Keith Petri

Bio:

Keith Petri, founder of iGottaGuide, CNSLT.us, eBranding Me and an avid blogger, is a graduate of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. His studies in business, economics and studio art, along with an affinity for marketing, technology and entrepreneurship, have led to his current passion for social media and the new rules of digital networking. Through his prior entrepreneurial pursuits, travelling and extensive networking, Keith has seen the need for connecting vacationers with like-minded locals. iGottaGuide is disrupting the online travel industry and creating an open marketplace to ensure no one feels like a tourist again.

• Title: Co-Founder & CEO, iGottaGuide
• Age: 23
• Location: Midtown, Murray Hill
• Contact: @KeithEPetri, KeithPetri.com

In a previous interview with Under30CEO your one piece of advice for young entrepreneurs was to not be afraid to ask for help.  Do you have any advice on how to approach people when you are asking them for help?

Every young entrepreneur knows there is a more experienced professional who has faced similar problems in the past. Connecting with the right people is as easy as attending industry meetups, networking events or utilizing LinkedIn. In a recent blog post by Dan Shapiro, CEO of Sparkbuy (acquired by Google), he explains how to ask for introductions to investors. His advice is sound and can be applied to reaching out for help in all areas, including go-to-market strategy, technical troubleshooting, etc. It is most important to be considerate of your contact – do your homework, be concise and don’t forget to ask!

On your website you have a section to book you to be a speaker where you list 5 reasons to hire Keith Petri speak.  You mention that each lecture is customized and that there are never any repeat presentations.  On average, how long does it take you to prepare for a talk?  Do you have any general advice for others when they are preparing to give a presentation?

It completely depends on the audience. I have spoken at a number of tech events and colleges. Needless to say, students are a much less judgmental audience! Regardless, I take an average of 6 hours to prepare a talk, spread out over a number of days. I would highly advise strong content as the basis of any talk. Delivery can be tweaked and perfected, but without strong facts to fall back on you may lose your audience!

iGottaGuide is a platform to connect people to professional and amateur tour guides.  What are some of your favorite tours that have been on the site?

iGottaGuide has been a tremendous journey. In addition to the countless lessons I have learned and mistakes I have made, it has shown me my own hometown – New York City – in a whole new light. iGottaGuide is not only a platform for tourists to utilize while visiting the Big Apple, but is also a tool for locals looking to view their native environment through another’s eyes. That being said, I just experienced Drew Raphael’s Dead Apple Tour on Friday night – I will never look at some quintessential New York landmarks the same, ever again.