Tech Special Report: Tech's Young Turks Are Back

Thanks to the Internet and free open-source software, getting a technology startup off the ground is simpler than ever. That’s not to say these entrepreneurs have had it easy. Take a look at the tech companies they’ve founded and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Hauser and Taghaddos, already on the fourth startup venture between them, got the idea for GotVMail because they were frustrated with the phone-system options for small businesses.

GotVMail gives mom-and-pops a way to sound just like big corporations. They can get the usual voice-mail boxes and also set up preferences like routing calls to a cell phone or getting messages by e-mail in the form of MP3 files—all for as little as $10 a month.

Lesson learned:
Taghaddos: “For a young entrepreneur, having good personal credit is one of the most important things.”

Hauser: “To be involved in the entrepreneurial community and give back, talking to students is very important.”