1. Connect the device to your Mac or PC.
2. On the “Summary” tab in iTunes, click the “Serial Number” label. You’ll notice “Serial Number” changes to “Identifier”.
3. Click on “Edit” in the menu at the top and select “Copy”.
4. Now you can paste the device ID into an email.
5. Send to support@biggu.com
6. YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR DEVICE ID BY COB Friday to get the App!!!

We are reserving 25 installs for bloggers. If you are a blogger and want the application to write a story email your device ID and a link to your blog and we will send the application to the first 25 bloggers who respond. For those of you who want to wait until it is available in the App Store you can watch this short video I made this morning:

• 25 Developers
• 25 Designers
• 1% ownership, 1% share of gross revenue for each
• Members could sell their ’seat’ as long as 25% of the members approved the new member.
• Members could be voted out if 75% of the members decided they weren’t a good fit.
• Each team (1 dev + 1 designer) would be required to build one app per quarter to remain part of team.
• Apps would use our own ad network, members would get half of the remnants to use or sell.
• Members get access to all contract work presented to Big in Japan.

MG’s article really spells out the program in his article, check it out.  If you are interested drop me an email at amuse@biggu.com.

I have been a Twitter users since 2007 and have more than 25,000 followers.  It was one thing when I couldn’t use my account, but now someone else is pretending to be me.  This is unacceptable.  I am hoping someone from Twitter can help, someone like Josh Elman, Vitor Lourenco, Mark Trammell, Kevin Thau, Jason Stirman, Dick Costolo, Santosh Jayaram, Peter Fenton, Doug Cook, Abdur Chowdhury, Alexander Macgillivray, Evan Williams, Rael Dornfest, Chris Sacca, Jack Dorsey, Greg Pass, Andrew Lorek, Jeremy LaTrasse, John Adams, Rudy Winnacker, Britt Selvitelle, Alex Payne, Bijan Sabet, Jay Edwards, Steve Jensen, John Kalucki, Blaine Cook, Lee Mighdoll, Biz Steon, or Jack Dorsey - anyone?

• Type 1: Novice angels with financial objectives
• Type 2: Experienced angels with financial objectives
• Type 3: Novice angels with subject matter expertise
• Type 4: Experienced angels with subject matter expertise
• Type 5: Family, friends and colleagues

You will find lots of Type 1 and 2 angels at angel investment groups.  The main problem with this group is that they have usually have a very limited understanding of your space and as a result require more information about your startup than you will be able to provide.  They want to be convinced that the IRR is going to be sufficient, but you aren’t even sure what the product or service will end up looking like.  Type 1 investors have NEVER made an angel investment and it is unlikely that they will invest in your deal unless they know a Type 2 investor who has already agreed to invest.  As a result, you might consider spending very little time targeting Type 1 guys.  Spending time with Type 2 guys is fine, but only if they have clear and provable access to professional investors.  Their relationship with professional investors (i.e. VCs) needs to be vetted prior to spending a tremendous amount of time with them (i.e. ask them for references to CEOs they funded and ultimately introduced to real VCs).  Talk to CEOs they funded and get an understanding of what it was like working with them.  Make sure there is value beyond the money.

Type 3 and 4 angels are the best, but they are hard to find (they rarely join angel investment groups).  They are people who have previously made lots of money in and around your space.  They have subject matter expertise around your idea and can often provide a lot more than money.  In many cases they will know the ultimate customer that will ensure your success and their investment.  Novice angels in this space are almost as good as experienced angels, both groups will be able to understand your idea very quickly and will be able to evaluate your idea without lots of bogus financial models.  Start by talking to your lawyer, your friends, your colleagues, your competitors - anyone who might know people who had prior success in and around your space.  Check out LinkedIn and Facebook, use their advanced search functions.  Type 3 and 4 angels will be able to act on their own, investing without the ‘buy-in’ a Type 1 or 2 angel might need.

Type 5 angels are good and bad. They are your family, friends and colleagues.  They will invest in YOU, not necessarily your idea.  This is a good thing until and unless your idea fails and YOU fail them.  They won’t understand that angel investing is risky and they they are likely to lose 100% of the their money 90% of the time.  No matter whether or not you explain this prior to their investment, they won’t understand - EVER.  You may lose relationships with family members, friends and colleagues.

My advice? Focus on Type 3 and 4 angels.  Otherwise use your savings, borrow against your 401K, borrow against your home equity, get an SBA loan until your idea is ready for real investment dollars.

If you are considering paying someone to pitch my first bit of advice: DON’T DO IT! If you don’t believe me read through Jason’s post.  Here is a summary:

• There is no circumstance where an angel investing group should charge a startup to pitch
• We’ve launched an investigation into these groups and need any information you have
• If you would spread the word about this issue by discussing it with angel investors and startups we would appreciate it
• We are demanding that angel groups waive all fees starting today
• We are going to crush any group that doesn’t comply with our demands
• There is no negotiation
• Angel forums upset by this email: Jason doesn’t care what you think of him and could care less if you email his investors, his mother or the Principal of the Internet to complain about his bad behavior (plus these folks get emails all the time and are used to it).

“Make no mistake, this is Android’s flagship product, and the first phone that will pose a significant threat to Apple’s iPhone.”

“The Droid poses a different and more significant challenge to the iPhone than any other phone to date.”

“And the scary thing for Apple is, it may only be a few months before something even better than the Droid comes out. With the flood of Android devices that are hitting the market, a few are bound to be hits. No wonder Google CEO Eric Schmidt is so bullish on Android right now. Things are about to get very, very interesting.”

If I worked for Apple I would have figured out a way to have Steve Jobs meet with Mike when he was threatening to switch.  It is great to have someone like Mike on ‘our’ side - i.e. the Android-fanboy side.  :) 

First, for those of you just tuning in, I endeavor to be an instigator or catalyst for entrepreneurial activity here in the Dallas area.  Back in 2005 I started this blog to share my experiences and thoughts about entrepreneurship.  As a result, over the years, I have had the privileged of meeting thousands of entrepreneurs.  Some just pick up the phone and call me - at least one or two catch me everyday.  More simply email me - I respond to about 75% of the messages I get from entrepreneurs.  There are even some who come by the office to meet.  In almost all cases they are looking for feedback and advice - something I am not shy about sharing.  My pet peeve - I will not sign an NDA, but I never ask for anything in return.  I don’t want their cash or their stock - I am happy to share my experience, opinions and advice for free.  Additionally, we (i.e. me and Scott my partner) host a happy hour for entrepreneurs each month and we even buy the drinks.  Finally, we opened our offices at the INFOMART as a coworking space and server colocation to anyone working on a startup at no cost - we ask for nothing in return.

With this background I will try to answer Scott’s question.  First and foremost I want to help Dallas become known for its startup and entrepreneurial community.  When I started my first company my father advised me to move to Silicon Valley - I stubbornly stayed and set out to prove I could start my company and raise money right here in Dallas.  Now that I am in my late thirties I thought it was time for to quit complaining about how our startup community ’sucks’ and start doing something to make it better.

You might ask yourself why I am writing this post today.  For the past year I have wanted to bring an event born in Boulder, CO called Startup Weekend to Dallas.  The planets finally aligned and we were able to schedule the event later next month (Nov. 20-22).  I blogged about the event and sent out emails to people I hoped would participate.  Turns out a number of people were turned off by the $75 charge for the event.  Several people commented that I was being opportunistic, making money off of entrepreneurs.  Others suggested that I ‘generally’ take advantage of entrepreneurs on a regular basis.  They claimed that I ask entrepreneurs to pay (cash or stock) for my assistance.  I was floored by the comments.  I have NEVER taken cash or stock from an entrepreneur who participated in one of my events.  I have NEVER taken cash or stock from any of the thousands entrepreneurs who have called, emailed or visited me. There are a few guys who locate equipment in our data center and they have tried to pay us, but in each case I have refused payment.

In a single case I went into business with an entrepreneur who I met at one of the happy hour events.  Far from asking for cash or stock, we invested $700,000 in the business and I am excited to announce that looks as though will be the best deal I have ever done.  I think my partner agrees.

So what about the $75?  The funny part is that I am not charging the fee, the folks from Startup Weekend are.  They are flying down, renting hotel rooms and providing meals - the fee is simply to cover their expenses.  The Eventbrite account is NOT mine.  So for those of you who are concerned that I am making money off of entrepreneurs be assured I am not.  I have received more than I deserve from our community - I hope this is clear.