Tyler Kresch
- Founder / Independent Software Developer / New Venture Consultant
- TK Technology & Consulting
School Information
School: University of California, Santa Barbara
College Major: Other
Years at College Works: 2010 to 2011
Career Information
Working For: TK Technology & Consulting
Title: Founder / Independent Software Developer / New Venture Consultant
Industry: Software
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
► Product Development ⇨ Freelance Software Engineering and Web Development: » Rapid Prototyping » Design Implementation » Deployment » Scalability » Ongoing Support and Maintenance Retainer ⇨ Contractor Management: » Assist with finding Design and other specialized contractors » Help manage contractor relationship » Keep project on-time and on-budget ► Comprehensive New Venture Consulting and Startup Execution Management ⇨ Feasibility Analysis: » Technical Feasibility and Roadmapping » Market Research » Market Validation » High-level development plan and cost to go-live estimates ⇨ Strategic Consulting: » Business Plan » Sales Strategy and Pitch Development » Digital Marketing Strategy Development » Customer Success and Onboarding ⇨ Revenue Optimization: » Search Engine Optimization (SEO) » Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) » A/B Tests » Price-Point Testing ► Content Writing and Copy Editing
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?I learned computer science and programming from scratch and am now good enough to do freelance web development and solve real problems at my current job through writing programs.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
College Works Painting was the step that took me from a want-repreneur to a real entrepreneur.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
I got my previous job through College Works Painting contacts during my senior year of college. CWP helped me develop the skills that make me good at it and helped me reach a very senior position at a very young age.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
I think her name was Elyn Kaufman. The first person who wrote me a check. Thanks for trusting me and getting me started.
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
How to deal with rejection and keep on going no matter how hard it gets.
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
I traveled Europe with Michael Masket (a team-mate from my intern year and one of my co-DMs) for 6 and a half weeks. Even though he lives in New York now and me in California, we’re still very close and talk all the time. Also, I currently work with 3 College Works Painting alumni: Ross Wilson, Brandon Terry, and Dylan Tansy.
If you had to come up with a one line slogan for CW, what would it be?
Do it all, do it big.
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
If you’re gonna do it, do it 100%. You only get out of it what you put in. Also, forget the word or. If you care enough, you can have a great job AND a great social life AND do well in school. Just be a boss and do it all.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
If you’re going to go into any kind of business or entrepreneurship, College Works Painting is definitely the best option. I think everyone who wants to be a leader in their field would benefit from doing College Works Painting, though if you’re later in your college career and have a very specific field, you should get an internship in your industry to open doors to a job when you graduate and to be sure it’s actually what you want to do.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
Socially: Matt Erwin’s weekly Wednesday team building events that got our team to really bond my intern year. Work-Related: Slamming down my first estimate as a DM and seeing my interns look at me like I was Superman.
Last words of wisdom?
Never stop learning.