I’d like to tell you about a cool new startup company that I just found out about. It’s called TiXiT (www.tixitbox.com). They provide regular folks in Columbus with great discounts on tickets to sports, music and theatre. They are able to do this by negotiating last minute discounts with promoters on seats that likely would not have sold.

I recently had a chance to sit down with the Founder, Dave Cherry to learn more about the company.

Alvin: So how did you come up with the idea for TiXiT?

Dave: Well, it started from my desire to make a living in sports. But since I’m not good enough to get on the field or experienced enough to coach, I had to get creative t identify an opportunity. And that led me to dynamic promotion and marketing of excess ticket inventory.

Alvin: What do you mean by “excess ticket inventory?”

Dave: Excess inventory represents those seats that typically go empty for every show or game. After the best marketing efforts of the promoters, most events typically do not sell out on a regular basis – so excess inventory exists. Promoters can realize a direct positive impact to their bottom line by selling these tickets at a discount to consumers. TiXiT was created to help facilitate that transaction.

Alvin: So tell me how TiXiT works.

Dave: It’s really simple. We negotiate deep discounts with promoters to help sell excess tickets in the weeks leading up to a show. Folks are able to register at www.tixitbox.com, tell us what they’re interested in (sports, theatre, concerts, et cetera), and then see what discounts we have available.  Once they find one they like they click to redeem the discount and complete the transaction on the venue’s ticketing system like Ticketmaster.

Alvin: How good are the discounts and can people share them?

Dave: The discounts vary depending on the number of seats available and proximity to the event – the closer to the event and the more empty seats that exist, the deeper the discount. We’ve developed an intelligent system that helps promoters manage the discounts and so far we’ve been able to negotiate discounts as big as 50%. Customers need to check www.tixitbox.com often to see our latest and greatest deals.

And yes, people can definitely share the discounts. They can share the discount codes with their friends and invite them to register for TiXiT.  The venues love it too – it brings in new fans they’ve never come across before. So we encourage folks to follow us on twitter at @TiXiTBox and fan us on Facebook.  We’ll regularly be sharing the latest deals on both locations as well as on www.tixitbox.com.

Alvin: So what’s coming up for you guys?

Dave: We’re just getting started and so far we’ve lined up CAPA as our initial set of discount opportunities.  We’re going to offer discounts to some of their upcoming shows. Right now, we’re offering 50% off of tickets to The Peking Acrobats on February 23rd at the Palace Theatre. And we’re working on getting discounts to more theatre events, concerts and sporting events that we can pass along to our customers.  I hope you and your readers come by to check us out at www.tixitbox.com and see if we’ve got a great deal for you.

Alvin: Thanks Dave and good luck with TiXiT!

So here’s the summary Columbus. TiXiT is a hot new startup in town. Go to www.tixitbox.com to get great deals (like 50% off) on theatre, sports and concerts. Check back often as their deals are always changing. And enjoy the show!

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Columbus Businesses on Twitter

by wyliemac on February 7, 2010

Hard to believe that on January 26, 2008 I proclaimed that I was late in the Twitter game. I think I was channeling Fergie sining “I’m so two thousand and eight, you’re so two thousand and late”. But truly I was a Johnny Come Lately. Twitter was new to Columbus and not that many people were on and actively using it. I was just exploring it then.

We now know that Twitter has exploded. And Columbus has embraced it. I think.

Columbus Business is using Twitter in droves now. All you need is a way to find them. Enter twitter lists. I’ve collected, and continue to collect, a list of Columbus businesses on Twitter. Check the list periodically to see what’s going on in Columbus and what deals businesses are offering.

Please feel free to suggest other Columbus businesses to add to the list.

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Open letter to the Wexner Center for the Arts

by wyliemac on February 7, 2010

Dear Wexner Center for the Arts,

Thank you for serving the arts community and Columbus. I’ve been to a few exhibits, and I’ve been impressed every time I go.

But one thing bugs me. Your ban on personal photography. Why can’t I take pictures to preserve my memory of my visits, especially visits with my kids? I take my camera with me everywhere when I’m with my kids. When I go to the Zoo. Snap. When I’m at a baseball game. Snap. When I’m at COSI. Snap.

When I’m at the Wex. No Snap.

That gives me a giant :(

So I can understand your ban if only for commercial purposes. You see, even the Metropolitan Museum of Art allows non-commercial photography.

Still photography is permitted for private, noncommercial use only in the Museum’s galleries devoted to the permanent collection. Photographs cannot be published, sold, reproduced, transferred, distributed, or otherwise commercially exploited in any manner whatsoever. Photography is not permitted in special exhibitions or areas designated as “No Photography”; works of art on loan from private collections or other institutions may not be photographed. The use of flash is prohibited at all times and in all galleries. Movie and video cameras are prohibited. Tripods are allowed Wednesday through Friday, and only with a permit issued by the Information Desk in the Great Hall.

But the Wex says:

Please note: You will be asked to check backpacks, large purses and other large bags, umbrellas, and cameras or recording devices before entering the galleries.

That really bothers me. So I’m putting up some protest art on this page. I hope you listen.

As a side note, think of the social media buzz you are missing out by not allowing us to snap a picture and show our network of all the cool things going on inside the Wex.

Please Wexner, allow for non-commercial photography in the Wex. kthxbai

Oh snap!

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Dude, take a chill pill

February 5, 2010

Last year, I attended the TechColumbus Innovation Awards. This year I followed it on Twitter by following the #IA09 hashtag.
It looks like it was a great event.
Of course, there’s always some disgruntled guy out there. Take a look at the tweets in the photos. This guy flat out called TechColumbus as a racist [...]

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Little Rosies – A taste of the Philippines made in Athens, Ohio

February 3, 2010

The other day I ventured out to the Hills Market for a Small Business Beanstalk event introducing Worthington to the wonders of the SBB card (which I’ll have to write a post about soon).
I’m glad I went, since I was introduced to Pamela Loch of Little Rosie’s. She makes some amazing Filipino salad dressing that has to [...]

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List of Columbus Social Media Experts

December 18, 2009

Dear Columbus Social Media Expert,
I know how hard it is for you to establish yourself as an expert in the new field of social media. After all, most people have never heard of it until this year. And how do you get your name out there if you can’t get high on the search results?
Well, [...]

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Ohio needs to abandon voting for Constitutional Amendments

November 24, 2009

I am not in favor of Ohio’s current system of amending our Constitution. I hate it when proposed Amendments are on the ballot that I oppose. I even hate it when there are measures that I support.
Popular vote just doesn’t cut it with something so important. We just end up with a special interest with [...]

Popularity: 10% [?]

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In defense of the Social Media Expert Critic

October 5, 2009

Of course, the companion piece to my last blog post, is to celebrate the Social Media Expert Critic. If you’re bashing this type of behavior, then by all means, bash away.

But I don’t think our experts are like that.
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In defense of the Social Media Expert

October 5, 2009

Ok, not really. But sub-head this post “You’re never appreciated most in your hometown”.
Yea, I get the whole social media expert bashing thing. I think generally it’s pretty funny. But I don’t get the bashing of the folks trying to make a living off of social media. Case in point, Len Hewit (name changed to [...]

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