misery.

 

Radish Case Study.

 

Yes, Radish, as any entrepreneurial venture, is at times stressful.  So much to do, so little time.  Lots of responsibility, little control.  Increasing expenses, limited cash flow.  What do I do as CEO to reduce the stress?  All of the 10 tips above.  Additionally, I work to attract a talented team of people who can help us make progress.  Radish just announced hiring outstanding industry talent:  Tom Colamonico, VP of Sales; Jackie McDonald, Director of Customer Care; and John Meteer, Channel Sales Manager.  Read more at http://www.radishsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/Radish_New_Hires_Release_05-16-2011.pdf

 

Summary. 

 

Some stress boosts performance.  Too much stress negatively impacts. Take action now to reduce your and your employees’ stress to the right level.  You and your people will be more happy and productive in both the short-term and the long-term.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com, www.RadishSystems.com

Harry Potter’s Business Success Secrets

Have you ever seen such a thing?  People pay a large amount of money to get the opportunity to stand in the hot sun for over an hour in a long line to be able to shop in a certain store.  Then when they finally get into the store, they spend lots of money buying theme products. Unbelievable?  That’s what hundreds of Muggles (non-magical types) did at “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” as part of the newest attraction in Universal Studios in Orlando, FL.  Wouldn’t every business love becoming an international craze with huge demand?

 

Over Spring Break 2011 besides attending the CTIA Wireless show, I experienced with my daughter one of the biggest business successes.  People of all ages traveled in from all over the world and spent lots of money for parking, entrance fees, food, and products.  As a Harry Potter fan, I must admit it was brilliant and the Hogwart’s Castle ride whereby you experienced being on a broom in a Quiddtich Match with Harry was the best ride ever.

 

7 Practical Pointers.  What are the Harry Potter business success strategies?  What can we learn and apply to our businesses?  Radish systems is using these.

 

1. Start with an exceptional product or service.  The Harry Potter book series by pauper turned billionaire J. K. Rowling was one of the biggest and most profitable publishing phenomena.  My daughter has read all seven books hundreds of times – no lie.  The product is different, is filled with characters readers can related to, is action-filled with magic and suspense addressing a universal good versus evil topic, and hit at the right time.  By dividing the book into many parts, there was anticipation for the next part of the story. One of the most important P’s of marketing, have the right product.
2. Be responsive to the market, your customers.  Here is another important P of marketing, know and respond to the people. Wouldn’t it be great if your customers can’t stop thinking, dreaming, and talking about your firm and your service? Your customers are your most important asset – without them you would have no revenue, you would be out of business.  If you make sure your customers are happy, they will keep coming back and make sure you are happy.  How often do you ask your customers and prospects what their pain is and how you can best resolve it?
3. Leverage success to breed more success.  The bestselling book, led to sell-out movies, which led to in-demand products, overflowing amusement parks, and much more.  It is the same concept that Starbuck’s and other well-known brands have used for concentric diversification and additional revenue streams.
4. Go viral.    Harry Potter came out just as social media channels began to take hold.  Readers spread the word to other readers.  When the park was about to be announced, the top 10 Harry Potter bloggers were invited to a private meeting.  They then spread the word virally.  Within 24 hours, millions knew about it. How can you use this most important promotional tool (another P of marketing)?
5. Think BIG.  Believe everything is possible.  Be open to the possibilities.  Use the Attraction Strategy to power the pull (as explained in Chapter 8 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com). 
6. Surround yourself with great people.  Harry had Hermione and Ron, and Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix who were united in a common set of values.  Rowling found a great publisher and other support team members.
7. Be lucky.  It is said that luck comes when preparation meets opportunity.  Believe, prepare, and then act.  It is useful to be lucky.

Theresa Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

Obama Calls for ChoiceView to Share Visual Info during Mobile Call

During his 1/25/2011 State of the Union address, President Obama stated:

 

“Within the next five years, we’ll make it possible for businesses to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98 percent of all Americans.  This isn’t just about -- (applause) -- this isn’t about faster Internet or fewer dropped calls.  It’s about connecting every part of America to the digital age.  It’s about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers and small business owners will be able to sell their products all over the world.  It’s about a firefighter who can download the design of a burning building onto a handheld device; a student who can take classes with a digital textbook; or a patient who can have face-to-face video chats with her doctor.”

 

President Obama could have had Radish’s ChoiceView in mind when he made this statement, because ChoiceView is making this happen. Radish, which recently announced January 4^th at the Consumer Electronics Show with its customer Scosche Industries, has the ChoiceView solution now to allow visual information to be shared during a call with this firefighter’s mobile device.  Here’s how:

 

Radish™ Sprouts Again with ChoiceView, First Communications-as-a-Service Platform Allowing Visuals to be Shared During Smartphone Call

 

ChoiceView allows callers to talk with a ChoiceView-enabled business while seeing visual information delivered to their smartphone by that business, either from a representative or an interactive voice response (IVR) system. ChoiceView increases comprehension, problem solving, and recall by as much as 50% over just hearing the information and improves the way businesses interact with its customers, field force, and other mobile stakeholders. 

 

ChoiceView Applications

 

• Firefighter Support for Emergency Response.  Firefighters need good information quickly.  With ChoiceView, the firefighter could discuss strategy with an offsite captain who is in a ChoiceView-equipped dispatch center while both are viewing the design of the burning building.  ChoiceView technology is available NOW – no need to wait five years for this solution!

 

• Visual Voice Response. Are you aggravated with lengthy audio phone trees when calling a company? With ChoiceView, you instantly see and hear menu options instead of listening to long, sequential lists. You can easily navigate tappable menus and view visual information in response.

 

• Complex Information Exchange. Need medical info now? You call a medical hotline to receive detailed audio instructions along with drawings of exercises and a video clip encouraging faster recovery. You save these visuals in ChoiceView for future reference.

 

• Technical Support. Tired of wasting time while a service rep reads critical info to you? With ChoiceView, you view a diagram and talk (or text) with the rep to quickly resolve the support issue. Here’s how Scosche Industries is using ChoiceView to support its auto accessory installers – cool!  More on that next time. 

 

• Mobile Commerce. Have you abandoned a website session in frustration? When help is needed, you launch ChoiceView directly from the enterprise’s mobile website. Session info is transferred so the agent knows exactly how to answer your call and complete the transaction.

 

Practical Pointers for You and Your Business

• Explore how your business can better support its mobile stakeholders?  Do you have a mobile strategy and at least a mobile website, a mobile app, or the need to share visual information during a call with a mobile stakeholder?   Let’s talk.
• Try ChoiceView now from the Apple App Store and demonstrate the newest capabilities:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/choiceview/id404719513?mt=8 
• Participate in a pilot?  Radish is offering a free pilot to qualified companies.  Check out http://www.radishsystems.com/contact/participate-in-a-pilot/

 

Make 2011 ALL that YOU want it to be!  The 2011 theme for success:  BELIEVE it is possible, VISUALIZE, and then take ACTION.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.RadishSystems.com, www.ChoiceView.net)

RADISH SPROUTS AGAIN WITH CHOICEVIEW, FIRST PLATFORM ALLOWING VISUALS TO BE SHARED DURING SMARTPHONE CALL

Smartphone-based customer service in the cloud may be the hottest new technology coming out of the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, January 6-9 in Las Vegas. With the debut of ChoiceView™ – the first-ever voice and visual Communications-as-a-Service (CaaS) cloud solution for businesses to share visual information during an ordinary phone call with smartphone users – Radish Systems is now revolutionizing technical support, customer service, m-commerce, and information exchange business practices of a variety of industries ranging from consumer electronics and automotive accessories to hospitality and healthcare.

 

ChoiceView allows callers to talk with a ChoiceView-enabled business while seeing visual information delivered to their smartphone by that business, either from a representative or an interactive voice response (IVR) system. ChoiceView increases comprehension, problem solving, and recall by as much as 50% over just hearing the information and improves the way businesses interact with its customers, field force, and other mobile stakeholders.

 

Proven Voice and Data Standard. Over 15 years ago, Radish 1.0 developed the original telecommunications technology solution licensed by Microsoft, Rockwell, Intel, and dozens of other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) which became the defacto industry standard allowing data to be transmitted during an ordinary phone call. Radish’s products were also used by PC makers such as Sony, Hewlett Packard, Acer, and others to enhance technical support. Now Radish 2.0 introduces the ChoiceView CaaS Platform, today’s first integrated voice and data approach poised to transform smart mobile device communications. “The beauty of ChoiceView is that it works with an ordinary phone call.  ChoiceView doesn't disturb the existing voice infrastructure that callers and businesses are accustomed to using in their normal phone transactions," said Richard A. Davis, Chairman and Chief Technical Officer of Radish Systems.

 

Seeing and Hearing Increases Comprehension.  “Sharing visual information during a voice call greatly enhances learning, understanding, and memory,” said Steven Peskin, MD, MBA, FACP, EVP and Chief Medical Officer of MediMedia, Inc. “With ChoiceView, you achieve communication and learning objectives in less time with greater impact.”

 

“By enabling callers to see and hear complex information in real time on their mobile devices, businesses create ‘Wow, now I see what you’re talking about!’ moments, thus eliminating the classic frustrations with cumbersome service and technical support that have plagued callers since the invention of the telephone,” said Radish Systems CEO Theresa Szczurek. “ChoiceView goes beyond ‘click to talk’ or ‘live chat’ by adding the most critical dimension – live visual communications during a smartphone call. The result is faster information exchange and increased user comprehension.”

 

Benefits to Many Industries. With mobile device transactions quickly becoming the communications standard of choice for millions of users, the Radish ChoiceView software, SaaS, and OEM platform is poised for deployment into multiple vertical markets where customer service and technical support are the lifeblood of many businesses. ChoiceView is currently being tested by a number of companies in a variety of industries including healthcare, financial services, travel, insurance, e-commerce and call centers where new standards are being set with 15% and higher reductions in call-handling time. ChoiceView-enabled contact centers also create profit opportunities by enabling customer upselling and improving user satisfaction.

 

Demos Available at CES. If you are interested in a meeting and demo at CES or at another time to discuss the new ChoiceView solution, please contact Radish Systems at 720-440-7560 or www.RadishSystems.com.  The ChoiceView App is available now at the Apple App Store .

 

About Radish Systems

Radish Systems, LLC is improving the way businesses communicate with smart mobile device users through its ChoiceView technology platform, available as a general app on the iPhone and iPod Touch, or private-labeled as a custom application for individual enterprises and services. ChoiceView allows visual information to be shared during a phone call with smart mobile device users and results in faster, more rewarding mobile communications. Use cases include visual response systems, enhanced customer and technical support, and improved information exchange. For more information visit www.RadishSystems.com. 

Media please contact Stephanie Vanderholm, svanderholm@metzger.com, 303-883-8832

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.RadishSystems.com)

FOUR ACTIONS TO GET MORE WOMEN TO LEAD TECH START-UPS: Szczurek speaks 9/16 at Boulder BPW

There are not enough women leading tech start-ups.  My last article explored the why, where, and why-- why bother getting more women leaders, where do leaders come from, and why girls don’t pursue tech degrees and careers.  Here are some practical actions to take to change the situation.

While the research has been showing the same causes over and over again, here’s what to do about it.  Believe and act -- Believe it is possible to change the situation and take action.

1.  Build the Pipeline. 

 

“The key is to identify girls’ interests at an early age, provide them with the opportunities to learn about math, science, and technology, and link them together in a support network to keep them motivated.”

—     Sally Ride, NASA astronaut and founder, The Sally Ride Science Club     

• Start early. Help the girls in your life learn to love mathematics and science and to envision themselves pursuing a related career.
• Ask your schools to sponsor a MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) or some similar support program.  Colorado MESA is a state-wide pre-college program that provides after school math- and science-based learning activities to over 3,600 preK-12 students(in 2009), with over 78 percent from ethnic and gender groups that are under represented in engineering career fields.  It works. 100 percent of MESA seniors graduate from high school and historically, more than 90 percent have enrolled in college with over 80 percent enrolling in a math/science related major (www.cMESA.org). MESA is in many other states.
• Become a sponsor of a support program, create an internship, or fund a scholarship.
• Encourage participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs through Girl Scouts and other groups (e.g., University of Colorado Women in Engineering group is sponsoring Girl Scouts math and science badge days for students in September 2010 (http://engineering.colorado.edu/bold/k12/girlscouts/)

 

2.  Identify and Promote Role Models.  There are many successful female tech entrepreneurs including long-time veterans as well as up-and-coming leaders:

Margaret “Meg” Hansson has led 7 start-ups including Erth which has patented technologies to dispose of waste.

Diane Green, co-founder and CEO of VMware, transformed a 1998 start-up into a $2B public company leading the virtualization and cloud infrastructure.

Janet Eden Harris, previous CEO of Umbria, a marketing intelligence company sold to J.D. Powers, is now a leader at MarketForce.

Caterina Fake, cofounder of photo-sharing leader Flickr which was sold to Yahoo for a reported $35 million, is now working on the next venture.

• Write about, talk about, promote, and get to know the women leading technology start-ups.  Find ways to show it has been done in order to inspire more girls and women to see themselves as leaders in the tech industry.
• We need successful role models to mentor other girls and women.  Encourage them to envision themselves successful in this leadership role.

 

3.  Improve Access to Funding.  Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported in its 6/25/2010 article entitled’Women Entrepreneurs Still Struggle to Get Funded,’ that “Women launch nearly half of all startups, yet they lead only 7 percent of companies backed by venture capital.”  Wall Street Journal reporter Shira Ovide found that "only 11 percent of U.S. firms with venture-capital backing in 2009 had current or former female CEOs or female founders."  The I/O Ventures challenge as reported by Lindsay Holloway (http://www.examiner.com/business-technology-in-los-angeles/calling-all-women-tech-entrepreneurs) is a start, but not enough. 

• We need supportive investors like Fred Wilson and Brad Feld to challenge the rest of the VC world to jump on the bandwagon to mentor and fund women-led businesses.
• Establish funds that focus on supporting female entrepreneurs such as the now-closed Women’s Equity Fund.

 

4.  Think Bigger.  Women entrepreneurs may benefit from having a bigger vision.  In a series of focus groups my consulting firm ran on behalf of the Women’s Equity Fund and Boulder Technology Incubator, we concluded that female technology entrepreneurs were typically developing business plans that could generate up to $5M in revenues.  This size firm is not attractive to traditional tech funding sources such as venture capitalists. With the right strategic advice, many of these businesses could become much more successful. 

Women technology entrepreneurs should set a larger vision, develop business plans, and build teams to grow $100M+ businesses.  Hear more when Theresa Szczurek speaks on Thurs 9/16/2010 5:30pm at Boulder BPW (www.BoulderBPW.org)

Theresa Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.RadishSystems.com)

HOW WOMEN LEADING TECH START-UPS HELPS EVERYONE - WHY,WHERE, WHY

There are not enough women leading tech start-ups.  The buzz is on ignited by the 8/27/2010 Wall Street Journal article “Addressing The Lack Of Women Leading Tech Start-Ups.”  As a serial tech entrepreneur, I participated in heated discussion for decades exploring why the dearth and how it negatively hurts society.  I propose four practical actions of what to do about it.  But first why, where, and why.

 

Why bother getting more women tech leaders?  Besides addressing gender equity issues, everyone stands to benefit – companies gain from female creativity and management styles, those companies’ customers, half of whom may be female, find unique products being brought to market in novel ways, the employees and people involved in the company benefit from women’s leadership, the women themselves self-actualize their potential, and our nation is ultimately more competitive from the outputs of more start-ups. The end result is a stronger tech engine.

Where do leaders of tech start-ups come from?  One proven path to tech leadership is to start as an engineer, scientist, mathematician, or computer scientist.  While women represent around 50 percent of the US graduates of law, medicine, and business degrees, the percentage of women graduates in engineering, science, and math graduates is well under 25 percent and has gone down over the years.  The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) reports, “In 2008 women earned only 18 percent of all Computer Science degrees. Back in 1985, women earned 37 percent of CS degrees.”  The same under-representation of women is seen in other tech fields. In 1996, only 17 percent of bachelor degrees in Engineering were earned by women.

Disappointedly, many females who graduate with a technology degree do not stay in the field.  The Society of Women Engineers (www.swe.org) reports statistics that between 7-16 percent of engineers, depending on the discipline, are female. According to a National Science Foundation 2009 report, only 11 percent of the engineering workforce in 2003 was women.

 

Why don’t girls pursue tech degrees and careers?  That is the question the Girl Scouts Research Institute explored.  The Girl Difference: Short-Circuiting the Myth of the Technophobic Girl, through a synthesis of relevant research, shows the following: 

• Adults are not encouraging girls to pursue math, science, and technology-related courses.  (National Science Foundation)
• Girls and women do not encounter enough mentors in their career pursuits.
• Early childhood messages prevail. Boys are expected to learn about machines and how things work. Girls are not. Gender specific social expectations may play a role in limiting the likelihood that girls will be creators, shapers, and producers of technology.
• Girls reject computer games that are violent, and they find action gaming boring and repetitious. Girls prefer games that feature simulation, strategy, and interaction. (American Association of University Women, Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age).
• Women would be more attracted to computer science if it were integrated with other subjects and resulted in their ability to do something useful for society in their work. (Margolis, et al., Carnegie-Mellon University).

Four Practical Pointers of What to Do.

Stay tuned for my next article on what to do.  The answer is believe and act -- Believe it is possible to change the situation and take action.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com, www.RadishSystems.com)