Service providers, consultants, speakers and experts are all trying to navigate the new rules of engagement borne by social media.  How do I reach prospects, engage and brand in this attention starved age?  Leading edge thinkers like Mike Desjardins of Virtus are embracing the challenge by providing demos or “bytes” of their magic - in this case - How to tell if you’re a leader - on the Social Web.

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We had the pleasure of working with Mike to produce a series of  minute long “success snacks” for fundfindr.tv, so named as they are easy to digest, tasty and good for you. A quick shoot, some sweet edits courtesy of Ben Z. Cooper and then distribution on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, RSS and more.  A fresh new meaning for the term:  Net result. Branding, reach and an very effective marketing approach for our A.D.D. times.

Video has a unique ability to demonstrate your magic in an attention-getting way.   Your customers buy you and your content.  Demo it!  We’re excited about the next collaboration with Virtus as part of our new Riiplay.tv service.  We’d love to  work with you too.  You can showcase your mojo and deliver it online in high quality, at great rates, to great effect.

Knowledge on demand. Your next presentation.  Live Streaming.  Webcam wizadry.  Or even 60 seconds…

Boot strapping your business or thinking you need some direction in accounting, marketing, IT, web design, or any other day to day task of running your business? Well fundfindr’s The Pitchies competition is coming into its second month with over $20,000 to offer our finalists. We’ve teamed up with some cool local sponsors to give you the goods:

A SaaS-based platform that streamlines the lifecycle of websites - empowering users to: 1. Build websites simply 2. Manage content seamlessly 3. Optimize results effectively

A Vancouver-based consulting firm that helps companies build strong and capable leaders, retain and develop top talent, create viable long-term strategies, and build energetic, driven, aligned teams.

Jouta Performance Group provides services to both companies and individuals, including all levels of HR support to help businesses create infrastructure to attract and retain quality employees, and personal coaching to help individuals excel in their personal and professional lives.

QCDocs Systems Inc. delivers a comprehensive process and accounting document management solution designed specifically for small to mid-sized companies. Our team comes from a wide range of backgrounds, including professional accounting, IT, software and web development. We combine our different areas of expertise to build the best solution for automating and streamlining business and accounting processes.

A privately owned company with operations across Canada. We are focused on delivering comprehensive computers solutions to small and mid-sized businesses for an affordable flat monthly rate. Being a small business ourselves allows us to be far more flexible to meet the unique needs of our customers. No two businesses are alike, and we recognize this. All products and services are tailored for your business.

Analytics Marketing provides sales, marketing and other business development coaching for early stage businesses. We take responsibility for not only creating the marketing roadmap, but for making sure it is implemented. We focus on insuring the most important first sales are completed, best practices are implemented, and the best permanent sales and marketing hires are made.

Tandem is part of a new breed of accounting practice that takes a hands-on role with its clients to address accoutning and administrative requirements when and where you have them. Tandem’s services are tailored to each client’s needs whether that entails bookkeeping or contract controller and CFO services.

A west coast law firm providing legal services to local, regional, national and international clients from offices in downtown Vancouver and Langley. We represent a broad spectrum of business enterprises, institutional clients, insurance companies and individuals.

Webnames.ca is Canada’s original domain registrar and a one-stop convenience for the online needs of individuals, small businesses, nonprofit organizations and corporations. Pitchies competitors can save $25.00 at Webnames.ca by simply entering the code word ‘Pitchies’!

Techvibes.com provides an easy-to-use platform for technology professionals to share ideas, recruit key employees, and build stronger industry alliances.

Have you submitted your pitch to The Pitchies competition yet for your chance to win over $20k in prizes? Our experts want to see the finest new innovations so get your webcam or videocamera in action. We are just coming up to the announcement of our first semi-finalists so simply enter your pitch in our Compete section after you have uploaded it.

We also wanted to share some more background on the stellar judges we have lined up for the big November event where the Expert Pick winners will be announced. Plus, don’t forget to get your network voting for you for the People’s Choice Awards!

2008 Pitchies Judges - Bios

Basil Peters , Angel Investor, Entrepreneurial CEO, Fund Manager

While still in grad school, Basil co-founded Nexus Engineering. Nexus grew to seven companies with over 300 employees with operations in Hong Kong, Jakarta, London and five Canadian cities.  Basil is currently the manager of the Angel Fund Fundamental Technologies II.  Full bio

Greg Wolfe, Executive Vice President, Operations of SAP-Business Objects

Greg Wolfe is responsible for managing SAP-Business Objects operations and ensuring customer success in the Americas and EMEA. Wolfe has a strong track record of success in creating and managing high-growth and customer-obsessed organizations. Full bio

Mike Desjardins , Driver, Virtus

Mike is the Driver of Virtus and Past President of the Vancouver chapter of EO - the Entrepreneurs Organization. A graduate of UBC’s Commerce Faculty with a specialization in Marketing. Mike also spent three and a half years as the President of Purity Water Treatment Products. Full bio .

Robin Chakrabarti, Vice President, Corporate Development of T & M Group of Companies

The T&M Group have over 30 years of experience investing in, acquiring, building and growing profitable businesses, including Boston Pizza, Mr. Lube and Global Entertainment. In 2005, Robin was named one of BC’s top 40 businesspeople under 40. See Robin’s profile on Linked In

Ron Bertram, General Manager, Nintendo of Canada Ltd.

Ron Bertram is the Vice-President, General Manager for Nintendo of Canada Ltd . He is responsible for all of Nintendo’s business activities in Canada. Under Ron’s stewardship, Nintendo of Canada’s business has quadrupled in size to over ½ billion dollars. More bio here.

Ron Moravek, Chief Executive Officer, Sitemasher

Ron Moravek’s extraordinary ability to identify business opportunities and execute business plans made his joining Phil Calvin a natural next step in Sitemasher’s development path. The results-oriented, creative, high-energy leader comes packaged with an inspirational, fun and empowering management style. Full bio

Thomas Hellmann, B.I. Ghert Family Foundation Professor in Finance and Policy, Sauder School of Business University of British Columbia

Dr. Thomas Hellmann is a Professor at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. He holds a BA from the London School of Economics and a PhD from Stanford and teaches executive, MBA and undergraduate courses in the areas of entrepreneurship and strategic management. Full bio

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VANCOUVER, BC - If you can pitch your million-dollar idea in the time it takes to take a ride in an elevator, it’s time to take your shot at the big-time.

Fundfindr Media Inc. launched the Pitchies contest this week, inviting entrepreneurs to record their elevator pitch on video for the chance to win a prize package that will help make their business vision a reality.

The Pitchies contestants are eligible to win prizes in the Expert’s Pick round or in the People’s Choice round.

The winners of the Expert’s Pick Grand Prize includes a professionally produced corporate video, a website builder subscription, professional start-up kits, mentorship meetings and a bundle of service packages with a total value of about $20,000. Second prize will include a combination of services and mentorship experience valued at about $3,500. The Expert’s Pick will be judged by entrepreneurial experts including Sitemasher CEO Ron Moravek, Virtus Driver Mike Desjardins, Nintendo of Canada GM Ron Bertram, UBC Professor of Entrepreneurship Thomas Hellmann, Business Objects Executive Vice President Greg Wolfe and T&M Group of Companies Vice President Robin Chakrabarti.

The People’s Choice Prize winners selected by popular vote can win round-trip airfare to Vancouver, BC, one night in a Vancouver hotel, a two-night Whistler weekend, Website builder subscription,fundfindr premium service bundle and webnames.ca services with a total value of around $4,000.

More sponsors and judges will be announced shortly.

“The contest is like ‘Dragon’s Den meets YouTube”, says fundfindr CEO Bret Conkin. “With all of the Internet’s social media tools available now, why just restrict their elevator pitch to a boardroom office when they can instantly pitch thousands of investors in a video. This contest will give entrepreneurs with that next big idea the chance to refine their pitch, get noticed by investors and possibly take their venture from the idea stage to the big-time.”

Entrepreneurs will submit their video pitches for the Pitchies contest to the Fundfindr website at www.fundfindr.com. There will be monthly Pitch Reviews by business experts like Director of Fundamental Technologies II angel fund Basil Peters. For more detailed contest information, visit www.pitchies.com.

fundfindr Media Inc. is a Vancouver-based social media company that matches entrepreneurs with investors and service providers. Fundfindr’s online tools and consulting services help ventures get exposure, find investment, make connections and get expert feedback to improve their businesses over the long term.

fundfindr’s online video pitch forum is a popular example of how online social media tools are changing how businesses compete, Conkin says. “Many of our clients have described us as speed dating for entrepreneurs. It’s a really convenient way for investors to find their perfect match – a lot like how the Internet has revolutionized the dating scene.”

fundfindr also includes a broadcast channel and professional video production service, fundfindr.tv. For those still just getting their feet wet in business or investing, the fundfinder community offers success snacks — short video tutorials on everything from how to pitch investors to how to do PR, finance and human resources. Through fundfindr.tv, fans can also get updates, news, interviews, advice and invitations to hot events through streaming video, webcasts and a blog.

Have you ever wanted the opportunity to spend 10 minutes with a successful businessman - to seek out their secrets to success and delve into the mysteries behind what it truly ‘takes’ to realize your goals? Are you thinking of starting your own business or perhaps taking an existing business into unchartered territory? Have the fears, the doubts and the emotional obstacles of taking it to the next level started to creep in? Are you looking for support from other entrepreneurs?

Well, here is your opportunity to have your 10 minutes and garner the encouragement you need to succeed. Mike Desjardins, the President of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) in Vancouver and the Driver of Virtus, reveals his success tips and the top 3 things an entrepreneur should consider when starting on a new venture. From pre start-up reading to mapping the goals of the company to filtering the shiny objects, Mike touches on the first steps to becoming a success.

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