Class6ix came into existence when two brothers, Phil and Ted Cannelongo, recognized a disparity between how content providers were delivering news, and how users wanted to access it.
With their app and website, Class6ix aims to bring high quality, customized news to users who seek a personalized newscast.
What attracted you to the Flashstarts accelerator?
For our company, one of the key factors that set Flashstarts apart from other accelerators was the specific experience that Jennifer Neundorfer brought to the table. As our service depends on quality content from a number of different providers, her background in establishing relationships with these organizations and in video monetization strategies, coupled with Charles Stack’s extensive e-commerce experience, made it clear that Flashstarts was the right accelerator.
Tell us about your company.
My business partner and brother, Phil Cannelongo, works as a local television news producer. Back in 2010, he recognized that while the broadcast journalism industry was trying to reach audience members by posting their video online, the experience was far from optimal and didn’t really fit the way people wanted to watch the news. He came to me with the idea of building a better platform for broadcasters to reach their audience, one that didn’t require users to go from site to site or app to app. Then, when visiting him several months later, I shared with him my desire as a news consumer to be able to get news on the subjects that matter to me, in a single place.
We quickly realized that a service like ours could address both the challenges his industry was facing in engaging their audience online, and also provide a far better way to watch the news. A bit of brainstorming later, we had the basic concept for Class6ix, and started working on the first prototype a short time later.
What has been the biggest challenge?
As a company, the biggest challenge for us has been getting the word out about the service. Though we have had some press on a few high-traffic sites, those stories quickly fade into the archives. We quite often see people looking for the very service we provide, but when you’re just one app in a pool of 1.2 million, discovery can be a challenge. This is one of our areas of focus as we move into the second half of the program this summer.
Tell us about working and living in Cleveland.
Though I’ve been a Clevelander all of my life, this is actually my first experience working downtown. Still, it doesn’t feel at all unfamiliar. There are a lot of great lunch options within an easy walk, everyone I’ve encountered has been extraordinarily friendly, and it’s easy to feel very comfortable here almost immediately. Cleveland has been one of this country’s best kept secrets for a long time now. Like Class6ix, it seems like they’ve had trouble getting the word out in the past, too, but I think the city will have some great opportunities to shine in the years to come.
How do you like working with interns?
The interns Flashstarts has brought together for this program are exceptional. I’ve seen a remarkable work ethic from them, and I think they’ve truly taken ownership of the projects they’ve been given. They’ve made valuable contributions to the teams, both in the work they’ve done and in the ideas they’ve offered, and I could certainly see several of them back in a future Flashstarts class with their own business ideas.
What is some advice for future interns?
I guess I would just urge them to take the fullest advantage of the opportunity they have and appreciate all it offers. We have an incredibly diverse array of teams working here this summer, and unlike most interns, they have a unique opportunity to get exposure to a number of different businesses in a very short period of time. I think they also have the chance to make a much more meaningful impact compared to the opportunities they might have found with a larger, established company. I hope that future interns are able to recognize just how special this situation is.
What surprised you about your experience at Flashstarts?
In discussions with content providers, I’ve learned a lot more about the challenges they have encountered in the online space, and I’ve also learned more about what is really the critical path for the company. When I started, I had a rather long list of things that I wanted to accomplish, but I feel like now I know much more clearly which areas demand my focus right now to move the business forward.
What are some things you’ve learned this summer, so far?
It goes so fast. It’s hard to believe we’re already at the halfway point, but at the same time, so much has happened in that time.
Want to stay in the loop about Class6ix? Follow them on Twitter @Class6ixNews, check them out on Facebook and visit their website.
