Shelby.tv says it is their strong team what made them a part of the prestigious New York edition of the Techstars accelerator and mentoring program.
Trendsonline.dk interviewed the founder, Reece Pacheco, on the experience with Techstars.
Author: Jos Van Es – Trendsonline
Would You describe Shelby.tv briefly? What`s the pitch?
Shelby.tv is the most amazing way to discover and enjoy web video.
Shelby takes all of the video your friends share across Twitter and Facebook, and pulls it all into one channel for a great viewing experience.
In your own words how has the experience with Techstars been like?
I first learned of TechStars through Brad Feld, but it was David Tisch (the managing director in NYC) who first informed me that TechStars was starting up in NYC and encouraged us to apply.
TechStars NYC was an amazing experience. Between the great mentorship, our stellar peers in the program and the pressure of being ready for demo day, TechStars made for a really productive environment that pushed us and our business to new heights.
Have you used the other Techstars teams` competencies in the process?
We totally engaged with other TechStars teams throughout the application process, the program itself and now as alums. The beauty of TechStars is the community it builds between applicants and alums alike – all passionate, energetic entrepreneurs who want to help others build great companies. I love it.
What was the most valued information / knowledge you got from Techstars?
Our mentorship group – Fred Wilson, Jerry Colonna, Karin Klein, Rachel Sklar, Raphael Poplock, Jeremie Miller, Mike Duda – was fantastic. They were really engaged during the program and continue to be available and helpful afterward. We feel really lucky to have such a great group of people on our side.
One of the most valued pieces of advice we got from TechStars was the continued emphasis that “It’s your company!” So as much advice as you get from everyone, it’s still up to YOU to decide what to do with it. We ignored just as much advice as we received. ;)
How is your traction?
Traction so far is great. We’ve closed funding, the team is growing and our product is evolving at a steady pace (albeit in stealth). Lots of fun stuff ahead and the key is to just keep executing.
Best advice for people who want to be chosen for Techstars or other accelerator program?
If you apply to an accelerator program, one of the keys for us was having people involved in TechStars supporting our application. We’re fortunate that I’d met a lot of the mentors before and they were supportive of us (more-so as a team than an idea!) and that helped us get into the program. It’s a testament to TechStars belief that “team” is more important than “idea.”
Techstars is just one of the many great accelerators listed on HumanIPO. Be sure to list yourself if you are part of an accelerator, in order to get some more spotlight on your startup. Another cool option is to leave a testimonial for the accelerator you are currently in.
