I had a great lunch meeting with Glenn Kelman of Red Fin yesterday. Forty out of the forty five minutes of our went off just as I would have hoped. He asked great questions and I hit them out of the park. I could definitely sense there was some "clicking" taking place. Then the "but" happened. As in (paraphrased), "you've got some great ideas, but you don't really have any experience in our space. Give me an idea of how you might steer our marketing plan."
Do you know the feeling you got in college when you sat down to take an exam and realized that you had been studying the wrong chapter? That's how I felt at that moment. Though I spent plenty of time building my knowledge of the Red Fin story, I failed to anticipate that question. Which is crazy, because in hindsight, it's an obvious question for a hi-tech CEO to ask a candidate with no hi-tech experience.
My answer to the question wasn't great and I knew I was capable of much more. Unfortunately, I gave him every reason to believe that his suspicions were true. I left the meeting with that sinking feeling that I had blown a great opportunity. Playing the question back in my mind as I ran some errands afterwards, I came up with some great ideas (I thought, anyway) that I shared with Glen in my Thank You note afterwards. He replied positively and promised to re-engage once they have hired a CMO, so I think I saved the day. But I sure wish I got it right the first time. Next time I will for sure.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
The Diluted Value of a PR Firm
This issue was taken up during the Naked Truth discussion the other night with a similar take coming from Seth Godin's blog this week.
The bottom line for entrepreneurs: Hiring a good PR firm is a paradox. The few that are worth having probably won't give you the time of day. Resorting to a lesser second choice nets you an over-extended firm that doesn't do justice to your message and sucks up valuable re$ources. I've found that a better compromise is to find a trusted independent operator with good contacts who can partner with you to selectively spread the word. In doing so, you keep closer tabs on the message while taking advantage of your PR agent's contacts.
The bottom line for entrepreneurs: Hiring a good PR firm is a paradox. The few that are worth having probably won't give you the time of day. Resorting to a lesser second choice nets you an over-extended firm that doesn't do justice to your message and sucks up valuable re$ources. I've found that a better compromise is to find a trusted independent operator with good contacts who can partner with you to selectively spread the word. In doing so, you keep closer tabs on the message while taking advantage of your PR agent's contacts.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Call me a Troublemaker
Last week I decided to begin testing this new brand for myself. I am becoming increasingly disappointed in the "remarkability" of the "Growth Catalyst" title I originally created for myself.
Granted, the "Troublemaker" tag certainly carries its risks. My family and friends have not been shy in voicing their disapproval. But when I press them on their reasoning, their comments all follow a similar theme - "It's not safe! What if you turn somebody off by giving them the wrong impression?" Well, that's the point isn't it? It would be "safe" for me to label myself as a sales and marketing executive. That certainly wouldn't scare anyone away. But it wouldn't pique anybody's interest either.
This brand conveys my ability to disrupt markets and acknowledges that it's necessary to take risks in order to do so successfully. I am counting on the fact that my future employer is looking for just that quality to help their product stand out in the marketplace. If the CEO of company X doesn't interpret my brand the same way, then we're probably not a match anyway. However, if the brand catches somebody's eye and they immediately get the message, it could be the beginning of something special.
That's a risk I'm willing to take.
Is blogging essential for a CEO?
I attended a great panel discussion last night featuring journalists from 5 different media outlets to discuss the dos and don'ts of media relations for startup entrepreneurs. (A big thanks to Glenn Kelman and the folks at Red Fin for putting it all together - and buying the beer and barbecue!)
One comment that our group found provocative came from Michael Arrington of Techcrunch who said that it was absolutely essential for CEO's to be blogging. Those who pushed back on that statement seemed to feel that sometimes there are just more important things for a CEO to be doing than blogging and also that some just aren't suited to blogging at all.
I couldn't disagree more. The startup CEO's blog is the mortar that fills in the cracks for his audience. When a company is struggling to cement its mission (last masonry analogy, I promise) in the minds of its investors, customers and employees, a blog can work very well to provide the necessary tidbits of background stories and personal philosophies with an editorial thread to complete the story for the reader. Yes, there are many times when a CEO has more important things to do, but that should never be a reason to abandon the blog. Shorten the posts, solicit contributions from other team members, take a week off, but by all means keep telling the story.
My approach to communicating with my audience is similar to the way I communicate with my kids: Don't leave any holes in the story, because if they need to fill in the blanks themselves, you're not going to like the results.
One comment that our group found provocative came from Michael Arrington of Techcrunch who said that it was absolutely essential for CEO's to be blogging. Those who pushed back on that statement seemed to feel that sometimes there are just more important things for a CEO to be doing than blogging and also that some just aren't suited to blogging at all.
I couldn't disagree more. The startup CEO's blog is the mortar that fills in the cracks for his audience. When a company is struggling to cement its mission (last masonry analogy, I promise) in the minds of its investors, customers and employees, a blog can work very well to provide the necessary tidbits of background stories and personal philosophies with an editorial thread to complete the story for the reader. Yes, there are many times when a CEO has more important things to do, but that should never be a reason to abandon the blog. Shorten the posts, solicit contributions from other team members, take a week off, but by all means keep telling the story.
My approach to communicating with my audience is similar to the way I communicate with my kids: Don't leave any holes in the story, because if they need to fill in the blanks themselves, you're not going to like the results.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Focusing on What I Want
Despite all the work I've done on refining my career message thus far, I still have have some work to do.
After sending a broadcast message to those in my LinkedIn network looking for job leads, one of my audience pushed back, demanding more information. "What are you looking for?" she asked. I repeated the objective from my resume: "I'm looking for a great team with remarkable products with a story that needs to be told." but then Sabra, my networking partner, pointed out that that statement offered her very little actionable information that she could use to connect me with others. My statement required her to interpret the message to actually do the heavy lifting by sifting through her network contacts to judge whether any one of them met my criteria. In other words, I was not making it easy for my customer to do business with me. In that context, I recognize this for the horrible transgression that it is. If a widget salesman pitched his widget to me with a you-do-the-heavy-lifting message such as this, I'd take his head off.
Action Item: Consider the audience, refine the message.
Rather than ask "Can you suggest some companies with remarkable products?" I will ask "Can you suggest some consumer products companies based in downtown Seattle?" This is an easier question to answer and it is more likely to produce an answer that is valuable to me.
After sending a broadcast message to those in my LinkedIn network looking for job leads, one of my audience pushed back, demanding more information. "What are you looking for?" she asked. I repeated the objective from my resume: "I'm looking for a great team with remarkable products with a story that needs to be told." but then Sabra, my networking partner, pointed out that that statement offered her very little actionable information that she could use to connect me with others. My statement required her to interpret the message to actually do the heavy lifting by sifting through her network contacts to judge whether any one of them met my criteria. In other words, I was not making it easy for my customer to do business with me. In that context, I recognize this for the horrible transgression that it is. If a widget salesman pitched his widget to me with a you-do-the-heavy-lifting message such as this, I'd take his head off.
Action Item: Consider the audience, refine the message.
Rather than ask "Can you suggest some companies with remarkable products?" I will ask "Can you suggest some consumer products companies based in downtown Seattle?" This is an easier question to answer and it is more likely to produce an answer that is valuable to me.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
What Motivates Me?
That was the question that lingered in my mind long after I had answered it during my most recent interview with Caff'e Vita. It bothered me enough that I made it a point to readdress the question in my f/u email with the VP of Sales and Marketing. My re-considered answer to him was:
"Making connections with people is what motivates me. When I can deliver a pitch to a customer that captures their imagination so that they begin nodding, then laughing, then asking question after question, then I know I’ve hit a home run. Each time that happens I want more."
"Making connections with people is what motivates me. When I can deliver a pitch to a customer that captures their imagination so that they begin nodding, then laughing, then asking question after question, then I know I’ve hit a home run. Each time that happens I want more."
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Full Bio
Rob has earned his reputation as a Growth Catalyst by pioneering new markets throughout his career. His education and early experience as an engineer stoked his enthusiasm for innovation. As he began his sales career, Rob decided that he needed to find new applications for his products in order to be truly remarkable in a crowded field and thus create opportunity where none existed before. While this strategy helped to make Rob a top performer in the field of specialty chemical sales, he aspired for more. So, in 2002 he began to transform himself from a salesman into an entrepreneur. This process culminated with the formation of On The Spot Games® in 2003.
Rob envisioned On The Spot Games as the first name in family-friendly entertainment for over-scheduled families on the go. With no prior experience in consumer products, Rob conceived and produced the company’s first product in 2003. DidYa Know® was an award-winning card game designed to promote family fun through storytelling, The game was produced and packaged for retail sale through specialty retailers in the US. However, Rob felt that adding one more game to the jam-packed game aisles in retail stores would not accomplish his goal of entertaining busy families.
In 2005 Rob began work on a distribution system that would deliver games directly to families in the social settings where they were likely to play and enjoy them. He identified casual restaurant chains as an ideal place to reach his target audience and so he set out to adapt On The Spot Games’ products to the challenging environment of a busy restaurant. Rob adapted DidYa Know and several other games for play in casual restaurants by working with development partners such as Pizza Hut and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. In 2006, he debuted a full line of Fun On The Spot™ restaurant games at the National Restaurant Association trade show in Chicago, IL.
Before endeavoring on his entrepreneurial journey, Rob was a top-performing salesman. In 1992, Rob accepted a sales position with KR Anderson Company, a distributor of engineered chemicals. Rob was promoted to Branch Manager in 1994, managing sales and operations for the Pacific Northwest region. He focused on increasing sales by creating new value-added services, expanding market share and developing new applications for the company’s products. Under Rob’s leadership, the region experienced 5 years of double-digit sales growth, resulting in $7 million in sales in 1999 contributing to total company sales of $55 million. Also, his region led all others by generating a record-setting gross profit margin of 29%.
Rob strived to round out his business skills while still achieving his goals at KR Anderson. So he enrolled in Seattle University’s Albers School of business to pursue his MBA in 1994. He graduated from the program in 1997 with a GPA of 3.5.
Rob continued to prospect new business opportunities for KR Anderson during the recessionary economy during the early 2000’s. His efforts spawned new business in many new markets, including a partnership with Eldorado Stone, Inc. of Carnation, WA to develop a new molding technology for faux stone facades for the building industry. Eldorado Stone quickly became one of KR Anderson’s largest customers, generating over $5 million in revenue in 2005.
Rob was working as a manufacturing engineer in 1989 when Robert McKeown Co, a chemical distributor, recruited him into his first position in sales. As the Area Manager for New York State he developed his skills for planning and executing sales strategies. During the next four years he learned to use his technical skills to develop new applications for his OEM customer base. Rob quickly became the company’s top salesperson, as he lead the company in sales and gross profit margin in 1990. He continued to perform for Robert McKeown until 1992, when he and his new bride decided to improve their quality of life by relocating to Seattle, WA.
Rob’s past life experiences include selling ice, cookware and used cars. He’s played drums for a new wave cover band and ridden his bicycle up the Tour de France’s legendary Alpe D’ Huez. He and his wife Barbara live an active, playful life with their twin boys Jason and TJ (age 9) in a grand old house in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. He planted his first organic garden this year.
Among his many passions, Rob thoroughly enjoys a challenging climb on his bicycle, belly laughs with the kids, tasty wine and food pairings and grabbing a beer with the guys.
Rob envisioned On The Spot Games as the first name in family-friendly entertainment for over-scheduled families on the go. With no prior experience in consumer products, Rob conceived and produced the company’s first product in 2003. DidYa Know® was an award-winning card game designed to promote family fun through storytelling, The game was produced and packaged for retail sale through specialty retailers in the US. However, Rob felt that adding one more game to the jam-packed game aisles in retail stores would not accomplish his goal of entertaining busy families.
In 2005 Rob began work on a distribution system that would deliver games directly to families in the social settings where they were likely to play and enjoy them. He identified casual restaurant chains as an ideal place to reach his target audience and so he set out to adapt On The Spot Games’ products to the challenging environment of a busy restaurant. Rob adapted DidYa Know and several other games for play in casual restaurants by working with development partners such as Pizza Hut and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. In 2006, he debuted a full line of Fun On The Spot™ restaurant games at the National Restaurant Association trade show in Chicago, IL.
Before endeavoring on his entrepreneurial journey, Rob was a top-performing salesman. In 1992, Rob accepted a sales position with KR Anderson Company, a distributor of engineered chemicals. Rob was promoted to Branch Manager in 1994, managing sales and operations for the Pacific Northwest region. He focused on increasing sales by creating new value-added services, expanding market share and developing new applications for the company’s products. Under Rob’s leadership, the region experienced 5 years of double-digit sales growth, resulting in $7 million in sales in 1999 contributing to total company sales of $55 million. Also, his region led all others by generating a record-setting gross profit margin of 29%.
Rob strived to round out his business skills while still achieving his goals at KR Anderson. So he enrolled in Seattle University’s Albers School of business to pursue his MBA in 1994. He graduated from the program in 1997 with a GPA of 3.5.
Rob continued to prospect new business opportunities for KR Anderson during the recessionary economy during the early 2000’s. His efforts spawned new business in many new markets, including a partnership with Eldorado Stone, Inc. of Carnation, WA to develop a new molding technology for faux stone facades for the building industry. Eldorado Stone quickly became one of KR Anderson’s largest customers, generating over $5 million in revenue in 2005.
Rob was working as a manufacturing engineer in 1989 when Robert McKeown Co, a chemical distributor, recruited him into his first position in sales. As the Area Manager for New York State he developed his skills for planning and executing sales strategies. During the next four years he learned to use his technical skills to develop new applications for his OEM customer base. Rob quickly became the company’s top salesperson, as he lead the company in sales and gross profit margin in 1990. He continued to perform for Robert McKeown until 1992, when he and his new bride decided to improve their quality of life by relocating to Seattle, WA.
Rob’s past life experiences include selling ice, cookware and used cars. He’s played drums for a new wave cover band and ridden his bicycle up the Tour de France’s legendary Alpe D’ Huez. He and his wife Barbara live an active, playful life with their twin boys Jason and TJ (age 9) in a grand old house in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. He planted his first organic garden this year.
Among his many passions, Rob thoroughly enjoys a challenging climb on his bicycle, belly laughs with the kids, tasty wine and food pairings and grabbing a beer with the guys.
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