Ultra Light Startups Entrepreneurs Forum

Tech entrepreneurs sharing techniques to launch faster & cheaper

Entrepreneurs Forum: Ultra Light S.E.O. and S.E.M.
Fee: http://ultralightstar...
$5 advance, $20 at door

Topics:

* Principals of Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing
* Practical advice for maximizing your S.E.O./S.E.M. investment
* Build vs buy (do-it-yourself vs hire an agency) decision criteria
* Customer testimonials and entrepreneur experiences with S.E.O./S.E.M.

Moderator:

* Maisha Walker, President of Message Medium and e-commerce columnist with Inc. magazine

Panelists:

* Sara Holoubek, Independent consultant, contributing editor of SearchBuzz, and director of SEMPO
* Adam Mazur, Founder and CEO of Comet Conversion
* Joseph McElroy, Search Artist at Gigapixel Creative and Chair of IPTV Committee on Emerging Technolgy (SEMPO)
* Cesar Hervieux, Online media buyer and planner with Media Contacts

Schedule of Events:

1. Introductions by elevator pitch (~30-40 minutes). All entrepreneurs are required to participate. See below for more details.
2. Pizza and networking (~20 minutes). Networking after everyone has just seen everyone else's elevator pitch is particularly fruitful.
3. Headline event (~60 minutes). Typically a panel discussion or a single speaker with interactive Q&A.
4. Drinks at nearby location.

Ticket Prices and Quotas:

The Entrepreneurs Forum format works best when everyone attending is an active tech entrepreneur and is willing to share at least the broad outlines of their project. We recognize that some entrepreneurs feel uncomfortable disclosing even a broad outline, particularly at their first meeting. Ticket pricing and quotas are designed to encourage participation without excluding those unable or unwilling to participate in the "Introductions by elevator pitch" process.

Entrepreneur - Pitch/Intro Mandatory: $5 (availability - 30 seats per event)

* You must be a principle of your venture (partner, founder, CEO, president, etc)
* Your venture must have a website (a single splash page is fine)
* You must pitch your venture in a 60-second "elevator pitch" (see guidelines below). Your website will be projected on the screen behind you while you speak.
* Online advance registration is required for the $5 ticket price. We do allow payment at the door, but these tickets are $20, whether or not you pitch.

Other - Pitch/Intro Optional: $20 (availability - 20 seats per event)

* This ticket option is available to entrepreneurs unable or unwilling to participate in the elevator pitch process described below. This also creates an opportunity for a limited number of non-entrepreneurs (investors, employees of larger companies, etc) to participate in Ultra Light Startups events.

Introductions by Elevator Pitch:

Your 60-second elevator pitch need not entail extensive preparation. Conceivably, you can register a domain, upload a single splash page, and prepare your pitch all in an afternoon - and this is acceptable. The purpose of the exercise is threefold:

* To screen the event for entrepreneurs. This promotes openness and sharing of ideas.
* To facilitate networking. There are many people in the room who can help your business. They can only find you if they know what you do.
* To refine an essential skill. The ability to pitch effectively is critical for entrepreneurs.

Guidelines

* Stand while pitching
* Pitch your venture (not your personal life story or career history)
* Each pitch is 60 seconds; up to 2 audience follow-up questions

Pitch should state:

* Your name and venture’s name
* Product/service description and target audience/customer
* Business model – how do you make money
* Management team and strategic relationships
* Status, funding, and financial overview

You can also add:

* Stats about your venture (e.g. monthly hit-count, cost to develop, investors, company headcount, outsourcing used, etc.)
* What you need the groups help with (e.g. spec writing, project management, legal issues, marketing, etc)