Patrick Baynes (born October 11, 1984) is an American entrepreneur. He worked at LinkedIn and is known for being the co-founder of PeopleLinx, and the founder of UpdatesCentral.[1][4][5]
Baynes is a speaker on Internet business strategy,[8] go-to-market strategy and strategic consulting,[1][6] as well as personal strategies for individuals to raise their profile and develop business using social networking.[9][10][11]
While working at LinkedIn together, Baynes and Nathan Egan pitched to LinkedIn's board the idea of offering professional services.[12] After the proposal was turned down, Baynes and Egan co-founded Philadelphia-based PeopleLinx in 2009.[2][4] With the aim to help large corporate organizations and their employees get the most out of social networks, during the first two years of operations the company offered LinkedIn-focused consulting and training programs,[12] but the primarily Fortune 500 corporate customers wanted something with scale that would offer continued engagement beyond the training, together with associated metrics of success.[12] The result was the SaaS-based PeopleLinx, the world's first engagement, social selling, and analytics software for social media.[citation needed]
As Head of Partnerships, Baynes was responsible for all client-facing services, partnerships and social sales strategy.[2][9] Having founded and developed the company through financial bootstrapping,[13] in May 2012 state-funded economic-development organization the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania approved a $150,000 investment in the firm.[14] In March 2013, PeopleLinx raised $3.2 million in a series A funding round from both angel investors and investment firms, including Bala Cynwyd-based Osage Venture Partners; New York-based Greycroft Partners; and Center City-based Mission Operators Group.[15][16][17]
Game Time Updates
In 2015, Baynes left PeopleLinx and co-founded Game Time Updates with Michael Coupe and developer Will Dyson.[18][19][20] Game Time Updates is a social media automated marketing software and tool for the restaurant, bar and beverage industry.[21] It helps businesses monetize social following, provide quality content for social media management, along with reporting and brand partnership opportunities with college and professional sports teams.[22]
UpdatesCentral
Baynes founded UpdatesCentral in June 2009. The company provided customer engagement and lead generation services for social media.[23] Baynes serves as the CEO of UpdatesCentral.[24][25] In 2011, Will Dyson joined as CTO and in 2014, Michael Coupe joined as co-founder and COO.[26] The company was officially launched in January 2015, and had 500 small business clients and published 2,000 to 3,000 social media posts a day by 2017.[27]
Awards
May 2003: Jonathan Allen Award for Leadership, Alfred University (scholarship)
