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May 28, 2006
This DeVos Is Cool
By QBlog in Miscellaneous
The Grand Rapids Press is reporting about the newest business venture from Rick DeVos, son of gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and grandson of Amway co-founder Rich DeVos. The business is called Spout and it's not multi-level marketing.
About Spout
Spout is a kind of Web 2.0 social networking site focused on promoting and distributing films.
"As the site develops, Spout will organically build a foundation for its ultimate goal: creating a grassroots alternative to Hollywood's promotion and distribution model and allowing the work of more filmmakers to reach their audiences," the company's launch materials said.
The article describes DeVos as a 24-year-old who "gets" what online business is all about. He's a "Mac guy," dresses in dot-com fashions and launched the site at the uber-trendy South by Southwest Film Festival. Maybe Quixtar should hire him as a Web advisor?
For the record, he said, the company is separate from Alticor and its online unit, Quixtar, which are owned by the families of Rich DeVos and the late Jay Van Andel.
"Obviously, that's my family's business," Rick DeVos said. "There are similarities in that they are both about the power of people and relationships and networks, but there's none of their technology and nothing else that comes from Quixtar."
Joining and Connecting
The Spout registration process was very simple (unlike the Quixtar registration process) and the user interface is fairly intuitive. However, I was surprised to learn that there's no way to upload movies, clips or even trailers. I thought that with the goal of marketing and distributing movies it would have some way to actually watch video. But it turns out that the site is really just a way for film buffs to connect, learn about movies and then buy the DVDs.
I like Spout though I'm not sure it's something I'd regularly use. It includes community building tools and a blog feature which is kinda cool. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.
Comments
How ironic he is from a family whose company endorses 'music videos', and has been sued several times for copyright infringement.
from a copmpany that permits it's largest distributors to sell useless cd's promoted as 'motivational' or 'training'
Yep, LOT's of money in that stuff. He's no dummy.
Maybe he'll meet up with a 'Liberal' filmmaker like Michael Moore, and be a consultant for a movie about his family's REAL business.
or maybe he'll film a 'Reality' show about his family's business.
I'm pretty sure that screenshot is from Union Subway station here in Toronto
interesting...little ricky was to be the understudy for former CMO bert crandell as he moved on to develop the newest hotel in downtown G.R. for the family.
Do you need to sign an arbitration agreement to join?
Posted by: Scott Larsen | May 28, 2006 10:01 PM