Bootstrap Web Monthly Meeting: Rob Campanell of Blastro
Submitted by jonl on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 9:05pm.
02/19/2008 - 6:30pm
02/19/2008 - 8:00pm
Bootstrap Web welcomes Rob Campanell of Blastro, one of the oldest and hottest video music sites on the web. Rob's going to talk about his experience with Internet video for the past 12 years, and make some comments about short term trends. He'll also discuss how Blastro has survived as an internet media company. Join us! Absolutely free; you don't have to be a member. (Bootstrap Web is a forum for web entrepreneurs and technologists.)
We meet at Cafe Caffeine, 909 W. Mary in the heart of South Austin.
For those of us not familiar with it, can someone give a brief rundown on Bootstrap Web... what they are all about?
I would assume it is for people starting up web sites/web companies on a shoestring? Right, wrong???
Bootstrap Austin is an organization of founders of Bootstrap companies. Bootstrapping can mean starting a company on a "shoestring," but more generally means building a company without taking significant outside investment. Bootstrap Web focuses specifically on web business and technology.
Here's a link:
http://www.bootstrapaustin.org/wiki/index.php/Web_Subgroup#Next_Meeting
Excellent, that is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks...
Bootstrap is an excellent organization with branches all over the world. The Austin chapter is one of the strongest of all the bootstrap orgs.
Do you think the Austin group is strong because of the severe lack of venture capital around here compared to the coasts?
There are a few other Bootstrap organizations, but none of them is quite as vibrant and useful as the original Austin group. Hopefully we'll figure out a way to change that, meanwhile Bootstrap Austin's been doing very well at supporting the incubation of local Bootstrap companies.
That's a good point, never thought about it much. I thought there was some vc money around these parts?
Not much over the past several years. I think most of the vcs are still licking their wounds from the beating they took during the .bomb era. Most of them that are still around seem to be very tight with their money and the only companies that seem like they are getting funded don't really look like they need it (already off the ground). There doesn't seem to be much speculation going into early stage startups, especially ones that aren't fronted by people from previous startups. Unfortunately it seems like they'd rather fund proven losers than take a risk on someone who is an unknown quantity. Because of that it seems like most startups over the past few years are of the bootstrapping if not outright "shoestring" mold. Unfortunately, that means they have little money to hire the people they need and pay them what they deserve. I've had to say "no thanks" a number of time because I can't pay my mortgage on underwater options...
The pesky mortgage thing. That's holding me back too.
Yep... its always a problem, even with a modest home in a cheap area it seems like most of my money goes to my mortgage payment. Oh, and property taxes and insurance of course.
Yeah, thankfully I have a 4,256 sf rent house rented out to 3 geek girls who are in to raw foods.
Must be a nice position to be in... I'm upside down on my one little house that I live in due to the decline in property values since 2001.
Nice in ways. Hard in other ways. Property taxes. Insurance. Upkeep.
Yeah... but I've got all those things and no income from it. Well, it beats renting I guess. Then I'd be paying someone else's property taxes, insurance and upkeep with nothing to show for it.
Yep... the joys of home ownership. I'll stick to it.
bijoy has done a great job in repesenting austin and the worldwide bootstrap community.