Posts Tagged ‘Charlotte’
Tuesday, June 4th, 2013
 If Robert Half’s Technology and IT hiring forecast bears out, Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta should see significant hiring during the third quarter of 2013.
The just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report for Raleigh, N.C., shows that fourteen percent of Raleigh-area chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed recently plan to expand their teams.
This is up 4 points from the previous quarter’s projections. Another 54 percent plan to hire to fill open IT roles, 27 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 5 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the third quarter.
The Charlotte report shows that 11 percent of Charlotte-area chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed recently plan to expand their teams in the coming quarter. This is up 1 point from the previous quarter’s projections. Another 51 percent plan to hire to fill open IT roles, 31 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 6 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the third quarter.
Ten percent of Atlanta-area technology executives surveyed recently expect to expand their IT teams in the third quarter of 2013, a figure unchanged from the previous quarter.
In addition, 55 percent plan to hire to fill open IT roles in the upcoming quarter, 29 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 6 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the third quarter.
These regional figures are consistent with CIO plans in other areas, with most of those planning IT hiring in the 10 to 13 percent range. Nationally, the average is 12 percent.
Here are some other area figures:
- 13 percent of Boston CIOs expect to hire in the quarter.
- 13 percent of New York CIOS say the same
- 13 percent in Denver say they will hire
- 10 percent of the CIOS in Seattle and Los Angeles plan hiring
- Salt Lake City is exceptional, where 17 percent of CIOS plan IT hiring
Recruiting Challenges
In terms of recruiting, 69 percent of CIOs said it’s somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today. It is most difficult to find skilled talent in the functional areas of networking (18 percent), data/database management (14 percent) and help desk/technical support (13 percent).
Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest that CIOs are optimistic about their companies’ growth and IT investments: Eighty-five percent reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies’ prospects for growth in the third quarter of 2013.
Sixty-three percent of CIOs also said they were somewhat or very confident that their firms would invest in IT projects in the third quarter of 2013.
Skills in Demand
Among the technology executives surveyed, 55 percent said that network administration and database management were the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT department. Desktop support followed closely, with 54 percent of the response.
The IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm.
Tags: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Denver, IT hiring, LA, New York, Raleigh, Robert Half Technology, Salt Lake City
Posted in Carolinas, Economy/Jobs, Georgia, IT, North Carolina, Studies, surveys, reports, TechJobs | No Comments »
Friday, May 31st, 2013
 Charlotte, NC is one of the cities that don’t disclose enough information about economic development subsities. Two-thirds of the economic development subsidy programs run by the nation’s largest cities and counties do not use the web to report which companies are receiving the tax breaks and other forms of financial assistance.
Among the third of programs that do practice online transparency, most do so poorly, failing to disclose the dollar value of the subsidies. An even smaller number reveal key outcomes such as how many jobs were created.
These are the central findings of a report released today by Good Jobs First, a Washington, DC-based non-profit research center on economic development accountability. The report, Show Us the Local Subsidies, is available at www.goodjobsfirst.org/localsubsidies.
Here at the TechJournal, we’ve seen several reports questioning the effectiveness of many of these subsidy driven economic development programs, as well. They often fail to produce promised jobs.
Poor state of transparency
“While a handful of cities enable taxpayers to see the costs and benefits of every deal, we were disappointed by the poor state of transparency in most major localities,” said Leigh McIlvaine , a research analyst at Good Jobs First and principal author of the report. “Taxpayers in those cities and counties deserve better.”
The report is part of an ongoing effort by Good Jobs First to track and promote online transparency of subsidies. “Most major localities are far behind state governments when it comes to job-subsidy transparency,” said Good Jobs First executive director Greg LeRoy . “We hope our new report will inspire them to improve their disclosure practices.”
Show Us the Local Subsidies looks at transparency in the country’s 25 most populous cities and 25 most populous counties. Thirty-six of those localities have locally-controlled subsidy programs. One or two major programs in each were graded for a total universe of 64.
Key findings:
- Among those 64 programs, only 21 (in 16 jurisdictions) report recipient company names online.
- Among those programs that do disclose, costs and benefits are mostly still missing. Only 10 of the 21 programs report the dollar value of the subsidies initially awarded, and only 6 report actual disbursements. Only 4 programs report jobs actually created, and only 9 report other outcomes such as wages.
- The best disclosure practices are in: Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee; New York City; Austin, Texas; and Chicago.
- Among the 20 large localities still failing to disclose are Broward County (Florida), Charlotte, Cook County (Illinois), Dallas, Harris County (Texas), Los Angeles (both city and county), Miami-Dade County (Florida), Philadelphia, and San Francisco
That pretty much spans the country. We suspect that one reason for a lack of transparency is that the programs have questionable success.
Tags: Broward County (Florida), Charlotte, Cook County (Illinois), Dallas, Economic Development, Harris County (Texas), Los Angeles (both city and county), Miami-Dade County (Florida), Philadelphia, San Francisco, subsidies, transparency
Posted in Economic Development | No Comments »
Monday, May 13th, 2013
 Vienna, VA-based Grotech Ventures, which invests in early stage tech firms, has raised a new $225 million fund. The fund was oversubscribed by more than 10 percent, and was raised from both existing and new investors. GV II bringsGrotech’s total capital under management to $1.3B across all funds.
Frank Adams, the firm’s managing general partner, told PE Hub that raising the fund took 20 months because institutional investors were “slow and methodical in their due diligence process, more so than in the 29 years we’ve been doing this.”
Grotech Partner Don Rainey tells the TechJournal that the company is investing in Mid-Atlantic and Mid-West early stage IT firms in Enterprise and infrastructure software, social and cloud computing, security tech, consumer Internet, ecommerce, and energy and healthcare It.
Includes Charlotte, Atlanta, RTP
For Grotech, Mid-Atlantic includes the Carolinas and Atlanta, Rainey notes. Adams told PE Hub the company is spending a good deal of time in Atlanta and Charlotte, NC, for instance, developing deep relationships.
Rainey says that while parts of the social sector are crowded and the opportunity has passed, “There is still a lot of greenfield in it.”
Grotech typically invests the first institutional money a startup raises and continues to invest as the firm grows. Its strategy includes forming top-tier industry syndicates with other investors. It generally invests from $200,000 to $20 million in startups, although initial investments tend to be smaller.
Grotech, which has offices in Virginia, Maryland and Colorado, has already made 12 investmetns from the new fund and continues to invest from its current fund, which has performed well.
We asked Rainey if its harder for tech startups to get that first investment these days.
 Don Rainey “For top tier entrepreneurs its about the same,” he says. “For the next tier that isn’t as obvious as a backable startup, it’s tougher. If you’re the guy or gal who sold your last company for $500 million and you’re doing another raise for a new company, you can expect the processs to be about the same as it was two, five, or ten years ago.”
Successful exits
It recently secured a major exit with NexGen Storage, which Fusion-lo Inc. acquired in April for about $119 million in cash and stock.
It’s largest exit so far was from the DC-based daily deals site LivingSocial. It led the company’s $5 million Series A round and has since sold chunks of its stake to Amazon, Lightspeed Venture Partners, T. Rowe Price and other buyers for more than $200 million.
Overall, Grotech’s last $109 million fund, which closed in 2009, has a current IRR of 70 percent. — Allan Maurer
Tags: Atlanta, Charlotte, Colorado, DC, Don Rainey, Frank Adams, Grotech, LIvingSocial, Maryland, NC, new fund, NexGen Storage
Posted in entrepreneurship, Internet/New Media, IT, Money, venture capital report | No Comments »
Monday, May 6th, 2013
Charlotte, NC. The Business Innovation & Growth Council (BIG) has released results of its second annual Entrepreneurial Growth Index, a measure of the health of the Charlotte-region’s entrepreneurial companies.
Terry Cox, president and CEO of BIG says, “It is especially notable that we had 28% more companies respond to the survey in 2013 than 2012, while nationally the number of entrepreneurial startups has dropped slightly two years in a row.”
David Jones, CEO of managed hosting and cloud services provider Peak 10, and a leadership advisor to BIG noted the increased revenue reported by companies in 2013.
“The companies responding to this year’s survey have revenue just under one billion dollars and an average growth rate of 37% over the last 3 year,” Jones says.
“The survey indicates that entrepreneurial companies will add another 928 jobs to the local economy in 2013. That is an impressive message as we consider today’s economic environment.”
Key findings of the 2013 study show:
- 120 companies responded, compared to 94 in 2012
- Projected revenue for 2013 is $960 million, an 18% increase over 2012 revenue of $817 million and a 3-year average growth rate of 37%.
- A 24% 3-year average growth rate in employment (full time, part time, and contract) with projected 928 in headcount for 2013, of which 42% are contractors.
- Average headcount of 49 per company, with an average weighted salary of $54,000, as compared to an average of 30 per company and average salary of $55,000 reported in the 2012 survey.
- Funding sources for businesses surveyed were:
- 2% Grants
- 5% Venture Capital
- 5% Private Equity
- 13% Bank Financing
- 19% Angel Investment
- 56% Self Funded
- Twenty percent (20%) of the companies participating were founded in the past two years and fifty two percent (52%) of the companies are less than five years old.
- 84% of the companies are located in Charlotte, while 16% are in the outlying cities/towns.
- 47% of those surveyed are in technology, 11% business services, 8% technology based education, 7% healthcare, 5% retail, 5% marketing, 4% transportation and distribution, and 14% in various other industries.
BIG continues to track data from entrepreneurial companies as a measure of the health of the local start-up economy. “The Charlotte region continues to grow through the contributions of our high growth entrepreneurial community,” Jones notes. “An important part of the region’s economic future is to continue to develop the supporting infrastructure that enables entrepreneurial companies to grow.”
Tags: BIG, Charlotte, David Jones, employment, entrepreneurail companies, growth, NC, Terry Cox
Posted in Economy/Jobs, entrepreneurship, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Monday, March 4th, 2013
By Allan Maurer
 David Jones, President & CEO, Peak 10. Even though Peak 10, the Charlotte-based data center and managed services provider now has 350 employees, CEO David Jones says the company still tries to foster an entrepreneurial spirit.
“We don’t make all our decisions centrally,” says Jones.
Jones co-founded Peak 10 in March of 2000 and has led the company to a top market position as a leading independent data center, managed services, and cloud computing solutions provider in the United States, with facilities in Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Tampa, South Florida, Raleigh, and Richmond.
Participating in the Southeast Venture Conference
Jones, who speaks often to entrepreneurial groups and is a past chair and still a director of the North Carolina Technology Association, is one of dozens of thought-leaders, venture capitalists, angel investors and entrepreneurs participating in the Southeast Venture Conference in Charlotte, NC, March 13-14.
“I think it’s going to be a great event for Charlotte,” Jones says. “It has an informative agenda, not the same old stuff you usually see at conferences. It’s going to bring a lot of faces into Charlotte who don’t normally spend time here.”
 The Southeast Venture Conference is headed to Charlotte, NC, in March 2013. The event offers firms a chance to present to top national venture capitalists and angel investors. Specifically, that includes speakers and panelists from national and regional venture capital firms and 50 innovative presenting companies from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Last we heard, there were only a handful of seats left for the event, so it’s a good idea to reserve yours now if you plan on attending.
Part of the Peak 10 entrepreneurial culture derives from its growing an average of about 25 percent a year and regularly opening new facilities to meet demand in the areas it serves.
Four pieces of advice for entrepreneurs
We asked Jones what advice he thinks is most important to starting a company.
First, he says, “Stay focused. We’ve all heard stories of companies that try to do too many things at once and don’t do any of them well.”
But even more important, he says, “Hire the best people you can. Don’t be complacent about that.” In the end, “That will make you successful or not.”
Get the right financial leadership
Next, he says, “Make sure you have the right financial leadership. A lot of startups fly by the seat of their pants. You need to know your operating costs. I’ve always tried to find the best financial officer I could. If nothing else, have a financial advisor who can help you strategize where you are and the things you’ll need.”
Doing that can prevent you from “Hitting a brick wall when you find you didn’t plan for what you need on the development side.”
Finally, he adds, “Make sure you have a plan that can get funded. Great ideas go nowhere unless you have a plan to get there. Keep it simple. The more complex you make it, the harder it will be to get to where you want to be.”
In general, Jones says, “We’re in challenging times, but there are still a lot of opportunities out there.”
Tags: Allan Maurer, Charlotte, data centers, David Jones, entrepreneurial advice, NC, Peak 10, SEVC, Southeast Venture Conference 2013, tips
Posted in Best Practices, Carolinas, entrepreneurship, Events, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Other SE, Startups, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, DC | No Comments »
Thursday, February 28th, 2013
 You can make connections with 50 high growth technology companies from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic as they present to hundreds of executives from the region’s innovation, entrepreneurial and venture communities at the Southeast Venture Conference March 13-14th at the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte, North Carolina.
In addition to presenting companies and hours of executive networking – the conference will feature a speaker line up inlcuding SAP CEO Bill McDermott, dozens of leading venture capital investors from groups like Advanced Technology Ventures, Intel Capital and Edison Ventures; industry insiders like Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard and policy makers such as North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.
This year’s confirmed presenting company line-up includes:
- addshoppers - Charlotte, NC
- AirSage - Atlanta, GA
- avidxchange - Charlotte, NC
- Badgy - Atlanta, GA
- blue nano - Charlotte, NC
- BoomTown - Charleston, SC
- BrightContext - Arlington, VA
- Bronto - Charlotte, NC
- Buystand - Durham, NC
- Campaign.io - Charlotte, NC
- CanDiag - Waxhaw, NC
- Clearleap - Duluth, GA
- dealcloud - Charlotte, NC
- deja mi - Raleigh, NC
- Digitalsmiths - Durham, NC
- Distil - Arlington, VA
- Entigral - Raleigh, NC
- Fitsistant - Durham, NC
- flomio - Miami, Florida
- Fotopigeon - Tampa, Florida
- Freebeepay - Atlanta, GA
- gematouch - Raleigh, NC
- Hinge - Washington, DC
- HireIQ - Atlanta, GA
- infina connect - Cary, NC
- Koupon Media - Frisco, TX
- nContact - Morrisville, NC
- Nextinput - Atlanta, GA
- PatientPay - Durham, NC
- PopUp - Raleigh, NC
- Punch Technologies - Charlotte, NC
- Respirion - Winston Salem, NC
- ReverbNation - Durham, NC
- Savveo - Charlotte, NC
- Sensory Analytics - Greensboro, NC
- Smart Sky Networks - Charlotte, NC
- Sweet Relish - Charlotte, NC
- t1 visions - Charlotte, NC
- Tales2Go - Washington, DC
- The Targeted Group - Charlotte, NC
- umatch - Greenville, NC
- Valencell - Raleigh, NC
- veenome - Arlington, VA
- viddlz - Charlotte, NC
- WealthEngine - Bethesda, MD
- Wildfire Connections - Charlotte, NC
- Worthpoint - Atlanta, GA
The Southeast Venture Conference is headed to Charlotte, NC, in March 2013. The event offers firms a chance to present to top national venture capitalists and angel investors. In addition to the showcase presenters and hours of networking – SEVC 2013 will feature current market relevant panel and presentation topics for investors and executive entrepreneurs. These events sell out, so register now if you plan on going.
Panel & Presentation topics include:
- State of Venture Capital
- Early Stage Fundraising
- Value Creation: Company/Investor Relationship
- Growth Stage Funding
- M&A Outlook and Strategies
- LP Viewpoint
- SaaS Investment Trends
- Getting to Market
- IPO & Secondary Market Outlook
- Entrepreneur’s Roundtable
- International Health Care Trends
Tags: 2013, Arlington, Atlanta, Bethesda, Charlotte, DC, Duluth, Durham, GA, Greensboro, Greenville, high growth companies, March, MD, Miami, NC, Raleigh, SEVC, venture capital, Washington
Posted in entrepreneurship, Events, Startups, Tech life/Culture | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 20th, 2013
By Allan Maurer
 The mobile app economy is a big deal right now, with app developers commanding higher than average salaries and companies stumbling over each other to get on the mobile bandwagon. But, in five years, says Ron Shah, vice president at the Stripes Group venture firm, “many people will bypass apps altogether.”
By then, Shah says, “Just accessing the web on your phone will be so much better you won’t need 79 apps. Consumers will want to download apps less and less and just things on the open web.”
Also, he notes, “Two app stores now have a chokehold on user capabilities. That’s an unnatural place to be. Companies don’t want Apple or Google sitting between them and their customers.”
Shah is focused on sourcing and executing technology, software and internet investments as well as strategy and business development with portfolio companies at Stripes, which closed its current $350 million fund early in 2012.
Participating in the Southeast Venture Conference in March
Shah is actively involved with the firm’s investments in Kareo, Netbiscuits, eMarketer, Elance, MyWebGrocer, Art.com, Folica and Perimeter.
Prior to joining Stripes Group, Ron co-founded Endgame Capital, which focuses on land investment and development in the mid-Atlantic region.
 People networking at a previous Southeast Venture Conference. He’s one of more than two-dozen venture capitalists and investors participating in the upcoming Southeast Venture Conference in Charlotte, NC, March 13-14.
Shah will talk about the merger and acquisitions environment in areas where he has expertise at the event. “We’ve invested in several companies providing deep technologically integrated services in various industries,” he says.
He expects to see media companies, which made a round of acquisitions three or four years ago, to be looking to buy again. “They’re coming up on another cycle where they need to buy again to service their customers.”
Avoiding the Deathstar approach to software
He adds, “There’s a lot of pressure for those guys to figure out how to service existing relationships in a world that looks very different from ten years ago. They need to know what customers are consuming, how they consume and so on.”
 Another big trend he sees in M&A is in SaaS. “We’ve seen significant acquisitions of SaaS companies by the big guys – Oracle, IBM, SAP, Salesforce all bought several. They realize their clients are not in spending millions on the Deathstar approach to building software. People are coming from the bottom end and taking revenue from them, so they need to acquire to have cost effective offerings.”
He also notes that “In Enterprise technology, buyers have been aggressive with the evaluations they’ve been paying in core areas such as customer relationship and talent management and business intelligence.”
They can all be consolidated to some extent, he says. “We saw some of that in the marketing automation space. Then the larger players ended up getting bought: Buddy Media by Salesforce, Vitrue by Oracle.”
A process of consolidation
It’s a process, he explains. “Companies spring up in the venture space and rise to the forefront in a typical category. They buy smaller companies with innovative features. Then, if they’re playing in an interesting category, the big tech guys will buy them.”
Even after that big step in consolidation, three or four years later some of the big players realize they don’t have the right play in a category and “The cycle starts all over again,” says Shah.
 Next he says mobile device analytics is likely to see some consolidation. “A lot of the core tech companies feel the need to bolster their offerings,” Shah notes.
That interest is fanned by a couple of macro trends. “People are spending less time on print and more on the web, no one can deny that, and within that, they’re spending more time on mobile devices.”
The natural conclusion? “Ad dollars will slowly migrate there because that’s where the eyeballs are, on smartphones and tablets.”
Tags: Charlotte, CRM, digital media, IBM, M&A, mobile, NC, Oracle, Ron Shah, Salesforce, SEVC, Southeast Venture Conference, Stripes Group
Posted in Acquisitions, Events, Internet/New Media, Mobile, Telecommunications | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 19th, 2013
 Which venture capital firms had the most private tech company exits in 2012? PrivCo has just released rankings of the Top 20 Venture Capital firms, based on the number of exits their portfolio companies made last year.
Santa Clara-based Intel Capital tops the list. Ranked just behind it were Felicis Ventures (Ranked #2) & SV Angel (Ranked #3).
Mark Rostick, director of East Coast investments for Intel Capital is among the more than two-dozen venture capitalists and investors participating in the upcoming Southeast Venture Conference in Charlotte, NC, March 13-14. See our interview with Rostick.
The Top 20 Most Successful Tech Venture Capital Firms of 2012:
(Ranked By Number of Private Tech Company Exits)
1. Intel Capital
2. Felicis Ventures
3. SV Angel
4. Sequoia Capital
5. First Round Capital
6. Battery Ventures
7. Draper Fisher Jurvetson
8. Greylock Partners
9. Ignition Partners
10. Google Ventures
11. True Ventures
12. Benchmark Capital
13. Lerer Ventures
14. Menlo Ventures
15. Polaris Venture Partners
16. Accel Partners
17. Bain Capital Ventures
18. Redpoint Ventures
19. RRE Ventures
20. Focus Ventures
To access PrivCo’s 350 page 2012 Private Tech M&A Industry Report:
http://www.privco.com/products/2012-m-and-a-industry-overview-technology-sector-volume-I
Tags: CA, Charlotte, Intel, Mark Rostick, NC, Santa Clara, SEVC, Southeast Venture Conference, top venture firms, venture capital firms
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, February 18th, 2013
By Allan Maurer
Don Rainey Does price really matter in a venture financing deal? Can “small ideas” still get funded?
Don Rainey, a former entrepreneur, says his 12-years “on the dark side” as a venture capitalist, have taught him a handful of lessons that still serve him daily, among them, answers to those questions and others.
Rainey, a general partner with Grotech Ventures since 2007, was named to the Washingtonian’s “Tech Titans” list in 2011, and currently serves on the boards of Grotech portfolio companies Clarabridge, GramercyOne, HelloWallet, LivingSocial, Personal, SnappCloud, and Zenoss. He’s one of more than two-dozen venture capitalists and other investors participating in the upcoming Southeast Venture Conference in Charlotte, NC, March 13-14.
Price doesn’t matter
On his blog, VC in DC, Rainy outlined ten of the lessons about entrepreneurship that still guide him.
That business about price, for instance. “Price doesn’t really matter,” he says. “If you invest in something htat fails, it’s immaterial. If it wins, you might hope you had bought it a little cheaper, but you’ll always wish for that. The question is, is it something you believe in? If a deal works out, the price was right at some level. Get in good deals, and forget about getting the last dollar in a negotiation for that good deal.”
He adds, “We’re judged by whether the companies we invest in succeed, not the price.” Also, he notes, “Sometimes you do everything right and sill lose. Macro events can put real pressures on a company. Just think if you had gone into something aimed at financial services in 2007. Some things are beyond your control.”
Don’t pursue small ideas
Big ideas and small ideas are equally difficult, he says. But a venture capital firm has to have some multiple return on the capital it invests and can’t support small ideas, Rainey says. On his blog, he writes, ”What’s the point in trying to change the neighborhood when you can change the world.”
You’re not a rock star
“I’m very suspect of the venture capitalist who wants to be in front of the parade,” Rainey says. “That’s the role of the entrepreneur. We’re enablers, not the primary actors.”
Add value outside of board meetings
Portfolio company board meetings are not the place where a VC adds real value to the firm’s investment. “Private conversations over coffee, lunch, or late at night is when you really can influence the CEO,” Rainey says.
Don’t Invest in People who don’t take advice
Some entrepreneurs have a world class talent for ignoring good advice, Rainey notes on his blog. “I’ve done this 12 years and only had one CEO who ignored my advice and failed. He made a point of it. It wasn’t personal, he ignored everyone’s good advice. A good CEO listens to everyone.”
Then, he’ll let you know he heard you, saying something like, “I concur on these four items from your suggestions. “That’s what the smart ones do,” Rainey says. “They assimilate all that advice and incorporate it into their own perspective.”
Never Panic
Starting and running a business is often fraught with extreme ups and downs, more than one entrepreneur has told us. One day you land a really big customer, the next everyone you talk to says “No.” An entrepreneur has to be able to ride that roller coaster. “One of the great assets of an entrepreneur is confidence,” Rainey says.
“It does ebb and flow. There are days when you’re driving to work thinking there is no way you could be more screwed than you are at that moment, but when you get to work, you find out you were wrong, there are ways it can be worse. It’s hard. People don’t always appreciate how challenging it can be to be able to swing above your weight in the face of weeks or months of bad news. But you have to keep on fighting, even with a strong headwind.”
Be nice to people, it pays well
“In a business like ours,” Rainey says, “You have to say ‘no’ to 99 of 100 people who come to you for money. If you’re not nice to people, even when you have to say ‘no,’ they remember. They also remember if you were nice about it. None of knows where we’ll be in five years or what we’ll be doing.”
Tags: Charlotte, DC, Don Rainey, entrepreneurs, Grotech, investing, lessons, NC, Southeast Venture Conference, the dark side, Washington
Posted in Carolinas, Events, North Carolina, Viewpoint, Washington, DC | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
The Southeast Venture Conference has named the first round of companies selected to present at the upcoming conference scheduled for March 13-14th at the Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, NC.
Over 50 of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic’s most outstanding high-growth firms will present at SEVC 2013. Showcase companies will range from pre-IPO to earlier stage series-A.
These companies are the present and future of the region’s innovation economy, representing some of the most promising technologies from a diverse range of industries, including software, mobile, education, health, security and Internet among others.
The first round of announced presenting companies include:
- AirSage - Atlanta, GA
- Badgy - Atlanta, GA
- BoomTown - Charleston, SC
- BrightContext - Arlington, VA
- Buystand - Durham, NC
- CanDiag - Waxhaw, NC
- Clearleap - Duluth, GA
- deja mi - Raleigh, NC
- Digitalsmiths - Durham, NC
- Distil - Arlington, VA
- Entigral - Raleigh, NC
- Fitsistant - Durham, NC
- flomio - Miami, Florida
- Fotopigeon - Tampa, Florida
- Freebeepay - Atlanta, GA
- Hinge - Washington, DC
- HireIQ - Atlanta, GA
- KnowledgeTree - Raleigh, NC
- Koupon Media - Frisco, TX
- Mindgrub - Baltimore, MD
- nContact - Morrisville, NC
- PatientPay - Durham, NC
- PopUp - Raleigh, NC
- Respirion - Winston Salem, NC
- ReverbNation - Durham, NC
- Savveo - Charlotte, NC
- Sensory Analytics - Greensboro, NC
- Spanning Cloud Apps - Austin, TX
- Sweet Relish - Charlotte, NC
- Tales2Go - Washington, DC
- The Targeted Group - Charlotte, NC
- Valencell - Raleigh, NC
- WealthEngine - Bethesda, MD
Additional presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Southeast Venture Conference is headed to Charlotte, NC, in March 2013. The event offers firms a chance to present to top national venture capitalists and angel investors. Showcase companies will present to a national audience of venture capitalists, private equity investors, angel investors and senior technology executives. Attendees will have additional opportunities to network and connect with these showcase companies throughout the conference.
Register today to guarantee your space. The event sells out.
Wait…there’s more
In addition to the showcase presenters and hours of networking – SEVC 2013 will feature current market relevant panel and presentation topics for investors and executive entrepreneurs.
Panel & Presentation topics include:
- State of Venture Capital
- Early Stage Fundraising
- Value Creation: Company/Investor Relationship
- Growth Stage Funding
- M&A Outlook and Strategies
- LP Viewpoint
- SaaS Investment Trends
- Getting to Market
- IPO & Secondary Market Outlook
- Entrepreneur’s Roundtable
- International Health Care Trends
Tags: 2013, Charlotte, first round, March, NC, presenting companies, Southeast Venture Conference
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, January 31st, 2013
Looking for a way to make lasting connections with hundreds of venture capitalists and entrepreneurs? Register before Friday (February 1) and you can still get the Early-Bird rate for the 7th Annual Southeast Venture Conference at the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte, NC, March 13-14.
You’ll hear from 50 of Southeast’s most innovative growth firms from 11 states and network with hundreds of private equity investors.
Top industry leaders will share insights on M&A, fund raising strategies, IPOs, valuations, hot investment secotrs, and early-stage trends.
Outstanding speakers
Speakers lined up for this year’s event include Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP; Bob Hower of Advanced Technology Ventures, Scott Maxwell of OpenView Venture Partners, Larry Bettino of StarVest Partners, Adrian Wilson of Square 1 Ventures, Sean Cantwell of Volition Capital, Brian Rich of Catalyst Investors, Roland Reynolds of Industry Ventures, Janet Yang of Novak Biddle Venture Partners, Mark Rostic of Intel Capital, Don Rainey of Grotech Ventures, Lenard Marcus of Edison Ventures, Trevor Kienzle of Correlation Ventures, David Jones, CEO of Peak 10; John Lawrence of Longworth Venture Partners, Matt Shapiro of Second Market,; Cater Griffin of Updata Partners, an Ron Shah of the Stripes Group, among others.
Tags: angel investors, apply to present, Charlotte, innovative tech firms, March, NC, SEVC, Southeast Venture Conference, Venture Capitalists
Posted in Events | No Comments »
Friday, January 25th, 2013
 State and local governments waste billions of dollars annually on economic development subsidies given to companies for moving existing jobs from one state to another rather than focusing on creating truly new positions, according to a study released today by Good Jobs First, a non-profit, non-partisan research center based in Washington, DC.
“What was long ago dubbed a Second War Between the States is, unfortunately, raging again in many parts of the country,” said Greg LeRoy , executive director of Good Jobs First and principal author of the report.
“The result is a vast waste of taxpayer funds, paying for the geographic reshuffling of existing jobs. By pretending that these jobs are new, public officials and the recipient companies engage in what amounts to interstate job fraud.”
Interstate job piracy is not a fruitful strategy for economic growth, LeRoy noted: “The costs are high and the benefits low, given that a tiny number of companies get huge subsidies for moving a small number of jobs.” LeRoy added: “Moreover, the availability of relocation subsidies allows companies that have no intention of moving to extract payoffs to stay put.”
Interstate relocations have microscopic job effects
Summarizing studies demonstrating that interstate relocations have microscopic job effects, the report also reviews the history of economic competition among the states and presents eight case studies of those areas where job piracy is most pronounced.
The case studies cover metropolitan areas such as Kansas City, Charlotte, New York and Memphis, where companies get subsidized to move short distances across state borders; states such as Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, New Jersey and Rhode Island that are aggressive users of relocation subsidies; and states such as Illinois and Ohio, which have given big retention or “job blackmail” packages.
The report recommends that states stop subsidizing companies for relocating jobs from other states, noting that four-fifths of the states already refuse to pay for intrastate job relocations.
The report also recommends that states end their business recruitment activities that are explicitly designed to pirate existing jobs from other states. It also suggests a modest role for the federal government: reserving a small portion of its economic development aid for those states that amend their incentive codes to make existing jobs ineligible for subsidies.
The report, entitled The Job-Creation Shell Game, is available at www.goodjobsfirst.org/shellgame.
Tags: Charlotte, DC, Economic Development, Georgia, government waste, job development, Kansas City, Memphis, New Jersey, Rhode Island, subsidies, taxpayer dollars, Tennessee, Texas
Posted in Carolinas, Economic Development, Economy/Jobs, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, DC | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 8th, 2013
The Southeast Venture Conference is headed to Charlotte, NC, in March 2013. The event offers firms a chance to present to top national venture capitalists and angel investors. If you’re a high growth innovative company looking for funding, you still have a chance to present your business plan in front of top national venture capitalists and private equity professionals at the 2013 Southeast Venture Conference March 13th and 14th at the Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, NC.
Applications to present at the event are still being accepted.
The event seeks high growth, innovative companies from diverse technology industries including Software-as-a-Service, New Media, Bio-IT, Clean-Tech, Medical Devices, Mobile, Security, among others.
You’ll meet hundreds of the region’s leading entrepreneurs and high growth company executives (from startups to pre-IPO), National Venture Capitalists and Private Equity Professionals, M&A facilitators and other leading professionals serving the high growth technology community.
SEVC highlights both early and later stage investment opportunities from: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington DC.
Last year’s SEVC Average Presenter Profile:
- Average Annual Revenue: $5.9 million
- Average Capital Raised to Date: $6.7 million
- Average Number of Employees: 35
While the presenting companies are from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, the investors fly in from all parts of the country, including California, New York, and Massachusetts, as well as those that are regionally focused.
Exclusive panels, speakers, programming
The SEVC features market relevant investor and executive panels, exclusive networking opportunities, featured speakers and dozens of the region’s top private technology firms presenting to a national audience of venture capitalists, investment bankers and private equity investors.
As a TechMedia company and sponsor of the event, the TechJournal has reported on many firms that subsequently landed angel or venture backing. Venture capitalists tell us, they find new firms to put on their radar and track at each year’s event and many have returned year after year to spot hot Southeast opportunities.
SEVC is also an unparalleled networking event in which innovative firms meet potential partners, customers, and employees, in addition to making invaluable contacts within the venture and angel funding community.
Additional information on presenting and registration can be found at seventure.org andyou can view a list of past presenters here.
Tags: 2013, angel investors, Charlotte, financing, fund raising, March, NC, networking, pre-IPO, presenting companies sought, Southeast Venture Conference, Startups, Venture Capitalists
Posted in Alabama, Arkansas, Carolinas, entrepreneurship, Events, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Money, North Carolina, Other SE, Potomac, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia | No Comments »
Friday, December 7th, 2012
By Allan Maurer
 Joe Davy, CEO of Buystand, which lets buyers set a price for active lifestyle products they want to buy. Deals, deals, deals: discounts are the byword of online shopping these days, but usually, sellers are deciding how much the discounts should be. A Durham, NC-based startup, Buystand, wants to change that.
Buystand, says CEO Joe Davy, “Is the world’s first completely buyer-driven marketplace for active lifestyle clothing, equipment and footwear.” That includes everything from boots to mountain bikes and skis.
“Originally the brainchild of Ted Kraus and commercialized by Ted Kraus and Bill Brown at 8 Rivers Capital, which Davy says “works like an incubator for ideas, going through the patent process and funding them,” Buystand launched in beta about a month ago and already has hundreds of retailers, 250 brands, and thousands of customers signed up.
Davy, who joined the company after taking a course Brown, who is managing partner at 8 Rivers, taught at Duke University Law School, presented the company’s business plan at the Startup Summit that preceded this year’s Internet Summit in Raleigh, NC in November.
Innovative companies from early stage to pre-IPO looking for funding may want to apply to present at TechMedia’s next event, The Southeast Venture Conference in Charlotte, NC, in March. SEVC is now accepting applications.
Davy explains that at Buystand retailers let the buyer tell them what they want pay for certain products. That lets retailers see what their products are worth to buyers and lets brands see what they’re worth compared to their competitors’ products.
The retailer can decide at what price it wants to sell.
Control in the hands of buyers
“It puts control back into the hands of buyers,” says Davy. “There has never been a company before that let buyers come in and say what they’re willing to pay for a physical product, although it does happen in the hotel and travel markets. We’re inventing that model for products.”
Davy says this startup differs from many others – including the last one he ran – solve “What amounts to a big problem for a small number of people. They’re building a better widget or solving a very niche problem. What we’re doing appeals to a universal desire. It’s a much better way to shop, not just for a few people, for 90 percent.”
Customers already seem to like it. “People are using this multiple times a month. They’re not only happier when they pay the price they want to pay, but it translates into them spending substantially more money,” he says.
The firm has lots of room to grow. “It’s an $83 billion market,” Davy says. “And no one else is being innovative in the space right now. A lot of people are doing daily deal sites, but those crush brand equity and undermine the future sales of retailers.”
There are plenty of places to buy used products, he notes, including eBay and Craig’s List. “Buystand is for people who want a brand new product from retailer but don’t want to pay full price,” he says.
People have adopted it quickly, he adds. “We saw traction in just a few weeks,” Davy says.
Tags: 8 Rivers Capital, Bill Brown, Buystand, Charlotte, Durham, Internet Summit, Joe Davy, NC, Raleigh, Southeast Venture Conference, Startups, Ted Krouse
Posted in Company Profile, Events, Internet/New Media, Startups | No Comments »
Thursday, December 6th, 2012
 The Southeast Venture Conference is headed to Charlotte, NC, in March 2013. The event offers firms a chance to present to top national venture capitalists and angel investors. High growth innovative technology companies from young firms to the pre-IPO stage have an opportunity to present in front of top national venture capitalists and private equity professionals at the 2013 Southeast Venture Conference March 13th and 14th at the Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, NC. Applications to present at the event are now being accepted.
The event seeks high growth, innovative companies from diverse technology industries including Software-as-a-Service, New Media, Bio-IT, Clean-Tech, Medical Devices, Mobile, Security, among others.
Hundreds of the region’s leading Entrepreneurs and High Growth Company Executives (from Startups to pre-IPO), National Venture Capitalists and Private Equity Professionals, M&A facilitators and other leading professionals serving the high growth technology community.
SEVC highlights both early and later stage investment opportunities from: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington DC.
Last year’s SEVC Average Presenter Profile:
- Average Annual Revenue: $5.9 million
- Average Capital Raised to Date: $6.7 million
- Average Number of Employees: 35
While the presenting companies are from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, the investors fly in from all parts of the country, including California, New York, and Massachusetts, as well as those that are regionally focused.
Exclusive panels, speakers, programming
The SEVC features market relevant investor and executive panels, exclusive networking opportunities, featured speakers and dozens of the region’s top private technology firms presenting to a national audience of venture capitalists, investment bankers and private equity investors.
As a TechMedia company and sponsor of the event, the TechJournal has reported on many firms that subsequently landed angel or venture backing. Venture capitalists tell us, they find new firms to put on their radar and track at each year’s event and many have returned year after year to spot hot Southeast opportunities.
SEVC is also an unparalleled networking event in which innovative firms meet potential partners, customers, and employees, in addition to making invaluable contacts within the venture and angel funding community.
Additional information on presenting and registration can be found at seventure.org andyou can view a list of past presenters here.
Tags: angel investors, apply to present, Charlotte, innovative tech firms, March, NC, SEVC, Southeast Venture Conference, Venture Capitalists
Posted in Events, Money | No Comments »
Thursday, October 18th, 2012
By Allan Maurer
 Bill Leake, CEO of ApogeeResults, is a veteran of McKinsey & Co. and Dell Computers. He is one of 120 digital marketing thought-leaders participating in the Internet Summit in Raleigh, Nov. 6-8. Ad agencies may try to sell on the idea of letting them build you an expensive mobile app. That’s fine for some companies, “But others might not need to spend that money,” says Bill Leake, CEO of ApogeeResults.com.
Leake has created one of the 20 largest independent online marketing agencies in the United States. Apogee has been instrumental in building dozens of “Internet Retailer 500” and “Software 500” and venture capital backed companies. It works with top global brands such as Whole Foods, IBM, SAP and Hewlett Packard.
While iPhones and tablets have made mobile much more of a real thing, “There is still a lot of hype about mobile,” says Leake. “It’s more of a real thing, but still not for everyone. Folks don’t do a lot of hard core research or interactivity that takes a lot of typing on a smartphone. You have to keep in mind how everything changes on mobile.”
Leake is one of 120 thought-leaders, game changers and marketing gurus participating in this year’s Internet Summit in Raleigh, NC, Nov. 6-8, which this year includes a Startup Summit sponsored by TechMedia’s 2013 Southeast Venture Conference set for Charlotte, NC in March.
Back to marketing basics
Leake suggests the way to approach mobile is to “Get back to the basics of marketing. Who is your customer and how does he like do things? Do you want a mobile app or just a mobile web site? The Google Places piece of Google Plus offers a free mobile web site and probably 50 percent of businesses would do just fine with setting up a Google Places profile.”
“People are getting snookered with mobile apps instead of microsites. Sometimes a mobile app is a game changer, but many get lost in the Apple store. The world is littered with mobile apps no one can find.”
Instead of spending $100,000 on a mobile app, he suggests, “Spend $20,000 on the app and $80,000 on media so people find it.”
You need to be in the mobile pool, he adds, “But it may not be time to dive in from the 50-foot high board. Stay in the shallow end unless you have the budget top learn and fail.”
Get your ground game down
Putting it another way, he says, “Get your ground game down before doing trick plays. Really complicated apps are trick plays with a high failure rate.”
One of the best approaches to a mobile strategy, he says, is to “Let it be an extension of what works well in other places. It’s going from beach volleyball to indoor. It’s not a new game. The form factor just changes a little.
Too many ad agencies tend to view their clients as their artistic patrons, Leake says. “I’ve run into so many creative types who believe the client lives to support their art.”
When a client asks how much they need to spend on a web site, the agency says, “How much was your SBA grant? That’s how much you need to spend.”
They use expensive, slow-loading flash art work. “It’s the height of arrogance,” says Leake. “Flash can be good if embedded in a humble way that downloads a quick bit of HTML saying we have this other thing to show you, but you can bypass it if you want to. But just waiting 20 seconds with no explanation? It’s like the news networks telling you what to believe every night.”
They will judge you on speed
Similar arrogance leads to overdone mobile projects. “A lot of times,” Leake says, “you just need a first level mobile app. People on mobile will judge you on speed. Have things far less graphic with fewer functions.”
All of which, he notes, “Flies in the face of what the typical creative agency wants. They can’t build as much with text as they can with moving pictures.”
Focus, he says, “On what you are trying to do and what your clients are doing. It doesn’t need to be award-winning; it needs to be good enough.”
Think about building something “reasonably” stable that doesn’t need to be replaced every six months, he suggests.
Consider such elements as how to minimize data input challenges. “Thumbs are a pain in the rear,” he says. You have to realize that typing is not the same as on a regular keyboard.
Bring hyper local to the fore
Right now a lot of retailers should be thinking about how to use mobile to defend against the Amazons of the world. So a mobile app or web site should let users know, can they get a certain product? Is it in the store? Will they match lower prices?
“What we’re not seeing enough of is sending mobile ads to someone sitting in a coffee shop within walking distance of a store.”
Also, he says, “Mobile should not be viewed as an isolated silo. It needs to integrate into a full marketing strategy. It’s mission critical for some, but in a lot of cases it’s not. You’re not going to choose what car to buy on a smartphone.”
Marketers also need separate strategies for smartphones and tablets, he adds. “People toss around the word “mobile” casually and apply it to both.”
Tags: ApogeeResults, Bill Leake, Charlotte, creative agencies, Google Places, Internet Summit, mobile apps, mobile strategy, NC, Raleigh, tablet vs. smartphone
Posted in Carolinas, Ecommerce, Events, Google, Internet/New Media, IT, North Carolina, smartphones, Telecommunications | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
The Southeast Venture Conference is headed to Charlotte, NC, in March 2013. The seventh annual Southeast Venture Conference, a major event for investors and entrepreneurs, is headed to Charlotte, NC, March 13-14 at the Riz-Carlton.
The conference features presentations by 60 of the region’s high growth investment opportunities.
They will include both early and later stage companies from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington DC.
The conference offers an unparalleled opportunity to Network with hundreds of the region’s leading Entrepreneurs and High Growth Company Executives, National Venture Capitalists and Private Equity Professionals, M&A facilitators and other leading professionals serving the technology community.
We’ve covered many startup and later stage firms that presented at previous SEVC’s and later landed multiple financing rounds.
SEVC is also teaming with the Internet Summit in Raleigh Nov. 6-8 this year to present the two-day Startup Summit focused on entrepreneurs.
ttendees and speakers include leading incubators, venture capital firms, and innovative companies. We’ll feature 16 presenting startups that will showcase their companies and concepts. You’ll have the opportunity to meet them one-on-one in our demo pit.
Speakers at the Startup Summit include influential entrepreneurs and leaders from the investment community:
- Angus Davis, Founder & CEO, Swipely
- Paul Singh, Partner & Master of the Hustle, 500Startups
- Sarah Lacy, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, PandoDaily
- Scott Maxwell, Founder, OpenView Venture Partners
- Michael Doernberg, CEO and Co-founder, Reverbnation
- Laura Witt, General Partner, ABS Capital
- Rob Go, Partner, NextView Ventures
- David Morken, Founder & CEO, Bandwidth.com
- Jonathan Perrelli, Founding Partner, Fortify.vc
- Dayna Grayson, North Bridge Venture Partners
- Neil Kataria, Founder & Chairman, newBrandAnalytics
- Greg Cangialosi, Managing Dir, Nucleus Venture Partners
- Jason Caplain, General Partner, Southern Capital Ventures
- Robbie Allen, Founder & CEO, Automated Insights
- John Burke, Founder and General Partner, True Ventures
- Joe Velk, Contender Capital
- Chris Heivly, Managing Partner, Triangle Startup Factory
- David Jones, Partner, Southern Capital Ventures
- Joe Schmidt, CMO, Cafepress
- Tom Lotrecchiano, Sr Vice President, Cafepress
- Matt Williamson, Founder & CEO, Windsor Circle
Tags: Charlotte, entrepreneurs, Internet Summit, investors, NC, Raleigh, SEVC, Southeast Venture Conference, Startup Summit, Startups
Posted in Alabama, Carolinas, entrepreneurship, Events, Florida, Georgia, Internet/New Media, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, DC | No Comments »
Monday, June 4th, 2012
 A study reported by Internet Retailers contradicts the one from CG. Consumers who are interested in mobile wallets would consider using alternative players to their primary bank for mobile wallets and for banking.
These consumers also expressed strong interest in using a wide variety of services in their mobile wallet, such as search & shop, loyalty programs and real-time incentives.
These are two major findings from a mobile wallet study conducted by Charlotte, NC-based Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting Group, a management and technology consulting firm serving the financial services industry.
However, for a contrary view, a recent study from Catapult Marketing said most consumers were not interested in a mobile wallet. See this report from Internet Retailer.
According to the 605 U.S. consumers who participated in CG’s online study in April 2012, however:
- Forty-eight percent of survey respondents are interested in a mobile wallet and that interest is driven by both young consumers and affluent consumers. Seventy-six percent of these consumers are currently using or intend to use mobile banking today. This group is divided into two segments:
- Techno Shoppers (27%): Consumers attracted to shopping and social features of mobile wallets, and effectively using their cards to make the best possible payment decisions.
- Payment Optimizers (21%): Consumers interested in making the best payment decisions based on their financial situation, loyalty benefits and account management.
- Eight in ten consumers interested in mobile wallets responded that they would use PayPal as their mobile wallet provider. Six in ten would use Google. Six in ten would use Apple.
- Five in ten Techno Shoppers would prefer to use PayPal over their primary bank as their mobile wallet provider. Three in ten would prefer to use Google. Two in ten would prefer to use Apple.
- Consumers interested in mobile wallets would consider alternative players for banking services. Eight in ten would consider using PayPal if it offered banking. Six in ten would consider using Google. Six in ten would consider using Apple.
“The competitive threat from new entrants is real. Consumers are open to considering alternatives to their primary banks to provide mobile wallets and even core banking services,” said Peter Olynick, CG’s Card & Payments Practice Leader.
“People have already slowed their use of cash and checks in favor of credit and debit cards. Within five years, half of today’s smart phone users will be using their phones and mobile wallets as their preferred method for payments. These customers will be using better tools to help them optimize transaction choices. Banks need to proactively consider how their products will stay ‘top of wallet’ in the new mobile wallet world.”
Consumer Frustrations with Credit Cards and Wants with Mobile Wallets
According to the study, consumers place significant value on the benefits of various offers and incentives, from lower interest rates and cash back rewards to discounts and sales coordinated with loyalty programs.
However, they are frustrated with the number of offers they receive and with their ability to track the terms and conditions for each of their cards. Mobile wallets provide a systematic way to mitigate these pain points.
- The top frustrations for consumers are the inability to manage offers and incentives, and keeping track of payment due dates.
- Sixty-five percent of respondents rated the ability to make better payment choices – such as maximizing loyalty programs or minimizing interest payments as the most valued mobile wallet service.
- Eighty-two percent of Techno Shoppers responded that making shopping easier was very valuable and 62 percent believe that mobile wallets will make shopping more fun.
“Banks need to ease the pain points with their mobile wallet features to retain customers,” said Olynick. “We advise banks to update their core transaction processing capabilities today so they will be ready to provide improved transaction and shopping experiences in their mobile wallets tomorrow.”
Easy ways to make mobile payments is considered one of the Holy Grail’s of mobile marketing. But security is often an issue with consumers. Atlanta’s Paymetric has a solution for that.
To request a copy of CG’s research report on Mobile Wallets available in late June, email insight@cgcginc.com
Tags: Apple, Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting Group, Charlotte, Google, mobile wallets, NC, payment optimizers, PayPal, survey, technol shoppers, threat to banks
Posted in Internet/New Media, IT, Money, smartphones, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech life/Culture | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012
 Business travelers frequently need restaurants that have great food, but also good service, since they’re often on the run. If you’re looking for U.S. restaurants with top notch service, here’s some help from Open Table.
OpenTable, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPEN), a provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants, has disclosed the 2012 Diners’ Choice Award winners for the 100 restaurants in the United States providing the best service.
Open Table founder Chuck Templeton is among the top speakers at the Southeast Venture Conference which started this morning in Tysons Corner, VA, and runs through tomorrow. Templeton created and defined the restaurant reservation space after founding OpenTable in 1998, after his wife spent a frustrating evening one night trying to make dinner reservations for his visiting in-laws one night in San Francisco.
OpenTable’s successful IPO in 2009 was a milestone that helped to reopen the public market for tech companies.
Awards reflect millions of opinions
These awards reflect the combined opinions of nearly 5 million reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Regionally, the honorees span 29 states and Washington, D.C. The South reinforces the notion of southern hospitality, with 22 restaurants in the region being singled out for best service. The Northeast boasts 15 winning restaurants, including 10 in New York alone.
The Pacific region accounts for 14 winners, 10 of which are in California, as does the Mid-Atlantic, with six restaurants in Virginia claiming spots. Eleven winners come from the Great Lakes Region, four of which are in the Twin Citiesarea.
The Pacific Northwest and the Southwest follow with seven honorees apiece. The Rocky Mountain States count five winners, while the Central Plains has four, three of which are in Missouri. One restaurant in Hawaii also earned a nod.
American food restaurants rack up 40 winners
Superior service can be found across a number of cuisines. Restaurants serving American food, however, account for 40 winners. French restaurants earned 25 places on the list.
Steakhouses followed with 17 spots. Seven Italian restaurants are among the winners. Other cuisines include continental, global international, Japanese, seafood, and sushi.
“The most memorable part of a meal may not be just what’s on your plate, but also, that exceptional staffer who goes the extra step to ensure an enjoyable dining experience,” says Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s Chief Dining Officer.
“These winning restaurants understand this concept and have consciously created a culture of hospitality that is embraced by both front and back of house professionals. Whether it’s a grand gesture, such as a tour of the kitchen, or a simple one, like a warm smile from an attentive server, diners are coming away from these restaurants feeling special.”
The Diners’ Choice Awards for the top 100 restaurants providing the best service are generated from nearly 5 million reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between February 2011 and January 2012. All restaurants with a minimum number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the highest average rating in the service category.
Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the top 100 restaurants with the best service in the U.S. according to OpenTable diners.
The complete list may also be viewed athttp://www.opentable.com/bestservice.
2012 Diners’ Choice Award Winners for Restaurants in the U.S. with the Best Service
Acqua Restaurant & Wine Bar – White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Acquerello – San Francisco, California
Addison at The Grand Del Mar – San Diego, California
Bacchanalia – Atlanta, Georgia
Bibou – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Binkley’s Restaurant – Cave Creek, Arizona
Bistro L’Hermitage – Woodbridge, Virginia
Blue Hill at Stone Barns – Pocantico Hills, New York
Bluestem – Kansas City, Missouri
Bones – Atlanta, Georgia
Cafe Renaissance – Vienna, Virginia
Canlis – Seattle, Washington
Capital Grille – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Castagna – Portland, Oregon
Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse – Downers Grove, Illinois
Charleston – Baltimore, Maryland
Charleston Grill – Charleston, South Carolina
Chez Francois – Vermilion, Ohio
Chez Nous French Restaurant – Humble, Texas
CityZen – Washington, D.C.
Congress – Austin, Texas
The Copper Door – Hayesville, North Carolina
Corbett’s Fine Dining – Louisville, Kentucky
Cyrus – Healdsburg, California
Daniel – New York, New York
Daniel-Lounge Seating – New York, New York
Del Posto – New York, New York
Dewz – Modesto, California
The Dining Room-Biltmore Estate – Asheville, North Carolina
Eleven Madison Park – New York, New York
Elizabeth on 37th – Savannah, Georgia
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant – Forestville, California
Fat Canary – Williamsburg, Virginia
Fearrington House Restaurant – Pittsboro, North Carolina
Fig Tree – Charlotte, North Carolina
Forage – Salt Lake City, Utah
Fountain Restaurant – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Frasca Food and Wine – Boulder, Colorado
The French Room – Dallas, Texas
Genoa Restaurant – Portland, Oregon
Gordon Ramsay at the London – New York, New York
The Grill-The Ritz Carlton – Naples, Florida
Grouse Mountain Grill – Avon, Colorado
Halls Chophouse – Charleston, South Carolina
Hannas Prime Steak – Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Herons – Cary, North Carolina
Highlands Bar & Grill – Birmingham, Alabama
The Hobbit – Orange, California
joan’s in the Park – St. Paul, Minnesota
Kai-Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort – Chandler, Arizona
Killen’s Steakhouse – Pearland, Texas
The Kitchen Restaurant – Sacramento, California
La Belle Vie – Minneapolis, Minnesota
La Grenouille – New York, New York
La Mer at Halekulani – Honolulu, Hawaii
L’Auberge Chez Francois – Great Falls, Virginia
Le Bernardin – New York, New York
Les Nomades – Chicago, Illinois
L’Etoile Restaurant – Madison, Wisconsin
Madrona Manor – Healdsburg, California
Mahogany Prime Omaha – Omaha, Nebraska
Marcel’s – Washington, D.C.
The Melting Pot – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Menton – Boston, Massachusetts
Michael’s-South Point Casino – Las Vegas, Nevada
Mitchell’s Ocean Club – Columbus, Ohio
Morton’s The Steakhouse – Portland, Oregon
New York Prime – Myrtle Beach, Florida
Niche – St. Louis, Missouri
Nicholas – Red Bank, New Jersey
o ya – Boston, Massachusetts
Opus 9 Steakhouse – Williamsburg, Virginia
Orchids at Palm Court – Cincinnati, Ohio
The Painted Lady – Newberg, Oregon
Palace Arms at the Brown Palace – Denver, Colorado
Peninsula Grill – Charleston, South Carolina
Pepper Tree Restaurant – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Per Se – New York, New York
Plume at the Jefferson Hotel – Washington, D.C.
Rafain Brazilian Steakhouse – Dallas, Texas
The Restaurant at Meadowood – Saint Helena, California
Restaurant Iris – Memphis, Tennessee
Rover’s – Seattle, Washington
Rudy & Paco’s Restaurant & Bar – Galveston, Texas
Russell’s Steaks, Chops, and More – Williamsville, New York
Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Jacksonville, Florida
Saint Jacques French Cuisine – Raleigh, North Carolina
Sedgley Place – Greene, Maine
Sonoma – Princeton, Massachusetts
St. John’s Restaurant – Chattanooga, Tennessee
The Steak House at Silver Reef – Ferndale, Washington
Tony’s – St. Louis, Missouri
TRU – Chicago, Illinois
Uchi – Austin, Texas
Uchiko – Austin, Texas
Vetri – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse – Las Vegas, Nevada
Vintage Tavern – Suffolk, Virginia
White Barn Inn – Kennebunk, Maine
Woodfire Grill – Atlanta, Georgia
Diners can also read more about the Diners’ Choice Awards for the Best Service restaurants in the U.S. by visiting OpenTable Chief Dining Officer Caroline Potter’s “Dining Check” blog.
Tags: Acqua Restaurant, Addison at the Grand Del Mar, Asheville, Atlanta, Austin, Avon, AZ, Bacchanalia, Baltimore, Bibou, Binkley's, Bistro L'Hermitage, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Bluestem, Bones, Boston, Boulder, CA, Castagna, Cave Creek, Charleston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Chez Francois, Chez Nou, Chuck Templeton, Cincinnati, City Zen, CO, Congress, Corbett's Fine Dining, Dallas, Daniel, Daniel-Lounge, DC, Del Posto, Dewz, Eleven Madison Park, Elizabeth on 37th, Farmhous Inn, Fat Canary, Fearrington House, Fig Tree, FL, Forage, Forestville, Fountain Restaurant, Frasca Food & Wine, GA, Galveston, Genoa, Gordon Ramsay at the London, Greene, Grouse Mt. Grill, Halls Chophouse, Hannas Prime Steamk, Hayesville, Humble, Jacksonville, Kansa City, Kennebuink, KY, Louisville, Maine, MD, Memphis, MI, Missouri, Modesto, NC, Newberg, Niche, Nicholas, NJ, NY., o ya, OH, Open Table, Opus 9, OR, Orchids at Palm Court, PA, Peninsula Grill, Pepper Tree, Per SE, Philadelphia, Pittsboro, Pocantico Hills, Portland, Princeton, Raleigh, Rancho Santa Margarita, Red Bank, Restaurant Iris, Rover's Seattle, Rudy & Paco's, Ruth's Chris Steak HOuse, Saint Jacques French, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Savannah, Sedgley Place, SEVC, Sonoma, St. John's, St. Louis, Suffolk, The Copper Door, The Dining Room -Biltmore Estate, The French Room, The Painted Lady, TN, TX, Uchi, Uchiko, VA, Vermilion, VEtri, Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse, Vintage Tavern, WA, White Barn Inn, Williamsburg, Woodbridge
Posted in Internet/New Media, Studies, surveys, reports | 1 Comment »
Monday, November 28th, 2011
 What are the best cities for technology jobs now? You can probably guess that Seattle, would be high on the list, and it indeed came in at number one on a list compiled by newgeography.com. But if you guessed the Silicon Valley, you would be wrong.
The Valley, despite a concentration of tech jobs- six times the national average – it came in at 17 on the site’s list of the top 51 cities for tech jobs. It points out that the Valley was one of the biggest tech job losers over the last decade, dropping 80,000 positions, despite the more recent dot-com funding craze.
San Francisco itself is way down at number 29.
Newgeography used high-tech employment data from EMSI, an economic modeling firm. It then charted those areas that have gained the most high-tech manufacturing, software and services jobs over the past 10 years.
The top ten, newgeography says, are:
Seattle, Baltimore, Columbus, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, Jacksonville, Washington, DC, New Orleans, Riverside/San Bernardino, and San Diego.
The next batch inlcudes more surprises: Indianapolis is 11, Buffalo 12, San Antonio 13, and Charlotte 14. Boston is way down at 22.
Factors affecting high-tech job creation, the site says, include the presence of a major research university – although that wasn’t of much help to Boston, which lost 45,000 tech jobs (18 percent) in the last decade.
Business costs are another factor. They’re high in the Valley, Boston, and the Bay area, less so in many of top ten cities. Even low business costs are not a sure path to tech job creation though. Texas has good business metrics, but nevertheless experienced losses in tech jobs, primarily due to cutbacks in telecom, electronics, and communications equipment manufacturing.
Personally, we think a careful look at the results of this study suggest something we’ve said all along: big manufacturing operations are not the be all and end all of job creation. Placing an emphasis on creating a welcoming atmosphere for startup tech companies is a better way to go, and some areas, including Durham in the Research Triangle of North Carolina, are taking that route.
Newgeography suggests that two up and comers in this decade might be Detroit, which it says “has some real high-tech mojo,” and New Orleans, which has expanded its tech workforce by about 10 percent since 2009.
Tags: Baltimore, best cities for tech jobs, Charlotte, Columbus, DC, Detroit, Durham NC, eattle, Jacksonville, New Orleans, newgeography.com, Raleigh, Riverside/San Bernardino, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Texas, top tech growth cities, Washington
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