TGIS by derek.skaletsky

Bijan Sabet: Yahoo + Tumblr

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:12:11 -0400

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 Marissa & Yahoo for this one.

"I don’t know why we celebrate failure. Somewhere along the line, we started to think that if..."

Thu, 09 May 2013 03:31:32 -0400

“I don’t know why we celebrate failure. Somewhere along the line, we started to think that if I point out to you what you don’t do, or didn’t do, it will inspire you to do. That doesn’t make sense to me…”

- Rita Pierson, educator, Ted speaker

http://on.ted.com/RitaPierson

Garnett: 'We out here scrapping'

Thu, 02 May 2013 01:36:15 -0400

Garnett: 'We out here scrapping':

“Get your hard hat on…let’s do this.”

I love KG.

Customers vs Users - a response to @Jack

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:37:00 -0400

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 service to Customers vs Users. It’s worth a read - it offers an interesting perspective from a dude that is/has in many ways defined much of our modern web experiences.

With that said, I don’t really agree with Jack in this case. While I understand the main point and reasons for his stance (if Howard Shultz was on your board and asked the same question, you’d have the same reaction), I disagree with his extreem stance on the term user.

USERS ARE CUSTOMERS

Before you kick me out of SoMa (Jack’s kingdom), let me explain.

At Traackr, we sell an enterprise software solution. We have Customers. And we also have Users.

For us, Users are one segment of our Customer base - the segment of people who actually USE our product. But we also have two segments of our Customer base who do not use our product (so we don’t refer them as Users):

Our Customers Types/Segments =

Buyers - People who write the checks and pay us for our product
Decision Makers - People who control the decision to select our product over some other option
Users - People who actually use our product

The breakdown of our Customer universe looks something like this:

The majority of our Customers are Users - and only Users. Some of those Users are also Decision Makers (and vice-versa); some of our Decision Makers are also Buyers; but we don’t have any Customers who are all three (that I know of).

I think this is probably a fairly common pattern for most enterprise software offerings. Consumer applications will have a different patter - in many cases, the vast majority of their Customers are Users (until, of course, they try to bring on advertisers).

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

I would argue that breaking down & deeply understanding your Customer base is essential for great execution across the whole organization. Using one blanket term to describe all your customers just isn’t good enough.

When we develop/build our product, we focus mainly on Users (and a bit on the Decision Makers).

When we market our product, we focus mainly on the Decision Makers (and a bit on the Users).

When we sell our product, we focus mainly on the Decision Makers, but often have to convince all three Customer Types before closing a sale. So knowing them all is essential for our sales team.

When we support our product, we focus completely on the Users.

GO EVEN DEEPER

And I don’t think you can stop with these three, high-level buckets either. You should go deeper. At Traackr, we have broken down each of these Customer Types into very specific sub-types - each with a very specific & deep persona attached (persona building is probably worth another post). We have:

3 different Buyer-types;
3 different Decision Maker-types; and
6 different User-types

The point is - we need to know how to build for, market to, sell to, & support each one of these different people. With every operational decision, we try very hard to understand for whom it is we are working. For us, this is a robust exercise and ongoing process.

JACK ISN’T SO WRONG…

In short, I partly agree with Jack. Using USER as a universal term to describe your customers is not a good practice. But, I don’t have a problem with the term User. I don’t think it carries a negative connotation and I don’t think it carries any less weight than the term Customer.

The fact is, whatever terms you use isn’t much more than a matter of semantics. It’s the understanding behind the terms that is most important. The needs of someone who actually uses your application on a regular basis and the needs of someone who has the power to pay for your product are of equal importance.

So, whatever language you use to describe these people isn’t really the issue. Knowing, understanding and respecting them all as important stakeholders in your business is what really matters.

In Boston...There is always next year

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:45:00 -0400

“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 across greater Boston and you’ll get a nod of recognition and a smile. In some ways, this phrase can serve as a password to an exclusive club.

You see, in Boston, There’s always next year, is a phrase that has, for many years (certainly all the years of my youth), signaled the end to yet another soul-crushing Red Sox season. And anyone who knows anything about Boston knows that the Red Sox are a great deal more than a baseball team. They are more than an institution. They are an identity. They are Boston. The moods and emotional stability of the entire region hinges on the play of this beloved team.

But up until 2004, when the Sox ended one of the longest, most brutal losing streaks in sports history, they tortured us all with season after season of near misses and heart-wrenching underachievement And during this time, at the end of every disappointing Red Sox season, Bostonians, with our hopes and dreams once again shattered, would eventually dig ourselves out of our collective state of depression, shrug our shoulders and utter the phrase that has come to define us.

“Ahhh…fuck it. There’s always next year.”

And with those simple words we wiped the slate clean and moved forward. We looked to coming year (ie - Red Sox season) with a dogged (ok…stubborn) optimism that didn’t leave room for “crying over spilled milk.”

So, in the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedy this week - the second Boston Massacre - I was reminded of this statement. Much like the Red Sox, the Boston Marathon is also more than just a race. More than an institution. It’s an expression of the best of the human spirit. Growing up, what I remember most about the Boston Marathon was not the race itself, but all the stories covered in the days leading up to the race. Amazing stories of perseverance and achievement against all odds. Cancer survivors; 80-year old men and women running for the first time; veterans; parents carrying their disabled children on their backs. Endless stories of underdogs, all running an unthinkable (to me) 26.2 miles - not for fun - but because somewhere along the line, they were told that they couldn’t do it. With bellies full of dogged optimism, and an entire city at their backs, they ran that race.

But this year, for reasons none of us will ever understand, someone thought it made sense to challenge that optimism and take a shot at the hopes and dreams of us all. Obviously, the tragedy of this event far exceeds the that of a failed Red Sox season, but the approach of the people of Boston will remain the same.

As a Bostonian, I know this. If the goal of these brothers (and anyone else involved) was to produce tragedy, chaos, physical damage, and a spike in international news coverage…then they succeeded.

But if their goal was to loosen the ground beneath our spirits and produce a long-lasting foundation of fear and weakness that would force us to forever change the way we live our lives - then you can already see they’ve failed at that. It became very obvious today and with each passing day, this failure will become more and more evident.

Just as Stephen Colbert said earlier this week, it was obvious that these losers didn’t really understand Boston or Bostonians. I hope the at some point this evening, during his struggle to stay alive in the hospital, someone whispers in the ear of this young degenerate and, on behalf of all Bostonians, tells him:

You’re a loser. You’re no more than a blip and you’ve achieved nothing. Because in Boston, there is ALWAYS next year. And there is nothing you could have done to take that away from us.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Just wait until this time - next year - when the strength, spirit and dogged optimism of the record masses that show up for the 2014 Boston Marathon will make my point for me…

See you next year, #Boston.

"Don’t ignore your dreams; don’t work too much; say what you think; cultivate..."

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:59:12 -0400

“Don’t ignore your dreams; don’t work too much; say what you think; cultivate friendships; be happy.”

- Paul Graham’s ToDo list

http://paulgraham.com/todo.html

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its..."

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:49:27 -0400

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

- Albert Einstein (via Seth Godin)

Jack's: Let's reconsider our "users"

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:46:37 -0400

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 “customer” is an interesting one. I don’t totally agree, but I like where this dialogue is going…

"Ahhh….I believe it was “intriguing” you were going for, not..."

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 04:13:06 -0500

“Ahhh….I believe it was “intriguing” you were going for, not “confusing”…”

Some thoughts on 'Professionalism'

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 03:55:00 -0500

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) receive kudos from, or give kudos to, co-workers who display great professionalism.

“She’s such a professional.”

“He’s a real pro.”

Or on annual reviews, I’ve even seen a assessment category for Professionalism. Apparently professionalism is an important enough attribute to justify grading people on it.

But I’ve never really understood this so-called ‘virtue’ - Professionalism. It always struck me as odd. I mean, what does it mean to be professional? In the case of the email I saw today - and most other examples - I would suggest that professional really translates to well behaved. To be professional means to fall into line and do the sensible thing. A professional in this sense is someone who doesn’t rock the boat. Someone who makes reasonable decisions and holds, as his/her highest priority, the comfort level, or the feelings, of their coworkers in the making of those decisions. At its worst, when I hear this term comes down from a superior, I find it akin to saying, “Good puppy! I said sit and you sat without even barking…good dog!”

Being professional is being safe. Being professional is the opposite of being crazy. Of being bold. As I rack my brain to think of all those people that I admire in my field, or in any field I’ve worked in before, professional is not a word I would use to describe any of them. In most cases, quite the opposite. John Scully is/was a true professional. Steve Jobs, not so much.

Some of the best people I’ve worked with in various careers:

Smart? Yes.

Talented? Wildly.

Creative? World class.

Bold? Yup.

Crazy? Borderline insane.

Volatile? Big time.

Professional? Not at all.

Professional is one of the the last words I would use to describe some of the best, most successful, people I worked with at any stage of my career…

So that makes me wonder at what point in life does this idea of being professional become a virtue. As kids, did we aspire to be professional? I know we aspired to be a professional athlete, or a professional actor, etc. But, as kids, in that context, the word ‘professional’ meant ‘great’ - one of the top people in a specific field. A star.

As adults, at some point, the meaning of professional changes. We use it in a positive way, but I don’t think many people have spent much time thinking about what it really means and/or why we classify it as a virtue.

One theory I’ll toss out there: The truth is that becoming a professional is much easier to achieve than becoming an artist. It’s tangible for the majority of us. As we get older, we realize that the risks involved with becoming an artist are just too high. So we recalibrate our sights and aim for professionalism. And, in our heads, we make it an achievement. Why is it an achievement? Well…because it’s achievable. But in reality, it’s a false idol. Somewhere, someone has placed a high value on this thing, professionalism, and many of us have been fooled into accepting that value.

The problem with placing value on a person’s professionalism is that it’s a concept that is not tied to any level of achievement or success. You can be highly professional in the way you go about your work AND produce nothing of value. Professionalism has really nothing to do with output. And this is another reason why it’s so easy to achieve. Because you don’t have to actually produce anything to wear the badge. You just have to stay in your seat, do what the text book says and don’t raise your voice too loud in the auditorium. A true professional.

So….what is wrong with being professional? Nothing…really. On the surface, at least. If your goal is to survive, advance incrementally and get people to like you - it’s a good thing. Plenty of people lead fine careers and fine lives being totally professional. So, I am not saying that professionalism is a bad thing. I’m just saying that professionalism isn’t necessarily a good thing. It’s fine. Just…fine.

A ‘professional’ soldier is a soldier that does what he/she is told. Falls into line and doesn’t question authority.

But there is a big difference between a professional soldier and a Warrior.

A ‘professional’ writer is someone who gets paid to write things that other people want them to write.

But there is a big difference between a professional writer and a Novelist.

A ‘professional’ filmmaker is hired to direct projects that other people conceive.

But there is a big difference between a professional filmmaker and an Auteur.

A ‘professional’ accountant knows the ins and outs of a balance sheet and how to derive meaning from complicated financial statements.

But there is a big difference between a professional accountant and Warren Buffet.

You get the point.

I can’t remember ever being commended for my ‘professionalism’ (anyone who’s ever worked with me would probably laugh at even the suggestion). And I’m just fine with that. In fact, if I were to ever be commended for my professionalism, I would have to take a good hard look in the mirror and question whether or not I was playing hard enough.

When all is said and done and my train arrives at its last stop, I really hope the best thing people can say about me is NOT that I was ‘professional’. I don’t want my gravestone to read, “Loving husband, supportive father and…a true professional.’ You might as well write, “…one grand underachiever” on that marble slab. To me, there is nothing inspiring about aspiring for professionalism.

I’ll end this thought with a message to my kids (which I find is the best way for me to summarize this kind of thinking):

Dear kids -

Please don’t spend your lives aiming for Professionalism. Of course, I don’t want you to be assholes or treat people in ways they don’t deserve to be treated…but don’t settle for being a professional. Don’t take pride in conformity or always doing the ‘sensible’ things. Become an artist. Make waves. Write new rules and always aim for something better. It’s true, you may fail in your attempts. But, I promise you, failure in the pursuit of artistry will always be more fulfilling than success in the pursuit of Professionalism.

And eat your vegetables. Raw.

Love,

Dad

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 02:06:31 -0500

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr

"I think the Joshua Tree album…it was something that came about because of the moment in time..."

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:20:00 -0500

“I think the Joshua Tree album…it was something that came about because of the moment in time and everyone just coming together and leaving all their pre-conceptions outside the door before they came in. Any agendas, any ambitions of any kind. Other than musical ambitions. That was our focus. That was our whole thing.”

- The Edge on the making of the Joshua Tree

"The best entrepreneurs dream big and execute small. It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds."

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:49:10 -0500

“The best entrepreneurs dream big and execute small. It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds.”

"I think it is inexcusable to lose because, “The other guys wanted it more.” There are..."

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:40:37 -0500

“I think it is inexcusable to lose because, “The other guys wanted it more.” There are many things that can contribute to a losing effort - this simply can never be one.”

"If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and..."

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:40:19 -0500

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of Le Petit Prince. (via zachklein)

"Having NO IDEA where to start is always a great place to start…"

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:36:41 -0500

“Having NO IDEA where to start is always a great place to start…”

My respect for Jack White grows on a daily basis.

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:27:35 -0500

My respect for Jack White grows on a daily basis.

Pride

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:30:14 -0500

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 contributing to and say, “I am/was a part of that” can fuel a person for a lifetime. The soldiers that stormed the beach in Normandy have this; the players from the 1980 US Olympic hockey team have this; the team that built the first Macintosh computer have this; and so do the first responders on 911 as well as the teenager who was able to purchase his first car from money he made running his own landscaping business. The examples are endless.

In the shadow of Pride, nothing else really matters - salary, benefits, vacation policy, etc. Many people do things that to an outside observer may seem crazy, but in the context of the Pride that that individual takes in that something, it’s far from crazy. It makes perfect sense.

And even more powerful than working on something you are proud of is when you are equally as proud of your contribution to that thing. When you feel like you are doing great work and that work is having a significant impact on some bigger thing that you are proud of…this is when work becomes play. This kind of Pride makes the days fly by and it’s the reason you love getting out of bed in the morning.

On the flip-side, however, is Lack-of-Pride. While Pride is an incredible motivator, Lack-of-Pride may be an even stronger de-motivator. When you are working on something you AREN’T proud of, every minute of that work feels like a chore. A piece of your Soul is lost with every contribution you make to that effort. And even worse is when you are not happy with the quality of your contribution to that effort that you are already not proud of.

This Lack-of-Pride can create a petri-dish in which many bad things grow. Frustration, anger, resentment, hostility, mediocre performance, etc. Many negative situations in an organization can be traced back to Pride - or more specifically, Lack-of-Pride. Ironically, Pride is well know as one of the seven deadly sins - often considered the root of the other six. But I think it’s the opposite. I think Lack-of-Pride is the real culprit.

I guess the point is this. When building your enterprise - create a product and business that people can be proud of. Have it stand for something that people will want to point to and say, “I was a part of that.” At the same time, constantly stay attuned to the Pride levels within your company. Ask the questions:

Are you proud to work here?

Are you proud of the product we are building?

What are you most proud of - specifically?

Is there anything we do or have done that you are not proud of?

Are you proud of the work you are doing?

Would you want to share it with the world?

What is the thing that you are most proud of?

When do you think you do/have done your best work? (this is also a great interview question)

Spend the time to ask these questions on a regular basis. Create an environment where Pride flourishes. If the talented people on your team aren’t proud of what they are working on or their contribution to that thing, find out what’s going on. Find ways to put them in the position to maximize their Pride. Understanding the root of one’s Pride is the key to unlocking his/her full potential.

Bottom line is this: If you want to build great things you need an army of people who are not only proud of what they are working on, but also proud of their own contribution. Some success can probably be achieved without these two things, but I really don’t think any level of greatness can…make it happen.

TGIS :)

ps - This post was partly inspired by a evening I recently spent watching Eric Schmidt interviewed at the Computer History Museum. It was a good night, many good discussions, but the one thing that struck me most was to hear Eric talk about all the things they did at Google under his tenure that he was “proud of.” He was never asked the question directly, but he must have said “I am very proud of the work we did on XX” almost 10 times throughout the course of the interview. And it was clear that this Pride was going to fuel him for the rest of his life. Even if he never achieved anything close his achievements at Google, this Pride in what they did during his tenure would literally fuel his Soul for many, many years. And that was pretty powerful…

Seth Godin on Education

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:06:17 -0400

Seth Godin on Education:

Brilliant.

Jack's: Let's reconsider our "users"

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:02:55 -0400

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…