Startup Revolution

Ghann’s Cricket Farm Interview Had a great day in Augusta with Clay Ghann and the team at Ghann’s. Ghann’s has been selling crickets to customers since 1952. How can your business survive over sixty years and span generations? Listen to Clay’s willingness to experiment, change and find great people to help. Thanks to Chris Lawrence …

Great update by Moore. Key time codes include:

5:34 - the Lean Startup answer to Where's the Chasm.

11:00 - How Amazon is leveling the Walmart karma.

#toogood great update.

Getting hired or bought by Warren Buffett would be cool. This Haiku Deck includes tips inspired by Buffett's interview process so YOU get HIRED or BOUGHT by the Oracle of Omaha.

5 Tips Inspired By Buffett's Interview Process
* Solve puzzles & challenge yourself daily. DO SOMETHING NEW today.
* Achieve a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG).
* Develop PATIENCE (take a lickin' keep on tickin').
* VIDEO yourself CONSTANTLY.
* LISTEN Better and have loved one GRADE you.

Also tossed in the 5 rules of improv (mostly because I love 'em). Do these things, practice these these ideas and you will be ready when the Oracle calls.

Curagami & The Ecommerce Revolution Played Triangle Startup Factory's Pitchday today discussing how how to fix ecommerce marketing with Curagami.

Ben Horowitz On Disruption & No Tech Bubble
This Curagami post includes an insightful video of VC Ben Horowtiz's commencement address at Columbia.

Also includes an extensive slide deck from Andreessen & Horowitz proving there is NO Tech Bubble happening now (just looks that way). Great information from airbnb investor Horowitz and valley superstar Marc Andreessen.  

Content curation is key for Small To Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs) online success & Scoop.it's new Content Director makes curation a marketing reality.

On “Charlie Rose,” Deena Varshavskaya, founder and chief executive officer at Wanelo. The online social media app connects millions of consumer with some of the biggest brands, as well as the tiniest of independent boutiques.

Marty Note
Listening to WaNeLo's founder discuss her experience raising money and goals for her social shopping company made me realize I was listening to the sound of a clean slate brand. Wanelo is the first salvo in the "social shopping" wars sure to erupt.

Rose asks a good question, "Why won't Twitter and Facebook follow your lead?" They will and Deeena's best defense is a good offense. I signed up for Wanelo and its an intriguing play that couldn't exist without smart phones.

There's "mobile first" and then there is a company like Wanelo who is conceived and could only be possible with mobile. When Deena mentioned that more than 80% of their traffic is mobile my heart skipped a beat and I realized how clean slate this affiliate money play really is.

By mashing up retailers and accepting affiliate money Wanelo has to create a fun and exciting interface. They are about half way there. The way you create your store with swiping is cool and a #muststeal idea, but there is little more to recommend or hold interest currently.

Rose asked all the right questions about WHY and being first is a big recommendation, but not the only thing needed to survive. The UI is worth some money and their more than a million young followers are worth a lot too. Deena correctly locates the biggest challenge in today's market - getting people to love and interact with your content NOT mining or creating some unique Intellectual Property (IP) that can be protected and held over others.

Wanelo walks into social shopping, creates a "game console" using smart phones and will probably be adding gamification soon (if they are half as smart as they seem) and there is the first mover advantage. Important interview about the future of "social shopping".

As more things get connected to each other, how can businesses capitalize on the growing 'Internet of Things?' PricewaterhouseCoopers chief technologist Chris Curran joins the News Hub with Sara Murray.

Marty Note
Turns out a forgettable movie, Tom Cruise's Minority Report,  may be prescient for our Internet of Things Future. Fascinating interview with WSJ's Sarah Murray and Price Waterhouse's Chris Curran explores tapping and mashing up the "real data' that's all around us now.

How can we replace guesses with real data.

Retail is "an interesting one" because it involves people and places. Emerging uses of sensors. Others are not so obvious like the power business where sensors can help "optimize the process".