OCodes: Q&A

To help you to get to know the companies presenting at LaunchUp #9 we asked each to respond to a few questions…

The following Q&A segment is with O-CODES:

Q: What does your company do?
A: We make offline information interactive using simple codes and text messaging. Consumers can save and share stuff they see in print by texting a simple code to 62626. We send them info on their phone, save the content for them online in a free personal archive, and can simultaneously share that content to their Facebook wall, Twitter stream, and Evernote notebook. 

Q: Why does that matter and how do you make the world a better place?
A: We make it easy for people to save and share information they encounter off-internet (instead of keeping stacks of magazines, coupons, brochures, etc) lying around. We also make it easier for brands to measure the value and response rates for their offline advertising and marketing investments.

Q: Why is your company cool?
A: Coolness is in the eye of the beholder – this is a better question to ask our customers and since most of them are friends and family at the moment I’m sure the data is unreliable

Q: What 3 lessons/observations would you tell other entrepreneurs?
A:1. Get paying customers as early in the process as possible. If you have an idea, make a PowerPoint and see if you can get a contract before you’ve built or coded anything. All ideas are lame until someone is willing to get out their wallet.
2. Customer service/satisfaction/loyalty is a key to success in any market. But this doesn’t mean just doing whatever they want (Henry Ford’s famous quote about faster horses). You have to know your customer well enough to solve their problems, even when they can’t articulate them.
3. Trust everyone but get everything in writing.

Q: Pick 5 people for your entrepreneur dream team (assuming you and your team were riding the bench)
A: Eric Ries, Max Levchin, Evan Williams, Steve Blank, Tony Hsieh

Q: Which one pursuit? Golf, Basketball, Skiing/Snowboarding, Knitting, Mountaineering/Climbing, Bowling, Watching Grass Grow
A: Golf

Q: Why are you an entrepreneur in Utah?
A: Love the 4 seasons for outdoor sports, family here, talented people at affordable salaries

We look forward to LaunchUp #9 and hearing more from O-CODES!

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