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Posts Tagged ‘ryan holmes’

Social Media Dashboard and VC Funding on Web 20 Show

February 19th, 2010

Ryan Holmes Movember at TedX Vancouver by KK

Do you know the Web20 show? Well you should and not just to hear Ryan Holmes, Founder of HootSuite talk about pursuing VC funding and the joys of iterating your product. Here’s how they set up the segment:

We talked about how they iterated to get to the full on Social Media Dashboard that HootSuite aims to be. Originally it was just Twitter in their Radar, but soon after they pulled in Facebook, LinkedIn and Ping.fm to use as sources for your social content.

In the “Twitter client” space and the Social Media Dashboard space, there is a lot of demand for features and the competition is strong. Ryan helps us to understand what they are doing different to differentiate themselves from the competition regardless of the platform, web, mobile, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, etc.

Ryan and I talked quite a bit in this episode about their recent Series A round of Financing of $1.9 Million dollars back in January 2010. In today’s startup world it’s sort of a “no no” to take funding, but for them they really needed that financial backing to take HootSuite to the next level and the places they want to take it.

So head over to listen to the Ryan Holmes episode and follow @web20show on Twitter for updates.

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Reach Magazine writes about CEO’s disheveled ginger hair (and also HootSuite)

February 3rd, 2010

Reach Magazine with HootSuite CEO Ryan Holmes

The new issue of Reach Magazine features Boys Co, Carlie Wong and HootSuite complete with mug shot on the front cover and a “day in the life of Ryan Holmes” narrative inside.

The article: “The Who’s Who of HootSuite” by Melissa Welsh delves into the day-to-day events of a start-up company from early wake-ups to constant connectedness plus sheds light on Ryan from his attire to yogic practice with at least 2 mentions of his hair ;-) :

When Ryan Holmes rolls over in his bed in the morning, regaining consciousness from an unusual lapse of solitary respite, instead of stretching a lazy limb to grasp a cup of coffee like most morning inefficient people, his fatigued fingers clasp his iPhone. They rest but for a moment, until they jump into action typing, checking email.

Tumbling out of bed, the tweet update is the next item of business, even before as much as a morning bite or sip of herbal infused tea. With Holmes’ dog Mika in tow, the pair take a quick jaunt down the streets of downtown Vancouver’s east-side and enter the doors of Invoke media’s trendy work studio, just off Dunlevy Avenue, to begin the already started work day. Their entrance diverts my eyes from the black, blue and white art graffiti on the walls of the foyer.

We sit in one of the office’s boardrooms; the walls and table are white. Holmes sits in front of me, dressed in a red plaid shirt and jeans. A baseball hat dons his head, covering a crop of slightly disheveled ginger hair.

Even though his days are filled with navigating the convoluted and interconnected roads of the virtual social networking hemisphere, he seems at ease. Perhaps it’s a bought of clarity that he managed to hold onto from his yoga session the night before.

Not only does Ryan’s dog Mika get name-checked but also manages to get in the photo – peering out the window keeping a close eye on the proceedings. Ms. Welch goes on to explain about HootSuite features like admin/editor control, integration points beyond Twitter including Facebook, a list of recent awards and some solid quotes from ‘Tenacious R.’

Ryan Holmes at HootSuite HQ with dog Mika

Ryan Holmes at HootSuite HQ with dog Mika

The software’s universal usability has caused HootSuite to take home a number of notable awards. This past year alone, HootSuite has won Mashable’s Open Web Award for Best Twitter App, a Shorty Award for Best Application, and most recently a Canadian New Media Award for Best Social Media Application. The software was also finalist in the prestigious 2009 Forrester Groundswell Awards.

“It’s such an honor,” Holmes said, taking his hat off to rake his fingers through his tousled hair. “I think we have pretty good gut instincts on stuff.”

But even though Invoke may seem to be doing impossibly well, Holmes knows even award winning companies will always be in a competitive process. Sitting at the sleek white table, leaning forward, this rather inconspicuous-looking man is actually a tenacious businessman.

“It’s all been grinding,” Holmes said, adding that while the company’s reputation helps, you as an entrepreneur have to make things happen. “Nothing is owed to you, you have to earn things.”

Download the entire Reach Magazine issue to learn more about Ryan and Melissa’s conversation about the behind-the-scenes happenings at HootSuite.

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Profiled: CEO Ryan Holmes speaks to Techvibes about Invoke and HootSuite

February 3rd, 2010

As part of their mission of “Uniting the Tech Community,” online tech news source Techvibes partnered up with Carlson Media for a series of one-on-one interviews with leaders in the Vancouver tech community hosted by Victoria Revay – spokeswoman for many fine companies.

The video came at a great time in which the “incubating company” Invoke Media was launching HootSuite & ow.ly into an orbit of it’s own.

“Up in this second episode is Ryan Holmes of Vancouver’s Invoke Media. Invoke is an interactive agency that has been in the news of late after spinning off it’s HootSuite social media dashboard and raising $1.9 Million from outside investors.”

Watch the TechProfile: Ryan Holmes of Invoke Media and HootSuite and jump in with your comments about Ryan’s remarks.

TechProfiles: Invoke Media from Justin Carlson on Vimeo.

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Future of Twitter in San Fran with CEO Ryan Holmes

January 25th, 2010

Photo: Ryan Holmes speaking at BCAIM eventHootSuite CEO Ryan Holmes is San Francisco-bound to speak on a panel at OMMA Social event at the Nikko Hotel on January 26.

Here’s the blurb about the event:

All in all, OMMA Social San Francisco will lay the groundwork for what looks to be the biggest year yet in social media, a medium that’s already seen some very big years. We hope to see you there!

OMMA Social is designed to guide marketing and media professionals through the constantly-shifting terrain of social media. This one-day conference will address social marketing challenges and provide insights into how to make social networking work for companies now, and in the future.

He’ll participate in a panel called: “The Twitter Clients Speak: Where Third-Party Twitter Developers Think the Platform Is Going” along with Somrat Niyogi, CEO & Founder, Bazaar Labs, Mathieu Thouvenin, Product Manager, Seesmic and moderated by Justin Thorp, Director of Community, Clearspring.

Here’s the gist of the panel:

As one of the most closely-watched social media platforms ever, what lies in Twitter’s future is the subject of constant speculation. How will it monetize itself? Has its growth maxed out? What new services are being developed both within Twitter, and among developers, to keep it on the cutting edge of social media? How will the addition of a geolocation tool change how Twitter is used? On this panel, we talk to some people with highly-educated opinions about the future of Twitter: developers of some of the service’s most popular applications.

Be sure to say hello when if see him and let him know what you think of HootSuite.

Photo credit: Ryan Holmes speaking at BCAIM event

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HootSuite announces $1.9 Million in Financing

January 12th, 2010

Ryan Holmes, CEO of HootSuite, announced the finalization of $1.9 million USD of venture financing. The announcement comes on the heels of two significant releases including a HootSuite version for Apple iPhone and an update adding WordPress to the supported publishing platforms which already include Facebook, LinkedIn, Ping.fm and of course, Twitter.

The financing came from a high profile syndicate including Hearst Interactive Media, Blumberg Capital and prominent angel investors Social Concepts, and Geoff Entress.

CEO Ryan Holmes says, “This funding keeps HootSuite on track towards becoming the ultimate social media dashboard. We look forward to reaching wider audiences, and helping all manner of on-line projects and personalities communicate better with their audiences.”

HootSuite was created by Invoke Media in November of 2008 as a Twitter solution for its social media department and quickly evolved to provide brand monitoring, file-sharing, and social network integration. After only one year on the market, HootSuite has built a reputation as an essential tool for new marketers and consumers. Our more than 300,000 users include Whitehouse.gov, Disney, Time, Martha Stewart Media and SXSW.

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