Entrepreneurship is blossoming all over the world, but it faces significant threats from an unstable international economy and the rise of ideas that don’t push the envelope far enough. What should entrepreneurs be prepared to face in 2012? Entrepreneurship in 2012 was the subject of a 17 minute presentation I delivered this year at the… Continue reading So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur: Entrepreneurship in 2012 [VIDEO]
Category: Business
The Real World vs. The Cyber World
The rapid rise of the web has created two parallel yet distinct worlds in the physical and digital realms, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt claims. Schmidt took the stage at LeWeb 2011 on Wednesday and, after an extensive demonstration of Android Ice Cream Sandwich, decided to put on his philosophy cap and discuss some of… Continue reading The Real World vs. The Cyber World
Google Boosts Its Display Ad Mojo
The $400 million Google-Admeld deal has closed, giving Google even greater power and reach in the display ad business. From the Google Blog: “In June, we announced that we are acquiring Admeld, a New York-based company that helps large publishers (also known as the “sell-side†by people, like me, who live and breathe display advertising)… Continue reading Google Boosts Its Display Ad Mojo
The Platform Is King
If you want to build a multi-billion dollar business, you can’t just build a product: you need to build a platform. That was my major takeaway from the news that Spotify is launching an app platform. It’s in its infancy (thus why journalists are rightfully bashing it), but it’s the start of a transformation for… Continue reading The Platform Is King
Here Comes the Facebook IPO, Right On Schedule
The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook’s IPO will drop between April and June of 2012. The company could potentially raise $10 billion with a valuation north of $100 billion, depending on market conditions. The IPO time frame shouldn’t surprise anybody, though. I reported back in January that Facebook’s IPO would most likely drop in… Continue reading Here Comes the Facebook IPO, Right On Schedule
Groupon Is Now Worth Less Than $10 Billion
It just won’t stop dropping. Groupon, which at one point traded for more than $26 a share, has dropped to $15.24 and continues to drop in after-hours trading. That’s nearly 25% down from its $20 IPO strike price. At $26, Groupon was worth around $18 billion. At $20, it was worth $12.7 billion. And at… Continue reading Groupon Is Now Worth Less Than $10 Billion
Understanding Mark Pincus and Zynga’s Intense Data-Driven Culture
The New York Times published a great article this weekend on the “tough culture” within Zynga, the creator of FarmVille, CityVille and dozens of other social games. I’m not surprised by the report — more than a few employees have told me that Zynga isn’t exactly the easiest or happiest place to work. From Evelyn… Continue reading Understanding Mark Pincus and Zynga’s Intense Data-Driven Culture
Baconlube: Because Some People Think Bacon and Sex Mix
This one comes straight out of my WTF archives. Earlier today, I got an email pitch from J&D’s Foods, the company famous for Bacon Salt. (do yourself a favor and check it out if you haven’t tried it.) The company takes an…unconventional approach to marketing. Beyond their heavy use of social media, they’ve also hosted… Continue reading Baconlube: Because Some People Think Bacon and Sex Mix
So @Hotmail Sent Me a Tweet…
It was in reference to my story on the new Gmail Preview Pane feature. So, two thoughts here: 1) You caught my attention, Microsoft. Good job to your Hotmail social media team. 2) But even if you have a feature first Microsoft, it doesn’t mean your product is better or will be more successful. Just… Continue reading So @Hotmail Sent Me a Tweet…
The Importance of a Strong Online Presence [The Zed Shaw Case]
Today I was reading through my usual news sources on the train when I stumbled across this article by Zed Shaw on Hacker News. Aptly titled “I’m Moving To San Francisco, I Need A Job,” the well-known programmer (and nemesis to Ruby on Rails developers everywhere) announces that he’s moving from NYC and wants to… Continue reading The Importance of a Strong Online Presence [The Zed Shaw Case]