Today's Entrepreneur: Michelle Norgan

Kristin Karaoglu · September 21, 2012 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/2a45

No. 1 mistake: Trying to get it right the first time around

Today's Entrepreneur is Michelle Norgan, co-founder and CPO of Kismet. According to her VEQ, Michelle is good at product management, thecnology design and marketing management.

(Kismet is one of the top 10 promising startups competing to be the winner at Vator Splash competition. If you want to see them on stage, register to Vator Splash SF here.)

Vator’s community is the home to entrepreneurs who embrace their passion and follow their dreams. Our profiles allow members to express themselves by sharing their interests, lessons learned, as well as bits and pieces of their roller-coaster journey.

These profiles give entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase themselves and tell their story. So if you are an entrepreneur, a serial entrepreneur, or even an aspiring entrepreneur, we'd like to hear from you.

I am a(n):
Entrepreneur

Companies I've founded or co-founded:
Kismet

If you are an entrepreneur, why?
I love the challenge of turning an idea into a flourishing company that solves a real pain point for people.

My favorite startups:
Kismet, Astrid, Crittercism

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?
One of the most rewarding parts of entrepreneurship is getting to see your product in action in a real user's hands. Being able to solve a pain point for someone, and helping make their life better is a great feeling.

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs make?
Trying to get it right the first time around. Building a company takes a lot of learning, and you're going to have to adapt your product and your strategies as you learn more.

What are the top three lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?
Give yourself forcing functions to make sure you meet goals, learn from every single mistake, and make sure the product you're building solves a real problem.

(Want to be profiled? Just fill out your Vator profile and we'll find you! Or you can email newsroom@vator.tv)

Kristin Karaoglu

Woman of many skills: Database System Engineer; SplashX event producer; Author of Startup Teams

All author posts

Related Companies, Investors, and Entrepreneurs

Kismet

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on March 4, 2012

Kismet connects you to your existing friends in the real world by simplifying getting together face to face. We show you which of your friends are nearby or alert you when the app isn't open, then make it simple to invite them to meet you.

When you're planning to get together with a group of any size, Kismet makes the experience simpler and more social. Users can invite their friends whether or not they are Kismet users. Non-users can easily reply from the web or their phone without having to install the app.

No longer do you need to send hundreds of text messages or try to follow long email threads just to meet for Happy Hour. Users are also notified automatically when other users arrive and depart the event, meaning you’ll never have to ask “Are you here yet?”

Kismet was one of the most talked about companies of SXSW 2012, in the hot "ambient location" and "social discovery" space. Founded in 2011, Kismet was part of AngelPad's Winter 2011 class of startups, and has been lauded as one of the most privacy and user conscious apps in the space.

Michelle Norgan

Joined Vator on January 11, 2012

Michelle Norgan (Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Kismet) was previously on the founding team of a social startup where she designed and launched the company's Consumer Mobile and Web products.