03 1 / 2013
It’s not the big that eat the small - it’s the fast that eat the slow. #goitalone
03 12 / 2012
How to Create a Video That Stands Out [SlideShare]
Here’s a presentation I put together for SmartShoot.
Inspired by Slides That Rock.
27 6 / 2012
"The secret of creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
20 6 / 2012
Video Marketing Explained
My blog post about What is Video Marketing and Why You Need It on TurnHere.
20 6 / 2012
Crossfit WOD - 6/20/2012
I keep forgetting to post every day, but here’s today’s WOD courtesy of Garret.
10 Pull-ups
10 One-Arm KB Thruster (1.5/1 pood)
10 Burpees
AMRAP in 20 minutes.
Made it through only 7 rounds.
18 6 / 2012
Crossfit WOD - 6/18/2012
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
Row 250 meters
25 Push-ups
07 6 / 2012
Lessons from Getting Real
Just finished reading Getting Real (it’s free as an eBook) by the guys at 37Signals and loved it! I love their no fluff writing style - makes for a quick read and love that they take a stance for something.
Below are my favorite parts along with direct excerpts from the book. I write this to remind myself of the book’s valuable lessons and for folks to lazy to read the book for themselves.
Lesson 1 - Constraint Drives Innovation
Constraints also force you to get your idea out in the wild sooner rather than later – another good thing. A month or two out of the gates you should have a pretty good idea of whether you’re onto something or not.
Love this approach to building anything successful. I’ve been in too many meetings that try to solve every single problem a customer may experience rather than trying to solve 80% of the problem.
Lesson 2 - Use a team of three for version 1.0
For the first version of your app, start with only three people. That’s the magic number that will give you enough manpower yet allow you to stay streamlined and agile. Start with a developer, a designer, and a sweeper (someone who can roam between both worlds).
There’s a great article by Jeff Jordan, former CEO of OpenTable, about how data killed the HiPPO star - HiPPO = Highest Paid Person’s Opinion. In version 1.0 we don’t need opinions, we need facts and data. Keep the team small and launch early to get feedback.
Lesson 3 - Copywriting is Interface Design
Good writing is good design. It’s a rare exception where words don’t accompany design. Icons with names, form fields with examples, buttons with labels, step by step instructions in a process, a clear explanation of your refund policy. These are all interface design.
I’ve been obsessed with copywriting and actually working on a blog post about how everyone in a company should be a good copywriters.
It’s definitely helped me build better products (web apps and iPhone apps) because I approach everything with what problem I’m trying to solve and how my solution is better than anything else in the market.
I’d recommend Dane Maxwell’s course on Mixergy for those who want to dive into it.
05 6 / 2012
How to Use Video to Drive More Customers
Here’s a webinar I did for TurnHere customers. If you need video production or professional photography head over to TurnHere.
