Sean Rad: USC Student and Internet Aficionado

July 19, 2007

Sean Rad is an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business. Gaining marketing and business experience working for various entertainment firms in Los Angeles, Sean has further experience from years of working with his family's business, ESI International, manufacturers and distributors of popular electronics brands such as Akai, Nakamichi, iSymphony, and Cellboost.

Additionally, Sean is an accomplished singer/songwriter who at the age of 12 composed an original work that was recorded by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.

A true innovator and a full-fledged member of the internet generation, Sean was not content to simply deal with the irritation that comes from logging in and out and in and out from multiple online accounts. Instead of waiting for someone else to develop a solution, Sean and his partner Shahzad Tiwana created Orgoo, a one stop shop for all your internet accounts. Always full of energy, passion and enthusiasm, this is his story%ue2%u20ac%ua6

Help us understand what you are up to:

I am the Co-founder and VP of Product Development of Orgoo.com (www.orgoo.com). Orgoo is a free service that allows you to get all your email accounts, IM accounts, video chat, video email, SMS, and more, integrated in one place, online. Orgoo requires no downloads and can be accessed from any web browser or mobile phone.

Imagine your personal online communication cockpit, where every tool you need to express yourself and communicate is at your fingertips, organized, and integrated together.

What drives you to continue pursuing this start-up?

1. I love what I do and have a tremendous passion for online communications.

2. I enjoy the large challenges involved with building complex things.

3. Fear of boredom.

Describe how your work might impact people's lives, now and in the future.

Orgoo allows people to spend less time managing their online communications and more time actually communicating. By allowing people to better organize/manage their online communications and by giving them better tools to communicate online, Orgoo could have a large impact on a very large group of people. After all, communicating online is an integral part of most people's lives.

How did you come up with the idea?

The concept for Orgoo was a solution to my own problem. I was having trouble organizing my internet communication. I was tired of managing so many different communication accounts (such as multiple email and IM accounts), tired of logging in and out of so many programs through out the day, and tired of running so many programs on my pc and browser simultaneously. I looked around me and realized that most of my friends were facing the same problems%ue2%u20ac%ua6 so my partner and I dreamt up a solution.

Has anyone ever doubted that your idea could work?

Yes. Even I sometimes doubt whether the idea can work%ue2%u20ac%ua6 but it is out of that doubt that another great feature is born to make Orgoo even better.

What is the next step in the innovation process for you (and how might people help)?

Our mission is to integrate, organize, and advance internet communications. The next step in the innovation process will always be to find new ways to do just that. Finding new services and features that will provide users with real value is key. We are also focusing on distribution and finding ways to bring Orgoo communication services to other properties around the web (we call this "Orgoo Everywhere").

What is the one innovation you can't live without?

The piano. I can't go a few days without playing a note.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I write and sing music. Music is my biggest passion.

What do you wish you could have invented?

The internet. I am amazed how the internet has allowed me to connect and collaborate with people from all over the world.

Any tips for aspiring innovators?

Yes, a few:

1. Always be confident enough to recognize and admit what you don't know. In most cases, there is nothing wrong with not knowing something, but so much wrong with not admitting you don't know it.

2. Find people who know what you don't and learn from them, hire them, or partner with them.

3. Don't talk if you have nothing to say.

4. Always have fun!

Email or phone?

Phone, because it's more personal.

Galileo, Darwin, Einstein, Socrates or Newton? Other? Why?

Steve Jobs because the guy can make a paperclip sound like the latest and greatest innovation.

What is the most fun you've ever had?

I am having it right now.