Slides (and audio, if I can make it work) of my keynote presentation at UnGagged London, 2015.
It's all about my story of disruption, and being disrupted, and dealing with it. You can, too!
Running a business and being an entrepreneur means making the most of your money. But an entrepreneur often makes the mistake of thinking that a business is more expensive to run than it actually is! The key is to be conscious about what you are spending money on, and to avoid the pitfalls of focusing on everything except your revenue.
You’ve got a presentation coming up in two months.
What do you do? Get cracking on that speech immediately or do you wait?
You’ve got time after all. Then 2-months turns into a month. A month turns into a week and now you’re panicked.
Why did you procrastinate so long? Why did you put off writing your speech?
I posed this question to my network on LinkedIn: What's the hardest part of writing your speech?
The results of this informal poll revealed the biggest block to writing a speech is (drumroll please):
Starting
Apparently, it's more fun to scrub a toilet then to write your presentation. It's easy to sit down in front of the computer, stare at the pulsating cursor while "what the heck should I talk about?" runs through your head on repeat like the Games of Thrones theme song.
Let's make it a whole lot easier to get your speech started! Use these 7 strategies to write your speech with ease.
4 Ingredients to Create an Epic Public Speaking ExperienceMichelle Mazur
Don't give a speech - create an experience for your audience. If you ever wondered why some presentations are soon forgotten while others stick with the audience long after the speaker finished, the difference is the experience.
What experience do you want to create for your audience? How can you implement these 4 ingredients in your next speech so that you presentation is remembered and the audience takes action on your message.
Want more ideas for how to create an epic speaking experience for your audience? Grab the Presentation Sweet Spot Strategy Guide: http://bit.ly/sweetspotspeech
With thousands of seniors RSVP’ing for AEP each day and only three days until your big show, Precision Senior Marketing wants to help get you ready to rock!
So, have you created the perfect set list to shake up your Medicare sales this AEP?
Originally created by Caroline Callahan, Inbound Marketing Specialist at Precision Senior Marketing
Running a business and being an entrepreneur means making the most of your money. But an entrepreneur often makes the mistake of thinking that a business is more expensive to run than it actually is! The key is to be conscious about what you are spending money on, and to avoid the pitfalls of focusing on everything except your revenue.
You’ve got a presentation coming up in two months.
What do you do? Get cracking on that speech immediately or do you wait?
You’ve got time after all. Then 2-months turns into a month. A month turns into a week and now you’re panicked.
Why did you procrastinate so long? Why did you put off writing your speech?
I posed this question to my network on LinkedIn: What's the hardest part of writing your speech?
The results of this informal poll revealed the biggest block to writing a speech is (drumroll please):
Starting
Apparently, it's more fun to scrub a toilet then to write your presentation. It's easy to sit down in front of the computer, stare at the pulsating cursor while "what the heck should I talk about?" runs through your head on repeat like the Games of Thrones theme song.
Let's make it a whole lot easier to get your speech started! Use these 7 strategies to write your speech with ease.
4 Ingredients to Create an Epic Public Speaking ExperienceMichelle Mazur
Don't give a speech - create an experience for your audience. If you ever wondered why some presentations are soon forgotten while others stick with the audience long after the speaker finished, the difference is the experience.
What experience do you want to create for your audience? How can you implement these 4 ingredients in your next speech so that you presentation is remembered and the audience takes action on your message.
Want more ideas for how to create an epic speaking experience for your audience? Grab the Presentation Sweet Spot Strategy Guide: http://bit.ly/sweetspotspeech
With thousands of seniors RSVP’ing for AEP each day and only three days until your big show, Precision Senior Marketing wants to help get you ready to rock!
So, have you created the perfect set list to shake up your Medicare sales this AEP?
Originally created by Caroline Callahan, Inbound Marketing Specialist at Precision Senior Marketing
5 Creative Principles for Remarkable PresentationsMichelle Mazur
Every time I ask the question “what’s the most difficult part of writing a speech?” the answer is always the same. STARTING.
Writing a presentation is inherently a creative process. It’s no different than painting a picture, choreographing a ballet, or writing a novel. Every artist (and speakers ARE artists) starts with a blank canvas, page, or PowerPoint slide.
To write a remarkable presentation, you’ve got to get your creative juices flowing. You’re not writing just another speech – a remarkable presentation is an artistic creation.
Step away from the computer and take a more creative approach to writing your speech.
So let’s get to the work of creating with these five creative principles for remarkable presentations, shall we?
Newly graduated? On an alternate track? Say yes to tough stuff and new experiences. This slide deck from my culminating project portfolio is a preview of a presentation given at the Toastmasters Leadership Institute in Bloomington, Minnesota.
How to Make Every Meeting Wildly ProductiveHonorée Corder
Do you find yourself wasting valuable time on meetings? Have no fear! I'll help you use your time wisely...and maybe even do without a meeting or two! *smile
If you enjoyed this presentation, be sure to check out my *weekly* newsletter here:
HonoreeCorder.com
The Self Storage business has been looking pretty good. But is this the time to sit back and collect revenue? I would argue that now is the time to get your marketing and your rate management re-tooled and fine-tuned. If you wait until the next wave of over-building comes, or for the next economic contraction, it may be too late to get it right.
Magical Thinking part 2 explores the development of our thinking - Ypu'll find part one of the story at: http://www.slideshare.net/StephenWilkes2/magical-thinking-51961907
How Social Media is Changing JournalismMandy Jenkins
A presentation aimed at young journalists in India about how social media has changed the journalism industry and what lies ahead for journalism jobs. Delivered in September 2014.
Here are nine things successful leaders do – unwaveringly and consistently – to stay true to themselves, attract great followers, and build a powerful network.
Anxiety and the future are major themes of modern life. In an age when religion and the dominant myths of the society are in decline, and there is extremely rapid change, there is a sense that things cannot be adequately predicted or controlled, and anxiety about the future is rampant. However, there is a difference between healthy anxiety, and it's unhealthy counterpart. Being adequately grounded in the self is a key requirement to keep anxiety healthy and manageable.
5 Creative Principles for Remarkable PresentationsMichelle Mazur
Every time I ask the question “what’s the most difficult part of writing a speech?” the answer is always the same. STARTING.
Writing a presentation is inherently a creative process. It’s no different than painting a picture, choreographing a ballet, or writing a novel. Every artist (and speakers ARE artists) starts with a blank canvas, page, or PowerPoint slide.
To write a remarkable presentation, you’ve got to get your creative juices flowing. You’re not writing just another speech – a remarkable presentation is an artistic creation.
Step away from the computer and take a more creative approach to writing your speech.
So let’s get to the work of creating with these five creative principles for remarkable presentations, shall we?
Newly graduated? On an alternate track? Say yes to tough stuff and new experiences. This slide deck from my culminating project portfolio is a preview of a presentation given at the Toastmasters Leadership Institute in Bloomington, Minnesota.
How to Make Every Meeting Wildly ProductiveHonorée Corder
Do you find yourself wasting valuable time on meetings? Have no fear! I'll help you use your time wisely...and maybe even do without a meeting or two! *smile
If you enjoyed this presentation, be sure to check out my *weekly* newsletter here:
HonoreeCorder.com
The Self Storage business has been looking pretty good. But is this the time to sit back and collect revenue? I would argue that now is the time to get your marketing and your rate management re-tooled and fine-tuned. If you wait until the next wave of over-building comes, or for the next economic contraction, it may be too late to get it right.
Magical Thinking part 2 explores the development of our thinking - Ypu'll find part one of the story at: http://www.slideshare.net/StephenWilkes2/magical-thinking-51961907
How Social Media is Changing JournalismMandy Jenkins
A presentation aimed at young journalists in India about how social media has changed the journalism industry and what lies ahead for journalism jobs. Delivered in September 2014.
Here are nine things successful leaders do – unwaveringly and consistently – to stay true to themselves, attract great followers, and build a powerful network.
Anxiety and the future are major themes of modern life. In an age when religion and the dominant myths of the society are in decline, and there is extremely rapid change, there is a sense that things cannot be adequately predicted or controlled, and anxiety about the future is rampant. However, there is a difference between healthy anxiety, and it's unhealthy counterpart. Being adequately grounded in the self is a key requirement to keep anxiety healthy and manageable.
Aviso nº 3 CONTRATAÇÃO DE ESCOLA Técnicos EspecializadosPedro França
CONTRATAÇÃO DE ESCOLA
AVISO Nº 3 - 2016/2017
Técnicos Especializados
Nos termos do ponto 4 do artigo 39º do Decreto-lei nº 132/2012,de 27 de junho, republicado pelo Decreto-Lei nº 83-A/2014,de 23 de maio e demais legislação aplicável, torna-se público que para suprir necessidades temporárias de serviço se encontram abertos, pelo prazo de três dias úteis, os procedimentos concursais para a seleção e recrutamento de um Técnico Especializado, na área abaixo mencionada tendo como suporte a aplicação informática disponibilizada na página da Direção Geral da Administração escolar (DGAE)
The Ultimate Annual Enrollment Period Check ListCarly Callahan
With thousands of seniors RSVP’ing for AEP each day and only three days until your big show, Precision Senior Marketing wants to help get you ready to rock! So, have you created the perfect set list to shake up your Medicare sales this AEP?
Organizations are good at talking about and choosing change but equally important are the plans we develop bring others along with the change. Wise leaders are turning to neuroscience and cognitive psychology to break through our natural "guardians of change." One helpful tool could be what's called the ACE plan, a three-step approach to make transition management stick. In addition, you'll learn why our brains resist change and how to design strategies that make our thinking caps more receptive. Take back a fresh strategy that invites and empowers other to be positively part of the change process.
Designing for Users First: Creating the User-Centered LibraryCourtney McDonald
Looking to transform your library and your services to be more responsive, effective and user-centered? Interested in revitalizing your own practice? Want to have more fun at work? Librarians transitioning into user experience (UX) work as well as those wishing to strategically integrate UX thinking into library operations will benefit from this interactive workshop. This session will define UX design within the context of librarianship to establish groundwork for UX-based thinking and decision-making in professional practice. Attendees will be presented with concrete strategies for identifying, implementing, and evaluating user-driven changes to improve physical and virtual services. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will take away a UX roadmap customized to their own institutional use case.
This is part of the Designing for Digital Conference. Learn more at www.designingfordigital.com.
1\ARCHITECTURE AND NATION BUILDING IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION: CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL STADIUM OF BEIJING FOR THE 2008 OLYMPICS
This study examines the relationship between architecture and nation building in the age of globalization, with an analysis of the debates and controversies about the National Stadium, the main sports venue for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The article argues that nationalism, along with the cultural ideology of global consumerism, drives the production of flagship architectural projects in China. The dilemma between nationalism and global consumerism has led state politicians and bureaucrats to opt for a global architectural language to narrate national ambitions. The study reveals the rationale underlying the search for global architecture among political elites in China, as well as its mixed consequences for local cultural discourses and politics.
2\Modernizing China in the Olympic spotlight: China’s national identity and the 2008 Beijing Olympiad
3\Good culture, bad culture...no culture! The implications of culture in urban regeneration in Bradford, UK
This paper shows how regeneration policies in Bradford (UK) have over the years been modified following local, national and international events since 1997. It will be argued that policy makers reacted to pub- lic perceptions of the city itself and of its large Muslim community in three phases: celebration of local minority ethnic culture; pathologi- zation of the same; exclusion of any cultural element from the city’s self-projection. The paper suggests that these changes are at the same time reflexive of historical events and hegemonic discourses, and likely to be constitutive (as they have the potential to deeply affect social relations in the city). Further investigation is required to measure such constitutive long-term effects on minority ethnic groups and social relations in the city.
How to pick a lock? This is a question most have had run through their mind at one point or another. The reasons why one would actually want to learn how to pick a lock may seem limitless. It could be for ill intent, curiosity of how a lock works, or maybe even to acquire a rare skill that to most seems incomprehensible. Whatever the reason, this guide will aid you in not only learning how to pick a lock, but also how these devices work.
http://art-of-lockpicking.com/how-to-pick-a-lock-guide/
Integrating digital, communications and marketingKai Gait
My presentation from PR Moments in May 2015. The presentation is about how to integrate digital, communications, public relations and marketing with large scale, enterprise organisations. There is information on the pitfalls and opportunities with integration and I highlight two marketing models I use - RACE and POEM.
Mejorar el conocimiento de clientes con Big Data & AnalyticsGabriel Jiménez
Material de la catedrá que impartí en el Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Santa Fe.
Mostrando cómo, al poner al cosnumidor en el centro, mejoramos la comunicación que tenemos con ellos y la efectividad de nuestras campañas.
"Ready, Set, Go!" Using LibGuides Training Modules to Quickly Orient New Student Employees & Streamline Training, a presentation by Ashley Creek during SpringyCamp 2016.
Solving the customer / user problem and building an integrated strategy to su...Kai Gait
A presenation from Digital Pharma Advances (London 2015) where I presented on understanding the the problem you are trying to solve, then building your strategy from there. Too often we start with the solution and seek to fix a problem with it, which causes friction.
Similar to Disrupting Complacency - It Only Works Until It Doesn't (20)
Podcasting: A Disruption 10 Years in the MakingEvo Terra
After a decade, has podcasting really lived up to the hype by disrupting radio, TV and other forms of media? Or has the disruption yet to have happened? We live in a world of lean startups, social overload, and ubiquitous connectivity, and traditional media plays all of those cards to its advantage. But when podcasters learn the basic tenets of disruption, they open up a world of new possibilities.
Parables vs Facts: Why we know the earth is older than 6000 yearsEvo Terra
I’m OK with your religious beliefs. Really, I am. But I’m not OK with those beliefs controlling policy or attempting to counter demonstrably proven facts about the universe. In this talk, I’ll demonstrate (without the use of hard-to-understand things like carbon dating) how we know the universe is more than 6000 years old.
Special thanks to George Hrab for the inspiration and initial research on this talk. He is, quite frankly, the man.
The dry-run of my presentation tomorrow night at Ignite Phoenix #6. My first 3 focused on "big" things. This one kicks off what I hope will be the beginning of a new trilogy focused on "weird" things. This one is time. Next up will be distance and numbers. Because some of this stuff is just... weird.
Digitally Expose Yourself : Building Your Web PresenceEvo Terra
A before-basic intro to the digital world for those who've been reluctant to enter.
Originally given at the 2009 NAR national conference, I've been asked to travel to Prescott to give it to Arizona-based real estate agents.
No, you don't have to be a real estate agent to enjoy it. But it is geared toward them.
Part of the "Social Media 101" series I do before each Phoenix Social Media Club meeting, aimed at those new to the world of social media.
Compromised social media accounts happen. All too often. And it's usually because you did something dumb with your password. So here are some tips on how not to do that.
A short(er) version of a talk I recently gave at SMAZ -- Social Media for Business in Arizona. The house was packed, even though others were talking about the ROI of social media.
I made sure mine had teeth and didn't dance around the issue of ROI. ROI means what ROI means. And CFOs don't care about alternative descriptions for it. They care about money out and want to see money in.
Is that easy? Nope. But it's doable. For some. I give props inside this preso to Olivier Blanchard for the concept that I expand upon. Hope you enjoy it.
E.
Originally given at PodCamp AZ 2009.
There are lots of ways to make a podcast. And the technical aspects can be daunting. But did you know that while there are many right ways, there are also some major pitfalls to avoid when creating your podcast's .mp3 files?
This quick presentation takes a look at the five most common errors made on the technical side of podcasting, and how to fix them.
The Disconnect: Reasons Companies fail at Social Media and how to SucceedEvo Terra
A presentation for Social Media for Business - SocialMediaAZ.org.
I speak of the the disconnect between business who want to use social media to reach people, and the people who use social media. Different goals. Different outcomes. How can the line up? Hint: the people won't change. Business have to.
The third and final of the "BIG" presentations I presented at Ignite Phoenix.
As a society, and perhaps as a species, we have trouble with things that are truly vast. Things that are beyond our experiences.
This talk will help shed some light on this issue of scale as it effects us daily.
Social Media for the Travel and Tourism industryEvo Terra
An abbreviated version of a lecture I gave to the Cochise County Travel & Tourism workshop. The topic: getting involved in social media. In attendance were 100+ business owners from south eastern Arizona, most of which had limited engagement with social media.
This is very much a BEGINNER class. You won't find advanced topics here.
Big Distance - Talk from Ignite Phoenix 3Evo Terra
We humans have an issue with scale. Popular culture and even popular science has reinforced this bad behavior. My audience will walk away with a MUCH better understanding of how far away is far away, and how very small is the very small. Perspective. Whoa.
New Media Business Strategies for Real Estate ProfessionalsEvo Terra
I spoke at NAR 2008 (National Association of Realtors). It was their national convention, held in Orlando Florida. My topic was \\\"digital business strategies\\\", but the topic was really new media strategies. I tailored the topic specific to the needs of real estate professionals brand new to the ideas and concepts behind new media.
Have you ever wanted more listeners? Advertisers? Chances are, your podcast won't attract either. Why?
YOUR PODCAST SUCKS!
But it doesn't have to. With some patience and an understanding of what's wrong, you can fix it.
This presentation was delivered at Podcamp AZ in November of 2008. By me.
Are things good or bad in the market? Well, it all depends on your point of view -- and perspective. How can what you learn here impact decisions you'll make in all aspects of your life?
A part of a collection of short presentations entitled: BIG.
Also thrown together on a whim. :)
Best Crypto Marketing Ideas to Lead Your Project to SuccessIntelisync
In this comprehensive slideshow presentation, we delve into the intricacies of crypto marketing, offering invaluable insights and strategies to propel your project to success in the dynamic cryptocurrency landscape. From understanding market trends to building a robust brand identity, engaging with influencers, and analyzing performance metrics, we cover all aspects essential for effective marketing in the crypto space.
Also Intelisync, our cutting-edge service designed to streamline and optimize your marketing efforts, leveraging data-driven insights and innovative strategies to drive growth and visibility for your project.
With a data-driven approach, transparent communication, and a commitment to excellence, InteliSync is your trusted partner for driving meaningful impact in the fast-paced world of Web3. Contact us today to learn more and embark on a journey to crypto marketing mastery!
Ready to elevate your Web3 project to new heights? Contact InteliSync now and unleash the full potential of your crypto venture!
Explore Sarasota Collection's exquisite and long-lasting dining table sets and chairs in Sarasota. Elevate your dining experience with our high-quality collection!
What You're Going to Learn
- How These 4 Leaks Force You To Work Longer And Harder in order to grow your income… improve just one of these and the impact could be life changing.
- How to SHUT DOWN the revolving door of Income Stagnation… you know, where new sales come into your magazine while at the same time existing sponsors exit.
- How to transform your magazine business by fixing the 4 “DON’Ts”...
#1 LEADS Don’t Book
#2 PROSPECTS Don’t Show
#3 PROSPECTS Don’t Buy
#4 CLIENTS Don’t Stay
- How to identify which leak to fix first so you get the biggest bang for your income.
- Get actionable strategies you can use right away to improve your bookings, sales and retention.
Disrupting Complacency - It Only Works Until It Doesn't
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Editor's Notes
I'm Evo Terra, and I used to be just like you.
I got my start on the web in 1994, when I convinced some bigwigs that I knew more about the internet than anyone else in the company. And I did. It was 1994. The <blink> tag was still hot.
I eventually led the team that built the first ecommerce platform in our vertical.
Yeah. I'm old.
I made the jump to advertising after getting my ass chewed out by the CEO for not spending the half a million dollars allocated to my ad budget.
Wait, you can ADVERTISE? On the internet? That sounds like fun.
So I did, and in a couple of years, I'd left the company to join the advertising agency as their VP and Managing Director.
I stumbled into the world of new media, won a few awards in the early days of podcasting, wrote a few books, drank a lot of beer, and was paid quite handsomely to tell clients what not to do. I called it "digital strategy". Killer!
But then a little something I like to call "2008" happened, and the party was coming to an end. So joined a large ad firm, running large teams doing digital ad buys, strategy, social content marketing, enterprise SEO. Five years there as the VP of Media and Innovation.
But after 20 years -- jesus -- in the digital space, I started noticing a few things. Not just the rampant, never ending change that was digital... but something deeper.
Google, as Marcus brought up in the kickoff keynote spot, was no longer a search engine.
Seriously. They made $17.3B in revenue Q1 2015. You don't need $17.3 B dollars to run a fucking search engine.
When you make that kind of money, you use that kind of money to do something else entirely. The revenue from ad dollars is simple the means to and end.
Google will make self-driving cars a reality by summer. Laws have been passed. And if you live in Mountain View -- or rather along a handful of routes in Mountain View -- you'll see cars driving themselves right along side you.
Google's space elevator plans are very real. They're on hold right now because they need material sciences to catchup. But the engineering and physics? They work.
Right now, they're spending a goodly sum fixing a problem I really, *really* care about: death. Seriously. Not just life extension of the shitty years, either. Literally slowing down the aging process, so we live not just longer, but better. Hurry up?
And it's not just Google. Paypal lets us do something stupidly trivial yet genius -- send money via email. They're changing the way we see economic models world wide.
But that's not the amazing part. The money from Paypal helped build an electric car that not only works, but is the hallmark of luxury and success. An electric car.
It's had enough of the bullshit surrounding solar power and is putting roof tops to work in cities all over the globe.
And I'm pretty damned sure that Elon wants to be Captain Kirk. But Elon doesn't have a Federation of Planets. So he's building his own. Because he really, REALLY wants to go to Mars.
Amazon is the dominate player in online commerce.
And they're still not profitable? Yep. They lost $57M Q1 2015. Seriously. Look it up.
And no one cares
Their founder doesn't. Instead, he's focused on creating a shipping company to outerspace.
Finally, I noticed a huge amount of money and an entirely new concept of "incubation" and "acceleration" on high-growth / high-value startups...
Where even the top "schools" like Y Combinator boasted a 90% failure rate. Yet people couldn't wait to get inside, and investors couldn't wait to make the next big risky bet.
It was pretty clear that the future was in startups. Over the prior decade, I'd founded five different startups. Three were in publishing, one was in media, and another in financial services.
But to me, it looked like the metric for success was broken. To be considered a success -- which simply means more access to more money -- a startup has to grow fast. What grew didn't matter. Number of users. Downloads. Revenue. Didn't matter. 10% monthly growth doesn't sound all that aggressive, until you realize that in a year, you've grown 3x. And in two years, 10x. That's what gets investors excited.
So I, the VP of Media and Innovation at the agency, along with the President and the CFO, decided to make our own startup... focused on startups.
We had two unique angles. First, rather than focus on a specific vertical, like manufacturing, bio medical, or tech, we'd instead look for disruptive startups.
Space Elevator
Nintendo Wii
That's what we wanted to replicate. Not at the same scale, necessarily.
Because for every startup landing multi-million dollar VC raises, there were hundreds more bootstrapping or getting by with $10-50K injections from angels.
That's would be our market, our underserviced minority, if you will.
And then shit happened. Six months after we opened our doors, we were told by my wife's doctors on no uncertain terms that she could not live in Phoenix. It wasn't quite killing her, but was certainly lowering her quality of life.
So we began to look for our new home, with visits to potential cities, scoping out the job market, and working the network. A few exploratory phone calls made it clear that neither of us would have trouble. My skills were perfect the C-Suite, and Sheila was a college professor and an instructional designer.
Or we could choose none of the above! If we really were as desirable as it seemed, with skills that weren't going out of date anytime soon, maybe a sabbatical was in order.
I’m not a billionaire! Hell, I'm not even rich, I didn't have a huge nest egg, with houses or stocks i can liquidate into cash. And I certainly didn't want to start dipping into 401K or retirement funds.
So we sold everything. Literally. Save a few baby books and other items that simply can't be replaced, the entire sum of our possessions is upstairs in our room. We sold everything to give us the cash -- about $20K -- to travel for a year.
On January 16th, we boarded a one-way flight to France. It wasn't quite Mars, and it looked like I'd have to wait a while before picking my new Tesla Model S, but it would certainly be an adventure.
Only my sabbatical wasn't quite a sabbatical. Just before we left, my prior partners offered to keep me on retainer -- albeit at a much reduced rate -- to keep writing and producing content for the company.
A small number of people I'd worked with previously became clients for small projects here and there.
And offers to keynote at conferences were extended in London (Thanks, Craig!) & Thailand.
So wait a minute. Maybe I was on to something here. We were absolutely loving this new digital nomad lifestyle. Maybe, just maybe, we could turn this into an ongoing thing, and not just a sabbatical.
We have saying back in the states: eat your own dogfood. Of course as agencies, we typically don't do that, with atrocious websites.
So looked at my new world through the lens of the tenets of disruption:
$2T
Serial (and other shows) are surfacing an untapped audience who want something more than just top 10 lists and ratings/reviews. They want stories, and I'm a damned good story teller.
But the game is still to produce more content than the next guy. No sweat. I write really fucking fast, so I can fund myself that way.
Scale? Well...
So we're bootstrapping it, paying as we go.
We have enough runway for at least 2015... and probably a good bit of 2016 now. But we're NOT focused on revenue. Some is good, but we're still proving out our business model by testing hypothesis. Startups that focus on revenue too quickly fail to thrive and miss larger opportunities, and we don't want to fall into that trap.
What we care about most of all is momentum. That 10% monthly growth rate. Which, I'm happy to say, we're exceeding.
Most importantly -- WE'RE NOT FREAKING OUT!
Even if we're wrong, and we're completely broke at the end of 2015...
I have valuable, marketable skills. A year of global travel experimenting with a new style of content creation improves adds to my resume.
My wife has valuable, marketable skills. A year of global travel with exposure to different countries and cultures makes her very attractive to universities and multinational corporations.
The worst thing that could happen? We have to go back and get jobs.
WE WILL NOT WIND UP LIVING IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER.
This, I have come to realize, is an unjustified fear.
I want to leave you with five thoughts.
Shit. Will. Happen.
Markets will change. Tactics will stop working. Partners will quit. Competitors will come in... whatever. No amount of planning and preparation will prevent fundamental disruptive change from happening.
But...
YOU ARE JUST LIKE ME. Seriously. In fact, you're probably even better than me.
The tactics you know are one thing, but it's the strategy of how you came up with those that's really powerful.
Your brain is your greatest asset, even if the world shifts underneath you. You can -- and always do -- adapt.
It takes a lot less money than you think to try something brand new. You don't have to sell off everything you own.
You'll be amazed how much support you have, from your existing network of friends AND the friends you meet along the way.
And if nothing else, they're there when you need to come back to reality.
And fuck that ladder, man. Kick open a window and go explore a few floors.
Because that's what we did. Our complacency was disrupted, and we kinda don’t care!