MyPunchblog

This post written by Stephanie Fader, Marketing & PR Manager

Punchbowl was recently the focus of a great article in the Boston Herald by Jennifer Heldt Powell. Here it is in case you missed it! 

“Launching web company one lonely party” 

Looking at the current success of the party planning site, MyPunchbowl, it seems that Matt Douglas is living the entrepreneurial dream.

Millions of visitors are dropping by the site to plan parties, it has big-name partners like Oriental Trading Co. and Vistaprint and the company, Punchbowl Software Inc., has been through two rounds of venture capital.

In retrospect, the success almost seems fated. The idea sprang from Douglas’ fondness for throwing a party on Groundhog Day. At the time, he was helping develop software programs to solve work-flow issues. It occurred to him that planning a party could be boiled down to a work-flow system.

Additionally, American’s spend $11 billion on party supplies every year. Douglas figured there had to be a way to combine the party planning and the supply buying.

That’s where things got difficult—gut-wrenching, sleepless nights, am-I-ruining-my-future difficult.

For a long time, Douglas didn’t tell anyone about his idea because he felt it was demoralizing to face questions he didn’t know the answers to yet. When he started talking about it to the software engineers and venture capitalists he would need to make it work, he found out just how big the hurdles he faced were.

“The whole start-up ecosystem is built for repeat entrepreneurs,” he explained. “If you haven’t done it before, it’s hard to be taken seriously.”

After a few months, Douglas decided he was going to have to give up his day job to have any hope of launching the company. Unable to attract funding, he started spending his own money.

“It is a hard, hard thing to do watching that money go out of your bank account when you don’t know if this will be successful,” he said.

At one point, a so-called expert told Douglas straight out that it was a bad idea that would never fly. Douglas was devastated, at first.

“I had to pick myself up and keep going,” he said. “You have to have somewhere deep inside an ability to brush it off and continue believing in the idea and yourself. And, you have to find people who will pick you up.”

For Douglas, that was his wife, Jessica, and Sean Conta, whom he brought on as a partner to help launch the business. When they couldn’t afford to hire a software engineer, they turned to a designer to create mock-up pages of the site. That helped them attract an engineer who would work for cheap.

As soon as they had something workable, they sent it out to users. It was a far cry from what they wanted, but it was at least a start.

The site was officially launched in 2007 with just party planning. Eventually, party supply partners were added, allowing users to buy what they need through MyPunchbowl. Later, ads were added and users were given the option of buying a membership that allows access without them. Now, there’s an eCard feature and a tool to help settle on a party date.

The company now has 11 employees and a few job openings.

After all he’s been through, Groundhog Day is still important to Douglas. This year, MyPunchbowl partnered with the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to offer eCards on its site. It’s also a company holiday.

This post was written by Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO, @mattdouglas

Well, it’s Groundhog Day (again), and this year is a special one for the Punchbowlers. As usual, Groundhog Day is a company holiday — so we all get the day off. But this year we organized a volunteer day (for the record, completely optional for employees and guilt-free). In the afternoon this Groundhog Day, we’ll be painting a few rooms at a local homeless shelter. We’ve been calling it “Phil’s Philanthropy Day” after the venerable Punxsutawney Phil. After waking up early to watch the grand prognostication, I can’t think of any better way to spend the afternoon.

And that’s not all….

This year I’m very excited to report that Punchbowl announced an official partnership with Groundhog.org and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. This is a partnership that makes me happy on a number of levels. First, it’s great exposure for Punchbowl, with an audience that matches our target demographic. And second, it’s been a long-standing goal of mine to find an official way to be involved in the Groundhog Day festivities. Here’s a quick snippet from the blog post I wrote on my start-up CEO blog about this partnership announcement:

For 2010, I wanted to do something special for Groundhog Day– so on a whim, I picked up the phone and called the folks who developed Groundhog.org. I told them that I wanted to partner with the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and create an eCards site. After a little negotiation, we signed an agreement with Groundhog.org to become the exclusive provider of Groundhog Day eCards. This morning, we made the official Groundhog Day press announcement.

And last but not least, my wife and I are planning our 14th annual Groundhog Day party for this coming Saturday. This year’s theme is Disco, and with the combination of disco party supplies, unique party favors, disco costumes, and a 70s play list, we have planned an awesome party. We’re expecting about 30-35 people this year. Of course, we’ve used MyPunchbowl to plan the entire event from start to finish, and it’s been a great experience.

Groundhog Day is all about community, revelry, and celebration of the ordinary. So whether you take a moment to turn your attention to Gobblers Knob or you send someone a free Groundhog Day eCard, please remember the infamous words of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club:

“There are many important events in life — and Groundhog Day is not one of them.”

Happy Groundhog Day!

This post was written by Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO

We’re excited to welcome former CEO of TownConnect, Mike Ford, as he joins MyPunchbowl as VP of Business Development. Here’s the official announcement:

Punchbowl Software, the company behind MyPunchbowl.com, announced today the hiring of Mike Ford as Vice President of Business Development. In this position, Ford will be a key part of the management team responsible for driving sales, traffic and strategic partnerships.

“Mike joins us at the perfect time in the company’s growth,” said Matt Douglas, CEO, Punchbowl Software. “Mike’s experience as an entrepreneur and business leader in the consumer Internet space makes him a great fit for Punchbowl.”

Ford’s sales and business development experience in social media, search marketing and ad networks will play a vital role in the growth of Punchbowl’s service. Previously, he was Founder & CEO of TownConnect, a social-local networking site that connects people in their communities and SVP, Sales & Marketing for Did-it Search Marketing in New York. Mike also led vertical business development for Quigo Technologies (acquired by AOL) and was the Founder of Computer.com.

Mike’s favorite reason to celebrate is St. Patrick’s Day – a tradition for generations in the Ford family. Mike has personally hosted over thirty St. Patrick’s Day parties.

“I’m thrilled to join the Punchbowl team,” said Mike Ford. “The business potential of MyPunchbowl.com provides a unique opportunity for me to work with top online brands and retailers.”

This post written by Stephanie Fader, Marketing & PR Manager

July Fourth is less than two weeks away but have no fear — that’s plenty of time to plan a fabulous July 4th party! Whether you plan to host a cookout, picnic, pool party or fireworks watch party, MyPunchbowl has everything you need to plan your party from start to finish.

Sign in to your MyPunchbowl account to get started and design your own invitations using our special July 4th designs that include new patriotic papers and ribbons in addition to new font options.

Next, setup your potluck list using our new and improved Potluck feature. Specify if you want certain July 4th favorites like potato salad, pasta salad, burgers, hot dogs, and fruit salad, or leave the categories (appetizers, sides, dessert, etc.) open for your guests to fill in as they sign up to bring items.

Spread the word about your July 4th bash not only via email but also through your social networks. MyPunchbowl invitations can be shared via Facebook as well as Twitter. This is a great way to tell friends about your event, especially if you don’t have your guests’ email addresses readily available.

Once you’ve sent your invitations and organized your potluck, get ideas for your July 4th party from our resident expert Penelope. She offers up great ideas for patriotic playlists, decorations, and more!

There’s also still time to order personalized candy, yard signs, t-shirts, and other customized printed products to make your event that much more special.

So what are you waiting for? Plan your July 4th party today!

This post was written by Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO

Think of the people you work with on a regular basis. How many of them are nice people and good at what they do? Most of the people that I’ve worked with in my career fall into this category. They are genuinely nice people, and they can do their job with an adequate amount of skill. They try their hardest to please, and you know that they intend well.

Now how many of the people you work with on a regular basis are GREAT? The truly great people are self-motivated, are able to read between the lines, and they deliver truly great results. They are the kind of people that want to get it right — and will often go above and beyond to make sure they do.

In my experience, there is a significant gap between those who are good and those who are GREAT. Usually, a great person is worth 4 or 5 good people. That is, they can do the work of 4-5 good people in the same amount of time. Yes, the difference is that large. That’s why great people command the respect (and compensation) that they deserve.

One of the wonderful things about running a startup is that you can choose who to add to your team. I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by a group of really GREAT people who are fantastic at what they do. In each of their disciplines (marketing, design, engineering, analytics, user experience) they often exceed expectations. They all want to succeed and it’s a great feeling to work among people who strive to be the best.

If this blog post sounds like a love soliloquy for the people at Punchbowl Software — well, it unabashedly is. Because one of the consequences of being surrounded by greatness is that it fills me with the confidence to step away from the office and take a few days off. As you read this, I’m far away from the office but I know that the team will continue to move our company forward and delight our customers.

And that’s what being surrounded by greatness really is all about.

This post was written by Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO. Follow Matt Douglas on Twitter

Once in a while, I take a moment to step back and really appreciate how far I’ve come. This blog post is one of those moments.

This afternoon, Fortune Small Business released their April issue. MyPunchbowl and yours truly play a prominent role in the cover story entitled “The Venture Game: What investors want.” Fortune is published online through a partnership with CNN.com. It’s quite humbling to see your own name lead off a major story on CNN.

The story leads off with a trip down memory lane — the early days of MyPunchbowl. “Matt Douglas had just embarked on a down-to-the-studs renovation of his home in Natick, Mass. when he and a colleague, Sean Conta, quit their jobs to launch MyPunchbowl.com, an event-planning Web site. “My wife and I were living in one 12-by-8-foot room, along with the refrigerator, stove and two cats,” Douglas recalls. “Sean would come over around 8:30 every morning. Then we’d sit at our two little desks with construction noise in the background.”

It’s all true. It’s hard to describe what those days were like — but that year was full of sacrifice and hard work. Those were the days when no one would return my phone calls, and this company was only a figment of my imagination. How far it’s all come.

In addition to the main story, my advice is featured in one of the “10 steps to catch VC cash.” Those of you who have followed this blog for a long time will remember the blog posts which covers this advice in more depth: “Don’t write a business plan.” Wow, that’s from July of 2007!

A high-profile article like this involves many people and takes many months. On January 14th, Lucy McQuilken (our investment manager from Intel Capital) emailed me with an introduction to a writer from Fortune. A few days later, I had an in-depth conversation with Sharon from Fortune. After a number of follow-up calls and an editorial review, I was asked to do a photo shoot for the article. The photo shoot took place on February 26th (that experience is another blog post in itself!) — and the article was published today, April 15th. Start to finish: 3 months. Not bad for an article with this kind of expsosure.

There is a long list of people to thank for this article. First — thanks to the PR team at Intel Capital for uncovering this opportunity and bringing it to Lucy McQuilken. Lucy: thanks for bringing the opportunity to Punchbowl, and for enduring my attempts at humor during the four hour photo shoot. Thanks to Spencer Heyfron for a fanastic and fun photo shoot. And most importantly: thank you to Sharon Kahn at Fortune for her attention to detail and accuracy. Sharon: this is a fantastic article and it’s been a pleasure to get to know you.

I sat on the couch this evening and showed my wife the article on CNN. Her smile said it all. She remembers the six months we lived in the 12×8 room, and she knows that I’m about the farthest thing from an “overnight success” that you can imagine. Today is a day I feel really proud of how far I’ve come.

Read the articles:  The Venture Game: What investors want and my startup advice: 10 steps to catch VC cash.

This post written by Sean Conta, Founder & CXO

We recently launched a new service on the site,”personalized candy“. Now perhaps you’ve checked it out and your first impression was “eh”. If so, let me tell you - it’s really cool! And I’m not just saying that because I’m a co-founder here, I’m saying that for the following reasons:

• You can choose which Jelly Belly flavors come in your tin (one flavor, a two-flavor combo, or a 49 flavor mix), or you can choose exactly which M&M colors you want (depending on the container you choose).

• There is no order minimum - you can buy just one if you want!

• You can upload a picture onto your container, add text, change the size and color, and it looks great!

The candy is custom printed and shipped quickly. I’m pretty sure you’ll be totally happy when your candy comes in the mail because I was.

My wife had ACL repair (knee) surgery this week, so I thought it was a good opportunity to give the new personalized candy service a spin. I scored major points when I presented her with my creation:

That’s a picture of her running a half marathon (meant to inspire her through recovery).

Listen, if you answer “yes” to the question “Do I like jelly beans or M&Ms”, then I hope I’ve convinced you to give it a try.

This post was written by Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO. Follow Matt Douglas on Twitter

There are so many things to do in a given work day. One of the most important things you can need to do is figure out some things to ignore. Here’s a suggestion: ignore the competition.

Yes, you could study the competitors product, analyze their marketing, and deconstruct their strengths and weaknesses. Or you could simply focus on what you can control, build a product that you love to use, and do your best to delight your customers. There is no one in the world who knows the problems and opportunities of your product better than you. You don’t need your competition to help you build a better product. Who cares what the competition is doing if you are building a product that your customers want?

Here are 5 reasons you should ignore the competition:

1. You have limited resources. Put your energy into building a better product and satisfying more customers.
2. You can’t control the competition. Put your energy into things you can control.
3. Your customers don’t care about the competition. All they care about is solving their problem. Are you solving it for them?
4. It’s too easy to be influenced by what the competition is doing. Stay on your course.
5. You won’t innovate if you are influenced by your competitors. Build something new and different — that’s innovation.

So, do we follow this advice at MyPunchbowl? I’ll say this: I used to spend a lot more time in the past looking at the competition. These days it’s only a quick glance once in a while. We have far more opportunities when we simply focus on what we can control and build a product that people love to use.

What do you think? Should we pay more attention to the competition? Why or why not?

This post written by Eric Peden, Director of Operations & Analytics

Baseball fans everywhere celebrated Opening Day earlier this week, with First Pitch celebrations in thirty major league cities across the US and Canada.  I live in a minor league city, and tonight is Opening Day for the defending Southern League Champion Mississippi Braves.

I love baseball, and, recently, I was counting up all the major league and minor league stadiums I’ve visited.  If memory serves, I’ve been to 15 major league parks and 13 minor league parks.  Major league games are definitely fun, but, in my opinion, it’s hard to beat the eccentricities and atmosphere of minor league baseball:  great energy from young, hungry athletes, goofy between-inning contests, and relaxed conversation with fans seated all around you.

So tonight, we’ll enjoy the First Pitch of the season, with Carolina’s Dallas Buck facing Mississippi’s Jonny Venters.  (Aren’t those great minor league names?)  Hot dogs, cold beer, and homespun promotions on a perfect Spring evening:  it’s that time of year again.  I hope you get to enjoy a game near you.

This post written by Eric Peden, Director of Operations & Analytics

“We all gotta come from somewhere.”

I remember this line from an old album my grandmother used to play.  The search engines aren’t helping me find the song or its author; somehow, I’m not surprised that Grandma’s record collection isn’t fully catalogued on the Interwebs.

The “somewhere” my family comes from is Belzoni, Mississippi, also known as the Catfish Capital of the World.  On Saturday, my son and I visited Belzoni for the 34th Annual World Catfish Festival.

I love small-town festivals, and my home state of Mississippi is replete with them.  From the Kudzu Playhouse in Hernando to the Southern Strings Dulcimer Festival in Hattiesburg, we’ve thought of dozens of excuses — and non-excuses — to celebrate.

So, on Saturday, my son met Captain Catfish, witnessed a fantastic local production of Little Red Riding Hood, and scored a multi-colored marshmallow gun from a street vendor.  I’ll be sure to take him again next year, but not before we hit up the Ol’ School Car and Bike Festival in Inverness and the Mississippi Delta River Mud Run & Hot Tamale Festival in Greenville.

What’s your locale’s reason to celebrate?