Being the CEO–even of a tiny business like mine–is hard. You have to either be aware of everything that is happening or trust other people to be aware of everything that is happening. Even if you have a team that you can trust, you want to be able to keep tabs on them in the most efficient way possible. That’s what Domo is all about. They’re an American Fork, UT based company that “transforms the way executives manage their business and drives value from the tens of billions of dollars that’s been spent on traditional business intelligence systems.” They pull all of the important data from every important source and put it in one intuitive platform.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
analyst,
analytics,
business development,
data,
engineering,
information technology,
Internships,
marketing,
production,
software development,
video,
web development
When I think about potential new websites that I’d build, I usually look for underserved niches–gaps to fill. There are so many companies building large generalist sites that you really need to do something different to have a chance at building a real business. At least that’s my take. Emerge Media has a completely different philosophy. They are a Chicago, IL based company that is “taking on the essential roots of everyday tasks and breathing real life into the technology behind them.” They’ve been launching new sites in broad niches with a lot of competition. It seems crazy to me, but it might just work.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
data,
design,
Illinois,
information technology,
interactive media,
Internships,
marketing,
media,
online marketing,
paid,
product management,
sem,
seo,
software development,
user experience,
web development
We live in a world of data. Everything from the prices on financial markets to our weights can be measured and tracked very easily. Even an average person can use easily accessible online tools to fake being a “data scientist.” But what about data that isn’t obviously data? I’m talking about stuff that isn’t neatly sorted into rows and columns–the kind of stuff that you’d have to painstakingly tabulate by hand. We now have technology that can do the hard work for us, and one of the companies behind such technology is ListenLogic. They are a Conshohocken, PA based company that extracts “insights from unstructured big data to drive business outcomes.” Their “big data” technology allows clients to act on information that they never before could have acted on.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
customer service,
data,
Internships,
market research,
marketing,
paid,
Pennsylvania,
research,
sales,
social media,
software development
If you’ve watched The Office at all, you know that the office supply industry is not only mind-numbingly boring, but it’s also dying a slow, painful death. And if you pay attention to the news, you know that Detroit is a dying city with nothing good going on. So what if I told you that there is an office supply startup based in Detroit, MI that is anything but boring and growing rapidly? Their name is Chalkfly, and they provide “the supplies you need to do your best work.” There are a lot of narratives working against Chalkfly, but they’re just narratives. Results are what matter, and Chalkfly already claims brands like Foursquare, Moosejaw and Etsy as clients.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
analytics,
data,
design,
e-commerce,
graphic design,
Internships,
marketing,
merchandising,
Michigan,
online marketing,
sales
If you like nice stuff but don’t like spending money, then you should always at least consider buying things used. Occasionally there’s an ick factor, but most of the time “pre-owned” stuff is perfectly good and less than half the price. Sometimes it’s even more valuable–like in the case of antique furniture–but today we’re talking about furniture that comes at a discount. That’s what AptDeco offers. They’re a New York, NY based startup that allows you “to buy or sell furniture without the scams, hassle, or creepy people going into your apartment.” This is actually something that I would use if it was available in Chicago because I’m currently trying to sell a couch.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
community management,
customer service,
furniture,
interior design,
Internships,
marketing,
New York,
online marketing
Pretty much everybody in the business world has heard the saying “if it matters, measure it.” But what happens when you’re measuring so many different things that you stop paying attention? It’d be a lot easier if you could look at every important data point in one view–a dashboard. That’s exactly what SumAll offers for people who do business online. They’re a New York, NY based company that allows “you to see all your information in one place and provide you visibility into the past, present, and future.” It would be a lot harder to drive a car if you had twelve different dashboards for each important data point. The same can be said for running a business, which is why SumAll pull everything into one place.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
data,
design,
engineering,
graphic design,
Internships,
marketing,
New York,
online marketing,
social media,
software development,
web development
I’m an outdoorsy guy who is stuck in a city that is at least a couple hours away from most of the things that I want to do. As a result I spend a lot of time visiting what my wife calls “fishing websites” (that’s exactly what they are). One upstart that caters to guys like me is Huckberry. They’re a San Francisco, CA based company that “is like your favorite store, your grandpa’s favorite store, and your favorite magazine all rolled into one.” It’s pretty much the intersection of yuppie and outdoorsy with a tiny bit of hipster here and there. It’s for “dudes in the middle”–the kind of guys who go camping one weekend and to a black tie wedding the next weekend.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
business development,
buyer,
California,
copywriting,
customer service,
design,
e-commerce,
e-mail,
editorial,
Internships,
marketing,
merchandising,
online marketing,
outdoors,
paid,
production,
writing
If an experience is described as being transactional, you’d think that the parties involved are acting without emotion. Yet when we buy stuff, we go through a range of emotions. It may be frustration at having to spend money, anger at poor customer service, or euphoria from finally buying that thing that you saved up for. Companies want to know what their customers are feeling, and Kanjoya is a company that lets them do that. They’re based in San Francisco, CA, and they transform “emotional insights into remarkable customer experiences” by analyzing unstructured data in real time. By linking emotion to behavior, Kanjoya is able help their clients drive better outcomes.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
California,
customer service,
data,
engineering,
Internships,
mobile,
paid,
retail,
software development,
web development
If you’ve been looking for a job for any amount of time, you’ve probably interacted with dozens of applicant tracking systems. In case you’re not aware, they’re the software that companies use to post jobs and… track applicants. A lot of them suck for the end user (you), but a few offer pretty good experiences. One of the better ones is The Resumator. They’re a Pittsburgh, PA and San Francisco, CA based company that helps “great people build great companies” by bringing “talented professionals and compelling companies together.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
analytics,
business development,
California,
engineering,
human resources,
Internships,
marketing,
online marketing,
paid,
Pennsylvania,
recruiting,
sales,
software development,
web development
The last time that Amy and I reserved a rental car, they didn’t have a car for us when we showed up. It was straight out of Seinfeld’s The Car Reservation, except the agent didn’t even try to help us. We ended up having to spend $250 on an Uber to get us to the wedding on time. I wish I could say that it’s the last time that I’ll ever use a rental car company, but it won’t be. However, I am tempted to try something new like RelayRides. They are a San Francisco, CA based company that connects “vehicle owners whose cars would otherwise be idle with people who need a car.” It’s a model that makes sense, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
automotive,
California,
cars,
communications,
community management,
customer service,
design,
engineering,
finance,
Internships,
marketing,
mobile,
online marketing,
operations,
planning,
software development,
travel,
user experience,
web development
Fashion trends are fascinating. I generally dress the same way that my parents dressed me when I was four, but I understand the urge to get ahead of the latest styles. Some people just have a sense for fashion and can pull it off on their own, but most need help. That’s why the fashion media is so big. The Internet is only making fashion move faster, and that means that the media has to be faster too. StyleCaster Media Group is a New York, NY based company that aims “to bring style to the people, empowering millions of readers to discover and share their style through inspiring features, expert tips, and innovative resources.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advertising,
analytics,
beauty,
blogging,
design,
editorial,
fashion,
fitness,
graphic design,
information technology,
Internships,
marketing,
New York,
online marketing,
social media,
software development,
style,
unpaid,
web development,
writing
I’m pretty bummed that we’re going to have to wait almost a full year for a new episode of Mad Men now. If you need your fix, you’re going to have to take a look inside a real advertising agency. Today we’re going to do that for you, and the focus is going to be Mason Zimbler, an Austin, TX based “integrated agency rooted in the digital space.” They’re owned by a bigger company called Harte Hanks, but they seem to operate mostly on their own by combining “a love of creative” with a “desire for results.” They have quite a roster of big name clients, so they must be very good at finding that balance.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advertising,
analytics,
community management,
design,
information technology,
Internships,
marketing,
online marketing,
paid,
social media,
software development,
Texas,
web development
My dog is getting neutered today. I didn’t want to do it, but it was medically necessary. One of the problems with having an intact dog–especially in a bit city–is that a lot of dog boarding and daycare places won’t accept your dog. That’s actually not a big deal for me because I’d much prefer that Garçon stays with someone in their home when we go out of town (usually it’s the in-laws). Rover is just what I need for when the in-laws are out of town. It’s a “community for dog lovers to connect owners with sitters for home dog stays.” The Seattle, WA based company just raised $12 million in funding (they’ve raised a total of $25 million), so the market for this kind of business must be bigger than I would have thought.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
animals,
customer service,
Internships,
product management,
software development,
Washington,
web development
I can’t stand political advertising, but it must be pretty darn effective. Why else would politicians have spent $6 billion on advertising for the 2012 elections? Though it may seem crazy to think that people who spend other people’s money for a living are rational spenders, remember that getting elected is what they’re actually good at. Still, they often need outside help, and that’s where Targeted Victory comes in. They’re an Alexandria, GA based agency that has “anchored digital campaigns on the local, state, and presidential level.” While at some point they seem to have worked with non-political clients, today they seem to only work on the Republican side.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advertising,
analytics,
community management,
design,
development,
e-mail,
Internships,
marketing,
online marketing,
paid,
policy,
public policy,
social media,
software development,
strategy,
Virginia,
web development
Have you ever sat around and waited for a phone call? It sucks. Believe it or not, there are a lot of businesses in which you sit around and wait for customers to call you. A plumber is a great example, but there are much more sophisticated businesses that have the same problem. They can invest in marketing that drives more calls, but why do that when you can invest online and track every step of the conversion/sales process? Because people who pick up the phone are often much better leads than people who inquire online. That’s why Invoca is bringing online analytics to phone calls. They are based in Santa Barbara, CA, and their “inbound call marketing tools empower you to generate better leads, higher conversions, smarter spends and greater revenue.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
analyst,
analytics,
business development,
California,
customer service,
data,
engineering,
finance,
human resources,
Internships,
marketing,
online marketing,
project management,
quality assurance,
research,
sales,
software development,
technical support,
telecommunications,
user experience,
web development
Now that we’re all walking around with HD video cameras in our pockets, it’s hard not to amass a huge collections of digital media. We might share some of the highlights on our favorite social media sites, but most of it just sits idle and waits for us to take another look when we’re stuck in a place with no cell service and no Wi-Fi. We can do more with our media, and that’s what Animoto is all about. They’re a New York, NY based company that helps regular people make and share extraordinary videos of anything imaginable.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
blogging,
data,
engineering,
Internships,
New York,
production,
software development,
video,
web development,
writing
Non-profits typically exist to make the world a better place. What that means varies by organization, but our government recognizes that a wide variety of causes should be supported with tax-exempt status. By definition a non-profit’s goals are non-financial, but that doesn’t mean that finances don’t matter. GuideStar is a Williamsburg, VA and Washington, DC based organization that aims to “revolutionize philanthropy by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving.” Unlike Charity Navigator, they don’t rate or rank non-profits. Instead, GuideStar “collects, organizes, and presents the information you want in an easy-to-understand format while remaining neutral.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
communications,
customer service,
data,
design,
Internships,
non-profit,
operations,
public relations,
user experience,
Virginia,
Washington DC
There’s no doubt that health and fitness are the most popular categories for New Year’s resolutions, but many people also want to improve themselves in the areas of education, finance, and careers. It seems easy at first–if you make better decisions, you’ll be better–but good decision making can be really hard. Tree.com is a company that aims to be the place “where good decisions start.” The Charlotte, NC based company operates a portfolio of brands and businesses that can help you whether you’re “buying or selling a home, financing a new car, sending a child to college or shopping around for a new credit card.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
accounting,
affiliate marketing,
analyst,
analytics,
blogging,
business development,
California,
finance,
marketing,
North Carolina,
online marketing,
personal finance,
product development,
product management,
public relations,
software development,
strategy,
web development,
writing
Weather matters. We make all kinds of decisions based on what’s happening outside, and they often affect how we spend money. I’m in Aruba right now, so it’s pretty much guaranteed to be mid 80s, partly cloudy, and windy. My New Year’s plans are set, but if I was back in Chicago, the 15-degree high might keep me from doing something that I’d do if it was 20 degrees warmer. Skymosity realizes this, which is why the San Rafael, CA based company has developed a weather marketing platform that “transforms big weather data into actionable wins for marketers.” While many marketers use seasonal weather changes as part of their campaigns, very few are reacting to the weather as it happens.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
California,
e-mail,
Internships,
marketing,
meteorology,
online marketing,
unpaid
There’s no question that social media is important for businesses of all kinds, but it’s a relatively new channel that offers an uncertain return on investment. Most of my investment in social media marketing has been a flop, but I know that plenty of other brands have had major success. Companies that are investing in social need to do so wisely, and that often means getting professional help. Optimal “is the leading social advertising and analytics platform, with offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York, Chicago, and London.” They started in 2008 when social really began to take off, and since then “have managed and optimized over 100 billion impressions for advertisers and agencies.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
advertising,
analyst,
analytics,
California,
Illinois,
Internships,
marketing,
New York,
online marketing,
paid,
social media
We usually think of advertising geniuses as the people who come up with the creative, but the media side (where you show the ad) is often just as or even more important. Everyone has noticed a disastrous ad placement, but how many of us take note when a marketing message appears in the right place at the right time? The people at Crossmedia certainly do. They are a New York, NY based (with offices in LA, Philly, and Germany) “independent channel-driven agency delivering communications planning, media services and international account management.” They offer a variety of services that are built with “an equal mix of business, media and agency performance.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advertising,
analyst,
analytics,
California,
interactive media,
Internships,
marketing,
media,
New York,
online marketing,
paid,
Pennsylvania
Have you ever caught someone talking about you behind your back? Whether they’re saying something nice or something mean, it can be pretty awkward. Still, it’s nice to know where you stand with people. For brands it’s a bit different. The awkwardness isn’t as much of a worry, and the information gained from hearing what people have to say can have tremendous business value. The problem is that overhearing a conversation isn’t a reasonable way to compile actionable information. That’s why newBrandAnalytics has developed “a social media monitoring and online reputation management tool that transforms online reviews into operational social intelligence.” The company is based in Washington, DC, and it helps companies pinpoint ways that they “can excel in customer experience management.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
community management,
Internships,
market research,
online marketing,
quality assurance,
quality engineer,
research,
social media,
software development,
Washington DC,
web development
If you use Facebook, it’s almost a guarantee that you’ve seen a friend post a story from Upworthy. The company’s goal is to get their content to go viral, and they’re really good at it. The difference between them and companies like CollegeHumor and Spartz Media is that Upworthy tries to focus on stuff that is both awesome and meaningful. Let’s be honest; most viral content is silly and mindless. Viewing it often makes you feel stupider (especially when you consider the way it’s displayed with ads and slideshows engineered to pillage every bit of attention they can get from you). Upworthy (which isn’t really based in any single location) calls itself “a mission-driven media company.” The goal is “to encourage that debate by curating great pieces of content that represent different sides.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
blogging,
business development,
editorial,
engineering,
interactive media,
media,
social media,
software development,
virtual,
web development,
writing
I’ve had a cold for the past two weeks. The first week wasn’t too bad, but this past week has been terrible. It’s amazing how something as minor as a cold can remind you how awesome it is to be healthy. There isn’t much that you can do for a cold besides rest, drink a lot of fluids, and wait it out (though hot showers and cough drops can relieve some of the symptoms temporarily), but for many other health issues information is your best weapon. HealthiNation is capitalizing off of this fact by offering “videos to inspire a healthy and active lifestyle for audiences everywhere.” The company is based in New York, NY and offers content on food, family, fitness, and all kinds of other health-related topics.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
fitness,
food,
health care,
Internships,
medicine,
New York,
nutrition,
paid,
production,
video,
web development
Investing is about information. To do well you either need the most accurate information, the fastest access to information, the best analysis of information, or luck. Most individual investors rely on the latter (even if they don’t realize it), while most institutional investors are doing everything they can to get the best information and analysis as fast as possible. eVestment helps clients do this. The Marietta, GA based company was founded in 2000 when three consultants realized that their clients were faxing data and entering it into Excel. They solved this problem by putting the data and analytics tools in the same place–the cloud. eVestment provides both, though clients who want to use different data can bring it right into the analytics packages.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
finance,
Georgia,
human resources,
Internships,
investment
I spent last night in Las Vegas as a stopover on the way to somewhere far more relaxing. I’d never visited Vegas before, but everything about it reminds me of a cheesy game show. It’s not really my thing–if I wanted that, I’d just turn on GSN (aka Game Show Network). In case you’re not familiar, GSN “is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and classic game programming and competitive entertainment via its 77-million subscriber television network and online game sites.” The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA and also has offices in New York, NY, Waltham, MA, San Francisco, CA, and a few other cities. GSN has been around for almost 20 years now, and they’ve expanded on what used to be mostly rerun based programming with original game shows and tons of online games.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analytics,
California,
finance,
game design,
Internships,
marketing,
Massachusetts,
New York,
online marketing,
product management,
production,
project management,
software development,
video games,
web development
Last night we celebrated my fiancée’s cousin’s ninth birthday. I found out that his latest interest is professional wrestling, so I spent most of the night body slamming him into a beanbag chair. I’m no wrestling connoisseur, but I know a few moves–it was just about the best birthday present I could have given him. When I was growing up, it was a semi-open secret that professional wrestling was stage. Now it’s fully acknowledged. If you want the real stuff, you go to Ultimate Fighting Championship, a company that “revolutionized the fight business, and today stands as the world’s leading MMA promoter.” UFC is based in Las Vegas, NV, and has developed from a fringe sport that got its start in the early 90s to a mainstream sport that gets coverage on ESPN. The story of how UFC went from being outlawed in most states to being widely accepted is fascinating, which is why I highly recommend that you read the Wikipedia article on UFC. It’s a long story, but it will give you insight into both politics and business.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
business development,
data,
design,
finance,
graphic design,
Internships,
marketing,
Nevada,
sales,
sports,
unpaid
I enjoy when companies include essentially useless numbers on their websites. It’s fun to see how many cups of coffee they consumed last year or how many left-handed employees they have, but it doesn’t really tell you much. Capstrat has one really important figure mixed into their “a few things you should know” section–they’ve increased employee headcount by 23% over the last year. That’s a big number in any industry, but it’s especially impressive at a full-service ad agency. I’ll bet it has a lot to do with being a leading name in the growing Raleigh, NC market. Capstrat calls itself “the agency helping companies succeed at critical moments,” which lines up perfectly with their top billed skill of finding the perfect way to say exactly what needs to be said.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
account management,
advertising,
analytics,
copywriting,
design,
Internships,
marketing,
North Carolina,
online marketing,
production,
social media,
unpaid
I use a credit/debit card for almost all of my purchases. It makes it extremely easy to track where, when, and how I spend my money. I actually get annoyed when I have to pay cash. Unsurprisingly, I’m not the only one who likes to collect data on my purchases. Pretty much every business that could potentially sell me something would love to have more data about me. Datalogix is a company that collects that data. They are based in Westminster, CO, and they “leverage the power of purchase-based audience targeting to drive measurable online and offline sales.” They started by collecting offline purchase data, but now they’re mixing that data with online, direct mail, e-mail, and mobile. That’s an amazingly powerful combination.
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
advertising,
analyst,
analytics,
Colorado,
data,
Internships,
marketing,
online marketing,
rotation program,
software development,
web development
I used to be perfectly happy to shop at a regular grocery store–I even got annoyed by the fancier stores. As I’ve gotten more yuppified, that has completely changed (it’s actually because I’ve learned to cook). Now I go to Whole Foods for produce and local specialty stores for meat and fish, but most people still do all of their shopping at a single grocery store. These are the kinds of people that big brands want to reach with marketing messages. MyWebGrocer is a Winooski, VT based company that makes that happen. They provide “leading-edge eCommerce and eMarketing solutions to the grocery and consumer packaged goods industries” including solutions like “website design, specialty modules for websites, hosting, sophisticated email strategies and consulting services.”
Read the full article →
Tagged as:
analyst,
analytics,
customer service,
data,
engineering,
food,
grocery,
Internships,
marketing,
paid,
retail,
software development,
technical support,
Vermont,
web development
