Jim Semick

With over 25 years of experience, Jim has been at the forefront of bringing disruptive software products from initial concept to successful market launch. He is a co-founder and board member at ProductPlan, a leading strategic software platform for product management. Before ProductPlan, Jim played a pivotal role as an early employee at AppFolio, where he helped validate and shape the company’s market entry. He also spearheaded the validation and defined product requirements for groundbreaking web-based software including GoToMyPC, GoToMeeting, and GoToWebinar.

Earlier in his career, Jim was a technology writer, publishing multiple titles with Microsoft Press. He holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from the University of Idaho. Jim is an active mentor and angel investor in the Santa Barbara tech startup community. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics such as entrepreneurship, product management, market validation, and business models.

Education

Degree: B.S. double major in Finance and Marketing, University of Idaho

UCSB Role

Lecturer, TM 149 Creating a Market-Tested Business Model. Guest lecturer and mentor New Venture Program