Dan Berger is the man of a million events and counting. Since he founded Social Tables five years ago, the hospitality software developed by his company has gained more than 4,000 customers, mainly businesses using the digital sales, marketing, planning and management tools for events. After raising $10 million ($8 million in one round in 2014), Berger has grown Social Tables to a 125-strong team in what are undeniably the pinkest offices in the District.
How do you stay creative and original?
I don't believe in "Eureka moments." Creativity comes from research and working hard. It's not sitting in a bathtub and coming up with everything. It's not about who thought of it first, it's about rapidly iterating ideas, which is only possibly with a really great team.
How do find and encourage creativity in your team?
I read a lot and think about how to apply interesting ideas. It all starts with input, creativity can't come from nowhere. One of the things I like to say to my team [when they have a project idea] is 'go figure it out.'
What job have you had that has had the greatest impact on your career?
It's bullshit [to point to] one job. The values my mom instilled in me [had the biggest impact]. She would tell me 'every day is a school day' [and] taught me about accepting the impossible as a challenge. The door's been closed in my face so many times, but that just adds to my perseverance. Naysayers add more fuel to my fire.
Was there any direct connection from previous jobs to founding Social Tables?
Social Tables followed after being a management consulting, which I hated. It was so boring, but it gave me the time and white space to start building Social Tables.
"Where people meet, they achieve great things."
How do you define the idea of Social Tables beyond the technology?
Everything we do, it all goes back to our vision, where people meet, they achieve great things. That's why what we do is about making sure people get together.
Do you expect the landscape of competition to change?
There's SaaS competition everywhere. Some of it we know about and some of it is creeping up.
How is Washington D.C. unique when it comes to innovation?
We're the capital of hospitality. We have the headquarters for hotels and associations, and so many meetings, conferences and fundraising events. It's great from the industry perspective. I'm really proud of what [D.C.] Mayor [Muriel] Bowser has been doing to promote applying government to the science and tech scene.
Who in D.C. do you admire?
I appreciate people like [iStrategyLabs co-founder and D.C. Tech patron] Peter Corbett, [former D.C. Mayors] Vince Gray and Adrian Fenty. And all of the angel investors, and groups like the CIT Gap Fund encouraging economic development. Putting D.C. on the map matters. Investing in SXSW [as several mayors have done] is not a waste of time when it draws talent here.
What would you like to change about D.C. and the startup scene?
We need to do more in helping super early stage companies. We have to make them want to stay or they'll end up like [D.C.-born dating app startup that moved to New York City] Hinge. We should do more for attracting mid and senior engineers, really all talent.
