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Social Media Worldforum was organized in Singapore in this week. Traditional media companies (Sony Pictures, ESPN, MTV) had strong presence there, also some telco operators came to learn more. But it was very clear that social media is still driven by smaller and startup companies. They develop, for example, new platforms, apps on existing social media platforms, tools to help users, measurement and monitoring tools, and offer also consulting services to larger companies to survive in social media.

e27 is an interesting community of Singaporean web and mobile companies. This kind of communities are important, because many companies develop very specific applications and business, but they also need some other components to work with. We are still in the early phase to build social media ecosystem. Twitter has one billion valuation, but only 60 employees and no revenue. This business is not ready yet. And that’s one reason it opens many opportunities for startups.

I heard several interesting comments in the conference, for example: “this is not a time to expect significant revenue from social media, but this is the time to enter that business if you want to be there in the future”, “there is a shift from content to experience that means content, context and conversations”, and “the time of traditional PR is over, the future is a combination of PR, marketing, and social media activities”.

Social media helps startups to make its own marketing in a cost effective way, when startups are normally more creative in social media than corporations’ marketing and PR departments. You must get the first beta up and running by spending less than half million dollar in social media. If you need more for the first step, it is time to think your go-to-market plan. As a guy from Google said “you cannot just plan with white board, now you must do it, launch it and improve it”.

It is my great pleasure to announce that Rahul Patwardhan has joined to Grow VC Global Advisory board. Rahul is one of the pioneers of incubator, venture capital, and private equity businesses in India. He has helped many Indian companies to become really international. Rahul has also strong entrepreneur spirit and attitude. He is an important addition to our advisory board. Rahul helps to develop Grow VC’s business and especially presence in very important Asian markets.

Rahul has over 14 years of experience in venture capital investing, general management and technology product management. Rahul founded IndiaCo in 2001. He has personally invested, mentored and advised several mid-sized and large corporations. At IndiaCo Rahul is responsible for managing all investment and operational aspects under IndiaCo managed companies, establishing partnerships with corporations for technology collaboration, venture capital funds, providing strategic business guidance to group companies of IndiaCo and other companies under IndiaCo’s constellation.

At IndiaCo Rahul has made over 25 investments over last 8 years with ROI of over 100%, made investments in a number of private companies that he took to public (Bombay Stock Exchange and NSDC),  and made over 30 investments over 5 years with ROI of over 250%. Rahul is a former member of the Advisory Committee for the Department of Science and Technology (STEP) and Chairman of the Incubation Committee of the NIF (National Innovation Foundation) of India. Rahul has been awarded by the Indian Economic Development Association (IEDRA) for “Outstanding Contributions to National Development”.

People don’t invest only money in companies. And companies don’t need only money. Many start-up companies have always used shares and options as a part of compensation. And not only for their employees, but also for board members, advisors and other important people (like door-openers).  Now when many companies and people have shortage of cash, alternative investment and compensation models are even more important and popular.

If you are an entrepreneur, how would you like to pay compensations to people. Would you give shares to external experts? To whom you would give equity (lawyers, PR, software experts, etc)? Or would it be better to have another instrument like convertible loans, options, or revenue share? How would you find the right people; if you give shares, they must be really good and right people for you? It is very difficult to get rid of them.

If you are an expert, what kind of compensation you are ready to accept? Or is it too risky to take start-up shares? How do you measure the value of your work and compensation? Or are you tired to hear stories about a great future of start-up companies that cannot pay you cash.