Shin Quantifies Viral Internet Video
On October 14, 2009, Visible Measures CEO and Founder Brian Shin (A97) officially
opened the 7th Annual Entrepreneurship Conference, held in the Alumnae Lounge at
Tufts University. The symposium also featured a 60-second elevator pitch competition
presented by Tufts students, and a discussion panel featuring alumni entrepreneurs
Art Papa (A97), Jenna Dreher (A06), Jay Meattle (A04), and Ian Klein (A00).
Shin started the conference recounting his own undergraduate experiences as a "screw-up in college."
He went on to narrate the path he has taken from being a confused biology graduate to an aspiring
entrepreneur and co-founder of several companies before founding Visible Measures, a third party
measurement firm for internet video advertisers, agencies, and publishers. While attending MIT
Sloan School of Management in pursuit of a dual degree from the Harvard-MIT Biomedical Enterprise
Program, Shin was often caught between accepting offers for “real jobs” with steady salaries and
following his passion of starting his own business. After his internship with Goldman Sachs,
Shin realized his love for the entrepreneurial world. He began working on Visible Measures as
a side job and weekend hobby. Today, Visible Measures has raised $32 million and has more than
50 employees in various locations including Boston, New York, London, and Detroit.
Shin shared with attendees the lessons he has learned through his various experiences as
student, intern, and businessman. First, he emphasized the importance of having a support system,
whether it’s family, friends, or advisors. He also told students to be "humble yet hungry."
In other words, be realistic with zero ego but also be confident and drive to succeed.
Perhaps most importantly, Shin stressed the value of following one’s own passions. "Be in a space
you genuinely enjoy...it’s a long road ahead."
Offering practical advice, Shin raised many of the essential questions that the crowd
of aspiring entrepreneurs should ask themselves before getting started. "What is our idea
and do customers need it? What kind of company are we trying to build? Do we load the team
onto the bus or worry about the direction the bus is headed first?" In his opinion, it’s more
important to secure an excellent team and then decided where the team is headed. Shin argued
that if a business has exceptional team members, it is easier to overcome challenges
ahead when they arise.
Students in the audience felt that Shin’s presentation was down-to-earth and relatable.
One junior undergraduate commented, "I really felt like he was one of us in his college days,
often confused and frustrated about what career choices to make. It’s inspiring to hear the
path he's taken to become the successful and passionate individual he is today."
The conference also included an elevator pitch competition, where student participants
were given sixty seconds to present their business idea to a panel of judges. The proposals
included a fire extinguisher that targets the center of fires, high-energy water that
revives plants back to life, an innovative social networking website, and a Boston organization
that creates intercollegiate parties. In the end, the $100 cash prize was rewarded to Recyclico,
the organization that would recycle beer cans on college campuses.
Ending the entrepreneurship conference was an open panel discussion featuring Art Papa (A97),
founder of Bullhorn Inc, Jenna Dreher (A06) of the Social Investment Council, Jay Meattle (A04),
founder of Shareaholic, and Ian Klein (A00), founder of OverweightDate.com. Each speaker elaborated
upon their own entrepreneurial experiences. In particular, Klein emphasized the importance of
learning from failures, highlighting how his past startups failed to grow to full potential.
Klein stated that in order to start your own business, you must not only have the ambitious
entrepreneurial drive in your heart, but also the conscientious structure necessary to
successfully execute the idea.
