Rockstars vs Rock Startups™ – Dapper Apps™ from Dapper Apps on Vimeo.
So what does the birth of Rock and Roll and tech startups have in common anyway? Not much. One’s ruled by self-indulgent, rags to riches success stories, the other, by a litany of stage-diving music gods. Yes boys and girls, tech startups have transformed many a geeky wannabe into overnight sensations, with fast cars, diehard fans, and the audacity to demand only green M&M’s be present at every board meeting.
Once considered nerds, tech entrepreneurs have become the new rock stars of the 21st century, minus the trashed hotel rooms and mandatory stint in rehab. But unlike the untouchable icons enshrined at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, tech entrepreneurs seem more the everyman and inspire the rest of us to believe that, just maybe, we can reach greatness too.
And now, the Top 10 List:
Rock stars and entrepreneurs are similar because they both…
- Take risks – one cashes in on their life savings to cut a demo, the other to cut code for an app, sending one to the top of Billboard’s charts, and the other topping the App Store’s.
- Start in a garage – Microsoft and Apple started in a garage, and so too, did many a grunge band. Ironically, both are often fronted by a charismatic teenage dream who still lives in their mum’s basement.
- Are up all night – ever seen a coder after an all-nighter? They look like the lead singer for an 80’s rock band after a dusk till dawn bender; bloodshot, yammering incoherently, and stumbling into things like Jack Sparrow on pirate’s punch.
- Travel the world – rock stars see the world from a tour bus, or if they’re next-level famous, from the back of a private jet. Conversely, entrepreneurs create apps to make that bus run more efficiently, then summon private jets to the tarmac with the push of a virtual button.
- Wear what they want – if not for tech entrepreneurs, the average hoodie would be relegated to early morning jogs and spontaneous heists. Rock stars love leather, while tech nerds ponder the karmic implications of wearing cows and instead pilfering their grandfather’s wardrobe for a suitably hipster shirt.
- Date supermodels – nerds don’t get the girls, right? Wrong! It’s no surprise that Mick Jagger dated Jerry Hall, and Harry Styles dated Kendall Jenner. However, Snapchat’s Evan Spiegel somehow managed to attract the attention of the stunning Miranda Kerr, ultimately proving that geek is on fleek.
- Drive their dream cars – Who ever heard of a Fisker before Biebs got pulled over in one? Then there’s Zuckerberg, who drives a Pagani Huayra, and if you have to ask how it’s pronounced, then you probably can’t afford one. Meanwhile, Tesla Motors combines the best of both worlds, featuring 6 figure sportsters created by an 11 figure entrepreneurial genius.
- Make millions… or billions – who can keep track anymore? When you’re talking that many zeros, it all stacks up to a boatload of cash. One earns big bucks via royalties, tickets and merch, the other, via downloads, clicks and impressions.
- Are adored by their fans – perhaps reminiscent of their popularity in high school days, Bruce Springsteen has 5.4m followers and the ever-cool Pharell Williams has an impressive 10m. The vengeful nerds aren’t far behind though, with the late Steve Jobs at 6.1m fans or everyone’s favourite entrepreneur, Richard Branson with 9.3m followers on LinkedIn.
- Have an entourage – bands generally have a large posse to make them look good, sound good and get them where they need to be. But what to do if you find yourself without a hype man to bolster your confidence and be the wind beneath your wings? Well, that’d be a great time to give Dapper Apps a shout. We’re ready to be your support crew (we can handle your strategy, design, development, marketing) and can help get your billion dollar idea off the ground.