I start and grow companies to successful conclusions. My second company, ChiliSoft, sold for $70 million on just $6 million invested to Sun Microsystems in 2000, and my most recent startup is now profitable and boasts over 8,000 customers.

I am looking for four types of opportunities, but will consider others:

• joining a startup that needs help getting to the next level,
• joining a company currently run by a founder or first-time CEO that needs experienced entrepreneurial leadership
• starting or running a division for a larger company that needs entrepreneurial leadership.
• Leading a turnaround
• Consulting to startups & larger companies on a range of issues.

I am a seasoned CEO, serial entrepreneur, visionary, leader, catalyst, advisor, board member, and a veteran of three startups over the past 15 years. I have hands-on experience across multiple disciplines, including sales and marketing, analytics, positioning, venture financing, usability, R&D,  product development, team building, human resources, corporate governance, sustainability, and  evangelism.

My strengths are my ability to conceive of and start new business opportunities, vision, tenacity, bootstrapping, revenue generation,  customer acquisition, leadership, opportunism, marketing (including SEM, SEO, direct, etc), writing skills, understanding of technology , venture financing, and fairness. I have a strong will to win, to meet challenges, and to make a positive impact. I particularly value initiative, teamwork, innovation, accomplishment, and diligence.

After 15 years starting and running technology companies, I am looking for new opportunities where I can be a leader and catalyst for growth, and innovation. I will entertain leadership roles where growth, ideas, innovation, or new opportunity development is valued and needed.

I also have a rare background that combines empathy for both investors and founders (I’ve been both), and can work with both to develop a unified vision and strategies for improvement and goal alignment. I deeply understand the venture capital and startup ecosystems, and can leverage that knowledge to help companies and their investors get to positive outcomes.

You’ll find I’m a creative, honest, passionate, and principles-based leader. I care deeply about quality products and services, the customer, customer-centric design, profitability, and employees.

Sincerely,

Charlie Crystle

HISTORY

Mission Research | Co-Founder, CEO, Chairman
February 2002 to December 2008

http://www.missionresearch.com

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Conceived of and started the company
• Raised $4.5 million of investment from friends, family, government, and VC, and managed the fundraising and closing processes. Investors include Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s, Josh Mailman,  Mal Warwick, and TBL Capital
• Conceived and co-designed GiftWorks Fundraising Software and platform
• Built team, including development, sales, marketing, support, operations, and business development
• Developed, tested, and refined successful lead generation processes, including direct mail, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, email marketing, partner marketing, and referral program
• Designed and developed marketing and sales data analytics
• Launched GiftWorks and CircleDog (SalesWorks) at the DEMO conferences
• Conceived of and co-designed CircleDog small business CRM software
• Developed and executed against company’s long-term strategy
• Co-developed platform vision, including concept of the”hybrid web”—the integration of desktop software with web services
• Grew the company to over 7,000 customers
• Managed investor relations with monthly reports and quarterly calls
• Developed the Board and advisory board, which includes Victor Cho (CEO of Kodak Gallery), Christine Herron (VC at First Round Capital), Jerry Colonna (Co-founder of Flatiron Ventures), Mal Warwick (Fundraising expert and leading nonprofit author)
• Developed, promoted, and trained my successor starting 12 months prior to my departure

Chili!Soft  | Founder, CEO, Chairman
November 1996 to May 2000
http://www.sun.com/chilisoft

I started ChiliSoft based on the idea that software could be better developed, managed, and delivered over the internet. Our first product was the first software tool to enable web servers to take data from a database, write it to a pre-formatted Excel spreadsheet, and deliver it over the web or network to a desktop client in a web browse. Our second product enabled servers to run Active Server Pages on multiple operating systems, and was likely the first application server on the web. Both products were conceived by others.

As CEO I raised over $6 million for ChiliSoft, built the company to 70 employees, and initiated the exit to Cobalt NetWorks (Sun Microsystems) for $70 million in 2000 for more than 12x return on investment to first round investors.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Started, then repositioned the company based on internal software discoveries
• Bootstrapped to national prominence, pre-funding
• Raised $6 million of venture capital
• Built and developed management team
• Developed sales, marketing, and business development strategies
• Developed deal for $3 million to work with IBM’s mainframe and RS6000 groups on a port of ChiliSoft products to IBM operating systems.
• Created integrated suite of application for small business for distribution through ISP partners PSINet, ATT, and Earthlink. Project ended with the Cobalt acquisition.
• Won Best of PC Expo 1997 with just 3 employees.
• Developed partnerships with Lotus, IBM, Netscape, Microsoft, PSI, Earthlink, ATT, and others
• Worked with Microsoft on co-marketing and promotion

Versicom | Founder, President
November 1994 to November 1996
Self-taught PC tech & programmer. Built PCs, trained end users on DOS, Windows 3.11, Windows 95, and Microsoft Office programs. Developed a programming and network services practice serving small and mid-sized businesses in the Lancaster, PA region. Developed a deep appreciation for customer service and usability.

Mercury2 | Board of Directors & Investor
Mercury2 was a startup founded in 2000 by venture capitalist Christine Herron of First Round Capital focused on easing international commerce through automated customs filings.

ZapSpot | Advisor & Investor
ZapSpot was founded by ex-Microsoft employees Dan Frumin and Victor Cho in 2000. ZapSpot is a games site ahead of its time, but continues to generate ad revenue. Victor went on to serve as a VP at Intuit and now is CEO of Kodak’s KodakGallery.com subsidiary. Dan leads a technology consulting firm.

Cimbrian (software, marketing) | Advisor

Rhiza Labs (analytical mapping) | Advisor

John J. Jeffries (organic restaurant) | Advisor

Red Rose Races (cycling) | Advisor, Investor

COMMUNITY & SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

• Executive Producer of Emmy-nominated Children in a Jar, a documentary on street children in Nicaragua and Honduras.
• Witness.org, Board of Advisors, Fulltime Volunteer 2000-2001
• Alliance for Sustainability, Board of Directors 2006-present
• Lancaster YMCA, Board of Directors 2006-2008.
• Theater of the Seventh Sister, Board of Directors 2008-present
• Founding member of the Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network
• Member of Social Venture Network (SVN.org)
• Donated 30% of my Mission Research stock to two foundations

SECTOR INTERESTS
Software, hardware, energy, R&D, venture capital, manufacturing, food systems, nonprofit

SKILLS & HOBBIES
I’m a decent writer, and am working on my first book on startups. I’m an accomplished songwriter and musician, and have recorded and produced seven albums. In 2007, a documentary I produced about the plight of street children in Central America, Children in a Jar, was nominated for a regional Emmy. I’ve produced a number of radio and TV commercials for friends—it’s a hobby I really enjoy.

I’m active in the local community, and support anti-poverty and sustainability efforts. Finally, I’m an early adopter—a true geek at heart and try new technologies across the spectrum before most people have heard of them, and have a deep interest in sustainable technologies and practices. I’ve recently developed a deep interest and broad knowledge of energy and energy efficiency.

REFERENCES

References available upon request.  Selected reference quotes