Local Business Models

Please join us for the August 6 Ultra Light Startups event on Local Business Models.

Please note that we do charge admission for Ultra Light Startups events - but for various reasons we do not use the Meetup.com payment system. The price is either $10 or $20 if you pay online (depending on whether you are an entrepreneur and pitch your venture during our "introductions by elevator pitch") or $30 (cash only) if you pay at the door. There are a limited number of seats available at the discounted price for online registration and these nearly always sell out well before the meeting date. To ensure your seat and to secure the lowest price for admission please register online. We hope to see you there!

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[list]Target audience:

Startups whose business model requires engagement with geographically specific businesses (online or offline) and/or consumers interacting with these businesses

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[list]Topics:

What are examples of successful startups with local business models?

Common challenges faced by local startups and strategies for addressing them, including:

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Identifying businesses and consumers in regions relevant to your startup

Targeted marketing to local businesses and consumers. Can this be done through strictly online marketing or does it require a physical (sales/marketing) presence in the target region? How can this physical presence be outsourced for 'ultra light' entrepreneurs?

Dealing with varying levels of technology capability in local businesses and consumers. What are there 'lowest common denominator' problems that are unique to local business models? What level of technical capability can be assumed of local businesses and consumers?

Developing a 'critical mass' of users in a target region. Making a locally targeted service useful even with a small number of users. Leveraging a critical mass of users in one region to generate usage in another.

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What features of mobile devices and applications facilitate engaging local businesses and consumers?

Capabilities of mobile advertising networks and niches where startups have been successful working with them.

What challenges are unique to business models targeting local businesses vs local consumers?

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[list]Moderator:

Murat Aktihanoglu, Founder and CEO of Centrl Inc, and organizer of the Entrepreneur's Roundtable

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[list]Panelists (alphabetic order):

Court Cunningham, CEO of Yodle.com

Mark Josephson, CEO of Outside.In

Mark Potts, Co-Founder and CEO of GrowthSpur

Landy Ung, Co-Founder and CEO of 8coupons.com and founder of the hyperlocal roundtable

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