New Partnership with Exhilarator
I'm proud to announce that I've forged a consulting partnership with Exhilarator, a unique "startup factory" based in DC, and will provide them with marketing consulting and business development services.
Exhilarator Overview
Exhilarator is so unique because it is part accelerator, part services company, and part events company, all focusing on scaling startups.
The accelerator accepts 4-5 consumer tech startups on a rolling basis, houses them in their offices in Georgetown for four months, and provides them with business model refinement, customer acquisition, mentorship, and anything else that will help these companies grow.
The services part, with which I'll be most involved, helps entrepreneurs execute on their vision. Whether the entrepreneur has an idea that needs validation or looks to grow her existing company, Exhilarator can provide these services on a fee basis. I'm partnering with Exhilarator to both bring in new business and help execute client projects.
Finally, Exhilarator runs SwitchPitch, a series of events that helps startups enter into strategic partnerships with large, multi-national corporations looking to get projects off the ground. If you're a tech entrepreneur in NYC, check out the upcoming SwitchPitch NYC event on October 1.
The company is all about scaling startups and it's doing it three different ways, two of which that actually bring in revenue. Really smart.
How This Opportunity Unfolded
I first met Exhilarator Founder Michael Goldstein last year at a startup conference; at that time, I was working on my failed smart calendar company Dokkit and he was running his accelerator named Endeavor. After the event, we immediately connected on LinkedIn but didn't interact with each other too often after that.
Then a couple of months ago, Michael reached out to inquire about my consulting work. We met for coffee and chatted about the projects that I was working on and what he was building at Exhilarator. I thought the concept of Exhilarator just made so much sense and I was really interested. We met twice more and decided that a partnership would be a good fit, and recently pitched our first project together.
This is a great opportunity because it combines the two worlds that I'm involved in and passionate about - marketing and startups. I'm really looking forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship with Michael and the Exhilarator team.
And if you're a startup or small business and need help launching and growing your business, please reach out!
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