Yet another reason why I love so many programs on the This Week In network. Great Interview.

Chamillionaire? I would have never thought he would be a tech guy… here’s the deal: Entertainers are masters of marketing. They live and die on people loving or hating, there is no middle ground so they have to be remarkable, innovative, and memorable in order to put food on the table. Entertainers know how to connect with people through their street smarts; they know how to play the game and are deviants to the mainstream.

Awesome….I always forget smart entertainers are….

This is fantastic. Thanks a lot! No wonder he’s killing the competition, he’s just so advanced.

smart guy!

Great, great interview and insight. Being a African American that’s very much into the tech and entrepreneurship, I can definitely relate to e last part of the interview. I’m the friend in the group that’s always putting my friends onto new tech sites and services. I’m currently about to launch a startup and I cant wait to live what ive been researching and studying for a while now.

http://techscrapp.com

There much to learn from this guy on so many levels.

One thought among many generated by this interview:

I often wonder why I don’t hear more about the value of marketing savvy as part of the package for a startup founder’s skill set — obviously someone can be a successful entrepreneur without personally being a marketer, but it seems that marketing sensitivity can make a huge difference from the outset — but the outset is not generally when a marketer is added to the team.

I understand the significance of the tech/product piece(s) for a tech startup. Obviously, without the ability to create product and the “technology” to do so, Chamillionaire’s marketing instincts would not have been so significant — I get that — but I wonder what can be learned from how much those instincts drove his success even — maybe especially — early on.

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Anyway, great interview. Chamillionaire fits every definition of an entrepreneur — Mark, thanks for bringing him to our attention as such and as someone other entrepreneurs can learn from. I honestly would not have figured this one out on my own and gone looking for a rapper from which to learn lessons in business.

I think I understand your point.

What I think is very cool about Chamillionaire’s example — and I am sure there are others that I’m just not that immediately aware of — is that he is demonstrating that becoming a rap star (or basketball star, etc.) in itself is not necessarily the end of the line. There is something beyond this: becoming an entrepreneur. Any way that we can expand kids’ thinking to embrace entrepreneurship as a possibility (or to even begin thinking about it) is a good thing.

Giving kids the vision for entrepreneurship is a complex and multi-faceted endeavor — translating this to urban minority youth is even more complex — but I would like to believe it is very possible. People like Chamillionaire are part of the answer, I think.

I was thinking about showing this video to my 15 y.o. To be honest, not because Chamillionaire is African American but because I want my kids to see entrepreneurship from as many angles as possible and this is one that will get his attention because it is cool and different. Just planting seeds…

Lately, my thinking is being expanded by the “XX Combinator” movement (also known by other names) — which addresses the question of why there aren’t more women in tech startups — particularly as founders. Of course, the obvious question has been raised in some of the discussions about minorities in startups in general.

Role models and examples are huge! Seems like you fit that category. However, it’s also important that a lot of people get involved who aren’t personally, directly affected. While I have some philosophical and social interest, I’m also someone who believes that we will have a healthier and more sustainable capitalistic economy if there is more diversity in the startup ecosystem.

i am not impressed with him. he is nothing more special than anyone else who has made it.
and he is not loyal to those who have helped him. he is a young punk who thinks he can do whatever he wants.
people have put millions into promoting him and now he is playing tricks to try to walk away
can i say to Kleiner Perkins — sorry guys — i am gonna shut down my business now that you have helped make it successful because i want to own all of it without you. that’s just a rat.

lastly, what artist asks his customers what type of music they want to hear from him? that doesnt sound like an artist to me. that sounds like a factory or a businessman. not an artist. sorry chamillionaire — you wont be around in 5 years. you clearly name yourself and care more about money than people.

i was particularly appalled when you said you wanted it to APPEAR to your customers that you care. not that you really care about anyone. listen to his words. it speaks miles.

Great interview. Always a lot to learn from folks not in traditional tech and creative ways they are marketing. You mentioned a tool/sponsor that sounded very interesting but I couldn’t remember the name other than it started with “cloud”. I came to your site and clicked on the Sponsors and didn’t find them and finally decided to listen again to try to find them. It’s “CloudSponge”. Honestly, some of the most valuable stuff I’ve found on This Week in Startups/VC has been some of the sponsors (e.g., Trada, .co, etc.). It would be nice if you added the sponsors to each episode on the episode page. I’m often working out when I listen and can’t recall the name without a clue.

Hey,
My name is Mike Philson, find me at http://www.multimindsproductions.com

I met some UCSB radio people at a music conference in NYC, and I definitely want to come to UCSB and speak with some kids. Definitely let me know if you’re up to talk–my email is mikephilson@multimindsproductions.com

By the way after I worked in investment banking I worked in finance/ business management, and then switched to music. Let’s chat

Mark, your show rocks. I really loved this one, great dynamics between you two. Im a former artist turned entrepreneur now playing with my second company in Sweden. Im quite amazed about how this show threw me back into the old mode and inspired me to think about my present IT-tech-legal-security company in terms of a rockstar. lots of mindfun

Enjoyed the show. Learned tons.