It’s been a couple years since my last post here, and once again it’s December and I’ve been doing a fair bit of reflecting. I love this blog. I love writing. But I’ve decided to try something new. I’ve launched a newsletter called Focused Chaos. I’ll be writing there about startups, investing, venture studios, product […]
Here comes 2020 (and what I’ve been up to for 3+ years)
Almost three years ago I wrote a blog post titled Hello, 2017. That was the last blog post I wrote. Since then I’ve been completely heads down building Highline Beta. It’s been quite the journey. Building a startup is basically an all-consuming experience, physically and mentally. The ups and downs are so intense, and so […]
Hello, 2017
2016 was one heck of a year. It started with a fairly big shakeup professionally. I didn’t end up taking much time off; instead I started meeting with lots of people and looking for my next adventure. In July, 2016 I announced the launch of my new startup, Highline BETA. Over the second half of […]
“You Don’t Look Like a Founder”
WTF does that even mean? It means: You’re not a young white guy. And it’s total bullshit. Heather Anne Carson, co-founder @ Repable recently posted this on Facebook: (She didn’t ask me to write this.) Oy. It’s not surprising that guys feel / think this way (but saying it out loud really demonstrates a whole […]
Who Really Wants to Work in a Factory?
In a recent presentation I gave on the use of data in the product management/development process there was one slide that I ended up taking out. It didn’t fit the flow of the talk, but I think it’s still an important point. Here’s the slide: The presentation in question was arguing for the proper implementation […]
Data is an Input and a Filter into the Product Development Process
Recently I spoke at CrunchConf in Budapest. It was a great experience. The conference is fantastic for people interested in data (e.g. data analysts, scientists, product managers, etc.) Having said that, I’m not a data scientist. I don’t spend the bulk of my time storing, organizing and sifting through data. I’m not smart enough for […]
Speaking Gigs, Training, Discounts, Free Tickets and More
I don’t normally post about speaking engagements, conferences or training sessions that I’m conducting, but there are a bunch of upcoming events that I hope interest people. Along with that, I have discounts and free tickets to give away–so why not do it all at once?!?! 1. Product Strategy for Designers I’m doing a 2-day […]
Finding Your Inspiration
Founders need inspiration. I believe most founders have a deep well of inspiration inside of them that they’re able to draw from as needed. Otherwise they wouldn’t be able to survive. But that’s not always enough–founders need to find inspiration outside of themselves as well. Recently I started watching Chef’s Table on Netflix. The parallels […]
Data should be the Common Language in an Organization
If I was to ask you what you do, I’m sure you could provide an answer. Most people lead with a title–“I’m an engineer working on software systems,” or, “I’m a senior marketing manager that drives marketing initiatives for our products.” Fair enough. That’s a reasonable answer. A much harder question is “Why?” Why do […]
The Startup Rollercoaster is Real
You know what’s hard? Starting a company. You know what’s fun? Starting a company. There’s something about the insane challenge that makes starting a company so incredible. Having said that, I really don’t enjoy being told I’m wrong, or that my plan/idea/approach won’t work. (I don’t know many people who like that!) And when people […]
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