About Tech Cocktail
Tech Cocktail is a media company and events organization for startups, entrepreneurs, and technology enthusiasts. Since 2006, its goal has been to amplify local tech communities and give entrepreneurs a place to get informed, get connected, and get inspired. Tech Cocktail dedicates itself to covering news, how-to’s, up-and-coming startups, and industry trends online, and hosting events in over 20 cities in the US and abroad.
From a simple community-building event, Tech Cocktail has transformed into a full-fledged media company with thousands of fans, followers, and supporters across the globe. Tech Cocktail has hosted local mixers, breakfasts, conferences, festivals, and other events around the country that have attracted thousands of attendees, educating entrepreneurs as they showcase their latest achievements and the local technology communities they live in.
Working with Tech Cocktail has helped startups find employees, co-founders, funding, and even acquirers. Tech Cocktail has hosted events in Chicago, DC, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Boulder, Austin, and more. A better informed, recognized, and connected tech community is possible through Tech Cocktail. Check out the full schedule of upcoming Tech Cocktail events.
History
The company was co-founded in 2006 by former Tribune and AOL product strategist, long-time tech blogger, and new media pioneer Frank Gruber and early Feedburner employee Eric Olson as a way to better and amplify the local Chicago tech startup scene. In 2010, after over three years as a passion project, Eric moved on to take on new endeavors and Frank teamed up with the leadership of expert technology producer and longtime AOLer Jen Consalvo as the company was reborn into a full-time media company.
The Tech Cocktail executive team of Jen Consalvo and Frank Gruber
Interested in writing for Tech Cocktail?
Do you have a love for technology and all the latest innovations? Do you love startups, social media, mobile apps or new marketing and the tips and tricks of entrepreneurship? Are you a content producing machine with a strong and distinct voice? We are always looking for solid content creators, so if you think you have what it takes and want to be published in front of an audience of tens of thousands of people across the globe, contact us – here. We look forward to hearing from you!
Tech Cocktail Team
Founder, CEO, Executive Editor
Frank Gruber is an entrepreneur and new media journalist focused on sharing his Web product expertise and analysis on Web 2.0, social media and emerging technologies in articles and videos online. His works have been featured in TechCrunch, iMediaConnection, ReadWriteWeb Network and on his popular personal tech blog, Somewhat Frank, which he kept religiously from June 2005 till December 2009 when he redirected energies towards building the Tech Cocktail digital media business, which he co-founded in 2006.
Frank has been dubbed by the Washingtpost Post and LATimes as a “digital nomad” for his on the go work anywhere and everywhere lifestyle. Frank has been listed as a blogger every Isreali startup should know by the Isreali publication, The Marker. Frank was named one of 100 DC Tech Titans by Washingtonian Magazine in May 2009 and May 2011. Frank is also one of Forbes Top 20 Most Media Connected in Tech.
Frank co-founded Tech Cocktail in Chicago (Frank’s hometown – Go Cubs!) in 2006 to help better connect and amplify the local technology signal and have some fun doing it. Since 2006, Tech Cocktail has grown to become a media company offering technology news, events and community-powered projects open to technology enthusiasts, entrepreneurs & professionals interested in the latest technology innovations.
Frank has experience bootstrapping on a variety of start-up endeavors. Frank is a co-founder of Shiny Heart Ventures, a technology start-up focused on building community driven products that remind people of the joys of life. Shiny Heart Ventures first product, Thankfulfor.com is an online gratitude journaling community that has been praised by CNN, TechCrunch and CBS News among others. Shiny Heart Ventures is also co-producer of Digital Capital Week (@DCWEEK), a 10 day festival in Washington DC focused on technology, innovation and all things digital in our nation’s capital.
Frank was formerly a product strategist and evangelist for the Aol social networking group, which included such products as AIM, SocialThing, Goowy, Bebo and ICQ with a focus on communications and lifestreaming products. Frank was instrumental in connecting Aol with a number of industry experts, media and start-ups (some of which were acquired by Aol). Frank’s previous team was also responsible for the launch of the widget driven myAOL personalized homepage/startpage product in 2007. Frank departed Aol right before the Aol spinoff January 1, 2010 (as covered by TechCrunch).
Frank currently lives in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. but travels a lot as he circles the globe speaking, hosting events and helping entrepreneurs, startups and technology communities amplify their local technology signal.
You can find Frank on Twitter @FrankGruber or contact him by email at: frank [at] tech dot co. If you are reaching out to send us your news or to be featured on Tech Cocktail please fill out this form. Please send all sponsorship, partnership and advertising requests here.
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co-founder, coo, editor
Jen Consalvo is Co-Founder and COO of the tech-focused media company, Tech Cocktail, as well as the Founder of Thankfulfor, an online gratitude journal community. She has worked in product development for over a decade, leading large and small teams in a range of product areas such as digital imaging, community & social platforms and personalization. The majority of her career was at AOL, planning and building products used by millions of people globally.
Her deep network across the global technology community enabled her to introduce many entrepreneurs to AOL resulting in interesting new relationships and in some cases, multi-million dollar acquisitions. The most enjoyable part of her role was working together to find areas of potential partnership with these young companies.
Consalvo is also co-producer of Digital Capital Week (@DCWEEK), a week-long festival in Washington DC focused on technology, innovation and all things digital in our nation’s capital. DCWEEK 2011 attracted over ten thousand people.
Jen was named a 2011 Tech Titan by Washingtonian Magazine, was featured in DC Modern Luxury Magazine in “The Smart Set”, in the Washington Post cover story “Digital Nomads Choose Their Tribes” and also in the Huffington Post story “What is Work? Cutting Yourself Free With Heart“. Over the past few years, Jen’s products have been featured in such places as WashingtonPost, TechCrunch, CNET, Mashable and more.
Outside of the tech world, photography, travel and health are her passions. Jen’s photography has been published in The Washington Post, MetroMix, Flavor: Piedmont Magazine of Virginia and KnoxvilleBiz.com. Her book, Love Your Photos: A Simple Guide To Photographic Happiness is available now.
You can find Jen on Twitter @noreaster or contact her by email at: jen [at] tech dot co. If you are reaching out to send us your news or to be featured on Tech Cocktail please fill out this form. Please send all sponsorship, partnership and advertising requests here.
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Director of Events & Operations
Julia Labandz Fischer is a Chicago based events planner and designer; known as an artistic visionary for her passion and ability to create a truly memorable occasion. She began her career while living in San Diego, working for Fortune 500 company, Yahoo!, in the Search Marketing Sales Technology division, where she perfected her entrepreneurial skills and sales techniques in the professional world. During her free time, she volunteered at Urban Kitchen Catering. It was working there that cemented her love for event planning. In 2007, Julia studied Food and Beverage Management at Kendall College and obtained in- depth industry knowledge concerning the most efficient ways to conceive, organize and execute special events, corporate receptions, lavish galas and charity functions. She also acquired insight on maintaining event budgets, site transformation, menu proposals, and creating a custom designed event experience.
As Tech Cocktail’s Event Coordinator, Julia assists in creating events that showcase the technological contributions from up and coming as well as established professionals; offering the latest in community- powered projects, technology news, events, and information. Julia’s devotion to harmonizing her extensive special events knowledge, impeccable style, and attention to detail, ensures that each event will be a successful and worry free affair.
You can contact Julia by email at: julia [at] techcocktail dot com. If you are looking for event promotions please contact us here. Please send all sponsorship, partnership and advertising requests here.
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Director of Marketing & Writer
When Zach Davis isn’t getting lost in the mountains, he is hustling as Tech Cocktail’s Marketing Director from San Francisco, CA. He is the author of Appalachian Trials, a book chronicling the mindset necessary for thru-hiking all 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trail, a feat he accomplished in 2011. Follow Zach on Twitter: @zrdavis.
He received his BBA in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Business. Several minutes thereafter, he was on the road headed West to take a job working in the front office for the San Diego Padres. He has since worked as a self-employed digital marketer and authored a book.
Zach spends his little free time enjoying: non-fiction books, tea, hiking, Chicago sports, traveling, concerts, and conquering fears.
Zach enjoys talking in the third person.
You can contact Zach here: Zach [at] TechCocktail [dot] com. If you are reaching out to send us your news or to be featured on Tech Cocktail please fill out this form. Please send all sponsorship, partnership and advertising requests here.
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Senior Writer
Kira M. Newman is a Tech Cocktail writer interested in startups, innovation, and new trends. In 2012, she returned from a 6-month whirlwind tour of Asia, where she met tons of welcoming, inspiring, and infectiously passionate entrepreneurs. Follow her @kiramnewman.
Kira has been published in the Huffington Post, SocialMatchbox.com, The New Individualist, and American.com. She previously worked as an editor at the American Enterprise Institute in DC.
In college, Kira spent a semester in Paris, where she nurtured her love of the French language and baguettes. When she’s not discussing ideas over coffee, Kira can also be found swing dancing.
You can contact Kira at kira [at] techcocktail [dot] com. But if you are reaching out to send us your news or to be featured on Tech Cocktail please fill out this form.
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client development
Mary Ellen Delaney (@MEOS) is a passionate Development Evangelist with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and extensive experience in cross platform strategy, operations, sales and marketing.
Currently, Mary Ellen drives business and client development at Tech Cocktail, a media company that focuses on startups, emerging technology and entrepreneurial resources. Prior to this, she was with Reed Business Information, the world’s largest business to business publisher, where she spearheaded the Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology vertical and represented five industry trade publications both online and in print – Semi Conductor International, Manufacturing Business Technology, Control Engineering, Consulting Specifying Engineering and Plant Engineering.
Mary Ellen has deep experience in consumer marketing and media sales with Time Warner (Little Brown & Co. Publishing, Time Magazine, HBO and AOL). Her last role was with AOL Media Networks in a Senior Sales Solutions role where she spearheaded the discovery, development and direction of major branded online advertising opportunities.
On the client side, Mary Ellen directed consumer marketing for MediaOne, AT&T Broadband and Comcast. She led several key areas of focus which included acquisition upgrade marketing, branding and partnership marketing, cross channel online management, and promotional management. Mary Ellen holds a BA from Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts. Outside of her passion for technology and mentoring, Mary Ellen loves travel, live music events, theatre, the ocean, and supporting higher education initiatives. Mary Ellen’s greatest role to date is being a Mom to her awesome children.
You can contact Mary Ellen by email at: Maryellen [at] techcocktail dot com. Please send all sponsorship, partnership and advertising requests here.
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director of community
I’m the Director of Community for Tech Cocktail, based in Las Vegas, NV. I coordinate with our ambassadors on the ground, across the Tech Cocktail network, that help us host our events and cover the startups in their cities. Prior, I was the online marketing guy at HelloWallet. I was responsible for crafting and implementing strategies that help us to find, attract, and engage consumer and enterprise audiences using the Web. Additionally, I worked at online sharing & analytics startup Clearspring (now AddThis), where I was responsible for growing, engaging, and supporting our publisher user community that grew under my tenure to 11M people. When I lived in DC, I did a lot of work to coordinate and evangelize the DC technology community. You can find where I live everywhere online at http://about.me/thorpus.
You can contact Justin by email at: justin [at] techcocktail dot com. If you are looking for event promotions please contact us here. Please send all sponsorship, partnership and advertising requests here.
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Events Coordinator
As the Event Coordinator for Tech Cocktail, Kimberly Blackburn fulfills her passion for entrepreneurship and desire to help connect and foster the entrepreneurship world through creating memorable and constructive networking events. Kimberly is based out of Washington DC and in addition to her role as event coordinator she likes to consider herself a permanent tourist.
Prior to her role as Events Coordinator at Tech Cocktail, Kimberly also worked as the Marketing and Training Coordinator for the Maryland Small Business Development Center. At the SBDC she coordinated over 100 training workshops a year for small businesses in the DC Metro area. She also has the opportunity to work as the Events Director for an angel investor group called the Washington DC Archangels, helping to plan their monthly meetings and workshops for companies all across the country.
Previously she was the Event Coordinator at Lendio, Inc., a financial services company in Salt Lake City, where she coordinated 80+ networking and pitching events for investors and entrepreneurs across the U.S. Kimberly is a graduate of Brigham Young University (BYU) with a Bachelors degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship. At BYU she helped found two successful businesses as well implement a sustainable business model for a local orphanage in Ghana.
Besides her passion for entrepreneurship, Kimberly loves trying new things in the kitchen, traveling pretty much anywhere and getting in touch with her crafty side. You can contact Kimberly by email at:
kimblackburn [at] tech dot com. If you are looking for event promotions please
contact us here. Please send all sponsorship, partnership and advertising requests
here.
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Copyeditor & Writer
Meg Rayford holds an MS in Marketing and is currently pursuing an MBA, where she is focusing on the integration of social media in marketing and public relations strategies. She has created, implemented, and managed social media strategies at nonprofit startups, and she helped the Solar Electric Light Fund win an Ashoka’s Changemakers grant competition with her social media skills. She also has written blogs and marketing materials for several Northern Virginia wineries and managed merchandise and marketing initiatives at the Green Party’s National
Headquarters.
Meg has been published in The Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal, Feminist Review, GirlFuture, and inReads. When she’s not writing, tweeting or studying, Meg likes to be outdoors exploring with her husband, or indoors practicing piano.
You can find Meg on Twitter @megkrayford
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Writers & Contributors
Kira M. Newman is a Tech Cocktail writer interested in startups, innovation, and new trends. In 2012, she returned from a 6-month whirlwind tour of Asia, where she met tons of welcoming, inspiring, and infectiously passionate entrepreneurs.
Kira has been published in the Huffington Post, Social Media Monthly, The New Individualist, and American.com. She previously worked as an editor at the American Enterprise Institute in DC.
In college, Kira spent a semester in Paris, where she nurtured her love of the French language and baguettes. When she’s not discussing ideas over coffee, Kira can also be found swing dancing.
You can contact Kira at kira [at] tech [dot] co or @kiramnewman.
Find Kira on: Google
Frank Gruber is an entrepreneur and new media journalist focused on sharing his Web product expertise and analysis on Web 2.0, social media and emerging technologies in articles and videos online. His works have been featured in TechCrunch, iMediaConnection, ReadWriteWeb Network and on his popular personal tech blog, Somewhat Frank, which he kept religiously from June 2005 till December 2009 when he redirected energies towards building the Tech Cocktail digital media business, which he co-founded in 2006.
Frank has been dubbed by the Washingtpost Post and LATimes as a “digital nomad” for his on the go work anywhere and everywhere lifestyle. Frank has been listed as a blogger every Isreali startup should know by the Isreali publication, The Marker. Frank was named one of 100 DC Tech Titans by Washingtonian Magazine in May 2009 and May 2011. Frank is also one of Forbes Top 20 Most Media Connected in Tech.
Frank co-founded Tech Cocktail in Chicago (Frank’s hometown – Go Cubs!) in 2006 to help better connect and amplify the local technology signal and have some fun doing it. Since 2006, Tech Cocktail has grown to become a media company offering technology news, events and community-powered projects open to technology enthusiasts, entrepreneurs & professionals interested in the latest technology innovations.
Frank has experience bootstrapping on a variety of start-up endeavors. Frank is a co-founder of Shiny Heart Ventures, a technology start-up focused on building community driven products that remind people of the joys of life. Shiny Heart Ventures first product, Thankfulfor.com is an online gratitude journaling community that has been praised by CNN, TechCrunch and CBS News among others. Shiny Heart Ventures is also co-producer of Digital Capital Week (@DCWEEK), a 10 day festival in Washington DC focused on technology, innovation and all things digital in our nation’s capital.
Frank was formerly a product strategist and evangelist for the Aol social networking group, which included such products as AIM, SocialThing, Goowy, Bebo and ICQ with a focus on communications and lifestreaming products. Frank was instrumental in connecting Aol with a number of industry experts, media and start-ups (some of which were acquired by Aol). Frank’s previous team was also responsible for the launch of the widget driven myAOL personalized homepage/startpage product in 2007. Frank departed Aol right before the Aol spinoff January 1, 2010 (as covered by TechCrunch).
Frank currently lives in Washington, D.C. but travels a lot as he circles the globe speaking, hosting events and helping entrepreneurs, startups and technology communities amplify their local technology signal.
You can find Frank on: Google.
When Zach Davis isn't getting lost in the mountains, he is hustling as Tech Cocktail's Marketing Director from Boulder, CO. He is the author of Appalachian Trials,, a book chronicling the mindset necessary for thru-hiking all 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trail, a feat he accomplished in 2011. Follow Zach on Twitter: @zrdavis.
Zach received his BBA in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Business. Several minutes thereafter, he was on the road headed West to take a job working in the front office for the San Diego Padres. He has since worked as a self-employed digital marketer and authored Appalachian Trials (endorsed by Tim Ferriss).
Zach spends his little free time enjoying: non-fiction books, tea, hiking, Chicago sports, traveling, concerts, and conquering fears.
Zach enjoys talking in the third person.
Visit Zach's personal site.
Connect with him on Facebook
E-mail Zach: Zach [at] TechCocktail [dot] com
Find Zach on The: Google.
Meg Rayford is a writer and media analyst based in Fairfax, VA, with clients including PBS, The Pentagon, and several DC-area technology firms. She received an M.B.A. and M.S. in marketing from the University of Maryland's University College, and she completed her undergraduate work in psychology and journalism at UMass.
When Meg isn't writing, editing, and analyzing media messages, she likes to unplug and head out to the Virginia mountains, or down to the beaches in her home state of South Carolina, with her husband and their family.
Jen Consalvo (@noreaster) is COO and co-editor of Tech Cocktail as well as the co-founder of Shiny Heart Ventures, a technology startup focused on building community driven products that remind people of the joys of life. She has worked in product development for almost 14 years, leading large and small teams in a range of product areas such as digital imaging, community & social platforms and personalization. The majority of her career was at AOL, planning and building products used by millions of people globally.
Her deep network across the global technology community enabled her to introduce many entrepreneurs to AOL resulting in interesting new relationships and in some cases, multi-million dollar acquisitions. The most enjoyable part of her role was working together to find areas of potential partnership with these young companies. Jen is now testing out life on the flip-side at Tech Cocktail and SHV.
Shiny Heart Ventures’ first product, Thankfulfor.com is an online gratitude journaling community as covered by CNN, TechCrunch and CBS News among others. The company recently launched Shiny Maine Lobster in partnership with Jen’s family business in Maine. Shiny Heart Ventures is also co-producer of Digital Capital Week (@DCWEEK), a 10 day festival in Washington DC focused on technology, innovation and all things digital in our nation’s capital.
Ms. Consalvo was featured in the 2009 Washington Post cover story “Digital Nomads Choose Their Tribes” and in the Huffington Post story “What is Work? Cutting Yourself Free With Heart“. She is also a contributing writer to the Network Solutions blog, Women Grow Business and Huffington Post. Over the past few years, Jen’s products have been featured in such places as WashingtonPost, TechCrunch, CNET, Mashable and more.
Outside of the tech world, photography, travel and health are her passions. Her blogs include JenConsalvo.com and BodySoulConnect.com. Jen’s photography has most recently been published in The Washington Post, MetroMix, Flavor: Piedmont Magazine of Virginia and KnoxvilleBiz.com. Her new book, Love Your Photos: A Simple Guide To Photographic Happiness is available now.
You can contact Jen by email at: jen [at] techcocktail dot com
Marla Shaivitz not only writes about startups, she has experienced the startup life herself.
After a traditional career start in the PR department at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, she went to work for the first of three startup companies. The first is too brief to mention, the second, a firm with a web portal product for nonprofits and associations. After the proverbial dot com bubble burst and the company laid everyone off, Marla along with others in the group focused their energies on a new company, providing Internet strategy and consulting to those in the association and nonprofit sector.
She continues to work with nonprofit organizations providing training, strategy consulting and web development.
Offline pursuits include running, reading, volunteering (e.g. TEDxMidAtlantic, and The Samaritan Women: the largest urban farm in Baltimore City and transitional home for women in recovery).
Glen Hellman is an angel investor, serial entrepreneur, and works for venture capitalists as a turn-around specialist. He is the Chief Entrepreneureator at Driven Forward LLC, frequently muses on his blog, Forward Thinking, and works with entrepreneurs to help them figure out what to do and get them to do it. He’s a member of the board of The University of Maryland’s, Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, a Vistage chair and mentor at the Founder Institute.
Glen’s been VP and General Manager for 3Com, the CEO of Ikimbo (an innovative, early market, social media company), the President and COO of Proxy Governance (a company that advised institutional investors and pension funds on the corporate governance practices of their portfolio companies), and the CEO of IntelliPark – a next generation parking meter manufacturer.
He has a background in marketing and branding, running large sales organizations and product management. He writes on corporate strategy, executive leadership and the venture capital industry.
Glen lives in Oakton, Virginia with the love of his life, Nancy and has two less than lousy boys who make him very proud. Sadly he can’t blame the fullness of his life for his lack of skill as a hockey player.
More about Glen on Linkedin glenahellman.
Will Schmidt received his BA in English from the University of San Diego in December 2011. He graduated with too many poems to remember, short stories that far exceed the prerequisites to be considered “short,” one screenplay that looks like a hurricane edited it, and a heaping pile of news articles that clog his desk surface. He’s always writing and doesn’t think he could stop if he wanted to. He constantly seeks new ways to extend the reach of his training, and Tech Cocktail is the perfect canvas to paint his next masterpiece.
Mark Bebawy is a Washington, D.C. metro native with a passion for all things web, social media, and startup related. Mark has an extensive background in technology, having worked in the field running his own IT consulting company that catered to small business and currently as an IT systems specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools.
Mark has been a Community Manager since 2008. You can find Mark’s articles on Tech Cocktail – articles by Mark Bebawy.
You can contact Mark by email at: mark [at] techcocktail dot com
Trisha is a Tech Cocktail intern with a passion for writing and design. She is a rising third year at the University of Virginia majoring in Media Studies and minoring in Studio Art.
Trisha has worked at Time Warner Cable, assisting RR.com with leveraging Web 2.0 and social media in its future enhancements and spearheading the development of house ads for the site. She currently works with the UVa Football Recruitment Office, assisting with everything from the production of marketing collateral to game day operations. Trisha hopes to one day get into digital and/or entertainment marketing.
Outside the interweb, Trisha enjoys going to concerts, kickboxing, impromptu road trips, event planning and any movie with Harrison Ford.
You can contact Trisha at trisha[at] techcocktail [dot] com.
Samantha is an innovative journalist and digital marketer with diverse experience. In addition to being a Tech Cocktail contributor, Sam runs SLS Consulting, a digital marketing, partnerships, and social media strategy practice, is the Programming Director for Social Media Club San Francisco, and runs her own photography business where she specializes in family photography in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Samantha’s entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity have contributed to her drive to be involved with business processes, and product design and delivery. Samantha graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications.
Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011) and #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010).
Jeff Tong is a social media strategist in Washington DC and has been a long-time volunteer at Tech Cocktail. He is also a photographer and musician. Follow Jeff online at @gundamwing4132.
Barbara Maldonado is the Social Media Strategist at Legacy Marketing Partners, one of the top Experiential Marketing agencies in the country. With more than twelve years work experience in digital, experiential, mobile and social media marketing for Fortune 500 brands, Barbara is focusing on social media and digital engagement extensions of Legacy’s agency projects. Given her passion with mobile, social and interactive marketing, Barbara has held several Chair positions within professional organizations in Chicago and currently serves as the Chair for the 2011 Heartland Mobile Council Mobile University to be held at the Spertus Institute on May 24-25, 2011.
A graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Barbara spends her free time mentoring college students and professionals in social emerging technology, following foodie pursuits and spending time with her family. Barbara can be reached for questions at bmaldonado@legacymp.com.
Lindsey C. Holmes is the CEO/Lead Strategist of LCH Business SM & Tech, a digital marketing firm based in Newark, NJ, with an office also in Washington, DC. LCH specializes in social media marketing campaigns and strategy, mobile application development, and tech/ GTD/Evernote workflows. Lindsey is the Evernote Small Business Ambassador, a self-taught developer, a proud geek, and mom of a shih-tzu named Banks; and spends her free time converting the masses to understand and apply the technology that will make their lives better. Follow her on Twitter @lindseycholmes.
Stephanie Nguyen is as serious about digital media as she is about her quest to find the most authentic, Vietnamese banh mí sandwich in her hometown of Falls Church. She is an analyst at a worldwide data analytics firm and her tastes skew toward tech startups, creative advertising and all things digital. Follow Stephanie on Twitter @nguyenist.
Malcolm Hong is a writer and tech advocate with a passion for innovation. He’s connected to entrepreneurism and technology through his work managing the activities of the Idaho Technology Council, the state’s largest member-driven association that fosters the growth of Idaho’s tech ecosystem. Originally from Hawaii, Malcolm quickly realized that Idaho does a great job of growing startups, not just potatoes. Follow Malcolm on Twitter: @IDTechCou
Clint Costa is an attorney and CPA with the Chicago law firm of Harrison & Held, LLP, working with startups, entrepreneurs, and privately held companies on all manner of official-sounding legal and tax matters. Reach Clint at ccosta@harrisonheld.com or (312) 803-7104.
Micah Cohen is a Tech Cocktail writer interested in startups, innovation and growth strategies. Currently, Micah is a Director at the fast-growing social dining LA startup, Grubwithus, and previously worked on user acquisition at LivingSocial.
Micah is passionate about using technology to re-imagine our world across industries, social classes, and countries. He loves playing soccer, painting, and biking.
You can follow him on Twitter @miccohen
Andrew Cross is a Tech Cocktail contributor and an account director at Walker Sands Communications in Chicago, where he handles PR strategy and media relations for tech companies. He covers tech startups, particularly those based out of the Midwest. Contact Andrew at andrew[at]gmail[dot]com or on Twitter @Andrew_R_Cross.
I’m the founder and CEO of Cloudigy Law, and I’ve joined the Tech Cocktail crew as
a guest contributor to 1) have an excuse to hang out with cool people who share my
zeal for bleeding-edge technologies and start-up companies, and 2) write about “da
law” (because funny and interesting legal issues that technology enthusiasts should
care about surface every day).
So who am I? For the last decade, I’ve worked with mostly large (as in, Fortune
500) companies that needed counseling on patent, trademark, copyright, and trade
secret issues (IP law stuff). I also defend these companies or their IP rights in court.
Now that I’ve started my own law firm, I get to work with small and medium size
companies too.
I am an unabashed technophile, which dovetail’s nicely with our IP and technology
law practice. In fact, one of the reasons I love my day job is because it’s about 50%
technology and 50% law.
Last, but not least, I am a recovering BIGLAW lawyer. If you don’t know what that
means, run a Google® search on the term. You don’t Google® it (verb) because
it’s not nice to use trademarks as verbs. Companies can lose their trademark
protection if everyone starts doing it. That was a fun legal tidbit, no?
Feel free to drop me a line—questions, comments, dinner-party invites, technology
advice, and future post ideas are welcomed.
Ronald Barba is an associate writer for Tech Cocktail and a freelance writer covering culture, politics, and tech. He has previously worked on digital strategy for DC-based NGOs. He studied politics and philosophy from the University of Virginia, but is honestly more interested in the study of tacos and cheesecake. When he isn't wandering Goodreads, Ronald is reading about tech and Internet policy/law or watching Doctor Who. In addition to startups, he covers the DC tech scene and politics as they relate to the startup/entrepreneur community.
Follow Ronald on Twitter: @RonaldPBarba.
Gulnara is passionate about technology and startups. Her goal is to make Washington, D.C. a vibrant startup playground. She is the Founder of twosidebrain.com and an Event Organizer for Weekly DC Nightowls Co-Working Sessions.
Gulnara has a strong financial background and is currently working on analyzing and valuing companies for credit financing. When not crunching numbers, interviewing amazing people or writing articles, Gulnara can be found snowboarding around the US.
Follow her @Gulnara , @twosidebrain and @DCNightowls
Amy Schmittauer is the Founder & Face of Savvy Sexy Social. She is a "social media frenzy" working in social relations consulting, blogging, and, of course, vlogging. She shares a glimpse into her life on her YouTube channel. Connect with Amy on Twitter at @schmittastic.
Julissa Arce is a technology entreprenuer and writer on innovation and start-ups. She is a co-founder and chief product officer of Common Equity, and leads the SocStock product team. Julissa is passionate about technology and financial innovation.
Previous to founding Common Equity, she was a Vice-President at Goldman Sachs in the Private Wealth Management Structured Product Business. As the second person on the team, she was instrumental to starting and growing the business to over $4bn in annual transactions, by leading teams of engineers in building reporting and trading systems, managing the scale process, and generating over $5bn in transactions. In her last three years at the firm, she headed the Latin American effort for the Structured Products Business. Julissa earned a degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin.
Beyond building a business and writing about interesting start-ups, Julissa is a globe-trotter, die-hard fan of Longhorn college football, and passionate about providing access to education to high potential youth and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Esperanza Educational Fund.
You can read about her travels and adventures at mynextlife (http://www.mynextlife.tumblr.com/), and follow her passion for college football at heartfootball (http://www.heartfootball.tumblr.com/).
Ash Nadkarni is in her final year of residency in Psychiatry at Boston Medical Center and is the co-founder of Appguppy, a mobile startup that makes it fast and free to create and distribute mobile apps to any smartphone OS without coding. You can follow her on Twitter at @appguppy.
Guest author Jinesh Parekh is the founder of Idyllic Software, a Ruby on Rails development shop which exclusively works as technical partners with startups and small businesses. He has 10+ years of software development experience working with startups and large businesses in Chicago. Having realized the need for a reliable technical partner that not only delivers software, but helps build a business, he founded Idyllic Software. Apart from his business, Jinesh proactively mentors students and entrepreneurs in their hero’s journey as time permits, thus giving back to the community in his own little way. You can reach out to Jinesh at jparekh [at] idyllic-software [dot] com.
Danny Boice is the CTO of Speek - a 500 Startups-funded startup that lets users do conference calls with a simple link (speek.com/YourName) rather than using phone numbers and PINs. A serial startup/technology entrepreneur and executive, Danny started his career as a software engineer working for startups like Network Solutions and MusicMaker.com in the 90′s. You can find Danny on Twitter @DannyBoice.
Evan Burfield is passionately committed to turning the D.C. region into the center of entrepreneurial efforts to reinvent America. A serial entrepreneur, Evan is the chairman of Startup DC, the chairman and founder of Synteractive, the chairman and co-founder of Hallway.co, and a mentor with The Fort.
Evan’s community leadership flows from his belief in entrepreneurship as the engine for solving the major problems facing America and the world today -- from education to energy efficiency. As chairman of Startup DC, part of the Startup America Partnership, he has pioneered bold initiatives for expanding startup activity in these areas, such as K Street Capital and Reboot America. Evan also works closely with aspiring young entrepreneurs through venture acceleration within high schools.
Evan became an entrepreneur in 1996 when he founded netDecide, shortly after graduating from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Before he turned 25, he built netDecide into the leading provider of enterprise wealth management solutions for top tier financial service firms such as Bank of America and Ernst & Young, before selling netDecide to Informa in 2003. In 2005, Evan graduated with First Class bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Joint Honors Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford. While at Oxford, he won the Webb Medley prize for most outstanding thesis for his work on the effects of organizational incentives on knowledge sharing. In parallel to his studies at Oxford, Evan was also the Director of Strategy for Oakwood Global Finance, where he led the private equity firm’s analyses of new global markets and new business models in financial services. In 2006, Evan returned to Washington, D.C. to found Synteractive, a consulting firm that builds innovative social apps for startups, corporations, and government agencies. Synteractive was honored as #64 on the 2010 Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies in America and was named the 2010 Microsoft Federal Partner of the Year for their innovative work in building Recovery.gov.
Douglas manages the social media strategy for a Microsoft division that works exclusively with startups. He works with internal partners in product groups like Windows 8, Windows Azure, Windows Phone and others to create an integrated marketing channel from startups to Microsoft and back. His work entails curating great content, showcasing the work of startups, and managing the way developer evangelists in Microsoft use social media to engage with their audiences.
