Kendall's "Internet startup checklist":

1. Idea:

  1. Would YOU write a check for your idea?
  2. Don't spill your candy in the lobby.
  3. Is your idea refining or revolutionizing?

2. Funding:

  1. Are your financials realistic if nothing goes right?
  2. Could you see your investors with a 10X, 20X return in 3 years?
  3. Do you have back-up plans b,c,d before quitting your day job?
  4. Do you have a great answer for the most cynical of investors?

3. team:

  1. Can you build your idea or will it take a team of pros?
  2. Is a specific person on your team essential or can he/she be replaced?
  3. Dont give up the farm to recruit talent.
  4. Hire brave & passionate smart people.

4. Product:

  1. Does your product SOLVE a problem?
  2. Beware of feature creep! Customers & prospects add features, not developers.
  3. Stay focused on money earning features, not cool ones.

5. Marketing:

  1. Is it costly (time/resources) to get branded in your target market?
  2. Make a goal of closing a core group of customers the first year. (traction)
  3. Adjust marketing resources to get traction (don't need much).
  4. Be sure to test your "seo / ad-words / ad-sense" properly before banking on them
  5. Nothing is better than "boots on the street." Start knocking on doors.

6. Customer:

  1. How many "loss leaders" do you have?
  2. Does your idea help your customer or is it just a "nice to have"?
  3. Make each customer feel like they are the only customer you have.
  4. Can your customers be up-sold? Do they have peers they could refer?


1999: "...here's a crazy idea..."

BLUEHORNET WAS BORN FROM A COZY COUCH

Sitting in San Diego, I was naive enough to believe I could start a company without any regard for competition, market conditions, or even cash. I just knew that I was solving a pain that a lot of businesses had. The name BlueHornet was never professionally think-tanked or formed from endless meetings about branding [sic: crap]. Just a couple of coffees and a copy of Business 2.0 magazine "How to name your dot com". (See naming tips in my Bow Hunting Skills.) "Burn the ships!" - said a fear motivated freshly married, new father. I was on an adventure that would shape the rest of my life.

2001: every emotion imaginable

proven.

From being a deer run over by them damn headlights to feeling like a ninja, 2001 was an emotional ride of ideas, customers, product, employees, financing, and sadly Sept 11th. As the fly wheel spun with the help of super smart & brave people, (Tim Marusich, Adam Gillespie, et al.) I finally felt the relief of personal success when I received a signed contract from my largest prospect. I was a proven entrepreneur.

2003: Kick my own butt

Re-invention

Once you taste success and learn a lot about human nature, it is bitter sweet. I liken it to a person that trains day and night for the Olympics only to feel a let down after winning the gold medal. I needed a challenge and with the adventure of moving to WA state, I was in for one.

2006: heart break

sad season.

I realized how selfish I was when it hurt so much to know my friend was gone. I would never have coffee or talk shop with my dearest Uncle Bob again. What a difficult experience to lose someone that made you enjoy hard work and laugh away your fear. As a fellow entrepreneur and successful businessman, what impressed me most was how he was so respected in countless circles for his kindness and grace. His son once said "I always have an enormous sense of pride whenever my father's name is mentioned." As the hub of a very large family, he will not be forgotten.

2008: adventure

What will be is not yet now - Allister Begg

With Henry Paulson et gang scrambling to catch a falling knife, 2008 was pretty rough. A.Smith and A.Hamilton need to take a broom to CDOs! A friend asked me recently "When does the uber-rich reach their end goal?" Without hesitation, I replied "they do not have an end goal." There is no finish. Their goal is the chase. Always doing what it takes to want more. (power, money, etc.) Harvest what they sow; hence 2008. If everybody's goal was to be balanced, we wouldn't have such pretty sky scrapers :) Nevertheless, 2008 can be summed up by the ol' pontiff "this [economy] is built on sand." 2008 also challenged me to eliminate my comfort zone and move beyond my fears. Welcome to Ohio.

asset vs. liability

You are either pulling the cart or riding in the cart.  If you are employed, you either work for the government or an entrepreneur. (I always admire founders of companies.) Internet entrepreneurs, like me, are fascinated with problems that could be solved with a little elbow grease and the Internet.


founder: BlueHornet Networks.

BlueHornet is pretty cool. A great idea made better by unbelievable smarts, grit, and determination of fantastic people. When I received my first check from a florist to license BlueHornet, I knew I had something special. I didn't know it would turn into the premier enterprise email provider that employs 150+, but suweeet!

BlueHornet was acquired in 2004.

bluehornet.com

founder: rea.ch

We think together on how the right big data business opportunity can benefit your small or medium business. We have smart people to build high growth big data projects with education, infrastructure, and tools. Lets get started!

feel the awesome power of big data.

rea.ch

credibility: Kind Words.


Kendall knows emerging technologies, period. His ability to spot the opportunity and rally the momentum necessary to execute viable companies is evident in his success of Blue Hornet. I was recruited by Ken to help develop JellyBarn from the concept level through funding and to its first deliverables. I loved working with him and wold jump at the chance to do it again.

Jason Aplin, Co-Founder jellyBarn.INC.

I have been working with Kendall and ParkerKohl for a couple years now. He always has incredible ideas and in every project he works on, he wows the client. I have been impressed with his initiative and will continue to work with him as long as he finds me useful :-)

Andrew Christensen, PHP God.

Kendall's worked for Image X on a couple of occasions doing consulting work and has done a phenomenal job for us. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him and wished we'd had to resources at the time to keep him on longer as he's definitely a step above in terms of his abilities and is truly a person of integrity.

Glenn Hilton, Owner, ImageXMedia.

Kendall is extremely capable in both original ideas and the expression of them. I've worked with Kendall on a number of projects and each one was completed without complication or confusion due to his ability to clearly state and explain how he would like the finished application to work. I would highly recommend Kendall.

Micah Johnson, Owner, Chief Ingredient.

Kendall Wouters is by far one of the most creative and talented Internet professional I have had the pleasure to work with. Kendall created the entire front and back ends for my company [justmyticket.com] which has become an immediate success. I highly recommend Kendall for any project from concept to completion. He is one of the best.

Kevin Leap, Founder, justmyticket.com

During my tenure as President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Technology Alliance I had the pleasure of getting to know Kendall as he launched and subsequently grew Blue Hornet. He and his team provided service for my small – but technologically active – non profit, and in some respects we grew in tandem.

Kendall brought a level of energy, enthusiasm and professionalism to every aspect of his business development, and he created an environment which was extremely customer focused. He demonstrated integrity and business acumen far beyond that which I would have expected from a young man fresh from college. He lead a young team in successfully executing an innovative strategy and ultimately had a positive exit.

I have kept in touch with Kendall over the years since Blue Hornet, and he has impressed me several times with his creative business concepts. I am certain that he will bring leadership and strength to any entrepreneurial challenge which he undertakes.

Tyler Orion (retired) Chair, UCSD CONNECT Foundation

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