Business
You can’t stand on two boats
There is an old proverb: “One foot cannot stand on two boats” Many of us start on a new business idea while we still have one foot in the “real job ship”, and start stepping into the new business lifeboat we are crafting. And that’s ok. For awhile. I did it for many, many years. But,…
Read MoreGoodbye Parse. Now, Apple’s CloudKit vs. Google’s Firebase vs. Kinvey?
Well, today Parse announced that they will be shutting down completely by the end of 2016. When they were acquired by Facebook in 2013, many were concerned. Acquisitions often don’t end well. I guess those folks were correct. We have a difficult announcement to make. Beginning today we’re winding down the Parse service, and Parse…
Read MoreYou don't need to create a "unicorn" to be successful
It is easy to get caught up in the “next hot startup” frenzy as you read about the insane growth and valuations of “unicorns” like Uber, Airbnb, and Snapchat. But, not every business can be, or should be, a runaway tech startup. When you live in a tech-centric area like Silicon Valley you tend to…
Read MoreTwitter's user growth is slowing quickly
Perhaps not all that surprising. I don’t think Twitter has ever been something that the average person understands. Its inclusion on television and other media has certainly raised awareness, but that hasn’t necessarily translated into real engagement. A 2009 study found that 71% of tweets are ignored, and I don’t think that has really changed.…
Read MoreYou're trying too hard
The stink of desperation is a turnoff. This is just as true with startups as it is with dating. We’ve all seen it. Startups that are struggling to find customer fit and traction. But, there is a fine line between being nimble, lean, and responsive; and tossing and turning like a leaf in the wind.…
Read MoreDesigning for Love and Money – Fluxible 2013
In this talk, Larry explores the battle between love and money as it applies to products, organizations, and even our own careers. Over the past 20 years, Larry has developed strategies to deal with this problem, both as an individual contributor and as an organizational leader. Regardless of where you happen to work, or in what context, it’s an unavoidable issue that every designer must face and resolve.
Read MoreRoulston Research Search and Social Media Conference Call with Former Yahoo and Double Click Executives
On August 16th, Roulston Research held a Search and Social Media conference call to discuss trends in the industry and answer various questions from the attending investors. Larry Cornett of Brilliant Forge (VP of Consumer Products for Yahoo! Search in a former life) was one of the presenters, and Jeff Marcus was the other. He…
Read MoreTip for Startup Founders: It Isn't 1999
I lived through the infamous Dot-com Bubble. I was at a startup in 1998, that went through the usual ups and downs and up again. Then I founded a design consultancy (for some stability, believe it or not) and advised a number of small and medium-sized startups in Silicon Valley for several years (before eventually…
Read MoreIs Pinterest Right for Your Business?
Pinterest is one of the fastest-growing social networks in 2012. According to ComScore: in January 2012, 13.76m people worldwide visited the site and spent an average of 89 minutes there. Business Insider recently shared some interesting data tidbits about its growth, users, and their sharing behavior. But, I really like the data shared in this…
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