Tag: startup monday
Startup Monday: Winnie Helps Parents and Kids Explore
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on, or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events! Today’s Startup Monday highlights Winnie, a great app for parents to use to find places to go for them and their kids!
Nominated for “Hot New Startup” at this years upcoming TechCrunch Crunchies Awards, Winnie is helping parents across the US, as being a parent can be a lot of work. Finding places for you and your kids to go can be an added difficulty. With the help of Winnie, parents can make weekend plans a lot easier!
Features of Winnie
Find Child Oriented Activities
Winnie allows parents to find the nearest changing table or best place for nursing. It also addresses those looking to go out to eat with kids. Users can select filters such as: places with highchairs, kids eat free, and kids menus to make choosing a restaurant easy.
Stories are Reviews for Parents by Parents
No need to scroll through reviews for relevant information. The stories portion of the app gives parents the opportunity to review places they have been while addressing the needs of parents. You can also post pictures of kids having a great time while putting cute stickers over their faces for privacy!
Planning a Weekend Getaway with the Kids Made Easier
Traveling with kids can be a huge source of stress. The app lets users jump to other locations, making finding things to do on your vacation a lot easier. Parents can avoid worrying and focus on enjoying exploring a new place with their kids!
Click here to download the Winnie app.
Will you be using Winnie? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Startup Monday: DoubleDutch-Live Engagement Marketing Platform
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on, or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events! In today’s Startup Monday, we highlight a live engagement platform and mobile app: DoubleDutch!
As event professionals, we always try to create better experiences for our event attendees. It’s also important we have right tools for the event to run smoothly. Afterward, we really want to learn from the event, so that our next one is even better! So, how do we manage all this information? With DoubleDutch, you’re able to do all those things and more!
DoubleDutch Live Engagement Platform:
This company’s main product is their live engagement platform, which helps everyone from sponsors, attendees, planners, exhibitors, and marketers! Under this platform, there are 5 different sections: Studio, Event App, Lead Manager, Performance Manager, and Exhibitor Portal. All of these applications help to improve the event process and the overall success of the event!
Studio
First, customize your app and plan your event with DoubleDutch’s Studio! After you create the perfect app that matches your brand, use Studio to send out event invites to promote your app and event. In addition, manage your event content including: agendas, interactive maps, event information, user profiles, and more. And thats not all! You can help your sponsors advertise their posts, achievements, and activity to your guests!
Event App
Having an app for your event will be sure to impress attendees, but it’s also great for event professionals and will make your guests’ event experience so much easier! For event producers, the DoubleDutch Event app lets you give out attendee lists, surveys, polls, Q&A’s, direct messages as well as set up gaming aspects and forums. Also, attendees can create their agendas, and see profiles of sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers!
Performance Manager
Learn what worked and what didn’t with their Performance Manager! During the event, you can easily see how the event is going, what your guests like the most, poll/survey results, and more. Now you have tons of info that tells you how your event went and valuable insight for the next ones!
Exhibitor Portal
Your event exhibitors and sponsors will love Double Dutch too! Because the Exhibitor Portal lets exhibitors contact and understand their attendees, they are set to have a better booth and business! From customizing exhibitor’s app profiles and scheduling meetings to managing staff and giving offers to guests, there is nothing this app doesn’t do!
Lead Management
Finally, their platform has a Lead Management application to help you market your event! It looks at attendees’ actions, interests, and engagement, so that you can make informed decisions. Also, your attendees will love when DoubleDutch gives them recommendations on connections/sessions based on their activity at an event! Try their demo and see how DoubleDutch can improve your events!
Integration and Security
Are you currently using a different registration system? DoubleDutch has the answer! In addition to their platform, this company has added integration features that allow you to combine schedules, profiles, etc. from more than 100 other registration systems! They make it that easy!
You can also integrate with Salesforce and Marketo to have the best marketing campaigns and CRM services! Now you can use their platform with the info and work you already have. There are also security measures that make sure your data and event is safe!
Are you planning to use DoubleDutch? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Startup Monday: Last minute hotels with Hotel Tonight
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on, or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events! Today, we want to highlight Hotel Tonight, a useful app that helps you to book hotels last minute!
Event planning can get hectic and with your busy schedule, you might forget to book a hotel for you or your attendees. Don’t be forced to pay these outrageous prices that can rise up to 300%. At ABCey, we have an app to solve this problem: Hotel Tonight! This app was awarded the best-on-demand service at the 8th annual tech Crunchie Awards and definitely deserved it! Of course you should always try to book hotels in advance. But if you are stuck in a bind, Hotel Tonight is a great app that gives you the best prices for last minute hotel reservations.
Booking last minute hotels with Hotel Tonight:
After downloading the app on your mobile phone, you’ll have a great variety of available rooms! Also, we love this app because it includes the mood of the hotel. From hip to charming, you can experience hotels like never before! By comparing major travel sites, Hotel Tonight gives you the best hotel options and the biggest bang for your buck. Additionally, if you introduce this app to someone, both you and your friend get $25 off their first stay. But there’s more! They have amazing 24/7 customer support to ensure your last minute hotel reservation is perfect. So if you’re in a bind for a hotel, try out Hotel Tonight to get your last minute room for the best price and the best experience!
Have you used Hotel Tonight before or are you thinking of using this app? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and on Twitter!
Startup Monday: Operator, Message to Shop!
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on, or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!
Who doesn’t love online shopping? At ABCey, we’re loving Operator, a messaging app that helps you shop created by Uber cofounder Garrett Camp and former Zynga exec Robin Chan! It combines the best parts of brick-and-mortar and online shopping. This app gives you the expert personal service you’d expect from an in-store employee. But, it doesn’t lock you into shopping at just one physical location. Operator also offers the convenience of shopping from anywhere, anytime via your phone. Operator can even handle the heavy research you might want to skip or not be qualified to do. Afterwards, the annoying checkout experience is handled as well.
Operator Overview
It all starts with a message. Then, you’re directly connected you to a network of shopping expertise that will find the best products. You can request almost anything and best of all, the service is free. Operator will take in mind price ranges, problem-related solutions, and even recommendations? Well, that’s not what we usually hear nowadays when shopping online. The closest we get to getting recommendations when shopping alone online is through the reviews.
After deciding what you want, Operator also takes care of the billing process with no extra charges. Easily track your packages and ensure that your packages arrive! Also, if you need to return or exchange anything, message the Operator and they’ll be there to help.
Start shopping anywhere and anytime! If you’re planning on using this convenient shopping app, let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter.
Startup Monday: Slack
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!
When it comes to the workplace, collaborating in a team is the norm. Although extremely beneficial, it requires continuous back and forth dialogue which can sometimes get a little hectic and disorganized when having to communicate through multiple online platforms. We’re all about efficiency and productivity here at ABCey, so today we’re highlighting Slack, a messenger app that is sure to improve your team communication, making it more simple and more efficient.
Channels:
Team Conversations are organized into Channels. You can create different channels for specific departments, groups or conversations. Public channels are open for all members of the team, allowing them to pop in at any time and join the conversation. Private channels are for confidential projects that can be viewed by invitation only.
Direct messages:
Need to communicate to someone directly? Use the direct message function to send private and secure messages.
File Sharing:
Working on an event proposal or drafting a contract? Documents, images, pdfs, spreadsheets can be uploaded into a particular channel and team members can view the document and make comments on it.
App Integration:
Need to access your twitter feed? You can streamline the tools and systems you already use by plugging app notifications into particular channels.
Search and Archive:
Everything in Slack is archived. You can search for specific conversations or even content within a particular document that was shared on a channel.
Device Syncing:
Sync the desktop app with your mobile phone and you’ll always be connected to the conversation.
Slack is the perfect platform to organize your team communication and increase daily productivity. Planning on using this amazing app for your team? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
Startup Monday: Gone|Selling on Demand
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!
Out with the old and in with the new! To start the new year off right, we want to help you lead a more productive life by tackling one unproductive nuisance: clutter.
Our living and working spaces are constantly full of so much junk and clutter. We tend to accumulate more stuff than we need, buying more and getting rid of less. Oftentimes, we either let the clutter continue to pile up or we resort to donating everything. Figuring out the how and where to sell our items is such a hassle and with our busy lives, we just don’t have the time. Today, we’re highlighting Gone, a startup that will resale, recycle and upcycle all of your old junk. 
Gone is a concierge service that makes selling your unwanted items a whole lot easier. They manage all the logistics of the entire selling process so that you don’t have to and they unsure that all of your items get sold for the best possible value.
HOW IT WORKS:
Once you decide what items you wish to sell, you can either upload a pic into the app or through a text message. Gone will then pick up the items at the location of your choice.
After inspecting the items, Gone will set a selling price and list it for sale within 1-5 business days. In order to get the best bang for your buck, they analyze transactions from around the world in order to determine the proper market prices. The marketplace that they use to sell the items depends on the demand and average price for said item.
After your items are packaged, Gone will contact buyer, negotiate a deal and ship your items. You are able to monitor this entire process within the app!
PAYMENT:
Gone makes the payment process easy by allowing you to choose from several options: check, PayPal or Amazon Gift Card. After they deduct costs for preparing items for sale (inspection, pricing, postage and packing materials), they charge a commission of 7%-15% depending on the demand of the item. You’ll then receive payment within one to several weeks of sale.
If, for whatever reason, your items don’t sell within 90 days, they’ll either send the items back to you or extend the selling period for another 90 days. When needed, Gone can arrange a tax write-off for donations and even recycled items.
We love how Gone has revolutionized online selling, helping to make your life easier, clutter-free, and more productive.
Thinking about using this service the next time you have items that need to be sold? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Startup Spotlight: Snapcastr
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!
A growing trend that has been sweeping almost every event blog is the necessity for audience engagement and interaction! Conferences, Festivals, and Sporting events all call for larger scale audiences that must be enticed to attend, excited through out, and anticipating the event return for the coming year. So, the question is, how do we as event planners create this buzz? This Monday, we would like to highlight Snapcastr, a tech-driven company that provides all of these solutions through their social media platform!
THE BUILD UP!
Before we get to the main attraction, we must have a plan of action, and Snapcastr certainly does! Their #Hashtag Campaign supplies companies with clear marketing and event strategies from the very beginning to ensure that promotion is being maximized. In addition, their Social Event Display optimizes on audience connection. These event displays are customizable to create a unique and exclusive feel that can educate and boost audience interaction! By the way, sponsors they did not forget you! These displays have a space for your logos to market your companies and thank you for your support!
WE’VE ARRIVED!
Integrating social media interaction at an event is no longer a question, it’s a MUST. Snapcastr’s Live Social Wall enables guests to feel connected with their live tweets, posts, and shared experiences utilizing the hashtag you created with the #Hashtag Campaign! However, it doesn’t stop there.
Hosting a sporting event anytime soon? The FanPhoto feature creates guest incentive to tweet and promote your event at a chance to be featured on their team’s video board or Jumbotron!
Not sold yet? We have a few more to share! The Leaderboard feature highlights your top fans, top contributors, and/or top influencers! This is a great way to recognize your fans for their dedication or your contributors and influencers for their amazing support!
Have an opinion you want to share? Twitter Polling enables guests to participate in polls concerning your event, which will not only keep them engaged, but it will give you some great insight to their interests and what they’re looking for!
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
One of the best features of this company is the data capabilities that come with it! With all of these social media platforms being utilized, moderation and control is a necessity, and Snapcastr provides it. Interested in knowing your guest’s thoughts? The reporting features enables you to measure fan impact based on conversations. As well, you can monitor the growth of your social media accounts with real time analytics. This capability is a great way to track your success and pinpoint any problematic errors to ensure growth for the upcoming year!
What’s your favorite feature of our Startup Monday featuring Snapcastr? Let us know in the comments below or message us on Facebook or Twitter!
StartUp Monday: Flipboard
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey events!
This StartUp Monday we are featuring the best social news magazine app Flipboard! Flipboard allows the user to collect and share news articles that they are interested in and create their personalized online magazine. Instead of searching several different news websites or blogs, everything is curated into one simple individualized feed.
We also love that Flipboard has articles from major news networks such as BBC and very specific interest sites like BizBash for event planning tips. Flipboard makes it super easy for us at ABCey to keep up to date with all the latest event industry trends in one place!
How It Works: Flipboard is a simple and super easy to use app for all of your daily reading pleasure! Once downloaded, the user will start by picking a few topics they are interested in and sign into their social media sites so that all their newsfeed updates will be listed. Once completed, the user will be directed to the “Table of Contents” which has four separate sections: things you follow, cover stories, content guide, and search. Even if you are lost on what to read, Flipboard’s content guide has tons of recommendations on top stories. After the user is set up, they can add and scroll through their personal magazine to curate articles they want to read!
Why It’s Great: Once the user finds an article they want to read, it is added to their personal online magazine and the pages flip in the same magazine way! The style gives the reader the sense that they are reading a full magazine, instead of only reading selected articles based on their interest.
Will you be using Flipboard in the future for your daily reading updates?! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
StartUp Monday: Getaround
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey events!
Before there was Uber and ZipCar, there was Getaround, which pretty much meshes the two ideas into one brilliant peer-to-peer car share program! The program aims to take 1 billion cars off the road by utilizing the 22 hours a day that you are not using your car.
The car-sharing marketplace enables car owners to rent their cars to their community via a smartphone app. Car owners invest huge amounts of time and money into an asset they barely use. The average car is idle 92% of the time, while potential drivers walk past block after block of underutilized cars. Getaround gets you where you need to go, and makes money for car-owners!
Imagine a world with fewer cars, without traffic jams, and with less pollution. This program is perfect in a city like San Francisco where parking is few and far between and there is a stoplight every block. Get involved in this mastermind community and start renting today!
Are you ready to have your traveling experience upgraded? Let us know what you think of Getaround via Twitter or Facebook, or leave us a comment below!
Startup Monday: Plated
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.
We all live hectic lives and anything that makes our day-to-day a little easier is always welcome at ABCey Events! Insert the latest and best meal delivery service, Plated, which uses the freshest local ingredients to create meals, and delivers straight to your door! The startup makes living a sustainable lifestyle more attainable for any busy professional.
How it Works: Essentially individuals can go online to the Plated website and check out which meal option they prefer, pick a date, and their food will arrive on their doorstep! Each week there are 7 chef-designed meal recipes available, which always include four meat and fish dishes and three vegetarian options. On the selected delivery date, all the ingredients necessary will be packaged together including a step-by-step instruction guide to cook up the delicious fare!
Plated offers their delivery service to over 80% of the continental U.S. and prides itself on their network of specialized vendors! We also love that Plated provides several different payment options, such as subscription or individual meal plans.
We can’t wait to try out Plated to plan a fun date night or dinner party! Let us know what you think of this great service in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!