• General Startups dynamics
  I have started, built, and run a series of great startups. Most as CEO, all as co-founder. See Linkedin for more details. I work with founders to understand all the fundamental patterns and processes required to build a successful tech-first, high-growth, venture-backed company.

• Digital transformation
  I’ve worked inside some of the most disruptive companies, and with some of the largest enterprises in the world. Combined, this experience gives me a unique perspective and insight into how to drive internal change at traditional companies.

• Angel and VC fundraising
  I have both raised and invested money as a Startup founder and an angel investor. I’ve developed countless investor pitch decks and fundraising narratives.

• Business and product strategy
  Determining ideal business models and go-to-market strategies to enter and disrupt markets. Identifying problems and ideal product solutions. Across B2B, B2C, B2B2C, and Developer platforms.

• Product management and design
  Designing Minimum Viable Products (MVP), Development of delightful user experiences, highly effective self-serve onboarding flows, retention strategies, and more.

• Developer platforms & ecosystems
  APIs, SDKs, Developer Advocacy and Marketing, Building Ecosystems, and more. Built a platform from 0 to 85 Billion API calls a month (Echo). Ran Product for the Uber Developer Platform.
  

• Two-sided and on-demand marketplaces
  Building two-sided marketplaces, managing reputation and trust, marketplace dynamics, solving the cold start problem, aligning incentives, etc

• Enterprise BD, sales, strategy & support
  Messaging, pitch decks, and sales-enablement to drive products into enterprise customers. I’ve worked extensively with enterprise sales teams and central product and IT groups at CNN, Univision, NASDQ, Disney, UMG, NBCU, Coke, Fanta, AT&T, and more.

• Data Portability
  Inventing, developing, and participating in open standards for interoperability between independent services and tools. Implementing user and privacy-centric approaches to data retention and sharing. I coined the phrase Data Portability. Invented Backplane & APML. Particularly important now due to GDPR.

• Social media strategy
  Techniques for participating in, influencing, and leveraging social media to grow new markets, influence thought leaders, and drive industry conversations.

• Silicon Valley/Disruption culture
  Fundraising, key players, politics, relationships, logistical and cultural insights, etc.

1:1 Advisory Engagements

I have some time set aside to work with a limited set of companies on a 1:1 basis. I help them build teams, products, platforms, and brands by...

• Helping them to clearly articulate the problem and product solution

• Providing Silicon Valley insights & connections (including influencers & VCs).

• Designing org structures, roles, responsibilities and processes for high-growth companies.

• Interviewing & closing world-class new hires.

• Reviewing day-to-day execution to ensure consistency with the long-term vision.

• Shaping and elevating product strategy (determining the right problem to solve, crafting the right kind of product solution, communicating what the ideal north star looks like).

• Shaping and reviewing products (particularly as it relates to core UX metaphors, polish, social & viral mechanics, retention, monetization, APIs and open standards).

• Supercharging the existing product management team (working together with existing PMs to help them think through their roadmaps, product requirements etc).

• Reviewing go-to-market strategy - particularly as it relates to brand, personas, value prop, and marketing (website, blog posts, marketing collateral etc).

• Participating in day-to-day team meetings to encourage bigger, bolder, smarter bets.

• Helping them fast-forward to the future.

Advisory Content

• Read: Startup Advice Blog

• Listen: The Startup Podcast

• Study: Writings on Startups and more

• Subscribe: My newsletter

Startup Newsletter

Angel Investing

I personally invest in a small handful of companies each year. Learn more.

Social Media