SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
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SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
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Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#2On the point about buying a badge: I've been coming to a similar conclusion. I went in 2011 and 2012 and paid for a badge both years -- but literally went to one session last year and didn't really feel like I got my money's worth. I skipped this year but had I gone, I don't think I would have paid the ~$750.
Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#3I'm not sure what the relationship is between an A Capella group and entrepreneurs is... But I can tell you why the cops showed up.
SXSW the brand is very powerful - if you are an artist, being able to say that you performed at SXSW means that you'll be able to book better/larger venues, and perhaps get a better deal with a record company.
As a result, there are several artists who show up each year and stage ad-hoc performances like the ones who played while being driven around on a trailer. They don't pay venue fees (a source of revenue for Austin), and are now say "We're cool - we played at SXSW". In other words, glomming onto the brand that SXSW has worked to create.
Austin PD will shut down unauthorized performances for this reason, as well as general crowd control & liability reasons. It's not because SXSW has become this big evil corporation - they're good people. But now that they're the size they are, they have to do certain things.
You'll see the same things happen at Fun Fun Fun Fest this fall, and for the same reasons.
OK, back to early-stage entrepreneurs. I got to (over)hear about a dozen elevator pitches, and it's still very much a happening scene. Compared to last year, I didn't hear the word "coupon" nearly as much. :)
Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#4I definitely love the comment about not succumbing to FOMO and not launching there. SxSW is a big jam with so much noise you're unlikely to get noticed. You should only attend if you have a good sense of how to maximize your time there.
Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#5I'm not sure what the relationship is between an A Capella group and entrepreneurs is... But I can tell you why the cops showed up. SXSW the brand is very powerful - if you are an artist, being able to say that you performed at SXSW means that you'll be able to book better/larger venues, and perhaps get a better deal with a record company. As a result, there are several artists who show up each year and stage ad-hoc…
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Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#6In my 5 days at SXSWi - I heard at least 50 Early Stage startups pitch, met their people, heard their stories. It was a GREAT year for large and small companies alike. Stop being so dramatic.
Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#7You definitely don't need a badge. I've found that you don't get any real value from attending panels. To your point, you can get some value if you are on a panel.
SXSW is still great for meeting people serendipitously and getting a chance to meet with people from all over that would take weeks of travel otherwise.
I didn't have a badge the past 2 years and was able to attend anything that was actually worthwhile to attend.
Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#8You didn't get shut down because of SXSW, you got shut down because you started singing in the lobby of a big downtown hotel without asking permission. Pinning it on "SXSW, Inc." is disingenuous.
Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#9I think there is this huge expectation when it comes to sxsw for early stage startups. It's just a festival with lots and lots of people and that tends to attract both new and old companies to show off their products/talent. I was there too pitching my startup to whoever I had a conversation with. It was really interesting and I must say just watching the product being used by people I pitched was very overwhelming and insightful. It really made me rethink certain aspects/features of the product. At the end we did end up signing up over 200 new users and some of them seems to have adopted the platform. I did not buy the badge this year although there were times I felt I should have. I do recommend going there if you can afford. Simply to network, have fun and learn as much as possible.
Re: SxSW – Lost That Loving Feeling for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
#10A few random comments on this article:
The Austin Chronicle is a little out of place in that list of huge corporations.
In regards to stopping the impromptu musical performance: Could you imagine the chaos if every musician that wanted to could bust out on whatever street or hotel lobby they wanted during SXSW?
SXSW is a great place to launch -- if you have the right product. It doesn't have to cut through all of the buzz, just pique the interest of the right people. Now if you are talking about throwing a lot of money into a launch party or something like that, yeah, probably not the right place. You'll never spend enough money or come up with a gimmick that is going to garner more than a raised eyebrow.
But beyond that SXSW is a great place to get together with like minded people in a time and place that everyone has marked off as social time. The re-invigoration factor alone is worth the price of admission, IMHO.