Company description
Fastnote.com is a website where users write civil, anonymous notes to anyone, and those notes are posted publicly where everyone can read them.
Fastnote is unique in that anyone can add someone’s name to Fastnote and post public notes to them. Reading Fastnote’s is like reading someone’s public inbox.
All Fastnotes must be civil and anonymous. Obscenities, accusations, threats, spam, and personal information are not allowed.
Fastnote was created to give everyone a greater voice. Many people are difficult or impossible to reach, and email addresses are often hard to find. Fastnote was designed to give everyone a new way to tell others what they think – to speak their minds, to praise what’s good, and to change what isn’t.
Team
Richard Shaffner is the founder and president of Fastnote LLC. He came up with the idea for Fastnote during the 2008 elections. He wanted to tell candidates and members of the press what he thought, and he realized there was no easy way for him or anyone else to contact them.
Mr. Shaffner held multiple executive roles at Bank of America in Product Development and Management, Strategic Planning and Information Management. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and has an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Louis Shaffner, vice president and co-founder of Fastnote LLC, has significant experience in design and development of a new software product designed for the commercial photography market. He spent 18
years as the owner/operator of an advertising and photography studio. He was also a partner and lead trader for Boxlock Capital, LLC. He is a graduate from the University of North Carolina and attended the MFA program at the UCLA Film School.
Warren Hart, co-founder of Fastnote LLC, has held multiple roles at IBM over the past 30 years, such as General Manager of Data Mobility Services, Vice President of Strategic Outsourcing, Vice President of Digital Media, and Director of Web Hosting. He has also worked with Siegel & Gale on website strategy, design and creation for clients such as American Express, AT&T and IBM. He is a graduate of Hamilton
College.
Business model
We have found our core market – it is adults who are concerned about their lives and the world around them. They care about their country and where they live. They are interested in politics, current events, their jobs and their lifestyles. They have a lot to say, but they've been frustrated and not had a way to speak their minds...until now.
We've proven that these users like using Fastnote. And we can attract them efficiently using search and search advertising.
Competitive advantage
The 2012 election cycle is fast approaching, and it will dominate the national and local news through November 2012. That represents a perfect environment for Fastnote.
We plan to ride the tidal wave of public interest in the 2012 campaigns to establish Fastnote as the primary and dominant vehicle for this type of public note writing.