Ello and Budnitz Bicycles

[merlinmurph]

There has been a lot of chatter lately about a new-ish social networking site called Ello that wants to survive without selling user info (http://www.wbur.org/npr/352838479/ello-aims-for-a-return-to-ad-free-social-networking). I noticed that the founder has a bicycle company called Budnitz Bicycles (http://budnitzbicycles.com/) that makes some cool ti and steel city bikes. We even talked about them here (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=95337&highlight=budnitz)briefly. The bikes definitely have an artsy appeal to them and Paul Budnitz (http://paulbudnitz.com/about#_=_) has definitely been around the block.

Kind of interesting.

[ptourkin]

Did Black Sheep design it for him?
Maybe we should ask BikeRumor (http://redkiteprayer.com/2014/10/the-straw-the-camel/).

[charliedid]

There has been a lot of chatter lately about a new-ish social networking site called Ello that wants to survive without selling user info (http://www.wbur.org/npr/352838479/ello-aims-for-a-return-to-ad-free-social-networking). I noticed that the founder has a bicycle company called Budnitz Bicycles (http://budnitzbicycles.com/) that makes some cool ti and steel city bikes. We even talked about them here (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=95337&highlight=budnitz)briefly. The bikes definitely have an artsy appeal to them and Paul Budnitz (http://paulbudnitz.com/about#_=_) has definitely been around the block.

Kind of interesting.

Huh?

[oldpotatoe]

There has been a lot of chatter lately about a new-ish social networking site called Ello that wants to survive without selling user info (http://www.wbur.org/npr/352838479/ello-aims-for-a-return-to-ad-free-social-networking). I noticed that the founder has a bicycle company called Budnitz Bicycles (http://budnitzbicycles.com/) that makes some cool ti and steel city bikes. We even talked about them here (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=95337&highlight=budnitz)briefly. The bikes definitely have an artsy appeal to them and Paul Budnitz (http://paulbudnitz.com/about#_=_) has definitely been around the block.

Kind of interesting.

Know all the pricipals, Budnitz, Todd Berger, Lucian Foer. Budnitz is the $. The other 2 the web guys. Todd and Lucian designed/maintain vecchios website.

Worked with Budnitz(former owner of KidRobot) on a prototype stainless waterford...didn't work out. Todd and Lucian are very imaginative people, very talented, based in the republic.

[redir]

Those are some nice looking bikes. So it's invite only how do I get an invite?

[Germany_chris]

That's what I'm looking for, an invite

[benb]

It's not going anywhere.. they have no revenue stream and they have accepted venture capital. They are going to be on the hook to their investors and will either have to sell user data, display ads, or charge fees to the users.

It'd be cool if they could actually build a user base that paid a monthly fee but I can't see it happening in social media.

[Dired]

Would really love an invite!

[gavingould]

to piggyback on what benb said above...

https://aralbalkan.com/notes/ello-goodbye/

to summarize, VC doesn't give out close to half a mil if they don't have a strategy to profit. basically that means they have to have something to sell to make a return on their investment... additional paid features are unlikely to be that ROI, atmo. the easiest thing to sell is user info, most likely to advertisers, etc.

[seanile]

It's not going anywhere.. they have no revenue stream and they have accepted venture capital. They are going to be on the hook to their investors and will either have to sell user data, display ads, or charge fees to the users.

It'd be cool if they could actually build a user base that paid a monthly fee but I can't see it happening in social media.
their revenue stream is from selling functionality like strava does, but on a more per-item basis rather than standard and premium memberships.

[merlinmurph]

Huh?

Huh?

[redir]

I don't mind seeing adds. Even if you grew up before the internet you certainly were exposed to lots of adds on the latest platform available, TV, and then after that cable TV. So maybe they plan to have adds. Just not adds that want to know what time you wake up in the morning, where you are located on the map when ever possible, what kind of coffee you drink and what kind of car you drive.

[alexstar]

I have a few invites, PM me your email address