Stephen Messer (entrepreneur)

Stephen Messer
Born May 12, 1971
Westchester, New York
Nationality American
Alma mater Lafayette College, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Occupation Co-founder, Vice Chairman, Collective[i]
Co-founder, World Evolved
Co-founder, Chairman and CEO, LinkShare Corp.
Website
collectivei

Stephen Messer (born May 12, 1971) is an American Internet entrepreneur, inventor and investor who has founded several global businesses, most notably LinkShare (sold in 2005 for $425 million) and Collective[i].[1][2] Messer served as LinkShare’s CEO and Chairman of the Board, helping to create the sector of online marketing commonly referred to as affiliate marketing.[3][4] Under his leadership, LinkShare expanded its network of websites to become one of the largest of its kind with its global reach extending from the United States to Japan, Canada and Europe.[5] Messer was a board member of both LinkShare and LinkShare Japan until 2006.[6]

Early life

The second child of two entrepreneurs, Messer was born in Westchester, New York. He attended Horace Greely High School in Chappaqua, New York. From the time he was 14, he worked in the family real estate business.

College and law school

Messer earned a BA degree with dual majors in Government and Law as well as History from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and was made a member of Phi Alpha Theta (the National History Honor Society). Messer earned a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City.[7]

Career

Early career

Messer began his career as the Assistant Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) from 1995-1996 working with Columbia Business School Professor Eli Noam.[8] While at CITI, Messer covered Cybercommunications (the Internet), the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and other key mass media issues of the time.[9] Messer has remained an affiliated research fellow at CITI and is a regular speaker at Columbia Business School on topics ranging from electronic commerce to emerging technologies.[10]

LinkShare Corporation

In 1996, Messer recognized the Internet’s enormous potential, and with his sister, Heidi Messer,[11] set out to create an online distribution network that would allow websites to monetize their traffic through performance based links.[12] Messer recruited Cheryl Ho and Horace Meng to help he and his sister create LinkShare Corporation.[13]

The company initially faltered, landing only 15 clients in its first year despite the Messers’ extensive efforts. By year three, though, it regained its footing and took off, with 150 businesses signing up to take advantage of this new revenue concept.[14]

LinkShare is known for the launch of the LinkShare Network, the first affiliate network,[12] as well as search marketing (SEM) and lead generation.[15] LinkShare was founded and headquartered in NYC.[16] A short list of LinkShare’s clients include Dell Computers, Walmart, Disney, Apple Inc., Carlson Companies, and Target Corporation.[17]

Messer was awarded numerous patents around the concept of affiliate marketing.[18] The first of these patents, which covered a cookie-less way of tracking commission information, was covered in the NY Times.[19]

In 1998, LinkShare received a venture capital investment from Internet Capital Group (ICG) and Comcast (CMCSA).[12] Doug Alexander (ICGE) and Julian Brodsky (CMSCA) joined the board of directors.[20][21] In 1999, Martin Pompadur (then Vice Chairman of News Corp Europe) joined the board of directors and Mitsui and Co., the global Japanese trading company, became an investor.[5]

In 2000, LinkShare expanded offices into Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui and Co. Over the next five years, LinkShare expanded into Canada and the United Kingdom.[22]

Messer served as Chairman and CEO of LinkShare until its sale in 2005 to Rakuten Inc. for $425 million.[2] In 2006, Messer exited the company, which was later renamed Rakuten LinkShare.[6]

Collective[i]

In 2008, Messer co-founded Cross Commerce Media with his sister Heidi Messer and Tad Martin.[23][24] He currently serves on its board of directors as the company’s Vice Chairman.[25] Cross Commerce Media operates a set of sales, marketing, customer support, and services analytical applications called Collective[i].[7][26] Collective[i] hosts the industry's first data analytics network that automates the work associated with analyzing Big Data while also socializing knowledge and discussion throughout an enterprise. Business leaders gain instant access via the cloud to distilled, standardized, and unified data insights through Collective[i]'s platform that includes a data warehouse, engine for data integration, data-mining, analytics, and visualizations.[27][28] Messer and his co-founders collaborated with leading data scientists and PhD-level technology developers in building Collective[i].[29]

In 2014, Messer was awarded three patents in conjunction with Collective[i]'s data analytics network. He is noted as a co-inventor for patent #8,713,076[30] and patent #8,825,716,[31] "Providing a Multi-Tenant Knowledge Network", as well as patent #8,825,618,[32] "Methods and Systems for Enhanced Data Unification, Access, and Analysis".

Angel investing and board affiliations

Messer is also co-founder of World Evolved,[33] a platform for global investment and expansion, an adviser to Industry Ventures,[34] Tribeca Venture Partners,[35] Massive Incorporated (acquired by Microsoft), Loyaltylab[36] (acquired by Tibco), and Netplenish.[37] Additionally, he is an investor in numerous start-up ventures such as DODOcase, the space satellite company Spire,[38] and Lifebooker.[39] He is a director with Edison Partners.[40] Messer has sat on or currently sits on the boards of Cross Commerce Media, d/b/a Collective[i], LifeBooker LLC, and Vente (acquired by Experian). Messer is active in the Silicon Alley start-up community and is an avid cyclist and yoga practitioner.[41]

Speaking engagements and press

Messer speaks and has been interviewed on digital marketing, big data, analytics, web enterprise technology, entrepreneurship, and technology investing.[5][34][42] He has spoken at technology industry events including the DMA,[43] DreamIt Ventures,[44] Imagine eCommerce,[45] The Festival of Media,[46] Cannes Lions,[47] Entrepreneur Week,[34] GigaOm Structure,[48] and Harvard University's Cyberposium.[49] As a guest speaker, he has presented at Columbia Business School,[50] New York University’s Stern School of Business,[51] and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Messer has been quoted in publications including The New York Times,[52][53] The Wall Street Journal,[54] The Nikkei, and Internet Retailer Magazine.[55] He has also appeared on national business programs such as CNBC, CNNfn, Bloomberg TV[24] and the Fox News Channel.

Messer and his sister Heidi were featured in the Startup Playbook by David Kidder along with Elon Musk, Tony Hsieh, Steve Case, Jay S. Walker, Reid Hoffman, and Sara Blakely.[56]

Awards and honors

At the age of 28, Messer was selected by the Silicon Alley Reporter as one of the top 100 executives in Silicon Alley.[57]

While Messer was acting CEO, LinkShare was recognized by Deloitte & Touche in 2002 and 2003 as the fastest growing technology company in the New York Region.[5] In 2002, LinkShare was also named the Best Affiliate Network Provider by ABestWeb.[58] In 2004, Messer was named as a finalist for the American Business Awards.[59] In 2005, Messer was awarded the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the New York Region.[60]

Messer’s current venture, Collective[i], was selected as one of OnMedia's 100 Top Private Companies in both 2012 and 2013.[61][62]

Collective[i] was the 2014 Gold Stevie Award winner in the Business Intelligence Solution category as part of the 8th Annual Stevie® Awards for Sales and Customer Service.[63][64] Collective[i] was also a finalist for the 2014 Inaugural Stratus Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group.[65]

In 2015, Collective[i] was named an OnCloud Top 100 private company under the 'Software-as-a-Service solution for big data analytics' category.[66][67]

References

  1. ↑ "THE ANGEL 100: New York's Top Early Stage Investors". Business Insider. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fackler, Martin (7 September 2005). "Japan firm enters U.S. Net market". 7 September 2005 (The New York Times). Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Techonomy Biography for Stephen Messer". techonomy.com. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "Stephen Messer and Heidi Messer: Stick to your Knitting, Success doesn’t Come Overnight!!". 17 May 2012. Success Stories. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Stephen Messer, CEO Interview". 6 April 2004. twst.com. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Peters, Kurt. "Founders Stephen Messer and Heidi Messer leave LinkShare". 9 February 2006. Internet Retailer. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Columbia Business School Biography for Stephen Messer". Columbia Business School. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  8. ↑ "Bloomberg Businesslike Executive Profile for Stephen D. Messer". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  9. ↑ Tibbling, Sarah. "An Angel in New York: Stephen Messer". 19 September 2013. Alley Watch. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  10. ↑ Romano, Francesca. "Stephen Messer of CCM to discuss analytics at Columbia Business School". 13 April 2011. Collective[i]. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  11. ↑ Kidder, David. "The Startup Playbook: Secrets of the Fastest-Growing Startups from Their Founding Entrepreneurs". Published 2012. Chronicle Books, LLC. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Rojas, Javier. "Return Leaders: Heidi Messer, Founder, LinkShare". 2 July 2013. Seeking Growth. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  13. ↑ Mendels, Pamela. "Brother-Sister Team a Rarity in Silicon Alley". 20 October 1997 (The New York Times). Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  14. ↑ Udhaw, Kumar. "Stephen Messer and Heidi Messer: Stick to your Knitting, Success doesn’t Come Overnight!".
  15. ↑ Levin, Robert. "Serious Serial Entrepreneurs: Heidi & Stephen Messer". 15 September 2010. NY Report. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  16. ↑ Rojas, Javier. "Conversation with Heidi Messer, Founder, LinkShare". 20 October 2008. Sand Hill. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  17. ↑ "Rakuten LinkShare Clients". Rakuten LinkShare. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  18. ↑ "Data processing system for integrated tracking and management of commerce related activities on a public access network US 5991740 A". 23 November 1999. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  19. ↑ Hansell, Saul (11 December 1999). "As Patents Multiply, Web Sites Find Lawsuits Are a Click Away". 11 December 1999 (The New York Times). Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  20. ↑ "Wharton University of Pennsylvania Biography for Doug Alexander". Wharton University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "LinkShare adds cable and telco execs to board". 27 August 1998. Advertising Age. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "Rakuten LinkShare's Strong First Quarter Results Signals Continued Growth of Performance Marketing Industry". 24 April 2013 (The Wall Street Journal). 24 April 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  23. ↑ "Founded by Business Leaders, Built by World Class Scientists and Developers". Collective[i]. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Big Brother: The Big Data Revolution Gets Personal". 19 March 2013 (Bloomberg TV). Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  25. ↑ "Collective[i] Leadership, Management Team Biography Listings". Collective[i]. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  26. ↑ "Collective[i] Pioneers New Era of Big Data With Novel Socialized Business Intelligence Network for Marketing and Business Executives.". February 21, 2012. Information Technology Newsweekly. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  27. ↑ "Collective[i] Company description". Big Data-Startups. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  28. ↑ Pitts, Beth. "Heidi Messer on Founding & Leading a $425m Business With Her Brother". July 20, 2013. The Next Woman Business Magazine. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  29. ↑ "Founded by Business Leaders, Built by World Class Scientists and Developers". Collective[i]. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  30. ↑ "United States Patent, 8,713,076, Providing a multi-tenant knowledge network". US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database. US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database. April 29, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  31. ↑ "United States Patent, 8,825,716, Providing a multi-tenant knowledge network". US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database. US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database. September 2, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  32. ↑ "United States Patent, 8,825,618, Methods and systems for enhanced data unification, access and analysis". US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database. US Patent & Trademark Office, Patent Full Text and Image Database. September 2, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  33. ↑ Levin, Robert. "Evolving as an Entrepreneur: Hiring, Getting Advice, and Finding Time". 20 September 2010. NY Report. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 "Entrepreneur Week Biography for Stephen Messer". Entrepreneur Week. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  35. ↑ "Tribeca Venture Partners Biography for Stephen Messer". Tribeca Venture Partners. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  36. ↑ "InsideView, Loyalty Lab, Inc. Company Listing". InsideView. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  37. ↑ "AngelList NetPlenish Company Listing". AngelList. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  38. ↑ Gage, Deborah (July 29, 2014). "Nanosatellite Company Spire Raises $25M, Rocket Lab Unveils New Rocket". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  39. ↑ Shontell, Alyson (3 October 2011). "The 30 Most Valuable Startups In New York". 3 October 2011 (San Francisco Chronicle). Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  40. ↑ "Edison Director Bio for Stephen Messer". Edison Partners. Edison Partners. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  41. ↑ "TheBizDen 2012 BizSummit at New York Institute of Technology". Social Media News NY. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  42. ↑ Norris, Wendy (November 5, 2013). "Unpacking Data’s Baggage: Lessons from Airport Security". The Upstart. The Upstart. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  43. ↑ "DMA Event with Stephen Messer". 19 April 2012. DMA. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  44. ↑ "DreamIt Ventures Bio for Speaker Stephen Messer". DreamIt Ventures. DreamIt Ventures. July 17, 2014. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Imagine eCommerce 2012". Big Data is Worthless, It’s About Big Answers. Imagine eCommerce. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  46. ↑ "The Festival of Global Media". Shift happens. The Festival of Global Media. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  47. ↑ "ZenithOptimedia seminar at Cannes Lions 2012". 2012. Cannes Lions. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  48. ↑ "Stephen Messer, Speaker at Gigaom's Structure Data 2013". 2013. Gigaom. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  49. ↑ "Cyberposium Website". Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  50. ↑ Romano, Francesca. "Stephen Messer of CCM to discuss analytics at Columbia Business School". 13 April 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  51. ↑ "NYU Entrepreneurs Network". NYU. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  52. ↑ Gleick, James (12 March 2000). "Patently Absurd". Technology (The New York Times). Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  53. ↑ Tedeschi, Bob (7 October 2002). "E-Commerce Report; Software that 'hijacks' links to online merchants is at the center of a war for sales commissions.". Technology (The New York Times). Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  54. ↑ "Hadoop Has Promise but Also Problems". 23 February 2012 (The Wall Street Journal). Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  55. ↑ Wagner, Mary. "PriceGrabber.com, MLB.com weigh in on spyware issue". 6 July 2004. Internet Retailer. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  56. ↑ Newman, Kira. "A Book in 5 Minutes: The Startup Playbook: Secrets of the Fastest-Growing Startups from Their Founding Entrepreneurs". 24 January 2013. Tech Cocktail. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  57. ↑ Kafka, Peter. "LAST CALL For Silicon Alley 100 Submissions". 23 September 2008. Business Insider. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  58. ↑ "Online Affiliate Community Votes LinkShare Best Affiliate Network Provider of 2002; Leading Performance-Based Marketing Provider Receives Top Rating from Industry Users; LinkShare CEO Voted Best Service to Industry.". 6 January 2002. PRNewswire. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  59. ↑ "List of 2004 Individual Finalists". 2004. The American Business Awards. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  60. ↑ "Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Hall of Fame". Ernst & Young. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  61. ↑ "Announcing the 2012 OnMedia 100 Top Private Companies". 23 February 2012. AlwaysOn. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  62. ↑ "Announcing the 2013 OnMedia 100 Top Private Companies". 20 March 2013. AlwaysOn. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  63. ↑ "2014 Stevie® Award Winners List". The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards, Inc. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  64. ↑ "The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service Company Description for Collective[i]". http://www.stevieawards.com''. Stevie Awards, Inc. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  65. ↑ "53 Cloud Companies that Matter in 2014". 2014 Stratus Awards. Business Intelligence Group. July 17, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
  66. ↑ "Announcing the 2015 OnCloud Top 100 private companies". aonetwork.com. AlwaysOn. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  67. ↑ "2015’s Top 10 Software-as-a-Service solution for big data analytics companies list". CEOWORLD Magazine. CEOWORLD Magazine. Retrieved February 21, 2015.