Blogs

 

Tell us your name and where are you from?

Aron Schoenfeld grew up in Woodmere, NY and now live in Forest Hills, NY.


What you had for breakfast this morning?

Same breakfast everyday – a very large cup of coffee with sugar and skim.


What are your favorite television shows and movies?

I am a big sports fan so any Yankee game or football game. I love Sons of Anarchy and White Collar as well.


Any favorite books?

No favorites – I tend to read magazines instead of books as it plays into my short attention span J


iPhone or Android or what?

Blackberry. I was going to get an android but the new Blackberry Bold with the touch screen is fantastic and much easier to manage my emails with. I also have big fingers so typing on a screen is not practical.


Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or what??

Facebook is my preference but still figuring out the new layout.


Who are the hottest startups outside the KAYWEB Angels group right now and why?

Qwiki – it is revolutionizing the way data is distributed with its video technology. It is like a video encyclopedia that keeps learning.


What areas / opportunities are ripe for startups to tackle?

The event space, hence why I am starting Do It In Person.

I also think that video is the next big explosion. We have only started seeing the tip of the iceberg with the things that can be done with video. People don’t always love live chat or want to type everything so video is a great medium to bridge this gap.


Have you done any previous startups?

Yes.


If yes: what was the best lesson you took away?

Be prepared to work long and hard and believe in yourself. If you put in the time and effort and don’t just expect it to come to you, you will be successful.


Outside of your startup what are you passionate about?

Entrepreneurship and helping others get their ideas started. I am very involved in Entrepreneur Week and work with many idea stage companies helping them formulate their ideas.


Who has been or currently is an inspiration to you?

All entrepreneurs who have taken their idea and are trying to make it into a company. Not a day goes by that I don’t speak to an entrepreneur who is struggling to get going or formulate an idea. It reminds me and inspires me to continue on the path of being an entrepreneur, and no matter how well my companies do, keep that entrepreneur attitude.


YOUR STARTUP

You are currently in stealth so don't tell us what you are doing but give us a hint of the problem you are addressing?

The fragmentation in the event space, specifically for mid-size events.


What led you to this right now instead of anything else?

We have been formulating the idea for a while but everything came into place at one time.


What is your current biggest challenge?

Planning the company to be poised for growth so that it doesn’t grow faster than we can handle. The way our company is built, we need to have people in place to scale it from day one. It is a unique platform that already has over 10 beta testers ready to go and we need to be able to handle that right away.


How can our readers help you get to your next step?

Sign up at www.doitinperson.com so you can be notified when we launch, follow our blog and let us know other topics you want to see us cover on the blog about events and how to do it in person.


Let's play a prediction game. Let's say we are 12 months from now, and you are about to present to your board. How would you describe your progress?

The company has grown tremendously and has filled a huge void in the marketplace. The company would have many options that include partnerships and potential investors but the most important thing would be the progress towards our full vision, which is version 2.0 and beyond. This will truly make the company unique and a pioneer in the “in person” event space.


Now let’s play the reflection game.  Think about who you were five years ago.  What advice would you give the former you (any topic)?

Focus is the key. It is great to have ideas and be a creative, left side of the brain person, but you need to put everything in the context of why you created you company instead of just throwing ideas against the wall and seeing what sticks. Your “why” will help you focus on what will make sense for you company (everyone should read Start With Why by Simon Sinek).