“You only Fail when you Quit!” – Nihal Mehta
With over 12 years experience in innovating marketing technologies through several successful startups to date, Nihal Mehta, is a noted expert in the emerging adoption of mobile technologies for media properties and consumer brands. Named a top 10 NYC ‘game changer’ in the 2010 New York Enterprise Report, one of twenty RCR Wireless News ‘mobile movers and shakers’ in 2008, a BusinessWeek ‘M-Commerce Baron’ in 2006 and named one of AdAge’s ‘top 20 marketers in their 20s’ in 2005, Nihal is currently CEO and Co-founder of LocalResponse, Inc. which helps brands and businesses reach consumers across aggregate location-based services. Prior to LocalResponse, (which pivoted from Buzzd, a leading real-time city guide), Nihal founded ipsh!, one of the first full-service mobile marketing agencies in 2001, which he sold to Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) in 2005. Nihal is also a General Partner at the world’s first venture fund focused on mobile startups, ENIAC ventures, and is an active angel investor including investments/advisories in Admob (sold to Google), Greystripe (sold to Valueclick), Movoxx (sold to Adenyo). Nihal graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Philosophy and a BSE in Computer Science.
Do you think the education you’ve invested in helped you on the road to success?
Yes, definitely, specifically the network of colleagues/business partners I originally met at the University of Pennsylvania (I graduated with a dual degree : BA in philosophy & BSE in computer science)
What was the “break point” or an AHA moment in your career that made you decide to build your own brand?
The year was 1999, i had just graduated college and accepted a job with Goldman Sachs, a fairly typical route post UPenn. My parents- who immigrated to the US in the early 70s as professionals and soon quit their jobs to start their own business- urged me to give the ‘dot com wave’ a shot and launch a business from my senior thesis (www.philly2nite.com), and if it failed that Goldman Sachs would ‘always be there’ (little did they know about the upcoming financial collapse). I never looked back since.
As a young professional, what were some of the mistakes that you made and what did you learn?
I have made more than enough mistakes. The most important thing is to learn from them and don’t let them happen again.
How do you measure success?
If you are doing what you truly love, then you are by definition, successful.
What is one advice that you can offer to your readers?
You only fail when you quit.
You Might Also Be Interested In:
Interview with Founder of Connected – Sachin Rekhi
Interview with Founder of BrainScape – Andrew Cohen
What do you do for fun?
Mentor/coach other entrepreneurs. Run down the westside highway. DJ. Play flipcup.
What is your favorite gadget(s), software(s), website(s) that makes your life easier and more productive?
Are you Mac or PC?
followup.cc <– amazing tool for biz dev/sales
hashable <– for tracking relationships
My Macbook Pro.
Who would you like to see featured here and why?
Jack Dorsey (@jack)- the Steve Jobs of our generation.
Tim Westergren / founder of Pandora – one of the most persistent entrepreneurs of this decade
Ways to Connect with you:
Twitter: @nihamehta
Websites: LocalResponse.com | Buzzd.com |
From: http://ping.fm/by1gj
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