Startups

What is Gamification and Real World Examples of It

What Is Gamification? Gamification is a new vocabulary word lately, and there’s even a summit about it. What is the definition of gamification? The word gamification is used to describe companies integrating game mechanics into their non-gaming product or service to drive user engagement. These companies are “gamifying” their products and services by adding light game mechanics on top of them. What does that actually look like? While the term is relatively new, the tactics aren’t and have already been in play for quite some time. Here are some examples of gamification in action. Real World Examples of Gamification Collecting… Read More »What is Gamification and Real World Examples of It

Why Startups Should Care About PR

One of the common questions that startups ask is whether or not they should bother with hiring a PR agency. PR agencies are fairly expensive for small businesses to work with, often thousands per month on a retainer basis. The most common complaint I hear is that they’re pricey, and difficult to measure the return on investment. So when does it make sense to hire a PR firm? How PR Can Help Startups SEO: Getting links from news outlets can significantly help generate inbound links from top-tier publications and help your company move up the search engine rankings. Credibility: Many startups… Read More »Why Startups Should Care About PR

Mochi Media Acquired by Shanda Games for $80 Million

Last night my company Mochi Media announced our acquisition by Shanda Games for $80 million. I am THRILLED about the deal and am really honored to be part of this experience. It’s been nearly 3 years since I joined Mochi Media, and it was one of the easiest decisions for me to make. I practically begged Jameson to sign me up and move out there. At the time, I was leaving Microsoft and headed to SF with my now-fiance Sachin Rekhi. Throughout my search, I ended up speaking with over 20 companies including Jameson thanks to my brother Andrew Chen.… Read More »Mochi Media Acquired by Shanda Games for $80 Million

Are You Internet Illiterate? Sux 4 U

I recently finished reading Proust and the Squid by Maryanne Wolf, a fascinating book about the biological and cognitive development behind the simple act of reading. The initial reason to pick up the book was an equally interesting article read in The Atlantic during a plane trip: ‘Is Google Making Us Stupid?’. To summarize the ongoing debate, the idea is that Google is ruining our brains. The need to quickly process information bites from Wikipedia and Twitter is driving humanity into a state of ADHD where they simply cannot read an extended book. Why do you need to read a… Read More »Are You Internet Illiterate? Sux 4 U