TheDrawingBoard.Me – the Homebase for Every Startup Enthusiast
In this review, we bring will take a closer look at the blog of Carlos Espinal – thedrawingboard.me. Carlos began his career as a network consultant, then did some R&D work for a large trading floor in the US, moved over into VC investing in European tech companies, and is now doing seed investments as a Partner at Seedcamp.
On his blog TheDrawingBoard.Me, he is primarily blogging about startups, focusing mostly on startup themselves, especially from the legal stand point; but occasionally also turning to investors to advise them on how to approach the startup world.
Structure
On the main page (or index if you prefer) of his Worldpress-powered blog, there is a usual timeline of posts in chronological order. On the right hand sidebar there is a main categories menu, and an additional menu titled “Funds and programs”, which consists of three subcategories: European Venture Capital Network, Seedcamp, and Seedsummit.
Some of his main post categories are: “ecosystem” (focusing on startup ecosystems like Silicon Valley, New York and United Kingdom), “Investment & Finance” (where he basically talks about how startups should raise money), “legals” (great category for anyone searching for legal hints regarding startups), and “HR” (regarding themes about Human Resources).
Long vs. Short Blogposts
Probably the best feature of the blog is the diversion between long and short form blogposts. Long form are actually what one would call standard blogpost, consisting of about 500 words, and short form are more like “Seth Goddin type” of posts. To be honest, bringing the best of two worlds is a marvelous idea!
There is nothing wrong with writing long blogposts, but sometimes, the genius of blogging lies in it’s shortness. Everybody can write essays, but at the and it all comes down to saying those few right words. If you red “The Art of Witting Little”, then you’ll know what I’m referring to.
More than a B(v)log
Apart from the distinction between short and long blogposts, Carlos also put a section that contains videos, and one section that every serious blogger should have – book roll, consisting of some great startup related titles. The video section is especially interesting, with some great interviews, talks and panel discussions. This alone generates enough material for one blog.
The design is kind of minimalistic, with very few colors and focus on the content, which, along with the high-quality content, really works in its favor. Reading it in the mobile phone is not such a great experience, but on the other side, not everyone is reading these kind of blogposts ‘on the run’, but rather bookmarking them for later.
Conclusion
Overall, thedrawingboard.me is a great example of a blog that will give you precious information about founding your startups, finding an investor, and most importantly, very valuable legal tips that not everyone knows about.
