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(Founder Stories) Warby Parker: “Less Than 1% Of Eyeglasses Were Sold Online”

In episode II of Chris Dixon’s Founder Stories interview with Warby Parker’s co-founders, David Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal, the trio discuss topics spanning Warby Parker’s social responsibility efforts to the state of e-commerce.

Speaking to setting up shop in Manhattan, Gilboa (who previously lived in San Francisco) says, “I was sort of brainwashed into thinking that if you wanted to launch a startup, particularly anything Internet based, you had to do it in the Bay area.” His views have since changed. → Read More

February 22nd, 2012

(Founder Stories) Warby Parker: “Why Should A Pair Of Glasses Cost More Than An iPhone?”

If you’ve ever shopped for a pair of prescription glasses, you’ve probably seen first hand how expensive a set can be. Warby Parker’s co-founders are right there with you.

Both fed-up and puzzled over paying hundreds of dollars for a product that’s been around for hundreds of years, the Warby Parker team is shaking up the eyewear industry by selling prescription glasses online, at a price tag of just $95 a pair.

Two of Warby Parker’s co-founders, David Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal recently stopped by TCTV to give Founder Stories host, Chris Dixon the backstory on how the company got started. → Read More

January 29th, 2012

(Founder Stories) Jeff Clavier: On Getting Your Product In Front Of A VC (And Keeping It There)

Because every VC’s inbox is overflowing with pitches, and because VC’s don’t take meetings with just anyone, SoftTech VC’s Jeff Clavier, (who just raised $55 million for his third fund) offers advice to founders who hope to cut through the clutter, schedule a meeting, and score some financing from prominent investors. → Read More

January 28th, 2012

(Founder Stories) SoftTech VC’s Clavier: How To Avoid The Series A Crunch

At the top of this Founder Stories episode featuring SoftTech VC’s Jeff ClavierChris Dixon mentions much has been written about the “Series A Crunch.” It’s the occurrence of seed stage companies hitting the end of their initial funding cycle at roughly the same time and having to compete for big checks from a limited supply of VC. There’s just not enough money or VC interest to keep all entrepreneurs afloat for another round. → Read More

January 27th, 2012

(Founder Stories) Jeff Clavier On How Big VCs Can Hurt Seed Rounds

Jeff Clavier just finished raising $55 million for his third SoftTech VC fund and after closing it out, stopped by TechCrunch to tape Founder Stories with host Chris Dixon. The two discuss signaling risk, which is basically when a major VC invests in a startup during a seed round and doesn’t follow up with more funding.  → Read More

January 26th, 2012

(Founder Stories) SoftTech VC’s Clavier: An Investor’s Role Isn’t To Give Orders

SoftTech VC’sJeff Clavier has edged his way from a true Silicon Valley outsider (born and raised in France) to the ultimate insider. Since moving to the valley a decade ago, Clavier has launched three funds and invested in more than 100 companies, the likes of which include Mint, FitBit, and Fab.

Not bad for a guy who claims to have jumped “into venture by accident.”

Having just raised $55 million for his third fund, which will invest on average “$400,000″ per startup, Clavier sat down with Founder Stories host, Chris Dixon to discuss how he built his business. → Read More

January 9th, 2012

(Founder Stories) ZocDoc’s Massoumi On Hitting The Heart Of Health Care Needs

You need a doctor and you need a doctor who takes your insurance. Instead of having to fumble through antiquated lists complied by your provider, ZocDoc seeks to expedite the process of locating care by displaying physicians in your area who are available for immediate and long-term appointments.

In part II of Cyrus Massoumi’s Founder Stories interview with Chris Dixon, Massoumi tells Dixon why he thinks ZocDoc found a following and offers advice to other entrepreneurs. → Read More

January 7th, 2012

(Founder Stories) ZocDoc’s Massoumi: A Bad Flight & Terrible Customer Service Created ZocDoc

In 2007 Cyrus Massoumi ruptured his eardrum on a flight to New York and turned his distasteful experience of trying to track down a physician into ZocDoc – a service that enables customers to quickly book appointments with doctors and dentists online. In a relatively short time, his streamlined offering has attracted considerable interest from both consumers and investors. Supported by doctors who pay a fee to be listed on the site, ZocDoc is now available in more than a dozen United States markets, claims 200+ employees and has tallied $95 million in funding.

In this episode of Founder Stories, ZocDoc’s CEO and co-founder Cyrus Massoumi tells host, Chris Dixon how ZocDoc came together. → Read More

December 22nd, 2011

(Founder Stories) TripAdvisor’s Kaufer Discusses The Logic Behind Running “404-Tests”

After notching a spot on the NASDAQ, TripAdvisor’s Stephen Kaufer carved out a few minutes for Founder Stories, with host, Chris Dixon. In episode II of this interview, the two discuss their mutual disdain for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Kaufer offers advice to founders.

Highlighting a piece of advice, Kaufer tells Dixon a good way for “a consumer facing, web-based business” to capture what “your visitors really want” is to run a live test with a non-working link. Calling these “404-tests” he says “before you build the darn thing … see how many people click it.” → Read More

December 21st, 2011

(Founder Stories) TripAdvisor’s Kaufer: Crucial Early Decisions Paved The Way For An IPO

Earlier today, TripAdvisor added its name to the list of companies publicly trading on the NASDAQ. After doing so, TripAdvisor’s co-founder Stephen Kaufer stopped by TechCrunch for a Founder Stories interview with host, Chris Dixon.

TripAdvisor offers user-generated reviews of everything from hotels to restaurants and claims “50 million monthly unique visitors and 20 million members.” Healthy numbers now, but dial back a decade and TripAdvisor was gasping for air. Kaufer says 18-months in “we had no clients, we had no revenue and we were running out of money.”
→ Read More

December 21st, 2011

(Founder Stories) Charity: Water’s Harrison Highlights Tactical Decisions

In Scott Harrison’s final Founder Stories interview with host, Chris Dixon, Harrison offers some suggestions to other founders and discusses how people can donate to Charity: Water.

Offering advice to others, Harrison says “I think one of the key and very simple things is get lawyers to help you file for your 501(c)(3).” While the upfront costs may seem prohibitive, he believes spending money to hire a professional is well worth the expense.

Harrison also advises leaders to do themselves a favor and figure out how to clearly and simply communicate their message. He says people “can go on for 6 or 7 sentences, trying to expound on their mission statement, at the end you are like so what do you guys do again?” → Read More

December 20th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Charity: Water’s Harrison, “We Were Going To Run Out Of Money In Five Weeks”

As the founder of Charity: Water, Scott Harrison has overseen substantial growth since launching his non-profit five years ago. He tells Founder Stories host, Chris Dixon that since 2006 Charity: Water has raised “about $50-million” and “helped 2-million people” gain access to clean water.

However, just eighteen months in things were a bit rocky. Harrison says the organization was dangerously off-balance and was “going to run out of money in five weeks. → Read More

December 18th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Charity: Water’s Harrison Ends His Hard Partying Ways To Solve “The Water Crisis”

Scott Harrison is the founder of Charity: Water an organization he founded after waking up to the realization he was living a “dark, kind of decadent selfish existence” as a nightclub promoter whose life revolved around getting “people wasted for a living.”

He tells Dixon at the age of 30 “I wanted to change the whole world and thought I could end the water crisis in my lifetime and I could also reinvent charity.”
→ Read More

December 15th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Turntable.fm’s Billy Chasen: “Whatever It Takes, Get That Product Out There”

Having launched two companies that have gone in dramatically different directions; one’s secured $7-million in funding (Turntable.fm) and another ceases to exist (Stickybits), Turntable.fm’s Billy Chasen wraps his Founder Stories conversation by lending advice to other founders and discusses the biggest challenge he’s currently facing.
→ Read More

December 13th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Turntable.fm’s Top Priority: “Nail Product & Fix Anything That Is Not Working”

In episode I of Chris Dixon’s Founder Stories interview with Turntable.fm’sBilly Chasen, Chasen said most of his investors backed Turntable’s transition from Stickybits to Turntable, with the exception being an investor who simply wasn’t a fan of the music space.

In this episode, Dixon says a lack of understanding – or lack of enthusiasm for music startups has been a common theme in the VC community, but thinks the mindset might be changing thanks to companies like Spotify and Pandora. Chasen agrees – and takes a bit of mystery out of how Turntable navigates music rights before fielding questions about Turntable’s plan to monetize. → Read More

December 11th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Turntable.fm’s Billy Chasen On Closing Stickybits: “None Of Us Used The App”

When we first invited Billy Chasen to join us on Founder Stories he was working hard to make his startup, Stickybits a success. Turns out it never took off. But like many founders, Chasen bounced back and found better luck elsewhere. In this case it’s with Turntable.fm – a platform where people play DJ online and share music with others in virtual rooms.

Having recently raised $7-million from investors that include Union Square Ventures and First Round Capital, we thought it would be interesting to catch-up with Chasen and hear how it all went down. → Read More

November 30th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Mayor Bloomberg: “Make Sure You Are The First One In There Every Day & The Last One To Leave”

In his final Founder Stories interview with host Chris Dixon, Mayor Bloomberg begins by offering advice to those wrestling with a career decision – becoming an entrepreneur or joining a bigger company.

Having tasted both worlds, Mayor Bloomberg points out “big companies have more structure but you have a little more security. Small companies, a lot less structure but a lot higher payoff.” While he thinks transitioning from a bigger company to a smaller company is easier than the opposite, he notes “if you have a vision and want [to strike out on your own], do it.” He honestly admits however, “I don’t know whether I would have had the courage to go do it if I hadn’t gotten fired.” → Read More

November 29th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Mayor Bloomberg On Success: If “Having Access To The Best & The Brightest Is The Difference, This Is The Place To Be.”

In episode II of Mayor Bloomberg’s interview with Founder Stories host Chris Dixon, the two start off by discussing Mayor Bloomberg’s desire to strengthen the economic foundation of New York City by attracting top scholars in applied sciences.

While many universities can secure the funds necessary to make it work in NYC, the high cost of living poses greater challenges for founders of more modest means. Addressing the issue Mayor Bloomberg notes, if “low rent and low taxes is the difference between you being successful or not successful, you don’t have a business. If the having access to the best and the brightest is the difference, this is the place to be.” → Read More

November 28th, 2011

(Founder Stories) How Michael Bloomberg Got His Start: “I Brought You A Cup Of Coffee”

Before he became the three-time Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg made billions running the financial information company bearing his name. But it might never have happened if he hadn’t been fired from Wall Street during the early days of his career. The Mayor and Bloomberg LP founder dropped by our TechCrunch studio to discuss all this and how he is working to turn New York City into a high tech hub with Founder Stories host, Chris Dixon.

After leaving Salomon Brothers, Mayor Bloomberg started his own business because “nobody offered me a job, I was probably too proud to go look for one, and I said well why not start your own company.” → Read More

November 27th, 2011

(Founder Stories) Bump’s David Lieb: “Stop Thinking & Just Go Build It”

Bump co-founder, David Lieb launched an app that’s secured roughly $20 million in funding and has been downloaded approximately 60-million times. In his final Founder Stories interview with host Chris Dixon, Lieb predicts the next hot sector, discusses hiring employees and dishes out advice for future founders.

He’s seen too many founders suffer from “analysis paralysis” and urges entrepreneurs to “stop thinking and just go build it.” Recognizing that if his team had overanalyzed Bump, it never would have gotten off the ground. → Read More

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Crunchbase

Pinwheel — Received $7.5M in Series A funding from Redpoint Ventures
2.17.2012
HCP & Company — Company added to CrunchBase
2.25.2012
Redpoint Ventures — Invested in Pinwheel.
2.17.2012
2.23.2012
AVG Technologies — Went public with stock symbol NYSE:AVG.
2.2.2012
2.23.2012
Lightwire — Acquired by Cisco for $271M.
2.24.2012
AppAssure Software — Acquired by Dell.
2.24.2012
Recurve — Acquired by Tendril.
2.24.2012
Chomp — Acquired by Apple.
2.23.2012
Pinwheel — Received $7.5M in Series A funding from Redpoint Ventures
2.17.2012
Wireless Toyz — Received $487k in Grant funding
2.24.2012
Energid Technologies — Received $500k in Grant funding from National Science Foundation
2.24.2012
Octopusapp — Received Seed funding from Boris Wertz and Point Nine Capital
2.23.2012
2.23.2012
Redpoint Ventures — Invested in Pinwheel.
2.17.2012
Point Nine Capital — Invested in Octopusapp.
2.23.2012
Boris Wertz — Invested in Octopusapp.
2.23.2012
Greylock Partners — Invested in Game Closure.
2.23.2012
AVG Technologies — Went public with stock symbol NYSE:AVG.
2.2.2012
Brightcove — Went public with stock symbol NASDAQ:BCOV.
2.17.2012
Jive Software — Went public with stock symbol NASDAQ:JIVE.
2.3.2012
HCP & Company — Company added to CrunchBase
2.25.2012
Career Training Academy — Company added to CrunchBase
2.25.2012
Wireless Toyz — Company added to CrunchBase
2.25.2012
Lightwire — Company added to CrunchBase
2.25.2012
Energid Technologies — Company added to CrunchBase
2.25.2012
CrunchBase