May 2013
3 posts
Bijan Sabet: Yahoo + Tumblr →
bijan:
I met David Karp, the founder/ceo of Tumblr when he was 19. I was immediately taken with his passion and drive to create wonderful things.
Those days, David was building within his consulting company called Davidville. My friend Fred Seibert made the intro and I’m forever grateful for…
An awesome result for a great company & a great story. And not for nothing, #propz to...
“I don’t know why we celebrate failure. Somewhere along the line, we...”
– Rita Pierson, educator, Ted speaker
http://on.ted.com/RitaPierson
Garnett: 'We out here scrapping' →
“Get your hard hat on…let’s do this.”
I love KG.
April 2013
3 posts
4 tags
Customers vs Users - a response to @Jack
A few months ago Jack Dorsey (founder, CEO of Square) wrote a post & letter to his employees condemning the use of the word “users” to refer to Square’s…well, users. In his post, he compels his team to replace the term “user” with “customer” in all future communications. The idea being that his team will build better products and offer better...
1 tag
In Boston...There is always next year
“THERE’S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.”
For those who live or grew up outside of Boston (or New England), this phrase doesn’t hold much meaning. Just a collection of words, maybe a nice sentiment, but not much beyond that.
But for Bostonians, this phrase is a mantra. It’s a phrase that defines our spirit as well as our outlook on the world. Mention this phrase in any bar...
“Don’t ignore your dreams; don’t work too much; say what you think;...”
– Paul Graham’s ToDo list
http://paulgraham.com/todo.html
March 2013
3 posts
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree,...”
– Albert Einstein (via Seth Godin)
Jack's: Let's reconsider our "users" →
jacks:
us·er /ˈyo͞ozər/
Noun 1. A person who uses or operates something, esp. a computer or other machine. 2. A person who takes illegal drugs; a drug user.
Synonyms consumer
During a Square Board meeting, our newest Director Howard Schultz, pulled me aside and asked a simple question.
“Why…
I think Jack’s perspective on the term “user” vs...
“Ahhh….I believe it was “intriguing” you were going for, not...”
February 2013
4 posts
Some thoughts on 'Professionalism'
I saw an email today from a colleague commending another colleague on his/her “professionalism” in making an important decision for the business.
Which got me thinking about this word - Professionalism. And what it meant in the context of this email - as well as in the context that it used more generally.
We hear it all the time. We (not me per say, but a lot of other people)...
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr
1 tag
“I think the Joshua Tree album…it was something that came about because of...”
– The Edge on the making of the Joshua Tree
“The best entrepreneurs dream big and execute small. It’s not nearly as...”
January 2013
3 posts
1 tag
“I think it is inexcusable to lose because, “The other guys wanted it...”
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t...”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of Le Petit Prince. (via zachklein)
1 tag
“Having NO IDEA where to start is always a great place to start…”
December 2012
2 posts
2 tags
My respect for Jack White grows on a daily basis.
2 tags
Pride
Pride is a potent motivator. I would argue that it’s the most potent motivator. More than money, more than a title, more than fame. More than anything, the feelings and emotions created when you are working on something you are proud of can drive you to work with the passion and the tireless energy that many people can’t comprehend. Being able to proudly point to something you are...
October 2012
2 posts
Seth Godin on Education →
Brilliant.
Jack's: Let's reconsider our "users" →
jacks:
us·er /ˈyo͞ozər/
Noun 1. A person who uses or operates something, esp. a computer or other machine. 2. A person who takes illegal drugs; a drug user.
Synonyms consumer
During a Square Board meeting, our newest Director Howard Schultz, pulled me aside and asked a simple question.
“Why…
August 2012
4 posts
2 tags
“The point at which you realize that your product isn’t for everyone is a...”
1 tag
“The opportunity of a lifetime is to pick yourself. Quit waiting to get picked;...”
– Seth Godin (via dpstyles)
2 tags
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing...”
– Calvin Coolidge
July 2012
2 posts
“If we have data, let’s look at data. If all we have are opinions, let’s go with...”
– Jim Barksdale (via @fredwilson)
June 2012
2 posts
3 tags
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the...”
– Theodore Roosevelt
May 2012
4 posts
3 tags
Create an environment for people to do their "best...
Recently, I have been fascinated by the recent Quora strings re: “What it’s like to work at Square.” The main one is here (answer to the question: Is Square an unpleasant place to work?), but there are others. Totally worth reading. These, mostly negative posts, aren’t great for Square, but provide some really important lessons for those of us trying to build companies.
...
2 tags
IDLE COMPLAINTS
“Be the change you want to see in the world…”
- Mahatma Gandhi
“….or shut the fuck up.”
- My addendum
Idle complaints get on my nerves.
AirBnB recruiting page →
This is how a company with Soul recruits…
2 tags
Is Klout leading us into a Dark Age of social...
Friend of mine just sent me this interesting post by Leslie Campisi. It’s yet another Klout-bashing post (at this point, I can’t tell whether these posts are helping or hurting the causes they claim to rail against), but I think Leslie makes some interesting points.
While I don’t agree with everything Leslie says here (for example, I don’t agree that technology...
April 2012
3 posts
2 tags
WatchI’ve been trying to tell my teachers this for years. Thanks, Sunni!!
WatchA really brilliant interview with Dan Weidman (W+K) on where we stand with social, traditional media and create/communicating a brand’s Soul.
Lot to think about here…
Episode 2: A Creative Perspective (by Think TV: Future of TV)
2 tags
How We Will Read: Clay Shirky
Reminds me of a post I wrote 3 years ago about the publishing industry going Hollywood-style. Clay is wicked smart…
fndgs:
This post is part of “How We Will Read,” an interview series exploring the future of books from the perspectives of publishers, writers, and intellectuals. Read our kickoff post with Steven Johnson here. And check out our new homepage, a captivating new way to...
March 2012
9 posts
"He who is tired of Wierd Al is tired of life." ... →
Just Dave: How to use Traackr influencers monitor... →
dchanco:
I’ve been using the ‘RSS Visualizer’ screen saver for a bit now and the default feeds provided are news fram Apple, CNN, NY and Google news. Great, but wouldn’t it be cool if you could get the latest from influencers on a subject you are interestedin? Well, you can.
First you will need to grab a…
2 tags
“Google was the rich kid who, after having discovered he wasn’t invited to the...”
– From James Whittaker’s amazing “Why I left Google” post. Hate to say I was right about Google & social, but…
“For most things, as soon as you start to intellectualize it, you lose the point...”
Ryan Gosling is Walt Disney in the first poster... →
This is so awesome…
BRYCE DOT VC: There Is No Silicon Valley Formula →
brycedotvc:
NPR recently ran a story on how my old home state of Utah is bucking to become the next silicon valley. They sing praises of the “Silicon Slopes” initiative and highlight some of the great companies taking root there.
Now this isn’t a new piece.
Having started my tech and VC careers in…
Couldn’t agree more.
3 tags
“Q: Why has Apple’s competition struggled to do that?
A: That’s quite...”
– Sir Jonathan Ive (Apple Designer) from this rare interview
I like this quote. Subtle, but important
February 2012
6 posts
3 tags
Don't underestimate the 'Will to Win'
As a Celtic fan, I hate anything good that happens to the NY Knicks…but as a basketball fan and a fan of great, human achievement stories - I cannot help but get caught up in the Linsanity…insanity. It’s a great story (granted, as a Celtics fan, I hope it doesn’t last very long) — and one that carries great lessons that apply to any business’ recruiting and...
“The internet is increasingly reshaping our economy from one of huge corporations...”
– Chris Dixon
…and all those income streams represent an economic and cultural shift unlike any we’ve seen in our lifetime.
…and if the Republican’s were really the “business savvy” party, they’d understand this and propose plans for the US to flourish in this new...
1 tag
“We don’t ship air.”
– IKEA’s shipping & packing policy. An incredibly simple statement, but in these four small words lies the Soul of IKEA’s operational philosophy. It’s power comes in its simplicity. It’s easy to remember and, more importantly, easy to say. Easy to preach. Pure...
“You’ve confused war on your religion with not getting everything you want.”
– Jon Steward…on the whiny, brainless religious leaders complaining about their employees being able get birth control coverage from their insurance policies. He’s on fire.
“It’s way easier to hire someone when you already know their name…”
Influence This!: Using Traackr API →
traackr-people:
Today Engage121 announced they are launching a new version of their product that integrates with Traackr: Engage121 Launches Version 2.1
How do they do that you might ask? Well, very easy, they are using our awesome API. I thought I would show you how you can do it to. We are going to build a…
