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No, I am not the Microsoft Paul Allen. I am Paul Allen The Lesser.
I've been an entrepreneur since 1990 when I co-founded Infobases along with Dan Taggart. Infobases was a successful CD-ROM publisher of religious and educational CD ROMs. We made the Inc. 500 in 1996.
My biggest claim to fame comes from co-founding Ancestry.com in 1997 (again with Dan Taggart) and launching the MyFamily.com web site in 1998. I was the company CEO for the first year, where we actually achieve positive cash flow as an internet subscription company before raising outside capital. Then we hired my brother Curt Allen, who led the company as we raised $90.5 million in venture capital.
I stayed on with the company in various roles, my last one being VP of Marketing, until we became profitable once again in late 2001.
I enjoy internet marketing, web analytics, and business development. I love the genealogy industry. I often miss my association with the MyFamily.com company and its wonderful customers. I left the company in February 2002.
Next, I started 10x Marketing, an internet marketing agency specializing in search engine marketing and affiliate marketing. I ran it for a year and then hired a CEO who led us to several successive profitable quarters. 10x Marketing was acquired by Innuity in June 2005.
I enjoy blogging, teaching, lecturing and writing for Connect Magazine. I am working on my first book outlines. I taught Internet Marketing at BYU for two years, and I used to teach Business Formation at Utah Valley State College.
I have an B.A. in Russian from Brigham Young University, and started a Masters Program in Library Science back in 1990. I dropped out to run Infobases, which became successful rather quickly. I often think about pursuing a Ph.D. in history or entrepreneurship.
When I lived in Silicon Valley in 1999-2000 I grew to love Stanford University, and would love to study there someday.
My goals in life are most closely connected to my faith, which I sometimes blog about, and to my family, which I never blog about, for privacy reasons.
Next to that, I hope to create enterprises that will improve the world, and promote entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
I sometimes worry that my enthusiasm for business will be misinterpreted. I think entrepreneurship is a great way to create prosperity and improve the world at the same time, but I don't ever want anyone to think that it is worth sacrificing their faith or family to have financial success.
My heroes include Alexander Graham Bell, an amazing innovator with incredible breadth, Bill Gross, the founder of Idealab! for his relentless energy in starting companies, Jim Clark, for successfully founding multiple billion dollar companies, Pierre Omidyar, who will give most of his eBay fortune away for social entrepreneurship, Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Google for providing the world with unprecendented access to knowledge and for trying to not be evil, and Warren Buffett, the world's greatest investor, who believes in making only a very small number of investment decisions in life, and sticking with them. Most investors seem to want to get rich quick. Buffett's philosophy is so different. And now, he has promised $31 billion to philanthropy via the Gates Foundation.
More important than my business heroes are my heroes of faith, including ancient and modern prophets, and most of all, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and believe wholeheartedly in this faith. Mormonism simply claims to be original Christianity restored to earth in modern times, though it is widely misunderstood.
I hope to start blogs on politics and my faith, in addition to this internet marketing blog, but I think keeping them separate is a good idea.
I respect and admire people of many faiths and backgrounds. As CEO of FamilyLink.com, a company that builds social networking sitess and applications for extended families, I've been able to travel to nearly a dozen countries in the past year, searching for genealogical content and partners. I love meeting people from all over the world and learning about different countries, cultures, and religions. I respect good people everywhere and try to look for good in everyone.
So enough about me ... now I invite you to read my blog and drop me a line. Thanks for visiting.
June 22nd, 2006 at 01:04 AM
I've enjoyed visiting your new site, Paul. Especially enjoyed the comments about Disruptive Technologies and (separately) Ben Franklin & Thomas Jefferson. How true!!
September 27th, 2006 at 17:12 PM
Paul,
Upon your recommendation in an article you wrote, I bought Tim Sander's book, Love is the Killer App. Thank you, great book, a lot of good applications.
I enjoyed your write-up about Xango. They have a great story. You questioned why so many network marketing companies are based here in Utah. Well, why are so many software companies in the Bay Area? Pharma in NJ? Autos in Detroit? (Huge pool of industry talent & human resources) On top of that, Utah, Orrin Hatch specifically, has been very friendly to the industry. As big as the ski industry is to Utah's economy, it's not a fraction of Utah's network marketing companies combined.
Keep an eye on Agel Enterprise in Provo in the Riverwoods. They shattered all first year industry sales records, including Xangos. Funded by Ash Capital/Alan Ashton, they just had their one year anniversary convention here in SLC and announced they are doing business in over 40 countries. Unprecedented. www.Agel.com
Keep up the great work!
-Gary Hasson
Lindon, UT
October 6th, 2006 at 17:18 PM
thank You Paul for a stimulating and enlightening morning at the First Friday meeting. I enjoyed your sharing so much! I am convinced the blog venue will aid my pursuit of a School of Music for the very young keyboard player here in Salt Lake. I am a highly trained pianist and teacher from S.F. Bay area recently married (June) and relocated here in SLC. I'll continue to read and visit. sincerely, Genie Murphy
October 12th, 2006 at 13:06 PM
Hi, Paul! I found your website through a connection in my linkedin.com network, and I am glad that I did! I am enjoying reading your blog and learning new things.
I am a full time mom and work in the successful consumer driven health care business, where I am helping others SAVE money on their health care, or giving people a lucrative biz op working from home earing residual income! If you or anyone you know are looking for another stream of income, please check us out! Thanks for your time and advice on your site!
October 21st, 2006 at 01:33 AM
[...] Paul Allen (who runs an US internet incuvator called Provo Labs) has posted about a TV show on serial entrepreneur Mark Cuban - Mark Cuban on Becoming a Billionaire. (Mark Cuban is one the dot com era winners with Broadcast.com ) Paul highlighted the following insights from the show: "He reads like crazy and uses email like crazy..." - I think every entrepreneur reads like crazy. I am always on the look out for new ideas, inspiration and different business models. I am a big believer in cross pollenation of ideas from different segments of the business world. Sometimes inspiration is found in strange places! eg. I got an idea for a new auction component from reading the introduction of customers.com! For some strange reason the introductory pitch of the book ampifilied the ideas that were bubbling under the surface. "He is willing to do the blocking and tackling to build a business..." ie. He's willing to do the hard yards to build the business. Taking the time to get the little details right can make the difference in creating a unique user experience. Small things do make a difference and you can really build something substancial when you add up everything. At the end of the day, you can't say that you gave it your best shot if you didn't give it 120%. A start-up isn't a 9-5 job, you need to live and breathe it,if you want to be a success. "Being an investor made him a better business man, and being a business man made him a better investor..." - Absolutely, you need to understand investing to be a better business. You need to understand about investing, if you want to get into the mindspace of a VC. What do VC's want in companies? More on that later... [...]
November 3rd, 2006 at 23:09 PM
Hi Paul,
am an international student from Zambia(Africa) at BYU-IDAHO where you spoke at the enterprenuer conference.I indeed was blessed to hear you speak.I felt the flow of intelligence in the Tylar chapel.I will work hard so that i can share that knowledge with my country and help them come out the shackles of poverty.Indeed i would want to commend you for your desire to bless and do good for the world.May you continue to a resource person to many of us who will take up and work with you for such a great cause.
Thanks for inspiring me.I will contact you for further instructions and wisdom.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:49 PM
I was actually searching for the Microsoft Paul Allen. I have to say that you are much better looking (love the eyes). I have read your blog and it is very interesting. I am finishing my Bachelor's in Business Management. I love to learn something new everyday. It seems like you have a strong stand on life and know what you desire. Many people seach for that everyday. Your morales are respectable. Good luck in life - Lisa
May 24th, 2007 at 16:06 PM
I had the opportunity to watch quite an amazing demo of Drill.com which also going to offer the same services for free on the net.
I recommend looking at the Drill.com system if you are in the business of media buying…
May 28th, 2007 at 17:16 PM
[...] 28th, 2007 · No Comments Paul Allen (the lesser) schrijft een interessante post overFacebook. [...]
July 3rd, 2007 at 13:16 PM
I wish you were teaching internet marketing at BYU this fall! I'm signed up for the class but you aren't the teacher...Thanks for your thoughts. No doubt your experiences are inspiring thousands of people.
July 21st, 2007 at 15:15 PM
hola te he leido, y te felicito por ser miembro de los santos de los ultimos dias, yo tambien creo que nuestro apdre celestial existe yesta entre nosotros
muchos besitos
sara
December 17th, 2007 at 23:31 PM
paul, i'm reminded i should be reading your blog more often... i always enjoy it when i drop by :)
would love to catchup sometime, next time in in utah or you're in the bay area. please drop me a note anytime.
regards,
- dave mcclure
June 4th, 2008 at 14:07 PM
Hello Paul!
Have you been in for your Orange Dream lately?! I miss working there and seeing you and your family all the time. I hope your family is doing well! I was working with CorporateAlliance for awhile, (I ran into you again at a few summits I think!) and now I am the Marketing Director of Jasons Deli. Quite a change. Still yet, a good experience for me! I still hope to take over all of Steves stores some day! :)
I actually stumbled upon your site because I was looking for local businesses to market our catering and delivery towards, and I googled "top 100 businesses" and your site came up. It was about the second one down from the top.
That is good right!! Hope you are doing well!
Melinda Logan
September 12th, 2008 at 21:15 PM
Hi Paul,
I see you are speaking at the Australisian congress in Jan 09. If I make it to NZ, I would love to meet you personally.
regards,
Suzanne
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