Co-Founder : Feedcorp Pty Ltd + gnoos.com.au
Melbourne Area, Australia
- Current
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- Web 2.0 + Aussie Blog Searcher at Feedcorp Pty Ltd + gnoos Pty Ltd
- Past
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- Consultant, Product & Bus Dev Mgr at Sensis MediaSmart
- Bus Dev Manager (Consultant) at www.unoduo.com
- Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd at Commissioned by Morgan and Banks Investments for www.linkme.com.au
- Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd at Commissioned by Trader Classifieds for carpoint.com.au owned by Publishing & Broadcasting Limited
- Portal Manager & New Ventures Director at Virtual Communities Ltd www.virtualcommunities.com.au
- ninemsn at Founding Product Planner
- New Media Development Manager at DDB Advertising
- Education
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- Swinburne Uni
- Monash Uni (Caulfield - Mkg) (Clayton - Arts)
- Melbourne High
- Recommended
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5 people have recommended Ben - Connections
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141
connections
- Industry
- Internet
- Websites
Ben Barren’s Summary
Co-Founder Feedcorp Pty Ltd, Owner of gnoos.com.au, The Aussie (and global) Blog (and media) Search Engine launched June 1st, 2006 to favourable coverage in Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, ZD-Net and over 300 blogs globally.
Feedcorp in 2006 conceptualised and licensed nook.com.au for News Ltd' Leader Community Newspaper division. The company has developed a platform which facilitates local web 2.0 solutions incl structured blogging, vertical blog syndication from 100k blogs, online community and video. Stay tuned for more partner launches in 2007. If you work at a publisher : Contact me if you are interested in such a solution : especially in the finance, travel, entertainment, classifieds, real estate, employment and FMCG space.
The BB Bio : Ben Barren has dedicated the past 13 years contributing to the successful building of leading Australian online media and search businesses – He started his online career in 1995 as New Media Development Manager at DDB Advertising. In 1997 he then became a Founding Product Planner for ninemsn, the joint venture which localised MSN in Australia (#1 Australian network). Ben was responsible for launching Carpoint.com.au – a top 3 car site in Australia.
At Virtual Communities Ltd, which raised $50M+ during the dot-com boom, Ben was the second employee where he was in charge of online. He then consulted to Sensis’ MediaSmart, reaching 70% of Australian Internet users. He also consulted (in 2004) to unoduo.com, Morgan Banks Investment – www.linkme.com.au and media entities (Trader Classifieds owned by PBL Media) plus Melbourne Football Club.
Read Ben's blog at benbarren.blogspot.com. Check gnoos.com.au. Interact with nook.com.au and ping him at redbarren at gmail dot com. He is also co-founder of 2WEB.com.au : Australia's Leading Network of 2.0 Entrepreneurs, who blog and podcast : Who you can read at http://blogs.theage.com.au/startupstories/
Ben Barren’s Specialties:
In 2005 after a decade working with groups like ninemsn and sensis, I bought an Imac, Ibook, a shuffle, set up the wireless network and got into 2.0 local classifieds, rss and blogging. Now I need to upgrade to the 24" Imac and I'm waiting for the iPhone, Leopard and latest new Apple laptops.... If you work at a publisher : Contact me if you are interested in such a solution : especially in the finance, travel, entertainment, classifieds, real estate, employment and FMCG space.
Ben Barren’s Experience
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Web 2.0 + Aussie Blog Searcher
Feedcorp Pty Ltd + gnoos Pty Ltd
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)
January 2005 — Present (3 years 8 months)
Feedcorp Pty Ltd is focused on powering Web 2.0 solutions for local Australian and non-US publishers. The company also operates gnoos.com.au, the leading Aussie blog search engine.
In December 2006 conceptualised, developed, licensed and launched nook.com.au for News Ltd Leader Newspaper, which allows Melburnians to ask questions of each other, post about their local life and review local businesses, from the True Local database, through their own blog. Stay tuned for more Feedcorp blogging and web2 communities with partners in 2007 in high value verticals. Contact me if you are interested in such a solution for a large publisher or funded startup. -
Consultant, Product & Bus Dev Mgr
Sensis MediaSmart
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Internet industry)
December 2001 — December 2004 (3 years 1 month)
Consulted, then became employee, assisting (Josh Edis) in building Sensis MediaSmart division. Consumer reach increased from 25% to 65%. Revenue and profit increased two-three fold. Primary focus was on new products (keyword search, content integration, rich media) and business development.
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Bus Dev Manager (Consultant)
www.unoduo.com
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)
June 2004 — December 2004 (7 months)
Product planning, development and distribution of a social networking, travel and dating connections site – www.unoduo.com
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Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd
Commissioned by Morgan and Banks Investments for www.linkme.com.au
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)
June 2004 — December 2004 (7 months)
Development of a new business networking website – www.linkme.com.au
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Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd
Commissioned by Trader Classifieds for carpoint.com.au owned by Publishing & Broadcasting Limited
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Internet industry)
July 2004 — November 2004 (5 months)
Assessments of next generation classifieds software for PBL’s classified business including www.carpoint.com.au
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Portal Manager & New Ventures Director
Virtual Communities Ltd www.virtualcommunities.com.au
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)
July 1999 — May 2001 (1 year 11 months)
2nd employee for Virtual Communities Ltd, in charge of online content and revenue. Developed the online product and business plan. Managed a group of producers and sales team to build a PC desktop and online community which helped bridge the digital divide in partnership with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Catholic Church and St George Bank.
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ninemsn
Founding Product Planner
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)
February 1997 — June 1999 (2 years 5 months)
Established Carpoint into a top 3 automotive site and formulated first advertising forecast for ninemsn network, the number 1 Australian site. Part of a team of 4 product planners who developed initial product plans for ninemsn.
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New Media Development Manager
DDB Advertising
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)
January 1996 — January 1997 (1 year 1 month)
DDB Advertising, Responsible for developing online media, CD-Rom and cable TV advertising opportunities with clients such as Telstra, GTV 9, Cadbury Schweppes, Drake and Brashs. Developed early trials of interactive and online advertising - Was fastest growing ad agency in country and 3rd biggest by billings ! We established online unit, that is now www.tribalddb.com.au
Ben Barren’s Education
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Swinburne Uni
Masters of Enterprise Innovation, Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship, March 1997 — November 1999
The leading post-graduate entrepreneurship and venture capital qualification in Australia, and a leading course worldwide. Modelled of Babson Uni in Boston's entrepreneurship Masters.
Here I come Stanford Uni and Google ! -
Monash Uni (Caulfield - Mkg) (Clayton - Arts)
Bachelor of Arts (Politics + Philosophy + Politics) and Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Strategic Marketing, Logistics, Marketing Communication, Greek Philosophy, 1960's America Revolution, March 1992 — December 1996
Won the award for Top Advertising Management Student in 1996... although the people who payed the prize ($1k) werent too happy because I was already employed at this stage by DDB who were evil big brother !
I also won a National Essay Competition by Federation of Radio Broadcasters which meant I won $2500 in Dec/Jan before I started work. So I had fun in Sorrento all summer. (it was alot of money back then) -
Melbourne High
HSC/VCE, Year 12, February 1988 — December 1991
- Activities and Societies:
- HSC anderson score of 351, and gees did we party !
Additional Information
Ben Barren’s Websites:
Ben Barren’s Interests:
Giant CRX 1 - Black - 2005 Flat Bar Road Bike, carbon fibre bar ends, Shimano 105 cranks, wireless cateye computer Apple Imac G5 20" with Airport Express wireless network, running an 02 XDAii plus IPO Shuffle 512M Cleveland Classic Tour action irons, Taylor made woods, Ping Pal 4 old school putter, Titleist bag - play Mornington Peninsula - Cape Schanck, Dunes, Moonah Links
Ben Barren’s Honors:
Named in The Age/Sydney Morning Herald's Thirty Entrepreneurs under Thirty years to watch out for.
Im watching ;)
Ben Barren’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- expertise requests
- business deals
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
