“Tracky is a lot like a mullet: all business in the front, all social party in the back,” their website jokes.
Tracky’s results are real and practical: you can manage multiple projects, keep track of to-do’s and timelines, and assign tasks. Unlike other project management tools, plans are based on the individual (rather than the company) so you keep your data even if you leave a job.
But the Las Vegas startup also embraces the fun. It’s almost like a social network, allowing you to plan a vacation to Hawaii, get feedback on a new idea, or share an interesting article.
Below, founder and CEO David Gosse shares a bit about startup lessons he’s learned, his entrepreneurial style, and Tracky.
Tech Cocktail: What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn so far?
David Gosse: The passing of Jody Sherman here in Vegas and the reality that startups don’t really get the support they need until it is often too late.
Tech Cocktail: How do you keep your team motivated at the office?
Gosse: Humor, changing projects up a lot, our Vegas hackweeks, and achieving milestones.
Tech Cocktail: What common startup advice do you completely disagree with?
Gosse: This massive push for lean startup methodology. Not all startups fit that mold and just because Silicon Valley is pushing out media that says it is the best method, in reality it largely benefits the portfolio investing style of the incubators and accelerators. Most companies are given just enough money to fail royally. The majority of the successful companies we all now commonly know raised huge rounds right from the beginning.
Tech Cocktail: What’s the best entrepreneurship book you’ve read and why?
Gosse: Start With Why – Simon Sinek. I really believe people are motivated by why you do something, not what you do.
Tech Cocktail: If you had an extra $1,000 to spend on marketing, what would you do?
Gosse: Giveaways so that the money actually flows through to my users or throw a party for my community.
Tech Cocktail: What trend are you excited about as a user or consumer?
Gosse: Big data. Yeah, that is uber geeky. But I really hope data starts to correlate. We have all this historic user data – make my life easier already and find out ways to help me.
Tech Cocktail: What keeps you motivated on the hard days?
Gosse: My team. Accomplishments. The #VegasTech community. Our shareholders who continue to support us. Feedback from users who rave about what we are building.
Tech Cocktail: What do you wish someone had told you about startup life?
Gosse: Find a community early on.
Tech Cocktail: How do you unwind on the weekend?
Gosse: Work up a crazy appetite by hiking and mountain biking till I can hardly move. Then fire up the grill and chow!
Tech Cocktail: What’s the most encouraging sign of success you’ve seen so far?
Gosse: Major financial reinvestment from existing clients.
Tech Cocktail: What’s your crazy, long-term, huge vision?
Gosse: Massive online global collaboration using our platform.
Tech Cocktail: Why should I use your product, in 140 characters or fewer?
Gosse: Amazingly simple collaboration using the best productivity tools all in one platform.
Tech Cocktail: What’s one quirky fact about your team?
Gosse: Our team does these amazing “hackweeks” in Vegas. The whole team flies into town, we rent a house and just bond. It’s awesome.
Tracky was showcased at our Tech Cocktail Week mixer in Las Vegas. Tech Cocktail also uses Tracky.