Something Cool

Something Cool

My experience at Flashstarts so far has really surpassed my expectations. What I appreciate most is the opportunity to learn. Not only have I had a chance to practice my skills in financing, I have also learned about so many different sides of a business: from marketing to outreach, to the importance of technology and how it impacts the growth of Flashstarts’ startups. There's something really cool about this kind of immersion and how much it can teach you. In this internship program, each intern is matched up with 3 different companies a week. Because of the intense pacing, the…
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“Flashstarts Intern Checklist” by Medhavi Gandhi

“Flashstarts Intern Checklist” by Medhavi Gandhi

For Flashstarts interns, there is no such thing as an "average" day. To sum up her experience, intern Medhavi Gandhi has compiled a checklist of things you'll get to do (or at least want to do!) after joining the Flashstarts team here in Cleveland. (Click on the image to zoom in.) Medhavi Gandhi is a Operations Research and Information Engineering Major at Cornell University. She currently works as a Software Development Intern at Flashstarts.
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“Saddle Chair Races” – A Haiku Collection by Sabrina Ko

“Saddle Chair Races” – A Haiku Collection by Sabrina Ko

Saddle Chair Races: A meditation on my Flashstarts internship as told through haiku Got first day jitters? Orientation will help, and lots of oatmeal. My role: software dev. My work? Much more than just that. Design, SEO. By WeCanCodeIt is the hidden tea room stash. Use info wisely. “Can you code in Swift?” “I guess I can learn to!” Now, Resume: Skills: Swift. VirtualSpaces: People demoing VR oddly speak louder. Papr: one startup that’s backed by the Vatican; Is my work holy? On Unbox the Dress I’ve learned to wireframe and do graphic design. Average day at work? Lots of…
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“A Note For Future Interns” by Ben Reiser

“A Note For Future Interns” by Ben Reiser

Our intern Ben Reiser documented life around the office and produced this fun video about our daily lives to show you just how great of a place it is to work. Enjoy! Ben Reiser is an Environmental Economics Major at Colgate University. He currently works as a Business Management Intern at Flashstarts. His talents also include marathon watching the Star Wars series 3 times. His favorite thing about being an intern has been getting to know and work closely with the other interns in the office. In his words, "It is a group of fun and interesting people that has…
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The Next Lebron James

The Next Lebron James

In 2002, the year before Lebron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first overall pick in the NBA draft, the Cavs held a record of 17-65 with a winning percentage of just .207. This was the worst record in the Eastern Conference, making the Cavs one of the worst teams in the entire league. They were in desperate need of talented and creative players that could lift them into a new era of victory. Today, the city of Cleveland finds itself in a familiar situation - this time not in the realm of sports, but in its…
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Whatever It Takes

Whatever It Takes

Before coming to Cleveland and beginning my internship with Flashstarts, I heard a number of jarring things about the city. Now that I'm here, I realize that they all couldn't be further from the truth. Cleveland is bursting with a determined energy, and the slogans for the beloved Cleveland Cavaliers echo this excitement. The saying “Whatever it takes” is plastered everywhere, and  “Believeland” captures the real heart of the city. Clevelanders are hard workers that move with purpose and have pride in the future of their city. There’s a new life in the city that everyone is continuing to build…
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The 2 Step Startup

Let's face it. Startups are hard. From big things like naming your business and crafting a brand to more mundane tasks like figuring out taxes or how to market through email newsletters, there's always more to do. It's very easy to lose sight of the straightforward goal that you started with: starting a business. After years of striving to help entrepreneurs succeed, I've developed a simple formula that gets straight to the point. It's called the "2 Step Startup Formula". If you can stay focused and boil your core process down to this, you'll be on track to succeed in…
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Meet Me Halfway

Why Cleveland? You’re going where? Why? That was every question asked, every question I left unanswered with a reserved “I don’t know.” It was an honest answer, because I actually didn’t. Most people didn’t mean any harm, and they were valid questions. However, considering that I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and go to school in Upstate New York, I admit it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Five weeks later into my internship, choosing Cleveland still might not make complete sense, but it doesn’t need to. I am enjoying my time here and don’t regret a thing.…
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An Entrepreneur’s Quick and Easy Guide to Authorizing and Issuing Shares

Picture this: you have just come up with your million dollar idea. Snappy Name? Check! You're ready to take the next step in creating a brand new legal entity so you can start distributing shares to potential investors. You have also decided that you don't need the flexibility (or the legal expense) of an LLC, and have yet to be given any reason not to be a YADC (Yet Another Delaware Corporation). You've gotten halfway through the BizFilings process (or something similar) when you come across a question. How many shares would you like to authorize? And what should the par value be?…
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