How We’re Building a Values-Driven, Lean Advertising StartupPresentation Transcript
How to Build a Successful, Values-Driven, “Lean” Company
Rob FanFounder & CTO
Rob FanFounder & CTO
Dan Greenberg Founder & CEO
Dan Greenberg Founder & CEO
The (quick) Sharethrough Story
Sharethrough Company Growth
Roots in engineering virality for Facebook applications and viral video campaigns.
Then.... Sharethrough started as a Facebook App Company Our first app? Hugs.2 Hours of Development.... ....20,000,000 Monthly Active Users!
Sharethrough is the first technology company built exclusively for brand content, not ads We’ve got a ton of We win lots of Our customers love experience awards :) us Generated over Most video campaigns on the AdAge Viral Video 80% customer retention 300MM video views Chart... ever!
Now....Sharethrough guarantees views and maximizes sharing. Sharethrough Guarantees Views and Maximizes Sharing Publisher Sharethrough Dashboard Network Ad ProductsYourBrandVideo , ediac!It’s m agi not m
Sharethrough in the News... The Stanford Class that built Apps, and Fortunes. “Now 25, he works out of a glass-walled corner AdAge Media Maven, Danoffice in San Francisco. He is C.E.O. of his company, Greenberg, on Socialnow called Sharethrough, which uses social media Videoto distribute videos across the Web for companies.” "Sharethrough is building a repeatable advertising product for branded video content that doesnt rely on happy accidents." Sharethrough Integrates with Facebook Platform for Social Video Distribution Inside Social Games "This new initiative marks Facebooks validation of social video, focusing on views, not impressions; choice, not interruption; shares, not just CTRs.”
Sharethrough in the News... The Stanford Class that built Apps, and Fortunes. “Now 25, he works out of a glass-walled corner AdAge Media Maven, Danoffice in San Francisco. He is C.E.O. of his company, Greenberg, on Socialnow called Sharethrough, which uses social media Videoto distribute videos across the Web for companies.” "Sharethrough is building a repeatable advertising product for branded video content that doesnt rely on happy accidents." Sharethrough Integrates with Facebook Platform for Social Video Distribution Inside Social Games "This new initiative marks Facebooks validation of social video, focusing on views, not impressions; choice, not interruption; shares, not just CTRs.”
How We Got Here
FAIL FAST
Treat everything as an experiment
Always be transparent.
Building a product is easyBuilding a business is hard
Technology is a problem-solver, not the product
Plan everything in terms of MVP’s
Cash is a vanity metricMore cash does not equal more equity value
Sell your VISION and choose early customers who want to build that vision with you
Make your story shareable (Give customers the language to sell it)
Make everyone your champion
Hire aspirationally
Day-to-day tips
Curate a lean/agile/customer development library
Over-invest in learning opportunities
Document customer archetypes with visible artifacts
Paired programming on all stories
Daily scrums, Rotating pairs daily
Ping pong battlefield
Communicate with visuals instead of words
Stanford d.school whiteboards
Physical, visual, and transparent product communication
Physical, visual, and transparent product communication
PROBLEM DESIGNCONCERNS MEETING BUILD - MEASURE - LEARN STUDIO AGENDA
How We Scale This Philosophy
Document core values from the ground up
OptimismAction Respect ’sPurpose Core Values CreativityTransparency Personal Growth
OPTIMISMmeans...think big, and think aheadin action...• confidence in the existence of a solution• don’t get discouraged• there is always a way• embrace uncertainty• ambition• enthusiasmit’s not...• blind positivity, irrational happiness• denial Our Core Values
ACTIONmeans...fail fast, learn aggressivelyin action...• take forward-moving steps, not lateral movements• fail as a team, not as an individual• learn by doing• decisions over perfection• “be the accelerator, not the brakes”• proactive vs. reactive• Carethrough exampleit’s not...• waiting for full buy-in before you start something• blind action without thought or planning Our Core Values
PURPOSEmeans...demand contextin action...• make sure everyone on your team understands the major goals• communicate learnings and challenges up and down the company• sharing passion• asking questions• office hoursit’s not...• blind commitment to the project Our Core Values
TRANSPARENCYmeans...self-awareness & effective communicationin action...• should be tempered with purpose• lunch and learns• intellectual honesty• customer reporting• company wide file sharingit’s not...• always being wide open with everything• ignoring issues, roadblocks, and sticky situations Our Core Values
PERSONAL GROWTHmeans...write your own storyin action...• aspirational hiring• appreciating the newness of everything• recognizing growth is not always easy• being part of an ongoing story, not a treadmill• the education fund• having mentors and advisorsit’s not... Our Core Values• being afraid to jump off the bridge
RESPECTmeans...make everyone our championin action...• trust in those around you• speak up• understand your impact on the people around you, directly & indirectly• taking criticism well• empathy• Carethroughit’s not...• being nice all the time Our Core Values
CREATIVITYmeans...create new thingsin action...• bias towards creation, not improvement• thinking differently about problems• building MVP’s, not full-blown solutions• STR exists to facilitate more creativity in the advertising worldit’s not...• accepting the process as-is• resisting change Our Core Values• always being different, artistic, zany, funny, etc
Questions/Ideas/Feedback? We’re happy to chat. dan@sharethrough.com rob@sharethrough.com