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Looking forward to 2012

Happy New Year everyone! Today is the day that most people are getting back to work, clearing out their inboxes, and getting cranked up for what lies ahead in 2012.

2011 was a great year for me in many ways with Gist being acquired by Research In Motion, me thankfully being deemed unnecessary in the new organization, connecting with a great team at marketing automation software company LoopFuse, and the launch of a venture of my own - Nearstream.

Several years ago, David Cohen who is the ringleader behind TechStars among other things wrote a post that stayed with me - Plenty of time for that later.

To paraphrase, if you want to start something look at the clock and write down the date and time. Post it somewhere you can see it and every minute, hour, or day that passes should remind you to get started.

That pretty much sums up my approach to 2012 as I embark upon a few new ventures and place responsibility for the outcomes primarily on my shoulders.

Predictions aren't my thing but I write this blog for many reasons including creating a record for my children and their children to read one day.  So, looking forward to 2012 here's how I see things:

World

The world is constantly changing with new allies, new enemies and a media circus designed to scare us in every direction.  The European Union is being tested by economic strain but I do not believe its end is near. The Middle East continues to be a flash point and I do hope that our hasty withdrawal from Iraq for political expediency does not sacrifice the steps towards a stable democratic government that 10 years of blood and treasure were invested to achieve. Afghanistan needs many more years of concentrated assistance to become a stable country. I don't believe this is an American problem, but I don't know who else is up for the challenge.  We have been at war with Iran since 1979 and the only ones who don't seem to know this is us. Tensions will continue to rise and a strong hand on our side will be needed to keep calm and exercise our power where needed.  Let's hope that person is in the Oval Office (see below).

Nation

We are sailing into a Presidential election year that will see ~$2 billion dollars spent to convince us one person is better than another (or more evil).  I am concerned about the scorched earth policies to be used (by both sides) and what it will do to us as a country. 

Barack Obama was elected on the promise of transformational leadership and he is a failure in that regard. I did not vote for him and will not be doing so this year so take that statement with a grain of salt. Even though he was not my choice, he is my President and I hold him accountable for the gap between words and actions that have been exhibited over and over.  He appealed to Americans most cherished sense of hope and rode that marketing slogan to the White House. His administration's policies have been unsuccessful in creating the environment for economic growth and his rhetoric has grown increasingly negative and divisive. The candidate of hope generally wins so we'll see if we get four more years of Obama running on fear and anger this time around.

Financial Markets

Who knows? Things regress to the mean over time so after a few years of volatility and poor returns, most people are giving up on the stock market and pulling money out. I'm not sure if we have seen true capitulation but history tells us that the time to invest is when others are not.  The election year dynamics will certainly spook it until there is some clarity on who will be leading us for the next four years.

Technology

All mobile, all the time.  We are consuming, communicating, and increasingly ignoring each other with our smartphones.  The penetration of these types of devices globally will continue to rise with prices coming down, processing power going up, and human connectivity increasing. What could possibly go wrong?

Social saturation. The giddiness of social networking is waning.  Many are fatigued with status updates and the constant flow of information that you didn't use to have but now must have.  Better filters, proactive privacy controls, and enabling off-line interactions are on the top of my list.

Me

I watch my girls grow up a little more every day and am committed to being present as often as I can to be part of their lives. I am shooting to lose all frequent traveler status this year replacing it with Skype, GotoMeeting, chat, and well thought through trips.  Let's see how I do.

I need to be more patient (always on my list) and take the time to reflect on the blessings I have been given.  I will run many more miles this year including maybe a second attempt at a marathon (failed to even participate in Portland last year after signing up).

I am responsible for the outcome this year so time to get to work!

Happy 2012!

 

2012 Kirkland Polar Bear Plunge (video)

Here is some footage from today's Polar Bear Plunge down at the Marina in Kirkland.  We did not participate although I was almost taken out by a dog leash in the middle of the video.  Hardly polar conditions with some sun and pretty warm for this time of year. 

 

A month in Steamboat Springs

We were very fortunate to spend the month of November in Steamboat Springs, CO.  Colorado has long been one of the places that Marel and I love and it is our plan to eventually live there.

We made our first trip to Steamboat Springs, CO seven or eight years ago and loved both the skiing as well as the true town and community that surrounded it.  Unlike Vail or Aspen, Steamboat is a town that happens to be an amazing ski destination.

We began our adventure at the end of October with me (and dog Riley) making the drive while Marel and the girls flew a few days later.  I enjoyed 1200 miles of thinking with stops in Boise and Park City along the way.

We kicked off our visit with an amazing Halloween celebration in downtown Steamboat when Lincoln Aveneue fills with both parents and children trick or treating from shop to shop.  This community gathering really opened our eyes to the people who call Steamboat Springs home and how many were in our same "life stage" - young children, etc.

Our initial plan was to spend the month around Boulder but as we thought more about it, Steamboat made the most sense and we did work in a Boulder visit during the Defrag Conference in Broomfield. 

We spent our time in Steamboat as residents not really tourists while I was helping my long time friend Joe Solomon with a bit of marketing work for Iconic Adventures.  

 Joe is an awesome guy, has an amazing office right on the Yampa River, and provides outdoor adventures for brands, causes, and companies.  We've had a bit of fun working through the many great business opportunities out there including calling on various micro-breweries.  Definitely give him a ring if you'd like to do a company off-site or marketing event that will make a lasting impact.

I was able to work on the things I needed to including my social lead generation startup Nearstream from there with Skype, GotoMeeting, a smartphone, and a high speed interent connection.

I was really impressed by the the local tech startup and entrepreneurial scene.  In Steamboat Springs you ask? Yes, in Steamboat Springs.  There is a great group of folks there that have been putting on Ignite Steamboat for almost two years, have brought in some amazing speakers (via Skype), and even gave me the chance to do a presentation on the mobile workstyle:

 

Ignite Steamboat - 5 Mobile Workstyle Trends

View more presentations from Robert Pease

Yes, we did a bit of skiing too but the visit was a great family adventure and we met so many warm and wonderful people who welcomed us unconditionally.  We will be back to Steamboat Springs soon and definitely see it as part of our lives going forward.

A Content Marketing Framework: Creation + Distribution

"Content" has always been an important part of the marketing playbook but in a world defined by search engine optimization, influence, and sharing it has become a critical component of the modern marketing plan. 

Creation of content is hard enough but an effective content strategy includes both creation as well as distribution.

The work doesn't stop once the blog post is written or the video created, so you must be manically focused on getting it distributed and consumed by your target audience.  The long tail of search results certainly works in your favor but understanding how to get your content into the limited attention span of your target audience is now an essential marketing skill.

So for Distribution record a screencast but make it short (less than 2 minutes), make it creative but not stupid, post it to your blog via an embed so others can share it, Stumble the post, then tweet it, then post it to your personal Facebook page and company page, drop it on LinkedIn, get everyone in your company to push it out via their personal social channels but be aware that they won't share often or stuff they think sucks then link to it in your signature block of your email then send an email blast to your house list featuring it exclusively or highlighting it as a recent blog post. Figure out where your target audience gets their information and post it there but don't shamelessly pitch your company or participate out of context in the comments.  Be sure to vote it up and have others do the same. Rinse repeat...often.

Distribution can be even more exhausting than creation but don't create anything new without thinking through how you are going to distribute it.

 

Sales 2.0 Recap: New connections, old friends, & an awkward demo

I spent the past couple days in San Francisco as part of an 8 day road trip that took me to Atlanta to meet with the LoopFuse gang, St. Simons Island for a bit of golf watching at the McGladrey Classic with my brother and Dad then to San Francisco to be part of the Sales 2.0 event.

It has been a great trip and I had the opportunity to speak at the event on Sales & Marketing alignment.  Not a new concept but the tools and technologies to drive it continue to evolve – none of which is effective without a shared set of expectations and pervasive selling mindset.

I was excited to catch up with Nancy Nardin of Smart Selling Tools, chat with Anneke Seley of Phoneworks and meet Jim Keenan for the first time in person.  Like most events the conversations between sessions and in the hallway proved the most valuable.

It was also great to catch up with Meetul Shah of LookAcross and meet Michael Leeds of IntroRocket in person.  Meetul has just moved to Sunnyvale to be part of the most recent 500 Startups crop and rounding out the Seattle contingent I had the great pleasure of meeting JP Werlin from PipelineDeals.  Easy to use, on-demand sales pipeline management (no, you don’t need Salesforce.com for this).

All of these folks are looking at ways to innovate and rethink sales based on new levels of connectivity, information availability, and speed – I’ll collectively call it sales & marketing hacks.  I did, however, think this group was underrepresented in the panels and keynotes.  The Sales 2.0 gang is definitely looking forward but many of the vendors present are stuck in the past just getting better at bad things.

A “live prospecting demo” brought this home clearly which included one of the most memorable live demos but also one of the most uncomfortable ones I’ve ever witnessed.  If you were there, you know what I am talking about.  If you were not, let’s just say listening to someone cold call their way through a company directory and receptionists screams all that is wrong with current accepted approaches to prospecting and selling (ping me and I’ll tell you the company if you are curious).

I’m looking forward to doing a full session at the November Sales 2.0 event in Santa Monica.  I’ll be sharing more details about Nearstream and how we are taking a different approach to lead generation by starting with the buyer – a simple but overlooked concept.  Stay tuned for more on that!

The last 30 days

I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus for the past 30 days.  This is pretty much the longest I've gone without a post since I started blogging so apologies for the tardiness.  I've not been off the grid as my tweets still flow with status updates and interesting things (to me, anyway).

So, what have I been up to?

After wrapping up at Gist, we took a trip to the Southeast - first to Atlanta, then to St. Simons Island for a couple weeks.  Enjoyed the heat, humidity, and daily doses of sweet Georgia shrimp.  It was nice to be there, spend time with my Dad, and be surrounded by the uniqueness of the South.  If you are not from there, you won't understand it but I encourage you all to visit at some point.

Prior to that, I was given something I never had by my wife and friends - a surprise party.  To celebrate the next phase, Marel pulled one over on me (as did my friends) and we enjoyed food from Tacos el Guero on the deck in Kirkland.  It was amazing and humbling to have so many people there to support me.

I also had the opportunity to tour the Boeing manufacturing operations in Everett.  One word - Wow!  I've been around manufacturing facilities before but nothing on this scale and nothing this significant.  Amazing how they build planes especially the global sourcing activities related to the 787.  It was really nice to smell a factory again.  You know what I'm talking about if you've been in one.  If not, find one to tour. 

I've also been busy with various business endeavors including some consulting, some advising, lots of "being generous" allowing me to meet new people, and working on getting my own startup up and running.

I'll share more details on that shortly as I have the benefit of partnering with a long-time and super smart friend on something that will definitely "hack marketing."  More to come...

 

Today is my last day at Gist

This has been part of the plan following the company's acquisition by Research In Motion back in February.

It is the end of what has been a fun, crazy, and rewarding few years.  I first sat down with founder T.A. McCann in mid-2008 to catch up and got the download on what was at the time called Mineboxx.  The company evolved to Gist, I began to consult on go-to-market stuff, and joined as full-time Vice President of Marketing following closing a Series A venture capital round in May of 2009.

There are lots of nuggets of wisdom gained during this time that I'll share more about going forward and can't say enough great things about my team and all involved. 

So, what's next for me?

I am enjoying "being generous" and helping companies think about how they are building their sales pipelines, developing their customer acquisition funnels, and going to market.  It's nice to share what worked as well as a few lumps from failure with the desire to accelerate their success and advance my understanding of what is possible.

Included in that is being a Mentor at TechStars/Seattle for the first time this year.  That program is just getting started and I look forward to working with the companies there as well as getting to know many of the other mentors I have yet to meet.

I'll also be working more formally as an advisor to LoopFuse.  They are an Atlanta-based marketing automation software company focusing on the SMB market with web analytics, lead nurturing/scoring, and email marketing all in one package.  I encourage every startup out there (every company, actually) to put a nurture program in place and with LoopFuse you can start and use it for free paying only when you begin to scale (a good deal!)

Other activities include living vicariously through my friend Joe Solomon and his Steamboat Springs, CO-based adventure travel company Iconic Adventures where I am helping a bit on the marketing front.

I have my eye on a few opportunities that include starting my own company.  I have worked in startups for the past ten years and am now at a place where doing something of my own makes sense.  What is it?  More details as the pieces come together but I am looking at sales & marketing processes, the inefficiencies that exist there, and how social, mobile, etc. technologies can be used to "hack" it. 

I'll also be enjoying a bit more time with my wonderful (and understanding) wife, amazing daughters, and loving but neurotic dog. Oh, and trying to catch up on training for the Portland Marathon on October 9th (my first full marathon) that Marel & I will be running together.

So, email me if you want to chat, have an idea, or are looking for a bit of advice on marketing and markets.  I'm happy to connect...

You don't just downgrade America

I have taken the Standard & Poor's downgrade of US debt pretty personally.  After all, it is a statement about all of us and the prospects of our future.  Let's put aside for a moment how little credibility any credit rating agency has after being just shy of criminal in the events leading up to the 2008 financial crisis and look at the impact of this on us as Americans.

America is defined by optimism and, quite frankly, this is a gut punch.  The first reaction (unfortunately) is about blame.  If you decide you need to blame a minority faction of newly elected congressmen and women (the Tea Party) in the minority party in one house of Congress then you must also blame the party who held both houses of Congress (including a filibuster proof majority in the Senate) since 2008 plus the White House.  A "Fiscal Commission" was assembled led by good men from both parties.  Its findings were politicized, denounced, and buried.  What a shame.  The time for leadership on this issue and the window to really get something accomplished has past for our current President.  Now it is about grown ups sitting down and absorbing the gravity of the situation.

Previous Presidents share responsibility here as well.  This transcends political party and our last balanced budget under Clinton was the direct result of the opposition party taking him to the edge (and beyond) and forcing a government shutdown.  Why does it take this kind of drama and damage to do the right thing?

Barack Obama was elected on a surge of optimism and desire for something different.  What we are seeing is the difference between sales and implementation.  Leadership is a hard and lonely road and I cannot even begin to fathom the loneliness and pressure as President of the United States of America.

This is a defining moment for Mr. Obama and the rest of the people we have chosen to lead our country.  If they can't come together to chart a path for the future, then we'll get a new set in 2012. Maybe, just maybe, there will enough courage in this batch to look beyond the next TV spot, fundraiser, or election.

I write this blog for many reasons.  One is to give my daughters a record of who I am and what I was thinking at different stages of my life and career.  As this news broke on Friday, I looked at both of them and actually wondered what kind of America they would grow up in. 

Today I am concerned and saddened.  There is no faith in our government and the leadership running it.  I do, however, remain optimistic about America and our ability to achieve things others thought impossible.  We will get through this and be a stronger nation as a result.

Our healthcare system continues to fail entrepreneurs

Regardless of your opinion on the recent healthcare reform debate, process, and resulting legislation, one would expect the output of so much brain power and political capital to truly improve things.

I am not a policy wonk, healthcare expert, and have not read the Obamacare bill in its entirety (like most members of Congress) but this story about Sarah Perez leaving ReadWriteWeb due to the lack of affordable healthcare coverage makes my blood boil.

Sarah is awesome, a great journalist, and was very kind to us as we created and launched Gist.  She is leaving ReadWriteWeb because of a growing family and the lack of employer provided healthcare.  This quote alone lays it out in black and white for me:

Now my husband runs his own business, and we pay for our own health care. It’s expensive, and it’s a struggle. 

So I’m moving on, to somewhere that can offer me the benefits of a larger organization.

This makes my blood boil because a great person is leaving the "best job she ever had" due to the costs of healthcare as she and her husband both pursue entrepreneurial endeavors.

How does this make sense? Why wasn't this obvious obstacle to entrepreneurship addressed in the healthcare reform debate?  We sorely need jobs and economic growth in this country and it breaks my heart that this situation continues to exist.  There are many, many talented and smart entrepreneurs staying in corporate jobs or needing to return to one because of the costs of self-insuring.

Sarah - I will miss you and your readers will miss you.  Thank you for sharing your story..and for inspiring me to write this post.

40 Things I've Learned in 40 Years

Today is my birthday and it is a significant one - 40. I am in Colorado looking out over the Rocky Mountains this morning and reflecting on 40 years of life.  I felt a post about what I have learned over my life appropriate and maybe you can take a few things from it for your life regardless of age.  These are in no particular order and are a bit scattered but hope you enjoy!

1. Run - it doesn't matter how far or fast but get out there and do it.  Both your body and mind will benefit.  At a minimum, do something to get your heart rate up for 20 minutes per day.
   
2. Have goals - don't make them complicated but have directional goals.
3. Keep goals in perspective - they are not the end.  As with most things, it is the journey that matters.
4. Make goals matter - I had two financial goals - one for age 30 and one for age 40.  I have met them and it doesn't matter.  Make them matter.
5. Savor the moment - celebrate your success and be proud of your accomplishments.  Don't pass up a little glory by looking to the next thing.
   
6. All glory is fleeting - it might be because you are awesome or because you are lucky or benefit from the work of others.  Keep this in perspective.
   
7. Take advantage of the time you have with others - the older you get, the shorter the time slots will be to develop and grow friendships.
   
8. Follow up - simple but so important...and so few do it.  Most of getting things done is the follow up.
   
9. Don't compromise yourself - know your boundaries and what makes you tick.  Be flexible but don't cross them to please others.
   
10. Have shared expectations in any relationship - personal or professional.  Without a shared set of expectations on what is going to happen, you are in for a rough ride.
    
11. Do 50 push ups a day - or at least do your age everyday.  You always have the exercise equipment with you and I believe everyone should be able to pick themselves up off the floor with ease.
12. Get a dog - or a pet of some kind.  Everyone needs to experience unconditional love.
13. Tell your Mom & Dad you love them everyday - they need to hear it and you need to say it. 
    
14. Make decisions that alter your life path - it is refreshing to be reminded just how much you can control what happens in your life.  Don't be a spectator.
15. Ideas are cheap, actions count - get off the fence and get involved.  It is comfortable but also intellectually corrupt to criticize from the sidelines or simply dwell on what is possible.
16. Always think the best until proven otherwise - snap reactions without all the information can cause more damage than the original action.  Get the information to prove the negative before reacting.
    
17. Forgive but do not forget - maybe a bit harsh but life is too short to be filled with spite.  That said, patterns repeat so be wary of those who have crossed you.
18. Be generous - give freely of your time, expertise, and resources to help others without compromising yourself or your goals.
19. Drink water - lots of it. 
    
20. Get up early - get up 15 minutes earlier every morning until you hit 5am.  You will find yourself refreshed and ahead of the day.
21. Don't have conversations in email - if it goes more than two rounds, get on the phone.
22. Remember when you were a moron and learn from it - we all were at some point. Reflect on those times, don't do it again, and move on.
23. Learn to cook - no one's life should be dependent on fast food and prepared meals.  If you cook it, you know what's in it.
24. Always do the right thing - a simple statement but ask yourself this question in any situation and you should get a good feeling for what is proper and what is wrong.
25. Meet new people - everybody you meet adds richness to your life
    
26. Go new places - you will never have seen enough, keep going.
27. Be happy when others are successful - hard to do sometimes, but celebrate the success of those around you like it was your own.
28. Unplug - often.  Get away from gadgets, email, status updates and listen to the silence.  This is essential to keep you balanced.
29. Be patient - I continue to suck at this and need to improve.  We all can.
30. Try everything once - you can't say you don't like it unless you've tried it.
31. Drive across the U.S.A - this country is huge, the sites amazing, and people gracious.  Do this in your life - I have done it twice.
32. Visit big cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, & Houston - you need to understand the mass and speed of places like this. Good and bad.
    
33. Visit small towns - you need to understand this way of life
34. Mentor someone - whether they know it or not, work to help someone become successful at their job, hobby, or passion.  One of the most rewarding things you can do.
35. Go to New Zealand - a long way from here, but worth the trip
36. Don't text/email/surf while driving - this is crazy dangerous and only getting worse.  Whatever it is can wait or just pull over
    
37. Always be polite and say "sir" when pulled over by the police - even if you think you were doing nothing wrong.  They are doing their job and deal with crap you can't imagine.
38. Always thank the pilot when you get off an airplane - we all have bad days at the office. I want to make sure those are few and far between for the pilot of my plane.
39. Don't make broad generalized statements - they make you look stupid and things are rarely that black and white.  Know the gaps of your knowledge and seek to fill them.
40. Write (or blog) - this continues to be one of the most rewarding things I do to help structure thoughts, connect with new people, and create a living, breathing record of my life and thoughts.  It doesn't have to be public like this, but do take the time to write down your thoughts and perspectives.
    

Feel free to add your thoughts and comments below. I'd love to hear them!