Dream Job with Stealth Mode Venture Backed Startup

del.icio.us Digg Furl Reddit Ask Google Netscape Simpy Socializer StumbleUpon Technorati Windows Live Wists Yahoo!

Ok, so I have been a bit incognito for the past couple of weeks. I apologize for the limited number of posts. However, I am happy to report that its all been for a very good reason. Unbeknownst to most of my readers, I have been in active negotiation with a stealth mode consumer Internet startup named Woo Media for the past few weeks and only recently accepted the position of VP Marketing and Business Development. In this capacity, I will be responsible for all consumer acquisition, search engine optimization (seo), seach engine marketing (sem), social network marketing, offline marketing, partnerships, etc for this Web 3.0 (I don’t know if I should even be calling it that, but so be it!) consumer Internet company.

Though I cannot discuss any of the details surrounding the company at this time, In my mind, Woo Media has all of the makings of the next big thing in consumer internet, with a compelling user proposition, laser focus on an underserved consumer niche, 1st rate product / engineering team, tier one angel investors / advisors, deep seeded relationships with meaningful prospective media partners and a CEO that is as tenacious as any I have ever known. This is an exciting opportunity for me in every capacity and one that I had to take after vetting through the more than 40 startup opportunities that I have looked at over the past couple of months.

I understand that some of my readers may be disappointed about me not having created my own company, long considered the epitome of “real” entrepreneurship. To you, rest assured that this opportunity with Woo Media is as entrepreneurial a situation as I could have ever asked for. Entrepreneurship can take on many forms. To some, it’s about becoming a core member of an early stage VC backed company. To others, entrepreneurship is about starting a business all on your own. In my mind, both would be considered incredibly entrepreneurial ventures as both paths seek to create something that never existed before, turning an idea and concept into a sustainable business. Both paths will no doubt experience the same ups and downs that are part of building a business. And, both paths require a strong stomach to be able to survive the long journey. I am taking a leap of faith here, albeit, a calculated risk, in pursuit of the entrepreneurial Holy Grail. That is, creating a game changing consumer Internet application that will stand the test of time, providing value to users and $$$ to our investors. What more could any entrepreneur dream of?????

So, what does this mean for the “Tales of an Entrepreneur Wannabe” blog? It means that my posts will now most likely focus on the day-to-day issues associated with any consumer Internet startup. From marketing strategy changes to employee hiring issues. Blog entries will begin to focus more on documenting the highs and lows of creating a business from the perspective of a core management team member of a venture backed Internet startup. You will see far fewer posts about what it takes to get hired at a start up and more posts relevant to the operational issues of our little company

However, nothing has changed with regard to this blog’s focus on my path to entrepreneurial glory. In fact, things have only become more interesting, with a tangible company that will now serve as the backdrop of my “tales.” No doubt, other entrepreneurial opportunities will present themselves over the coming week and months beyond Woo Media that I intend to participate in and I will be sure to share these experiences with my readership as they come. However, as it stands today, I will be fully dedicated to the Woo Media cause and have never been more excited about joining a team and a company in my career.

July 12th, 2007