Well, it’s over. StartupEmpire was, by most measures, a success. Almost 300 people in total come by to either the conference and/or the after party and we didn’t lose our shirts in the process.
I would be lying if I told you that putting StartupEmpire together was easy or even fun (despite the title of this post!). It wasn’t. We struggled with the format, got it wrong, and then had to re-iterate the whole thing in the final stretch. Taking a conference from 2 days to 1 day, and changing venue basically doubles the work.
We stubbornly pushed forward with the conference for a few reasons, but the biggest one was because of what we saw by the time everyone had piled in to those just-a-little-too-small chairs on the dance floor of This Is London at 9am. The crowd everything I had hoped it would be, a mishmash of students, entrepreneurs, angels and VCs.
A few people pointed out to me how this wasn’t the typical conference crowd, most people were taking notes like they were going to be tested on it, and the buzz during the breaks was unmistakable.
There are some people I want to thank, personally, for what they did to help make StartupEmpire happen:
Michele Perras put up with David and I and kept the rudder of the ship on course. Michele can run the entire operational side of a businessnes, but she is completely unique in that her abilities as an organizer/operator aren’t even her greatest strength: She is one of the most creative and biggest thinkers I know. When I dove in to minutia, she pulled me out.
Jonas, who has written this blog with me for the last year and a half has been incredibly busy with his own startup these days. When I called him and said “I need your help”, I wasn’t sure he would even have time to step up for the all-hands-on-deck call, but he did. He swooped in and took over contract negotiations, managed a few pages of TODOs and logistics and was there with me unfolding chairs and carrying in stage boards on the night before the conference.
David Crow, who couldn’t print name badges if his life depended on it, but who still takes the job every time. I’m not sure how Dave and I get ourselves in to these messes, but they usually work out. Dave is one of those guys who does what he says he will every time and comes back with more ideas.
Rick Segal who stepped up with the idea for StartupSchool and said “let me run with it”. Rick took some of the most dry content of the day (legal, term sheets, etc) and made them a conversation.
Howard Lindzon who said “do it” back in August when I mentioned the idea of a conference and put his name up to help lead the way.
Robert Montgomery who helped me navigate a few mishaps and provided support when we needed it.
The Student Volunteers. Wow, this was one of the most hard working and impressive group of folks we could have hoped for. They took the iniative as soon as they got there and filled in gaps we had left. From creating an ad-hoc system of responsibilities to a make-shift coat check, they handled it all and left me in awe. I’d hire these folks in a heartbeat. A few of them are involved with the upcoming Impact Conference, which looks fantastic.
The Veterans, those in the crowd who have raised money, knew how to pitch and frankly just didn’t need some of the early-stage content that was on stage. It made me so proud to see some of the tech community’s most seasoned entrepreneurs who get it and were there not for who or what was on stage, but so that they could meet and help the other folks in the audience who are just getting started.
Our sponsors, who got on board for this event before they knew what would happen with it, and who stuck around when things were changing daily. These companies and organizations are some of the few who truly believe in the tech community and who have proven they are ready to stick by it. When everyone is talking recession and doom and gloom, it is easy to run away and keep your money. Microsoft, HighRoad, Gowlings, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, JLA, OCE all have my gratitude. I dreaded making some of those phone calls two weeks before the event, but they all said the same thing: The community needs this, we want to see it happen.
Finally, all of you who bought tickets and believed we’d pull it off. I hope you weren’t dissapointed. I met some incredible people through the day and can’t wait to find out more about what you have up your sleeve.
Most of all, I am thankful to my wife Laurel, who did nothing but support me as I was going between making this conference happen and bringing Firestoker in to one of its most exciting periods yet. At times it was 2+ full time jobs.
Startups in Canada are not dead, investment in Canada is not dead, smart ideas and innovative companies are not gone. We are just getting started, that is something I believe more than anything right now.
Ahem brother!
Amen brother!
Amen indeed!
I wish I'd been there for the full day, not just the social event (everyone I spoke to was raving about the sessions). Well done Jevon and team on creating an event that has already done a ton to help the startup/vc community here. Looking forward to the next one! :)
Amen indeed!
I wish I’d been there for the full day, not just the social event (everyone I spoke to was raving about the sessions). Well done Jevon and team on creating an event that has already done a ton to help the startup/vc community here. Looking forward to the next one! :)
Well done boys. You have done the Canadian start-up community a great service with your fine conference.
Well done boys. You have done the Canadian start-up community a great service with your fine conference.
It was an awesome event. Thanks for putting it together! :)
It was an awesome event. Thanks for putting it together! :)
The key – and I hope I have time to write about this on my blog – is that most of the information was practical. That's important. There were details in many of the presentations that you wouldn't normally get at a similar conference. And some tough questions asked. Hopefully next time the questions get even tougher.
InstaPitch was critical as well. Again: practical.
I think there are enough conferences / presentations / blogs / etc. that talk about the sky falling, about macro issues, and provide fairly generic, standard advice. And even those blogs that provide real, detailed and practical advice can't replace the face-to-face, in-person atmosphere of an event.
Nice job guys.
The key – and I hope I have time to write about this on my blog – is that most of the information was practical. That’s important. There were details in many of the presentations that you wouldn’t normally get at a similar conference. And some tough questions asked. Hopefully next time the questions get even tougher.
InstaPitch was critical as well. Again: practical.
I think there are enough conferences / presentations / blogs / etc. that talk about the sky falling, about macro issues, and provide fairly generic, standard advice. And even those blogs that provide real, detailed and practical advice can’t replace the face-to-face, in-person atmosphere of an event.
Nice job guys.
wow jevon – thanks so much for the kind words, and congrats on a fantastic event. now remember – next year will be eve better! ;)
wow jevon – thanks so much for the kind words, and congrats on a fantastic event. now remember – next year will be eve better! ;)
very nice job and a good group of entrepreneurs you gathered
very nice job and a good group of entrepreneurs you gathered
Thanks Ben — we really focused on having a lot of practical content in there,. We will be mailing out a link where people can get the content in a zip file as well. Sample term sheets, legals, etc.
Thanks Howard,. it was great to have you there.
Thanks Ben — we really focused on having a lot of practical content in there,. We will be mailing out a link where people can get the content in a zip file as well. Sample term sheets, legals, etc.
Thanks Howard,. it was great to have you there.
That's a great idea. I didn't take notes, but I would go back through the content and highlight some things that I thought were particularly important, once that content is available…
That’s a great idea. I didn’t take notes, but I would go back through the content and highlight some things that I thought were particularly important, once that content is available…