Episode 209: Technology Companies

Episode 209 originally broadcast on June 06, 2009

The BusinessMakers are on-the-road this week with an interview with Brian Liu, co-founder and chairman of LegalZoom, an online legal document service. Liu offers insightful wisdom on fundraising. Then, flash back to a repeat visit with our first interviewee--Rod Canion, founder of Compaq Computers and, with $100 million in sales during his first year of operation, one of the most successful entrepreneurs ever!

School of Business 06/06/09

.Russ and John present the show for the make-it-happen BusinessMakers who keep it all moving. Knowledge is good. Includes: BusinessMakers Quote of the Week—a pithy, perky comment from the always “up” Zig Ziglar; This Week in Business History includes ice cream and corsets, steam engines and steam whistles, Huey Long and Bobby Kennedy; Navigating Business Jargon—acronyms, technospeak and trendy new stuff; and Dumbest Moments in Business History—the president’s new budget does not lead by example.

Brian Liu of LegalZoom.com

Russ is on-the-road with an interview with the co-founder and chairman of LegalZoom, an online legal document service. Users can go to LegalZoom.com and start a business, form a corporation, file for a trademark or patent without paying the usual legal fees to hire an attorney. Liu and his colleagues launched LegalZoom in late 1999, only days before the dot-com bust began, which made capital raising a real challenge. Liu’s team knew they had a solid concept and they were committed, their credentials were strong, and they ate cheap fast food to save money. (“Domino’s was a treat!”) The young firm steadily gained traction. In 2008, LegalZoom helped entrepreneurs start 100,000 new businesses and, now, is processing roughly 1,000 transactions each day.

Rod Canion, Charter BusinessMakers Guest

Russ has a repeat visit with our first BusinessMakers interview—Rod Canion, founder of Compaq Computers and, with $100 million in sales during his first year of operation, one of the most successful entrepreneurs EVER! Canion has seized upon opportunities to “give back,” and now devotes his time and efforts to mentoring new entrepreneurs through various university programs; he also is involved in several early-stage companies. In this segment, Canion discusses the characteristics that attract him to an early stage program.

WebXtra - Rod Canion, Charter BusinessMakers Guest

PKF Texas: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook® - Capital Connections

For businesses looking to secure funding, Texas is a good place to be. Greg Price offers comments about today’s private equity funding and provides tips for getting it.