Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Biz Saturday...Startup Sunday?

Happy Turkey Day!

In the great American tradition of capitalist gratitude, get ready for an onslaught of discounts, deals, and pleas for your patronage. It seems like every year another day in the post-Thanksgiving week is claimed for a cause.

Well here's a new one for you:

Startup Sunday!

What is Startup Sunday?

Startup Sunday (#StartupSunday) is the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and it's a chance to support and discover companies that are just getting their start.

Why observe Startup Sunday?

'Tis the season to give back to people who need your help. Entrepreneurs are taking a huge personal and professional risk by starting a new venture, and they should be rewarded for their efforts.

They say it takes a village to raise a child; it takes a critical mass of villages to raise a company. Show your support for startups in your community or industry this Sunday.

How do I observe Startup Sunday?

• Browse Kickstarter for new inventions and projects that intrigue you. Back the project if you can. If you don't have the funds to do so, share them on social media.
• If you have the means to invest, join Angel List or Gust. Discover startups in their seed stage and contribute to their growth fund.
• If you know an angel or VC investor, introduce them to an entrepreneur you believe in. In-person, email, or LinkedIn intros will work.
• Follow a startup you like on Twitter and send them a shout-out with #StartupSunday for some well wishes.
• Write a blog post highlighting the startups you're rooting for and send some link-love their way.
• Try out a startup's product! Check Product Hunt, find one you like, and download the app, browse the site, or join their beta testing list.
• Buy holiday gifts from a retail startup like The Grommet, or pool money to buy big gifts as a group using Splitzee.*

To recap the week ahead:

Thanksgiving - relax with family and friends, give thanks for your loved ones, and gorge on turkey and potatoes.

Black Friday - go to your nearest shopping mall or mega department store and go ballistic grabbing half-priced electronics.

Small Business Saturday - visit independent book stores, mom 'n' pop shops, and specialty boutiques to support local businesses.

Startup Sunday - support innovation (see list above) #StartupSunday

Cyber Monday - troll Amazon.com, eBay, and Etsy for special deals delivered to your door.

Giving Tuesday - donate to a charity or non-profit that is near and dear to your heart.

We're Out Of Cash Wednesday - get back to work, you've got a credit card bill to pay off now!

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Up Next: Never Work for a Jerk

*Full disclosure: I work there

Back This Kickstarter If You Want To Hear More Women's Voices in Tech!

Hi folks,

First off: my apologies for falling behind on my blog.

I've been super busy blogging and tweeting and posting for Splitzee, the startup I joined in September. It's been a whirlwind, but all the blood, sweat, and tears are worth it because we provide a truly amazing service: the ability to easily and securely split the cost of buying things as a group. If you haven't tried it yet (and if I haven't talked your ear off about it yet), please check it out.

</shameless plug>

Second: I want to share this very important Kickstarter campaign for Innovation Women.

If you're in the greater Boston startup scene, you're doubtless familiar with Bobbie Carlton's Mass Innovation Nights, a labor of love that provides a monthly product launch opportunity to generate buzz for local startups.

In response to the dismal ratio of women represented on boards and top leadership of venture-backed companies, Bobbie is launching Innovation Women.

Innovation Women is an online database of female tech and entrepreneurial professionals. It will be searchable by event managers who are seeking diverse voices on their panels. The idea is that if we see more women in the spotlight speaking publicly, getting press, and acting as role models, we can start to shift the gender ratio in the industry.

The Kickstarter campaign just launched this week, and it has 26 days left to reach its $22K goal.

If you want to see more women represented in public events, speaking about their experiences in tech and startup life, here are some things you can do to help:

• Donate to the Kickstarter campaign before December 23, 2014.
• Share the Kickstarter campaign on your social media platform(s) of choice
• Follow @WomenInno on Twitter
• Submit your email on the Innovation Women beta site to receive updates
• Contact Bobbie via the beta site to learn about other ways to help

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Up Next: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Biz Saturday...Startup Sunday?