What Is Startup Weekend?

What is Startup Weekend?

Startup Weekend is a global network of passionate leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate, and empower individuals, teams and communities. Come share ideas, form teams, and launch startups.

Startup Weekend Global Site

Following up with “Party With a Local”

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This is the second in a series of followups with various Startups that started their lives at Startup Weekend. This week we talked to founder Dan Fennessy.

Which Startup Weekend event (City/Year) was your team created?
Amsterdam 2011

Tell us about your StartUp Weekend company/product. What’s the name…
Party with a Local

Party With A Local Logo

…and what does it do?
Party with a Local is a free app that connects travellers and locals that want to party. Because a night out anywhere is better with a local.

How has your company/product changed since Startup Weekend?
Went from vague idea, that probably would have remained that if I hadn’t attended SW, to a kick-arse product that is about to be launched!

What milestones or successes have you had since the weekend?

  • Formed a killer team – skilled & dedicated people who believe in the idea & making it a reality & who live the ‘party with a local’ ethos.
  • Product & customer development – after development & inspiration stalled I used Lean Startup techniques, went back & got feedback from users about what they would actually use, then pivoted early.
  • Launched a Blog with growing audience.
  • In process of making an a fun video explaining the problem & our solution.
  • Received some funding from friends & family in a private crowdfunding campaign. More funding from FFFs just secured, that will help finish the MVP/Version 1 of the App for launch.
  • Learnt a shitload about myself, Startups & the amount of effort required to make an idea into something real.
  • Met lots of great & inspiring people in the Startup scene in Amsterdam & beyond.
  • Had heaps of fun!

    • What has been the biggest challenge since Startup Weekend?
    Product Development. It’s strange, but such a simple sounding idea like ‘party with a local’, that everyone gets straight away and seems to like, does not automatically mean a simple and great product. It’s taken a long time and a lot of false starts to discover exactly what ‘Party with a Local’ means and what it should be as a product. This will no doubt continue to evolve, but some tips; don’t assume you know best, get a lot of feedback from users, keep it as simple as possible, the less features the better… drink more beer.

    What does the future have in store for you and your company?
    1. App launch in European Summer 2012.
    2. Rapid growth & lots of buzz.
    3. World domination.

    …and even if not, it has been, and will continue to be, a lot of FUN.

    What was the best part about Startup Weekend for you and your company?

  • The fact that I got the idea out of my head in to the public and gave it the chance to become something real. It has now (become real) and may never have been had I not gone to Startup Weekend.
  • Seeing that idea become something real in such a short amount of time.
  • Also the great Party with a Local team that was formed on the weekend.

    • If you could rewind and do your Startup Weekend over again, is there anything you would do differently?
    Celebrating getting the most votes in the Friday pitches & with forming a kick-arse team of 8 people by going drinking late probably wasn’t the best idea seeing as I already had a bit of a cold. Combine that with adrenaline, excitement, problem solving, stress, lack of sleep & more drinking over the weekend… by the last day I had the flu & couldn’t even speak to do the final pitch. Having said that… I had a great time & probably would do it exactly the same again.

    Give one piece of advice for people (thinking of) attending their first Startup Weekend?

  • Do it. GO!
  • Think you’re idea is not good enough/not ready to share – it is.
  • Not a techy – doesn’t matter, everyone can contribute to an idea & the making of a great team.
  • Think someone will steal your idea – they won’t.
  • Don’t have an idea – come up with one on the day or join another team with a great idea.
  • Too nervous to pitch – there’s a FREE BEER!

    • How can the StartUp Weekend community support you going forward?
    Join Party with a Local, help promote Party with a Local and give us LOTS of feedback!

    What’s your website and how can our readers contact you?
    http://partywithalocal.com
    Email: info@partywithalocal.com
    Twitter: @partywithalocal

    Are you hiring?
    Sort of. Currently looking for guest Bloggers for the Party with a Local blog, ideally to write about the local party scene in cities all over the world.

    Soon after v1 launches we might be looking for a whole range of great people; developers, designers, marketers, business people & more. Key requirements – must like to travel, party, meet locals… & must drink beer in meetings.