Wednesday

Mark Schmulen Talks NutshellMail, Part 3

Mark Schmulen

In the third and final instalment of our interview with Mark Schmulen (catch the first two parts here & here), we get to the juicer questions (and the best answers) on what some of the strategies and motivations they put to use on NutshellMail.
As I’ve said before, there’s a lot to learn from the guys over at NutshellMail. Their dedication to their project should serve as inspiration to anyone that has a great idea and wants to see it through. NutshellMail is a great example of how people with different backgrounds can come together to form something that has the potential to change the way we use the internet (more particularly our email accounts).

What strategies have worked for you in terms of getting your business up and running?

Your venture is only as valuable as the team developing and supporting it. Although we have just launched, we couldn’t have reached this milestone without a strong team of developers who really believe in and commit to the concept. Second, you must be well capitalized; most startups fail because they run out of money. Proper money management is essential. Third, you should make sure your product or service works very well before releasing it; many great ideas have bombed because of avoidable technology hiccups (think Friendster and Cuil). You only have one shot to impress your users; if your service constantly fails, they

may leave you and never come back. Lastly, you need to create buzz by participating in social media outlets and reaching out to influencers in your field.  If your concept is inherently viral or is so compelling that users will recommend it to their friends, you are off to a good start. However, you still need to communicate with your base and influencer that your core user group follows. Viral, word-of-mouth, and influencer marketing are not only the most cost-efficient marketing strategies, they are also the most effective.

Have you been influenced or inspired by anyone?

David and I are both inspired by successful entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, Sergey Brin, Larry Page, and Elon Musk; however, we are most inspired by the countless number of aspiring entrepreneurs who have the faith, determination, and willingness to sacrifice the comforts of their routine lives to make a difference in the world and to solve real problems with their venture. We are also both blessed with a very supportive and loving group of family and friends who believe in us and what we are doing. On a personal note, I am very much influenced by the writings of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and the Fountainhead.

Image via CrunchBase

• Hate Facebook Alerts? Nutshellmail Has What You Need
• We Got 200 Invites to NutshellMail
• Mark Schmulen Talks NutshellMail, Part 1
• Mark Schmulen Talks NutshellMail, Part 2