Via Facebook, Dwolla founder sends money to Sean Parker (video)

Dwolla founder Ben Milne says it like it is: “We’re trying to do anything we can to get in front of the Facebook people, Twitter people…we’re just trying to get into the rest of the tech world.” Just over an hour ago, that “anything” was the posting of a YouTube video titled “Send Money To…

Above: YouTube video posted by Milne this afternoon showing a Dwolla transfer of $10 to non-Dwolla user Sean Parker. In the “Details” box, Milne typed: “Would love your opinion on something.”

Dwolla founder Ben Milne says it like it is: “We’re trying to do anything we can to get in front of the Facebook people, Twitter people…we’re just trying to get into the rest of the tech world.”

Just over an hour ago, that “anything” was the posting of a YouTube video titled “Send Money To Sean Parker” (above). If you’re unfamiliar with Parker, here’s a quick bio: one of the two founders of Napster, founding president of Facebook, and currently a managing partner at the Founders Fund. In short, if Milne’s looking to get noticed outside of the Silicon Prairie, Parker could potentially make introductions, or at the very least, draw more eyes to Milne’s startup with a few mentions in his social circle.

“Last week was about trying to stand out in the Midwest, and that’s fun, but the next step for us is to get out into a national audience…this week is about planning for what’s next,” Milne told me on the phone tonight. “That means getting covered by TechCrunch, Mashable and others.”

For those unfamiliar, Dwolla is a web-based software platform that gives its users the ability to transfer cash, not credit, at a flat 25-cent transaction fee no matter the size of the transaction. Additionally, the service plays nicely with social networks, allowing users to import their Facebook and Twitter contacts and send a friend or follower money from their Dwolla account.

Could Milne’s clever use of Dwolla and Facebook coupled with a YouTube video be the trick? He hopes so. “It’s about getting in front of the right people,” said Milne.

But how did he get to this point? Answer: Parker and Milne are indeed “Facebook friends.”

When Milne or another Dwolla user sends money to either someone not on Dwolla or who hasn’t connected their Dwolla account to Facebook, the action is configured so that it will leave a Facebook wall post that says: “[User] I sent you some money through Dwolla.” When the same scenario occurs through Twitter, a direct message is sent.

(Above, screenshot of Milne’s wall post – in added red box – that appeared on Parker’s Facebook profile after Milne completed his $10 Dwolla transaction to Parker.)

On the Twitter front, Milne said that they’re working on getting their Twitter API white-listed by Twitter. “In terms of our interaction with the Twitter API,” Milne said, “we need to get our service white-listed. So, we need connect with the right people at Twitter.”

To learn more about Dwolla, read our post covering their national launch, “Dwolla goes national, launches social cash sharing integration,” or see our pasts posts on the startup: siliconprairienews.com/tags/dwolla.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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