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Derek Ting

CEOTextNow

San Mateo, CA

Member Since October 2023

About

Derek Ting is the Co-founder and CEO of TextNow, the first and only mobile provider to offer truly free phone service with unlimited talk & text and essential data. A true entrepreneur at heart, Derek founded two startups while still in high school: web host WoolNet LLC and file sharing network TorrentReactor. Before co-founding TextNow, Derek was a software engineer at Qualcomm where he was instrumental in developing cutting-edge telecommunication technologies including the Femtocell and UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband). Derek holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Waterloo.

Published content

No strings attached: TextNow’s journey to redefine mobile communication

article

As a college startup, TextNow faced many challenges early on as they learned how to run a company

Democratizing phone service: TextNow’s mission to make phone service free for everyone

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Adaptability has been key to TextNow’s success.

16 ways to create engaging advertising and attract new customers

expert panel

Here's how to grow your audience with effective advertising. In today's tight economy, consumers and business owners alike are taking a closer look at their spending habits and evaluating which purchases make the most sense to invest in right now as they continue to hope for brighter days ahead.  Here, 16 Fast Company Executive Board members each share one idea to help company leaders and their teams create more engaging advertising and think outside the box so that more potential customers will be interested in spending their hard-earned money on their products or services.

19 tips to communicate more effectively with your remote workers 

expert panel

Here's how to elevate company culture in a digital office environment. If you are new to leading a remote or hybrid company, you may find yourself struggling to bridge the gap between management and staff members who work from home to create trust and transparency. By the same token, if you're new to working for a remote employer, you may be feeling isolated if you're unable to connect with your new co-workers and management the way you initially envisioned when you were onboarded for your "dream job opportunity."  To help leaders and their remote teams communicate more effectively and improve their working relationships in no time, 19 Fast Company Executive Board members each share one new idea for building a better company culture in 2024.

14 tips to lower the risks of launching a successful business

expert panel

Apply these steps to get (and keep) your company off the ground. There is a traditional assumption that if a business is still around—and thriving—after its first five years in the marketplace, then chances are the leadership and team are bound to see their company survive to take further strides. Now, in the new norm, with a global economy that is constantly changing and a digital culture to keep up with, business owners must work double time if they want their products or services to remain relevant in the public eye and gain the attention of potential new clients and customers.  If your company is still fresh out of the gate and looking for smart strategies to keep growing, tapping into the experience of successful entrepreneurs is a big help. Below, 14 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one tip to help startup owners find ways to mitigate risk as they work to grow their businesses.

Company details

TextNow

Company bio

Founded in 2009, TextNow is on a mission to make phone service free, easy, and accessible to all as the only mobile provider to offer unlimited calling and texting and free essential data on the nation’s largest 5G network. TextNow is the largest provider of ad-supported free mobile phone service in the U.S., with offices in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Waterloo, Ontario.

Industry

Technology

Area of focus

Social Communication
Mobile Products
Software Development

Company size

51 - 200