Evergram Featured in USA Today

One of my favorite passion-fueled start-ups is Evergram -- about which I recently wrote as being a "must check out" service (here is the link to my earlier post).

USA Today, among other big names, also recently have taken note.  In fact, USA Today just featured Evergram -- and Founder/CEO Duncan Seay -- yesterday.  Worthy of a read -- and watch the video too.

I like what they do.  I like why they do it.  And, I like the deeper meaning (and story) behind it.

Evergram Part II -- Send A Video Message To Larry Page, Marissa Mayer, Even Zuck

Yesterday I wrote about future messaging platform Evergram -- a service definitely worth checking out -- and which is getting nice, and well-deserved, significant attention (TechCrunch being one).

Well, those smart and passionate guys at Evergram are also clever marketers.  First, they pitch themselves in wedding dresses (yes, 'tis true, check this out -- and you will understand why they did).  Now, they are giving you a direct channel (literally a direct video channel) to Google's Larry Page, Yahoo!'s Marissa Mayer, and Facebook's very own Mark Zuckerberg, enabling you to create a message that will be delivered to them on New Year's Day.

Don't understand?  Well then check out the links above -- and you'll see what I mean.  Smart, very smart.  Helps you internalize the power and potential of "future messaging."  And, gives the company great buzz in the process.

Now it's up to Page, Mayer and Zuck to pick up your message on New Year's Day and watch it ....

Here's more about this ambitious service, Evergram.  Yesterday, I gave some of the back-story about how it came to be in the first place -- i.e., THAT moment of inspiration.  More detail is warranted to give that moment justice -- and here it is directly from the founders themselves (which will help you really understand why Evergram is here in the first place -- and the depth of ambition and meaning behind this company -- it's raison d'etre, if you will):

When Evergram’s CEO and Co-Founder, Duncan Seay, was diagnosed with Cancer in December 2010, his business partner and co-founder, Jeff Caden approached Seay with an idea that would allow him to send wisdom messages to his loved ones for delivery in the event of his death. The idea quickly morphed into a solution firmly embedded around life’s important occasions and deeper human connections; a solution the founders believe will profoundly change the way our society uses social media, and social video, in particular.

“When we first learned that the disruption of time fostered the creation of meaningful messaging, we became very excited," says Caden. When video, text or audio messages are sent for future delivery, whether hours, days or even years later, the degree of thoughtfulness and connection typically increases. This is a phenomenon often experienced in letter writing, and one that the Evergram team has integrated into its entire user interface. Evergram further believes that technology has the ability to strengthen human relationships, and not to replace them; an increasing concern studied by MIT’s Science and Technology Professor, Sherry Turkle, who notes “We expect more from technology and less from each other.” 

Evergram -- A "MUST SEE" Future Messaging Platform

It's the holidays -- maybe that's why I'm nostalgic.  Yesterday, I wrote about a great new "must check out" online photo archiving service called "ThisLife."  Today, it's all about "Evergram"-- which first and foremost is a "future messaging" platform -- a service that enables users to create messages easily now for future delivery later.  Think about the nostalgic possibilities there.  Weddings.  Birthdays.  Here is Evergram -- in Evergram's own words ... actually, video ...



I recently sat down with Evergram's founder, CEO and serial entrepreneur Duncan Seay to learn more.  Duncan, a great guy by the way (the kind of passionate person you want behind any venture), told me that he was inspired to build Evergram as a result of a brush with his own mortality.  You see, Duncan was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 -- at a time when his son was just 11 -- and Duncan thought about the need to create memories that last for family member (and the lack of easy-to-use and reliable services to create and make those lasting memories readily available).

So, while Evergram today is, in Duncan's words, "a group video messaging platform with collaborative social giving," Evergram ultimately is focused on being THE "future messaging company" -- focusing its service on much more distant-future message delivery.  As one example, I could record a message today for my now 13 year-old daughter that will be automatically delivered to her only years from now on the date of her wedding (by tapping into relevant databases).  Or, if I had serious health issues, I could record all kinds of messages now for future delivery on events I may or may not see well off in the distance (again, by tapping into relevant databases).

Duncan believes this "future messaging" market ultimately will easily run into the billions of dollars.

Is he a starry-eyed dreamer?  Perhaps, but isn't that what any entrepreneur worth their salt should be?  Isn't that what the good folks behind ThisLife are?

Building that dream -- achieving "success" -- are massive challenges.  But, having a foundation of passion is a great way to start.  Without it, you are dead in the water.

Duncan has it.  Evergram has it.  ThisLife has it.

That alone makes them worth checking out.  Hey, TechCrunch just recently did (that's how I discovered Evergram).  And, they too were smitten.