About the blog

This blog focuses on the European Startup scene, with a focus on how France plays a role in that scene. As often as possible, I travel to and participate in startup events, and often detail my interactions and impressions of those events. I also write about young Startups that interest me, usually with the prerequisite that they have not already had major press.

To call the blog a ‘Startup 101’ would be a little much, but as I learn new lessons, I try to share them in the hopes that I can save someone else the struggle. This blog is targeted not only at those immersed in the startup world, whom I keep up-to-date with all the newest events and companies, but also for those who are thinking about jumping in, but aren’t quite sure what to expect.

About the Blogger

Born and raised in Menlo Park, California, I pride myself on having ‘startups’ in my blood. Startups have begun in my family, among my friends, and all over my home town, and I am just beginning to realize how fortunate I am to have had that in my environment growing up.

After doing a double major in Pure Mathematics and Latin & Ancient Greek at UCSD, I moved out to France in 2010 to pursue a master’s degree, but quickly found myself bored with school and intrigued with startups. I have worked with B2C mobile startups and B2B old-school startups; what really excites me is to see how innovators bring out-dated processes into the new age with technology.

While I jump from project to project, I am constantly trying to immerse myself in the local community of entrepreneurs, investors, and startup contributors. I am constantly seeking out new opportunities, with the goal of learning every part and every phase of how startups are run, in the hopes that when a great idea comes into my head or across my path, I will be as ready as possible to help that idea grow.

What is a Rude HitchHiker?

Even at a young age, I always felt very comfortable asking friends and strangers for rides; once in the car, I had no problem making them go 1 minute out of their planned route in order to save me 10 minutes of walking (I was also always willing to return the favor). The title has since flourished beyond its literal meaning, and has come to define how I approach the world – specifically, the startup world.

The key to asking for help is knowing in advance that the person may say ‘no.’ Once you get over that idea and stop looking at it as a rejection, it becomes very easy. In the same fashion, once you get past the idea that to not succeed is to fail, you can really begin to create change.

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A Rude HitchHiker knows how to balance self-confidence and humbleness. While self-confidence portrays to ones opinion of oneself, that opinion is nothing if not placed in perspective with one’s opinions of others.