August 2007

The Archives

08.23.07

I H(e)a(r)t[e] APIs
Social Media
Some interesting reading over the past few days related to APIs. First, it is my belief that APIs are still in their infancy and we have yet to see really exponential growth of the open API movement. I also expect to see more 'restricted APIs' sold to developers who can then use them to create products that they sell (while the sponsoring site takes a cut). So a couple interesting API scenarios are playing out currently. Google Gears was created as open source project (API) allowing anyone to use the technolog. As most people know, Google also has it new ...
08.22.07

Scoble on the Secret of Arrington’s Successes
Brands and Marketing
"This is why the Techcrunch guy is so popular. He puts a graphic on every post." - Robert Scoble while commenting on a single blog post...one of the many, from among his 600 RSS feeds in Google Reader. View the video here.
08.18.07

House Sitting Love
Entrepreneurship
I'm just thinking how cool it would be for entrepreneurs who need space cheaply to be able to quickly find places to "house-sit" at ski resorts. I have been blown away by the availability of high-speed internet all over the west - even in the spots I would least expect it. I have also been blown away by the number of "house-sitter needed" fliers up at local grocery stores. Sounds like a match made in heaven.
08.16.07

Hedge Fund Fun
Tech'nomics
For those who are big Entourage fans, writer Doug Ellin, along with Brian Koppelman and David Levien to write a new show based around the life of a forty-something hedge fund manager. As the New York Times noted, Hedge Funds have become a true cultural phenomenon with the media obsessively following the notoriously tight-lipped and haute classe investment vehicles. In related news, I recently had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of Tim Sykes, An American Hedge Fund. The book was awesome and Tim’s story is truly inspirational. I’m planning to do a big review soon and hope to ...
08.14.07

Social Media Can Be Confusing
Social Media
Pretty amazing statistic by way of Jeremiah: "Over 90% of marketing departments are planning to launch a social media campaign in 2008, despite the fact that over a third are yet to use social tools in their organization." Not only are most marketing departments not using social media tools but also most businesses are still regulating (limiting) social tool use among employees. Seems that there are various degrees, or 'hierarchies,' of social media within the enterprise. Examples: Using Facebook isn't okay, but using LinkedIn might be. Internal blogs are good, but blogging publicly about work is not good. Use of ...
08.13.07

Wilderness 2.0 = Wilderness Deadpool
My Experiences
When I was 20, one of my best friends and I spent the spring living outside of Jackson Hole, WY over Teton Pass, in the town of Driggs, Idaho. Driggs is an outdoor sports mecca and the views are simply spectacular. In contrast to Jackson Hole, Driggs has traditionally been a blue-collar farm town standing in the shadows of the resort community. Still, even when I was living out here 8 years ago, the landscape was changing. Ski bums and summer workers priced out of Jackson were starting to migrate across the pass. And why wouldn't they - Grand Targhee ...
08.12.07

Best Books for an MBA
Great Thinkers
As the New York Times recently highlighted, a business student (or CEO’s) best friend is a well-constructed library. The following are the books that I highly recommend to any current, aspiring, or ’damn, why did I go to law school!’ MBA student. Certain titles may be a bit 'atypical' at first glance; indeed they are anything but. [Note: each title links to the listing on Amazon.com] The Power of Productivity Atlas Shrugged Against the Gods The Little Prince WSJ Guide to Understanding Money & Investing Wikinomics The Art of War The Long Tail George Soros on Globalization When Genius Failed Guns Germs & Steel Beating the Street The Pyramid Principle Innovator’s Dilemma Art of ...
08.12.07

I finished my MBA on Tuesday.
Tech'nomics
For those unfamiliar with this blog, I started it about a year ago, mid-way through my MBA at Johns Hopkins University. What started as the IntelliGrad blog, switched to Leveraging Ideas when covering the cross section of technology and education became too limiting. Tuesday was a big milestone for me and I am very excited to have more time to devote to working on my own company, advising startups and writing. The way that Hopkins ends the MBA is by splitting students into consulting groups for their final class. Each group is then assigned to help a company with a ...
08.09.07

Social Media Advertising Done Better
Social Media
I have recently been thinking about better ways to do advertising within social media sites. The following is a concept I am thinking out and would love some input on. Building up this idea, I would point out that I believe there is a huge market for ’solution apps’ that reside within the development framework of a system. For example, the company SquareTrade is partnered with eBay and offers online dispute resolution services (ODR). Just think how many social media sites need a solution for dispute resolution and why ’reinvent the wheel’ when you already have a great solution in ...
08.06.07

It’s a Wild World Out There
Pop Culture
A while back I came up with a concept for a new type of dating site and have recently been doing some research into the market for "on-demand" dating, such as offerings from mobile services like MeetMoi as well as more traditional web-based mediums like Craigslist. Most of my male friends in serious relationships simply don't grasp how tough it is to meet quality women these days - especially when you work 24/7 and with startups (tending to be male dominated). Anyway the pictures below are real pictures from a profile on Craigslist soliciting dates. I will not link to the ad ...

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