Tatango TV: Let’s Do This Thing!

Tatango (http://tatango.com/) is a new Seattle-based tech company that was hatched by some college students in the basement of their parent’s house.   Tatango has created a platform for mass mobile communications.  A single text message can be bounced to hundreds, even thousands of other devices, keeping your entire company on the same page by ensuring everyone has the same information at the same time.  Tatango was originally started under the name networkText, but after redefining the company’s plan and streamlining the processes it re-launched under its new moniker with backing from the Bellingham Angels investment group.

But simply creating a whole new platform for mobile communication was not enough for the guys at Tatango.  They decided that they wanted to share their startup experience with the rest of the world.  March 3, 2009 saw the launch of Tatango.tv (http://www.tatango.tv); a 24/7 live, uncensored broadcast of the inner workings at the company.  Tatango’s founder, Derek Johnson says,

“Think MTV’s Real World, but for young entrepreneurs with no producers or editing.  The Tatango.TV website will also include employee biographies, photos and status updates from employee twitter accounts. In addition, the team will be carrying around their Flip portable video camera to capture everything that happens outside of the office.  We have installed video cameras in the company’s reception area, conference room, marketing bullpen, hallways and CEO’s office, with plans to expand cameras to every inch of the Tatango office.”

Here is a screenshot of what Tatango.TV looks like:

The company prides itself on its non-traditional environment, which will make it even more fascinating to watch.  This is a chance for young entrepreneurs around the world to see how a small business is built on its own terms.  From the Tatango.tv website:

“When we moved into the new office, we said goodbye dress codes, 9-5 hours and anything else that seemed too corporate to be considered cool. In the spirit of doing things our own way, we installed a full size basketball hoop where the reception area used to be, painted the walls bright orange, hired graffiti artists to do the decorating and nearly gave our landlord a heart attack during the whole process.

What we ended up with was a place that we loved to work in, even so much that employees tend to hang around the office even after they have finished work.

So why broadcast everything 24/7 and let the whole world watch us? Why the hell not! If people want to watch us, let them watch us. I think we have a pretty cool story to tell with our startup, and what better way to tell that story then to watch it play out in real time, live over the internet.”

Are they crazy?  Maybe just a little bit.  But crazy like a fox.  Making the most of their company’s startup buzz; harnessing the power of social media; and creating entertainment as a byproduct of their business is just the kind of thing that the new generation of entrepreneurs will eat up.  Watch and learn!