Making a website is hard. Making one that supports a business is even harder. When Anthony Casalena started Squarespace in early 2004, these were some of the problems he endeavored to solve. After 10 years of development, Casalena and the Squarespace team have perfected the art of designing within constraints, and they've fostered a growing enterprise by applying that principle to the businesses and passion projects of their customers. In this episode of Small Empires, see how Squarespace made the jump from solo founder to startup success and how the company continues to push the boundaries of online entrepreneurship both for itself and its c …

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Hiring a private chef is typically considered a luxury reserved for only the wealthy, but one Brooklyn startup aims to change that. Headquartered in Gowanus, Kitchensurfing is opening the private-chef industry to the masses by creating a new platform for undiscovered chefs to build up their own personal brands and enrich the diets of their customers. Whether users are looking to learn how to prepare new styles of cuisine, host a party with friends, cater an event, or simply eat differently in their own homes, Kitchensurfing is connecting people with better food.

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Navigating the world of manufacturing hasn't always been a walk in the park. Factories and sourcing facilities are hard discover, unless you know people in the business or are willing to shell out a huge fee for directory information. Enter Maker's Row - a new attempt at cataloging, organizing and representing the best American manufacturers so designers and entrepreneurs can go from concept to prototype without going overseas or going over budget.

This is the world of Small Empires with Alexis Ohanian, our weekly show where we give you a never-before-seen look at rising New York City startups, offering an inside look at the people behind t …

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Small Empires is back! Join Alexis Ohanian as we give you a never-before-seen look at the world of New York startups.

This week, we check out OkCupid, the dating site with a propensity for data research. Alexis sits with Christian Rudder about how he and the SparkNotes founders went from study guides to an online dating network - and from there, how the startup functions after being purchased by Match.com owners IAC.

Next week? A software company that's helping you make better sketches - online and off.

P.S. - Alexis just launched a book about entrepreneurship, Without Their Permission. Check it out!

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Vacation's over. Small Empires will return this Tuesday, October 15th.

Every week, join Alexis Ohanian as he visits rising New York City startups, offering an inside look at the people behind the companies. This next slate of episodes feature an online dating service, a company that set out to help anyone make beautiful artwork (first on screen and now on paper), an "Uber" for private chefs, and more. Enjoy the teaser below - and if you've missed a few episodes or need a refresher, we've got you covered right here.

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Small Empires is nigh upon us - we'll tell you more very soon, promise - but if you want a sneak peek at the next series of episodes, join us this Saturday in New York for our PaleyFest panel!

Our own Nilay Patel will be moderating and fielding audience questions about rising NYC startups, entrepreneurship, and video production in the new media era! Panelists include Alexis Ohanian, Stephen Greenwood (producer of Small Empires), FiftyThree CEO Georg Petschnigg and Squarespace CEO Anthony Casalena.

It's all part of The Paley Center for Media's 2013 PaleyFest. Other panels include those centered around Boardwalk Empire, Orange is the New Bla …

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Small Empires is coming back… and we'll tell you more soon. But in the meantime, anyone located in New York is invited to join Alexis Ohanian, Stephen Greenwood (producer of Small Empires), FiftyThree CEO Georg Petschnigg and Squarespace CEO Anthony Casalena for a special panel discussion at The Paley Center for Media's 2013 PaleyFest to talk about rising NYC startups, entrepreneurship and video production in the new media era. Other panels include those centered around Boardwalk Empire, Orange is the New Black, and The Americans, so we're in some very good company.

The panel is Saturday, October 5th at 2:00PM ET at The Paley Center for Med …

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"A company within a company." That's the story of Shapeways, a startup that began in an incubator within Dutch conglomerate, Philips. And Shapeways itself is something of an incubator - a 3D-printing marketplace that allows for others to make a business out of their work.

Small Empires is our new weekly show that visits rising New York City startups and provides never-before-seen access to the men and women building our future. Join Alexis Ohanian as he talks to Shapeways CEO Peter Weijmarshausen, as well as Shapeways artist / cufflinks aficionado Peter Knocke, whose work is made via Shapeways. (Note: this is our mid-season break. We won't …

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Discover, rent, maybe purchase. It's a business model we've seen in various forms for video, audio, and even games. But what about one of the most timeless creative endeavors - art?

Small Empires is our new weekly show that visits rising New York City startups and provides never-before-seen access to the men and women building our future. Join Alexis Ohanian as he talks to co-founders Alex Tryon (formerly of American Express) and Scott Carleton (formerly a nuclear engineer), as well as Brooklyn-based artist Dan Bina.

Bonus: Join us for a post-show chat with Alexis Ohanian, Small Empires producer Stephen Greenwood, and Artsicle co-founders …

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