About
Get Trajectory is a business book series and set of programs designed by Dave Parker to help both Startup and Small/Local businesses create free cashflow and grow profitable topline sales and marketing.
- Trajectory: Startup
- Trajectory: Scaleup
- Trajectory: Services
Dave Parker
Dave Parker is an 5X founder, entrepreneur and professional board member for Tech growth companies. His 20+ year career has highlighted his ability to innovate new ideas and scale products and companies in the US and Internationally. He is a frequent speaker at University and Community events. He also volunteers as the Lead Coordinator of Seattle’s Startup Week and part of the Seattle Startup Community.
Dave joined Code Fellows as CEO in June of 2015. Code Fellows is an immersive, in-person code school offering job-ready web and mobile software development training. The company has a > 90% placement rate of grads with a starting salary of over $70K. Code Fellows is part of the emerging “boot camp” market that helps bridge the gap not currently filled by four-year degree Computer Science programs. When he started with Code Fellows <20% of the program applicants were accepted into the training. The curriculum didn’t address those who didn’t have access to this type of programming. By launching a new curriculum, he significantly increased admissions and gained the Veterans Administration Approval as the only Coding Program in Washington State. He also launched a “Pay it Forward” scholarship program, funding >$600,000 in funds for women, underserved minorities and veterans as part of a personal mission on diversity.
Dave was fortunate to join a “movement in progress” while at Startup Weekend, a program that helps founders launch their dream companies in 54 hours. From 2013-2015 he served as Senior VP Programs & People for UP Global the merged parent company of Startup Weekend/Startup America. In 2014, the UP Global team held over 1,250 events in 120 countries and 640 cities worldwide with over 74,000 attendees.
During his time at UP Global, he launched two new programs:
- Startup Next – a six-week pre-accelerator program that helped early stage founders transition from Startup Weekend to funded early stage companies in over 20 cities worldwide.
- Startup Week – launched in six cities in the first year with over 50,000 attendees and grew to 74+ cities worldwide in the third year.
The non-profit company was sold to Techstars in June 2015. This non-profit to for-profit was the unique experience of Dave’s nine transactions – six sell side and three buyside deals. He served on the Board of the non-profit in the distribution of final grants.
In addition to his home town of Seattle where’s he’s a highly ranked mentor for Techstars, 9Mile Labs and Founder Institute, Dave has mentored for accelerator programs from Brazil to Moldova, Budapest to Singapore. He’s a frequent blogger on Startup topics through DKParker.com.
Dave has been a startup founder in software development, enterprise IT and professional services, software distribution and tech hardware. Companies have included License Online (sold to SNX), and Bundled.com (sold in 2012). Board Member roles have included Classmates.com (sold to UNTD), Digital Marketing (sold in 2004) and Cauldron Solutions (sold in 2006).
His career has spanned both product and service industries, selling tangible and intangible technology products and professional services. An Alumnus of the University of Washington, Dave has been recognized by the World Technology Network for Innovation in the Software Industry and Forbes “Best of the Web.” He was Entrepreneur in Residence at Mitsui & Company IT Investment Group in Cupertino, CA, a $250M venture fund. The fund made 14 investments in the first 18 months of operation.
Dave is a professional Board Member for two NW midmarket companies, six startup companies and an Advisory Board Member for dozens of early-stage tech companies. His role with these companies is to provide governance, go-to-market strategy and growth advisory in preparation for fundraising and exit strategies.
He has over 10 years of experience doing business in Japan and five in China bringing technology to Asia and others back to the US.
8 Replies to “About”
Dave Parker:
This is Alex Tsway, the student from Seattle university with the innovation platform idea.
I want to thank you for your valuable feedback today! I’m really excited about the new idea and taking steps to contact companies in our local area to learn more about their innovation departments.
However, I did some research and found out services like Vetter, who have an online suggestions box, and another company called Yammer, an enterprise social network.
It would be great to get some feedback on how to standout amongst these other companies and some sample questions to ask.
Thank you again for the awesome advice today! We are so excited to bring something of value back into the community!
Best,
Alex Tsway
Alex,
great research, good to find it out now vs. later. check on pricing and target market for Yammer. They sold to Microsoft, which is usually an indication that it will go to large enterprise and won’t be useful in the mid market.
I’d get the list of top companies to work for in Seattle, http://seattlebusinessmag.com/article/100-best-companies-work-2012 and go ask some of these companies if:
– is your core premis a problem
– what are they currently using (see if those names come up)
– what the value of surfacing employee ideas
Dave
Both my co-founder and I enjoyed the thoughtful presentation you shared at the 9 Mile Labs today. Your methodology in looking at sales pipelines and key metrics was very helpful. I also thought your point about founders figuring out how to sell their product or service first before hiring a sales person was spot on.
Thanks
Dave Thanks for the feedback you gave today. I’ve learned a lot in 30mins. And for the record, my high concept pitch was created during our conversation this morning.
Thank you.
Thanks Paulo, I’m glad the time was well spent!
Dave
I am looking for a curriculum designed for women wanting to build privately held companies. A curriculum that would help such women go from ideation to a sustainable business enterprises that can gross 500K- 20M recurring yearly
Do you think https://www.gettrajectory.com/6-month-startup/ is applicable to private enterprise scenario?
Thank you for your guidance –
-Madhu
Bellevue WA Resident
Hey Madhu, you could use the curriculum for that purpose. Venture ready isn’t a requirement. The program is designed to help founders validate their ideas before they leave their day jobs – answering the question is this idea and market worth my time as the first investor. Happy to connect.