Inside VT KnowledgeWorks

With Software, Smaller Is Better

An excerpt from Small, Efficient Teams are Best, Henry's Web Log.  Henry Bass is the founder and president of VT KnowledgeWorks member company Automation Creations, Inc.:

Smaller-is-better axioms from our experience at ACI:

• The average size of a custom software development firm is 5 to 11 full time employees (ACI is currently 15)


• The corporate dynamic changes when a company goes from 20 to 35+; enter middle management and more layers.


• Bigger size = more communication needs = more meetings.


• Software developers HATE meetings.


• Small firms typically need employees to wear more hats. This diversity gives smart developers higher job satisfaction.


• Looking at the public company annual reports, the traditional "economies of scale" don't apply to custom software development.

VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship world-wide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships. It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual. Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

You're invited to keep in-the-know about VT KnowledgeWorks on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, The Branch Group, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, New River Valley Intellectual Property Law, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).

3 Quick Tips on What NOT to Do When Pitching to Investors

From Rebecca Conner of VT KnowledgeWorks sponsor LeClairRyan. A version of this post first appeared on Handshake 2.0. 

Much advice exists on what to do when making a presentation to potential investors. Here are three quick tips on what not to do during a pitch to potential investors.

1. Do not engage in distracting behavior (e.g. messing with change in your pockets). Remove all change and keys from your pockets or jewelry that jangles.

2. Do not read the slides. You will lose the audience, and it might appear that you are uncomfortable or unsure of your business.

3. Do not go on and on about your idea. Observe the 80/20 rule. Use 80% of your time to talk about the business; use 20% of your time to talk about the science or technology.

Rebecca B. Conner, attorney at law with LeClairRyan, focuses her practice on emerging growth companies in a variety of practice areas including entity selection and formation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property matters, and a variety of financing transactions, including, but not limited to, venture capital transactions. Ms. Conner also regularly advises clients concerning issues relating to technology contracts.

VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship world-wide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships. It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual. Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

You're invited to keep in-the-know about VT KnowledgeWorks on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, The Branch Group, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, New River Valley Intellectual Property Law, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).

VT KnowledgeWorks Success Showcase: Venveo

VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship world-wide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships. It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual. Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

VT KnowledgeWorks Success Showcase: Venveo

Company's Full Name: Venveo

Year Founded: 2007

Year Company Entered VT KnowledgeWorks: 2009

Total Number of Employees When Entered: 1

Total Number of Employees to Date: 9

Overview of Company’s Products/Services, and Significance to the Market

Venveo is a Communications Agency that focuses on Digital Marketing.  What sets us apart is in our ability help our clients position themselves in their industries to accomplish any number of business goals (increased sales, increased awareness). After working through the strategy to get them to this place, we execute in the form of online marketing campaigns, websites, video production, etc. All of our projects have a focus on metrics so we can measure the ROI on any project. 

Company Accomplishments

We have won a number of Webby Awards, Hermes Awards, and have been featured in the Wall Street Journal as well as the Roanoke Times. We have also doubled our size every year we’ve been in VT KnowledgeWorks.

Zach Williams, Founder
Venveo
2000 Kraft Drive, Suite 1204
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Telephone 1.800.285.3994
Fax 1.800.285.3994

View the Success Showcase on Inside VT KnowledgeWorks

You're invited to keep in-the-know about VT KnowledgeWorks on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, The Branch Group, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, New River Valley Intellectual Property Law, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).

Great News for Entrepreneurs

Excerpt and addition to Great News for Entrepreneurs by Jim Flowers, Executive Director, VT KnowledgeWorks:

Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler makes a compelling case for unbridled optimism. Every current or prospective entrepreneur should watch this video, and then buy the book.

Don't get me or Diamandis wrong. An entrepreneur must still follow all the rules that lead to success. It's just that she probably does not have to worry much about an apocalytpic collapse of the world's economy destroying her business. Putting all that MOXIE to work is not likely to be a futile effort.

Read this, then re-view the Diamandis video.

Life may be particularly challenging at any local level, but the overall course of the human condition does, in fact, seem to be on a promising trajectory.  It reminds me of the old comparison between a recession and a depression.  If your business is off, it's a recession.  If you're out of work, it's a depression.  The view from within a hurricane is radically different from the satellite image of the storm.

VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship world-wide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships. It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual. Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

You're invited to keep in-the-know about VT KnowledgeWorks on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, The Branch Group, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, New River Valley Intellectual Property Law, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).

VTKW Sponsor Showcase: Montgomery County, Virginia Economic Development Department

Pictured left to right: Brian Hamilton, Economic Development Director, Brenda Rigney, Project Manager, Existing Business, Charlie Jewell, Project Manager, Business Attraction and Marketing

The Montgomery County, Virginia Economic Development Department is a local government agency dedicated to serving the residents and businesses of Montgomery County, Virginia.  The Department works with its many partners and allies to support the startup, retention and expansion of companies in Montgomery County - including Blacksburg and Christiansburg - as well as to attract new targeted industries to the community.

Thank you, Montgomery County, Virginia Economic Development Department, for sponsoring the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Partnership Week!

The third annual VT KnowledgeWorks Global Partnership Week will bring university students, faculty, and staff from all over the world together to congregate, collaborate, form partnerships, and build their global networks. The Global Partnership is a multi-layered, ongoing cooperative association of regions building permanent social, academic, and business relationships.

• Learn more about the VT KnowledgeWorks Partnership Week
• Read the announcement of the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Partnership Week 2012
• Download the free VT KnowledgeWorks Global Directory for the Android or for iPhone or other iOS devices
• View the Global Partnership category on Inside VT KnowledgeWorks
• View the Global Student Business Concept Challenge on Inside VT KnowledgeWorks
• Be a global host family
• Join our sponsors

These generous sponsors make this very special week of education, competition, relaxation, and relationship building possible: The Allegheny Logistics Group, CCS-Inc., Montgomery County, Virginia Economic Development Department, G.J. Hopkins Inc., Interactive Achievement, Inc., NetVentures, Novozymes, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Rackspace, SAIC, Shentel, StellarOne Bank, SunTrust Bank, TechLab, Third Security, The Branch Group Inc., Virginia Tech, Virginia Corporate Research Center, and VPT, Inc.

VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship world-wide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships. It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual.  Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, The Branch Group, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, LeClairRyan, New River Valley Intellectual Property Law, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).