I’ve recently been asked by a couple different incoming college students on the best ways to get involved with the tech scene. They both had short and long term goals combined with a passion for tech startups. If they keep it up they’ll be prime targets for internship and full time positions with Boston area startups soon. But when they asked me about joining a startup now or in the Fall I told them what some people would hate me for saying...

“Don’t do it.”

Ok so you did your homework on the company, convinced the team you’re a genius and owned the interview that got you your first startup job. But… now what do you do?

Startups are notorious for hiring fast and firing fast. Just because you got the job doesn’t mean you’re safe because most companies need someone that’s going to jump in on the first day and hit the ground running. Here’s three mantras I’ve kept that has helped me be successful at all my previous start up gigs:

I consider The Callbacks, the comedy group I founded at BU to be my first successful startup.The following posts is a series of lessons I learned while leading them:

Building the Brand (2 of 3)

I’ve never met someone working on a startup that didn’t think their product was innately better than their competitors’, but I’ve often met entrepreneurs having trouble raising awareness and elevating their startup’s brand. When I started The Callbacks we reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of our competitors and decided our values would differentiate us from BU’s other comedy groups. The following are lessons I learned while building that brand:

Sitting in the Austin airport as I prepare to return to Boston after my first SXSW, I've realized I've just completed a truly one of a kind experience. It sounds cheesy, but it really is unlike anything else and until you go, you really won't understand it. Still, in my effort to share what I know, I'd like to share my lessons learned from a number of rookie mistakes.

With fall in full swing, many of you are probably checking out the Boston startup community for the first time. Whether you’re a student with your first great startup idea or someone looking to leave a big company for a startup, there’s a few things you should keep in mind to make the most of your networking experience.

Even the seasoned Entrepreneur does not necessarily get the product, revenue model, or target customer right the first time, but if you continue to innovate, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Follow these three principles and you have a better shot of getting your venture off the ground. 

Networking events can be a great way to meet potential partners, clients and even friends.  From my last article, you should now be in tip-top shape on how to mentally prepare, but now you may be curious on what to do once you actually walk in the door.

Set the scene: The elevator doors open and you step out onto the 11^th Floor of the Microsoft NERD Center (quick plug: it’s an awesome space).  You grab your name badge and look out upon the vast sea of people. Panic sets in, “what do I do now!?" 

All startups wish to be featured on MSNBC, the New York Times, Mashable and other huge media outlets, and some really awesome startups do. But how can a new, small startup manage to close media features and mentions without paying a $5000+ monthly retainer? Here's a few pieces of advice I've learned along the way:

 4 Ways to do Public Relations Cheap