PCWorld Business Center's "In Your Bag" series takes an intimate look at the essential tech gear that small-business leaders carry with them.
Nearly half of small businesses still don't have a website, but David Rusenko aims to change that. He's the CEO of Weebly, a do-it-yourself website-building service that PCWorld named one of 2011's top 100 products.
More than 10 million people have created Weebly websites. Its WYSIWYG tools are popular among a variety of small businesses, like realtors, restaurants, photo studios, retail stores, as well as schools and nonprofit groups.
With 35 staff members, Weebly is a small business itself. Its earliest versions came out of a class project at Pennsylvania State University. After working on it part-time for close to a year, then securing funds from Y Combinator, Rusenko moved with co-founders Dan Veltri and Chris Fanini to San Francisco in 2007. On my recent visit to Weebly's new office in North Beach, Rusenko was especially proud of a decked-out, velvety-walled basement speakeasy room, accessible only through a hidden panel in a wall.
How many hours a week do you work?
I work 70 to 80 hours per week. The first couple hours of my day start off at home, where I catch up on e-mail and the latest news. Then, I head in to our office and work from there the rest of the day. My weekends are generally off--I just spend a few hours each day answering email and keeping up to date.
What's inside your bag, briefcase, backpack, purse or man-purse?
iPhone 4S on AT&T, no case. Essential apps include Weebly's new app, the Gmail app, Greplin, YouMail, NewsRack, news:yc, Uber, TripIt, CardMunch, Softphone, and the rest of the usual suspects.
Fourth-generation Kindle (Wi-Fi) and iPad 2, Wi-Fi only. These days, my iPad is primarily used for the Luminair app, which controls DMX-based lighting systems over Wi-Fi using a protocol called Art-net. Macbook Air.
STM Bags Alley small messenger bag.
Sprint 4G mobile hotspot, iPhone charging cable, Macbook Air ethernet adapter, Bose QC15 noise-canceling headphones (comfortable and great for traveling), 3 AAA batteries, Glif iPhone stand, RFID security access card, and an Olympus PEN E-PL2 camera with the Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens--the other lenses stay at home.
What about non-tech gear?
A single Pilot black pen, for filling out immigration forms and emergency signatures. A toothbrush, toothpaste, and Scope mouthwash! Business cards.
What's the most important item in your bag?
My Macbook Air, the center of my universe.
More "What's in Your Bag" business leaders:
Noah Lehmann-Haput, Gotham Dream Cars
Claire Chambers, CEO, Journelle
This story, "What's in Your Bag? David Rusenko, Weebly CEO" was originally published by PCWorld.