By Tom Davis
This is a three-part podcast series on “New Publishing Media Startups” where I had a chance to speak with the CEO’s of each. Having an idea is one thing but putting it to work and gaining traction can be daunting as an entrepreneur. Listen as each Founder; David Wachs, Trina Chiasson and Kyle Stalzer speak to the experiences both before and during the launch of their publishing platforms. It’s no surprise that social media like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have take the world by storm – but I wanted to see what new platforms are emerging in the rapidly growing media industry.
Serial Entrepreneur, David Wachs is the Founder and Chief Robot Mechanic at Handwrytten. A letter writing start up that enables its users to send real cards and notes with a message written in pen and ink – all done by a robot. Handwrytten was launched in 2014 to recreate classic handwritten correspondence through easy to use mobile tools. Visit handwrytten.com to see the variation of cards, tools and options for sending personalized letters.
Data Visualizer Trina Chiasson is the Co-founder and CEO of Infoactive, a website that allows it’s guests to submit live data into interactive info-graphics. This data visualization tool offers an online interface for consumers to turn numbers into presentable and informative displays. Once the customer chooses a customizable theme, they are given an embed code for an interactive infographic. By raising nearly $55,000 of a $12,000 goal through Kickstarter, Chiasson was able to generate profitable data charts for customers that aren’t so “tech-savvy.”
Tackk, a social platform created by Kyle Stalzer, gives users an experience of sharing multiple media posts. Beginning with two designers, Tackk was developed for people who want to “create easier”. This website has had tremendous success with teachers and students in creating and publishing content on their own. As a publishing startup, Tackk immediately began to resonate with teens who are “future creators” by introducing them to a range of options when publishing content on their page.
