A fist full of Zen..

Times are tough, I know it.  I’ve recently had the opportunity to meet some folks that have decided they’re sick and tired of fighting for the few jobs that are available. These folks have decided to make a go of it on their own. Some of them have had a little internet marketing experience in the past, some have run a couple campaigns others have been running small blogs for years. What binds this group together is that they’re not going to wait for something to happen; they’re going to make it happen themselves.

I was so inspired by this that I’ve decided to slash the price on Headfirst Concepts WordPress mailing list software BigTie! We normally sell BigTie! for $59.99, but until May 1st we’re going to be selling it for only $25.00 a copy. We want to do our part to lower the barriers to online entrepreneurship. All you need to start building your opt-in list is hosting, BigTie! and an idea.

Stop waiting for something to happen. Make something great happen! If you’ve been on the fence about getting into internet marketing now is the time. The barriers to entry in IM have never been lower and with high quality marketing tools like BigTie! and Twitanium available at such a low price, you can get started now with less money than ever.

Originally published at Weapons of Mass Consumption. You can comment here or there.

After Startup Weekend Detroit (#SWD09) ended last sunday, I was quite tempted to hit the road and attend Startup Weekend Chicago(#SWCHI) but it just wasn’t in the cards for me.  Instead I watched Startup Weekend Chicago unfold via twitter, flickr and youtube.  It looks like they had some great projects come out of it, and I’m going describe what I can here.

Eventr - event based social media aggregation site

Eventr.org appears to be a system for collecting social media links, twitter, flickr, vimeo, etc… and applying an event tag and timeline to the data.  This system looks like it could be quite useful. I’m going to keep an eye on this one and start using it as soon as it is functional.

I couldn’t find much info about this project online or in twitter, so I decided to try it out and see if I can figure out what the hook is.  ForkChop.com is a collection of recipes, structered in the familliar blog format. When you open up a recipe, it adds links (auto generated?) to the right sidepanel taking you to a google search for more information about that particular ingredient.  I’m not sure if more features are planned or not, but I’ll check it out again in a week and see if there is more there.

The tagline below their logo sums it up nicely; “We help people find interesting things to do and cool people to do them with anywhere in the world.”  This is an application whose time has come.  Through twitter I have found out about work-in days, parties, gallery openings and more.  When things are happening, they are getting tweeted about and this startup is collecting that info and informing you of whats happening in your area.  I’ve bookmarked this one and will be using it for a few events coming up.  Check this one out, I think its going to work well. 

This is quite possibly my favorite project from any Startup Weekend.  BigHugeWindow.com is a marketplace that allows users to buy and sell window space advertising.  I have a soft spot in my heart for window ads.  In the 90’s, I had an apartment that abutted the Armitage Brown line stop.  Quite a few times we sold space in the windows that faced the El stop to promoters advertising parties and events at bars in the area.  It’s an amazingly successful form of advertising when you look at the cost per viewer.  I’ll be following this one and will possibly use it to buy ad space to promote some of my own projects.

All in all it looks like Startup Weekend Chicago was a success.  It is amazing what can be accomplished in such a short period of time.  I hear that there was also a Startup Weekend event in Columbus (ohio?) this weekend as well. If I find anything about their projects I will post them as well.  

Following these events on twitter gave me an idea for another startup… Any #SWD09 folks want to work with me on a niche social network for the nationwide network of Startup Weekend veterans?

Originally published at Weapons of Mass Consumption. You can comment here or there.

Anthem Blue Cross with cover chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer, but they wont cover a prescription for chantix or zyban to help me quit smoking. How does that make sense for their bottom line?

Originally published at Weapons of Mass Consumption. You can comment here or there.

@CharlieCurve’s comments on the Startup Weekend

Startup Insights: What it takes from Charlie Wollborg on Vimeo.

Originally published at Weapons of Mass Consumption. You can comment here or there.

I just found out that the startup weekend hits Chicago next weekend! http://chicago.startupweekend.com/  I’m half tempted to head to the windy city and do it all over again.  My Chicago peeps, I highly highly recommend you attend this, it is entirely worth your time!

A Startup Weekend Challenge from Andrew on Vimeo.

Originally published at Weapons of Mass Consumption. You can comment here or there.