Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

Storage is what’s known as “highly fragmented,” meaning easier for a new entrant to get traction if it could design a better product / service / experience. They literally can’t respond to our core differentiator. You may have paid marketing: SEM, Social Media Ads, Banner Ads, email lists, etc.

Startup 150

Startup Seed Money DC Software Review 150

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 22, 2008

In this model, you take some fraction of the lifetime value of each customer and plow that back into paid acquisition through SEM, banner ads, PR, affiliates, etc. For example, its always nice to have someone constantly optimizing your SEM accounts, driving down your CPA. But its not really viral growth, even when its exponential.

San Francisco 167

San Francisco CPA SEM CTO Hire 167

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

Because market is such a broad topic, I’m restricting these lessons to PR marketing (as opposed SEO, SEM, product marketing, etc.). At one company I work with it’s clear that our target user today is youth-oriented and middle America as opposed to 20-something and Silicon Valley or New York. Life goes on.

Early Stage 380

Early Stage Stealth Marketing Startup 380

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 15, 2008

That requires deep value creation that is difficult to do when everyone is using the same tools, even in different ways -- value requires differentiality which requires protection as soon as someone spots the value creation, for it will be copied soon thereafter. How to listen to customers, and not just the loud.

Lean 168

Lean San Francisco Startup Continuous Deployment 168