Product Managers and Marketing people often think we know our customers and what they want from us. But let me challenge that thinking. If we knew more about our customers or even our prospects, we might change what we product in terms of experiences. Let me suggest this. When I google shoes, which I am [...]
Tag Archives | Innovation
Execute revenue growth, or not
I was just reading Double Digit Growth by Michael Treacy. Yes, during work hours. Call it my version of eating bon-bons. I needed a break. And his book is one of many in my recent pile of acquisitions. Recent being the last 3 months. And I’m so far behind, I’ve actually NOT bought a book [...]
Grow it .. bigger and wiser
If you were to purposely grow your smarts, you might: – Surround yourself with more creative people, or – Study more (content) ideas, or – Talk more at length debating with others, or – Get better educated, right? I’m going to sound like a cheesy late-night commercial … I think there’s a better, more cost [...]
Web 2.0 Investment Opportunities
At the web 2.0 conference here in San Francisco and will be doing a series of posts. I would guess 30% of the attendees are VC / Capital / Investment / Analyst types. And between them and the web start-ups, it’s a schmooze and suck-up fest. So 1998. Yet, I don’ t think most of [...]
Two types of Advisors: those that Critique and those that Create
Have you ever had the feeling that the people around you are there to tell you how something won’t work? Those are called critiques. Having a critique around as an advisor would be like being in the middle of the country and lost trying to get to NYC let’s say, and having someone come by to say, “this freeway won’t take you to there”. Okay, fair enough. But don’t just leave me there, dude. Tell me which one does!
Alpha Dog: Strategies for Entrepreneurs
This last week, I was on a much, much (MUCH!) needed solo vacation. No client, staff, or family responsibilities. No email, no phones, no computer. Instead, I packed the normal trashy magazines so I could read about shoes and frivolity. Then I packed a few business books I’ve been meaning to read. Nothing really mind-numbing [...]
Dash used Stealth just Right
Is there ever a good reason to not tell everything to everybody? Yes, there is. Surprise you that I would say that? In relationships, power is not the key to connection. So, don’t deceive or cajole in personal relationships, where trust and connection are key. Yet in business, where revealing intentions can be revealing your [...]
Don’t be the Dinosaur Brought down by Mosquitos
Emerging Business Models can destroy your current business Working in Silicon Valley, there are a few hundred new acronyms and technologies introduced each year that need to be understood. Being a trusted advisor means that clients need my firm and I to be really smart, on top of the latest trends, and interpreting what really [...]
Adaptability & Change is a High Class Problem; 5 things to review
As a CEO of my own firm, and a change leader working with CMOs of world-class brands, the constant in my life is helping organizations to adapt to new situations and challenges. As Bryan Ward used to say, this is a high-class problem. Because it fundamentally means you’re doing well enough TO engage in what’s [...]
Reserve seems key to Creating
I am sitting in Logan airport with a clean email inbox. First time in weeks, if not months, I think. I’ve been swimming pretty hard lately as there have been several client things really needing attention. But sitting here with internet access and no emails in my inbox gives me permission to write. The reason [...]