Almost a year ago I wrote a post called “Dream Like A Child” . I watched a video today that captured the sentiment of my post in much more elegant way.
Take a look:
Inspiration
May 13, 2009
1 Comment | 
Brendan King, Personal Experience, VendAsta, Voices | 
Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
Cool (And Smart) New Google things
April 21, 2009In the last few days Google has announced some really cool things. The most significant is that Google is leveraging their search engine dominance to give their Google Profiles (see mine here - Brendan’s Google Profile )
So here is what Google is doing, They have begun to show Google profile results at the bottom of U.S. name-query search pages. So when you, or someone else searches your name they will see abbreviated information from Google Profiles at the bottom of the search results. The more complete the profile, the higher the chance yours will show than other people with the same name.
So in effect Google is leveraging their search power to compel to fill out a complete profile. This makes sure they have a relationship with you and know about you – something that is very important to Google. This is smart.
You can read more about this on the Official Google Blog
On the lighter and, for most people that aren’t identity geeks like me, cooler is the new Google Labs . It is now powered by Google App Engine. I just love how Google easts their own dog food. However, it’s not the labs itself that is cool but the two latest experiments. Google Time line and Similar Images. The Time line is cool but it is the similar images that really gets my juices flowing. Check out this search for Kitchens and this one for kitchens but using the red color modifier. You get the idea.
Leave a Comment » | 
Personal Experience, Real Estate Industry, Reputation 2.0, Social Media, Social Networking, Transparency, VendAsta, Voices, Web 2.0, search | 
Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
Web 2.0 Expo and “What have you done to make your house a home?”
April 3, 2009
I am out a Web 2.0 Expo with Jeff and Allan from our company, MyFrontSteps.com. Between meetings and sessions we thought we would do a little filming. I have put together this video of us asking people the question: “What have you done to make your house a home”. Disclaimer: before you watch it I want you to know I made it in 1 hour with out access to some of the very best interviews. This because a lot of our footage was shot in HD and I don’t have a way to deal with MTS files yet on my PC.
That said we do have Robert Scoble answering the question. We have other neat people too, like Vannessa Fox but alas many of these will have to wait until I can get the files converted from HD!
1 Comment | 
Culture, Real Estate Industry, Reputation 2.0, Social Software, VendAsta, Voices, Web 2.0, hijinx | 
Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
Sign of the Times
March 25, 2009Automated valuation systems like those from Zillow or Cyberhomes are very objective. They take data and render an non emotional decision. Most people can understand that home owners certainly have a tough time doing the same but what about bankers? Bankers are supposed to be cold, unemotional calculating machines, and , for the most part they are – except when it comes to their money.
Check out the valuation of this foreclosed home compared to what the bank has set as the minimum bid.
Minimum bid not based on reality
Leave a Comment » | Brendan King, Real Estate Industry, Real Estate Marketplace, hijinx | Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
VendAsta wins “Most Promising New Company”
March 20, 2009
A lot has happened in the last few months. We have been totally engrossed building www.MyFrontSteps.com and I have been neglecting my blog. We participated in a Canadian Trade Mission, released new versions of our software, including our Alpha Homebook Product, and, I am proud to report, we won an award.
Last night we one the SIMA Award for “Most Promising New Company”.
This award belongs to all the great people here at VendAsta – I am super proud of each and everyone of them.
1 Comment | Culture, Real Estate Industry, VendAsta, Voices | Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
2009 – The Year Of MyFrontSteps
January 24, 2009It is almost the end of January 2009 and VendAsta is now a year old. It seems like just yesterday we that we were moving into our first office.
- We have gone from a group of 8 people to 29 of the best and brightest.
- We had a VC equity investment of 3 Million Dollars for MyFrontSteps
- We have a new office
- We released StepRep, an online reputation managment tool, and the first in a suite of products that will form MyFrontSteps
And while 2008 was a year of big change, I believe that 2009 will be a year of even bigger change. The MyFrontSteps and StepRep teams at VendAsta have been hard at work up here in the cold building some really cool stuff!.
In Early March we are set to release a super exciting and innovative social media platform that connects home owners with home service providers. Recently Global TV noticed our efforts and did a little story on us.
Leave a Comment » | Brendan King, Real Estate Industry, Reputation 2.0, Social Media, VendAsta, Voices | Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
Google ( Chrome + Gears + Native Client) = Web OS? and MS Pain
December 17, 2008Google is now one step closer to sticking a knife into Microsoft and twisting it. Google has quietly released Native Client, and moved an incremental step closer to to the promise of a web operating system.
Simply put Native Client will run code a PC can understand without having to translate everything, ergo, faster and better browser based software. I can remember when Netscape and it’s clunky Java implementation scared the pants off of Bill in 1995 and forced Microsoft to push out it’s own scripting language- Active X. I am sure that Native Client will be a much friendlier version of Active X.
Now, if you combine Chrome, Google’s new browser with Gears, which can store web app data off line and synchronize later, AND add in Native Client I think you have something that is approaching a Web OS.
Take that Bill.
2 Comments | Culture, VendAsta, Voices | Tagged: Chrome, Gears, Google vs Microsoft, Native Client, Software Development, Web Operating system, Web OS | Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
Sneak Preview of our New “Caves and Commons” Office Space
October 2, 2008So we just moved into our new office this week. lots of offices, lots of common space and lots of designated scrum space. Huge paint on white boards. Fun people. What more could you ask for? I have a much longer and comprehensive post coming on office space, but for now check out some of the photos here.
2 Comments | Culture, Photos, Productivity, Real Estate Industry, hijinx, news | Tagged: hijinx, VendAsta, Voices | Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
Time: Google Giveth and Taketh Away
August 21, 2008I am a big advocate of Google Docs. The collaboration, sharing and simplicity of “one document” are brilliant – at least to me. So brilliant that I have been coercing anyone I interact with to use the tool. Bragging about all the things thag Google gives you . So I was happy to get this email from a potential convert I have been working on :
“Brendan,
After working with Google over the past week there is one thing that is clear that Google gives you ….
TIME
Time to think about you life,
Time to think about planning your evening,
Time to email your Investees with complaints about Google…
Time
Time
Time
All while Google is thinking about calculating a formula….
I’ve written this email while Google is thinking…. About importing a value from another sheet…. So I’m not sure the “import Range” function is going to be the way to go.
It finally worked!
I’ll have to give this more thought tomorrow.”
Oh well, I have to admit it is true that when working with complex spreadsheets Google has some work to do.
1 Comment | Personal Experience, Productivity, Projects, VendAsta | Tagged: Google Docs, Productivity, Spreadsheets, Time | Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
VendAsta Raises 3M for MyFrontSteps
August 9, 2008Last week we closed our first round of VC financing for MyFrontSteps and I have been too busy to blog! The release hit the press Thursday and we were very fortunate to have it picked up by many publishers.
Here is an example on the the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch . Inman news did their own version of the release here.
Our local news paper the Star Phoenix also ran a story on VendAsta. I have also done interviews for CBC radio and the Dow Jones Venture Wire. No links for those yet.
Thanks very much to the many people that helped along the way, you know who you are.
1 Comment | Real Estate Industry, VendAsta, news | Tagged: MyFrontSteps, Reputation 2.0, VC Funding, VendAsta, Victoria Park Capital | Permalink
Posted by Brendan King
