Episode 27: Summize Was on the Wrong Coast
July 15, 2008 · Print This Article
With today’s announcement of the acquisition of Summize by Twitter, Geoff and I lamented the loss of an east coast technology company. More importantly, Summize was a DC Tech startup (but strangely, no one knew about them being here until today).
With Thursday nights Twin Tech Party, celebrating the social media scene AND the veteran technology community fostered by the Northern Virginia Technology Council, we wanted to make sure the Summize Twitter guys knew about it and hope they can make it. I personally would love to congratulate them.
To be clear, let no one say that you can’t start a company in D.C., that you can’t get funded in D.C. and that you can’t have a successful exit in D.C. These guys didn’t sit around drinking beer with us in classic cliché DC social media parties. They quietly went about building their [very young] business, forging strong partnerships and made a very quick, and lucrative (maybe) exit.
Aaron also ranted about everyone shooting Guy Kawasaki over Frienderati on Alltop. The “a-list” is listening, but people bitch nonetheless. Guess it makes them feel important and powerful. However, as a testament to the fact that Guy does listen, as if he hasn’t proven it before, people like Shey are now listed. For the record, the better way to handle complaints would have been to email Guy asking to be listed. He’s good like that. ;-)
Meh, never mattered to me whether I’m listed or not. I have no issue with Guy — just the list.
Wish i hadn’t missed this show live!
Few disconnected comments:
1) Social media consultants/web strategists: It’s amazing what is coming out of the woodwork these days. Perhaps some people would put me in that category (certainly the Post called me both), but i’ve always been a MARKETER. I happen to focus on interactive strategy/experiential marketing/content creation because that’s what i’m passionate about…and social media is about 5% of the interactive strategy discipline…but it’s heavily in demand…i try not to be insulted when people pigeonhole me as a social media expert or something like that…social media is just one of the practice areas I lead at Blattner Brunner, and now council my own clients on if need be. I’m not sure why anyone cares about the phonies and snake-oil salesmen anyway….they won’t be successful and won’t be taken seriously………they’ll just read your blog and emulate what you do.
2) Twin tech: really great comments on this, thanks! We’ve got about 200 folks from the non-dc-social-media-crowd coming out from the NVTC etc. So there should be an interesting mix. Total RSVPs just dinged 800. wild!
3) Fractured community: There are so many niche communities in our region it’s almost impossible to go to all their event and know all the people. That fragmentation is both what makes our area great (diversity, autonomy etc), and what keeps us from being known as The Tech Capitol or something like that. Twin Tech is just a way to mix things up a bit so those niches can overlap more easily. I hope to do it every now and again.
See you out there!
Peter