The Future of Web Apps

Posted by: Dan Prior | 03 October 2007

Five of us from Mando Group are currently delegates at a conference in London, named the 'Future of Web Apps'.  We have a good cross section of the company; the MD, Head of Operations, a designer, a programmer, and a flash developer.  So we are hoping that we will get some really good insights into what leading thinkers in the industry are expecting to be happening over the next couple of years.  We also hope to pick up some inspiring stories of new business ideas or new technology that have made a difference in the last few months.

Firstly, I must say I feel completely nerdy as I sit in a seminar whilst writing this blog entry on a Mac Book; but I fit in, because most people are doing it.  People in this industry really love Apple.  Most people here have laptops and Mac Books outnumber PC laptops by a ratio of 4:1.  People here also love iPods and iPhones; no surprise there.

My hightlight of today so far has been hearing Robert Kalin talk about his successful website www.etsy.com He looks 25 but talks with the maturity and clarity of someone who is 45.  Throughout his 40 minute presentation he peppered his talk with points about how important it is to have values behind what you are creating; and I thought 25 year old entrepeneurs were just interested in making money?  

Etsy.com is an on-line marketplace thats slogan is 'your place to buy and sell all things handmade'.  I really didn't understand why people would use etsy rather than ebay until I understood the community.  People who make things by hand take care in and value what they do.  Therefore they also value others who do the same, and they would like to buy from people like them.  Hence a market of people who don't want to mix on ebay with everyone else as they prefer the smaller and more niche area where they can buy and sell form people like them.  Robert Kalin has done a number of things which has tapped into this need for community, and it works! Etsy has only been going just over 2 years, and had limited funding, but now employs 44 people and over 7000 items a day are sold through the website!  

Well the session is drawing to a close and battery is a bit low on the Mac Book so I'd better sign off.

Posted in: Technology Business