It’s hard to feel any sympathy for software developers. They’re one of the most employable groups of people on Earth, and they can apply their skills to almost anything they want. However, they’re working in the technology industry which is defined by constant change. A piece of software that used to need to run on a single platform is now expected to work on all kinds of devices. Xamarin is the answer for developers who want their software to work for as many people as possible. The San Francisco, CA based company allows developers to write “apps entirely in C#, sharing the same code on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.” Why do something four different ways when you can do it once?
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When online video really started taking off, a ton of companies went to work figuring out how to monetize all of the new content. Most were focused on advertising, and they generally seemed to converge on the pre-roll ad as the most effective (and possibly most annoying) format. For every type of media, advertisers will try to find a way to use it to get their messages noticed; however, images seem to have been largely ignored even though they’re a huge part of the Internet. Sure, a lot of companies have put ads alongside images, but Luminate is putting them in the actual images. The Mountain View, CA based company has had a lot of success with this format considering that they are “serving more than 180 million users and over 6 billion image views each month.”
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It wasn’t long ago that words like “builder,” “maker,” and “product” were reserved for talking about real, tangible things. Today it seems that those are all buzzwords used to talk about the production of web sites, apps, and other digital goods. There are all kinds of companies making software products, and one with a very interesting model is Betaworks. They’re a New York, NY based company whose “ideas, people, capital and data are united in an imaginative way that enable us to create beneficial and transformative products for the socially connected world.” Their goal is to define the future of media with their products, and they’re off to a good start.
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When I was a kid, receiving a package was a big deal because there was probably something good inside. Today we seem to get a few packages a week–and they’re usually something like paper towels or dog food from Amazon. I have Prime, so almost everything arrives on time. And when it doesn’t, it usually not a big deal (except for Grandma’s Christmas present arriving late last year). It’s a much bigger deal for the companies who are paying a lot of money to ensure that their shipments arrive on time. A late package from UPS or FedEx is often eligible for a refund, but actually getting refunds on all of your late packages is a job in itself. That’s where 71lbs steps in. They are a Fort Lauderdale, FL based startup “with a ‘set-and-forget’ system that allows our customers to easily and automatically collect late-shipment refunds owed to them via the FedEx & UPS money-back-guarantee.”
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If you’ve ever had a job that involved working on a computer, you’ve probably done something that you weren’t supposed to on the computer at some point. Maybe it was as simple as checking Facebook or printing a personal document. Chances are that your boss wouldn’t have cared even if he or she was looking over your shoulder; however, there are some times where a company needs to look back and see exactly what an employee (or former employee) was doing on a computer or network. That’s where Forensicon can help. They’re a Chicago, IL based “firm specializing in computer forensics analysis and consulting within the areas of Internal Investigations, Trade Secrets Misappropriation, Employment Litigation and Hacker Investigations.”
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I’ve always been able to hit balls a really hard. Baseball was my sport growing up, and power was a big part of my game. When I picked up golf, I brought the power over from my baseball swing. The problem was that my big swing often resulted in a lost ball because my accuracy wasn’t quite there. I needed help and didn’t want to spend a lot of time taking lessons, so I eventually gave up golf. It’s too bad that Zepp Labs wasn’t around then. They’re a Los Gatos, CA based company that “empowers athletes and coaches with meaningful performance information to help them immediately improve their game.” They’ve developed 3D motion capture technology that works with your smartphone to give you the kind of analysis that used to be reserved for professionals.
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Have you ever thought that you accidentally liked something on Facebook because a post suddenly showed up in your feed from a site that you recently visited? It’s creepy, right? It’s called retargeting, and it’s amazingly effective. For at least the last few years, advertisers have been tracking your movement around the web and showing you ads based on where you’ve visited. Taking to Facebook was the obvious next step, and that’s the specialty of Triggit. They are a San Francisco, CA based company that “enables advertisers and agencies to build, run, measure, and optimize retargeting-driven display campaigns from a single platform.”
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It’s Tax Day! I’ve always done my own taxes, but Amy has always worked with an accountant. Since we’re filing jointly this year, we went with the accountant–and he saved us a good amount of money. Doing my own taxes was easy because I have a pretty solid system for tracking all of my business’ financial transactions (and I have a pretty simple business). When things get a little more complicated, software is usually the answer, but most software is built for individuals or huge businesses. inDinero is a San Francisco, CA based company that fills the middle ground. They are a virtual back office, which means that they’ll “take care of your accounting, file your corporate tax returns, and manage your payroll.” It’s exactly what I would want if my company was a little bigger.
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I used to like golf, but I quit playing about ten years ago. It started when I signed up for P.E. Golf during my Freshman year of college. To pass I had to play ten rounds of nine holes during the semester. I didn’t play my first round until October 1st. The course closed on October 31st, and it was a really cold fall. The last few rounds were played in a face mask and gloves. After that experience I started to realize that I’d rather catch the fish in the ponds on the course than hit a little white ball around. Then I broke the head off of my driver at a driving range and decided never to play again. It happened to be a Callaway Big Bertha. The Carlsbad, CA based company aims “to deliver the best performing products the game has ever known—products that perform so well, they literally put the joy of the game in your hands.” It didn’t quite work out for me, but it has definitely worked out for lots of other golfers.
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It used to be that most websites were the same for everybody, but today almost everything seems to be personalized. Whether I log into Facebook, search on Google, or visit a jobs website, there’s a very good chance that my experience is being altered based on data that they’ve collected about me. Sites with this customization based on who is logged in used to be referred to (and maybe still are) as portals. Liferay Portal is free and open source software that allows anyone to build this kind of web experience. Liferay is a Diamond Bar, CA based company that was started in 2004 and “houses a professional services group that provides training, consulting and enterprise support services” focused on the Liferay Portal software.
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There’s an episode of Saved by the Bell where Zack Morris convinces Mr. Tuttle (the head of the teacher’s union) that Mr. Belding called him a “spineless jellyfish.” That’s a pretty big insult to someone who is in charge of negotiating against you. Our spines are both metaphorically and anatomically an essential part of our being. That’s why the thought of a spinal injury is absolutely terrifying for most people. Luckily, we as a society have made a ton of progress treating spinal issues. Whether it’s an injury, disease, or deformity, K2M is one of the companies leading the innovation. They are based in Leesburg, VA, and they “deliver and develop technological innovations which enable surgeons to more effectively treat the world’s most complex spinal disorders.”
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It wasn’t long ago that the term “educational data” meant whatever was written in a teacher’s grade book. Today there are all kinds of software solutions to help teachers, administrators, and school systems better educate their students. The problem is that every piece of software works a little bit differently. Integrating one or two applications with a student information system may not be a big deal, but it can get out of hand with a few more apps. Clever is a San Francisco, CA whose software solutions “sync with your school’s student information system to provide an amazing experience for teachers and students.”
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Every time that Amy and I move (four times over the last six years), we say that we’re going to do a great job setting up our new place. When we move to the next place, we end up repacking the framed pictures that we never got around to hanging on the wall. Interior design isn’t our strongpoint. Next time we move, we’ll have to use Houzz for inspiration. They’re a Palo Alto, CA based company that offers “a collaborative platform for home remodeling and design, bringing homeowners and home professionals together in a uniquely visual community.” It’s kind of like Pinterest, but only for home design and decor.
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St. Patrick’s Day is one of my least favorite holidays. It didn’t used to be, but after moving to Chicago and being inconvenienced by all of the idiots “celebrating,” I’ve lost my patience. However, you have to think the inconvenience is worth it for local businesses–all of the people who are partying are also spending money on drinks, food, and taxis. Maybe these merchants can make up for the headaches of serving these revelers by using Clover. They are a Mountain View, CA based company that replaces the “cash register, payment terminal, receipt printer, and barcode scanner with an all-in-one solution.” They also have a name that made them exceedingly appropriate to feature today.
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Today is Pi Day! It’s a holiday loved by math educators and pastry fanatics alike. While some may say that all of the celebration is irrational, I roundly support it. Anyway, math is on my mind today, so I thought we should take a look at Motion Math. They are a San Francisco, CA based company that creates “awesomely fun, rigorously educational learning games so that children, regardless of their previous success in school or socioeconomic background, find delight in understanding difficult concepts.”
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Consuming content has never been easier. I used to travel with a backpack full of books and magazines. Now it’s all on my iPad (though my laptop, Kindle, and phone are also useful–and the combined weight of all is still less than a lot of books). For most of us the problem is organizing and prioritizing the content that we actually want to consume. I still haven’t found a way to do this that works for me, but I know a lot of people use Flipboard. They’re a Palo Alto, CA based company that offers a “single place to discover, collect and share the news you care about.” Their app is definitely socially powered, but it’s done in a way that filters out a lot of the noise that might show up on your Facebook feed for example.
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If you haven’t been a victim of hacking yet, you will be. Even if you do everything in your power to protect your data, another party that you’ve trusted will have a breach at some point. Hopefully the companies that you trust are doing everything in their power to keep your data as secure as possible. That means being aware of the latest threats and detecting breaches immediately when they happen. Those two things are the specialty of Boulder, CO based LogRhythm, “the largest and fastest growing independent security intelligence company in the world.” This space is only going to keep growing in importance, and LogRhythm is leading the way.
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You can buy clothes in a lot of places. Where you buy typically depends on whether you’re looking for a good price, convenience, or your favorite brands. Then you have to decide whether you’d rather shop online or in person. If you’re brand focused and like shopping online, you may want to check out REVOLVE. The company is based in Cerritos, CA and is the “virtual home for an unrivaled collection of the world’s most coveted brands.” REVOLVE offers both men’s and women’s clothing, though the focus definitely seems to be on women’s lines.
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Do any of you remember Flip cameras? They were all the rage for a few years, and then they got completely crushed by smartphones. Who would buy a standalone consumer level point and shoot or video camera when you already have something that offers comparable quality in your pocket? The only good reason that I can think of is that you’re worried you might destroy your phone. That’s where GoPro came in. They’re a San Mateo, CA based company that has built a huge business by offering “the world’s most versatile camera.” While other manufacturers were killing each other with battles over megapixels and size, GoPro was focusing on a niche market of users who wanted to be able to take their cameras on adventures. It turned out that it was a really big niche.
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Last week we looked at a company called Destination Maternity that has done really well become expectant mothers are often big spenders. Guess what–once they have the baby they keep spending. This is good news for Kids II, which is an Atlanta, GA based company that has “been inventing and reinventing baby toys and gear for over 40 years.” Even though they’ve been around for a while, their continued innovation has made them “one of the world’s fastest growing baby product companies.”
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I’ve been married nearly 9 months now. Slowly more and more people are asking, “When are you going to have kids?” Getting a puppy deflected a little bit of attention, but it’s only going to gain in intensity. If we do eventually give into the pressure, we’ll face a time in our lives that makes preparing for a puppy seem like nothing. That’s why it should be no surprise that the expecting parent market is absolutely huge. In fact, Destination Maternity Corporation, which is based in Philadelphia, PA, does $500 million in annual sales as “the world’s leading maternity apparel retailer.” Yes, a single company (albeit with quite a few brands) can generate half a billion dollars in revenue selling clothes for pregnant women.
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Chocolate and Valentine’s Day are the perfect couple. Whether you’re looking for a gift for your sweetheart or a way to stop feeling lonely, chocolate is the answer. And if we’re talking about chocolate and romance, it’s hard to think of a more romantic chocolatier than Godiva–I mean their logo is a naked lady on a horse. While the company originated in Belgium nearly 90 years ago, it is now headquartered in New York, NY and does all of its U.S. production in Reading, PA. They’ve also opened close to 300 retail locations across the country.
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A few years ago I got a lot of free stuff from Bonobos and Gilt Groupe by referring people. It was certainly out of self interest, but it’s hard not to refer a product or service that you love when they’re giving both referrers and referees free stuff. Referral marketing is tremendously effective, but it can be hard to implement a system that works. Extole is a San Francisco, CA based company that specializes in helping “brands acquire new customers at scale by rewarding existing customers.” Why build out your own software to reward customer referrals when you can use Extole’s platform instead?
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I tolerate living in Chicago because my wife is from here, the summers are awesome, and the food is exceptional. Unfortunately, it’s not the best place for someone like me who loves spending time in the wilderness. That means I spend a lot of time in Northern Michigan, which is five hours away. It would be nice if I could discover some recreation options that are a little closer. That’s exactly what AllTrails offers. They’re a San Francisco, CA based startup that has built “the leading digital network focused on outdoor enthusiasts, providing 1 million people monthly with the information and tools to discover top destinations near them.”
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One of the best things about the Internet is that it allows creative people to find a market for their work. What used to be a hobby for someone can now be a living. The problem is that creating isn’t enough–you have to learn how to run a business too. Gumroad is a company that makes that part easier. They’re based in San Francisco, CA, and they “help millions of creators earn their livings in an interesting, authentic way.” Gumroad’s platform takes all of the complications out of selling digital goods online. Whether it’s a book, music, a video, or something else, Gumroad will help you with marketing, accepting payments, and offering secured downloads.
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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.”
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The health and wellness industry is massive, and it just seems to keep growing. There are a lot of really smart business people who are playing a big part in the growth, but there are also a ton of people in the industry who would rather not concern themselves with businessy stuff. The kind of people who open yoga studios, salons, and spas usually aren’t in it for the money–they just want to make a living pursuing their passions. Unfortunately, running a business usually requires… running a business. MINDBODY is a San Luis Obispo, CA based company that believes that “small business owners deserve the time to do what they love.” Pursuing that belief has made them “the largest cloud-based software provider in the health, wellness and beauty industries.”
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Job searching comes with a lot of repetitive tasks. Imagine if you had the technical skills to automate the most annoying ones. You could focus on doing stuff that makes you more employable instead of wasting hours on mindless repetition. There are certainly some smart engineering types who build their own systems to automate their lives, but what about the rest of us? We can use IFTTT (If This Then That). They’re a San Francisco, CA based company that lets you “put the Internet to work for you.” The service plugs in to all of your favorite sites, so it’s not like you’re starting a new workflow from scratch.
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At this time last year, Amy and I were in the thick of wedding planning. Part of me is relieved that it’s in the past (because the wedding was awesome), but I also kind of miss it. We were lucky to have an amazing wedding planner who proposed great ideas and narrowed down the early decisions for us to make them manageable. Before we got to that point, though, we had to do our “homework.” That meant looking through all kinds of books and magazines to mark what we liked and what we didn’t like. It was a bit old fashioned, but it worked. Loverly is a New York, NY based company that brings that process online. It’s “a one-stop-shop for wedding planning where brides and grooms find ideas, people to hire and things to buy.”
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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.
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