프레드 윌슨
Co-founder of Union Square Ventures; daily blogger at AVC
1,102 records in all
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33 basic records of 218
Episodes are real events from public sources, summarised by us.
Indeed tried to charge publishers for a real-time job search API but saw little interest. When they switched to injecting sponsored jobs and sharing revenue with the publishers, demand increased significantly.
LessonIncentivizing developers with revenue sharing is often more effective than charging for API access.
Fred visited Boston and synced his Foursquare check-ins to Twitter. This led to three distant friends adding him, and he successfully met up with two of them in person.
LessonLocation sharing can effectively refresh distant relationships and facilitate real-world connections while traveling.
Etsy founder Rob Kalin decided he did not want to transition into a manager-style CEO. He spent a year recruiting Maria Thomas to take over the reigns so he could preserve what was important about the company.
LessonFounders who recognize their own limits can successfully hand over control if they find a successor who respects the company's vision.
Etsy experienced a significant surge in growth during the 2007 holiday season as the 'buy handmade' ethos gained mainstream traction. This period was marked by a major feature in the NY Times Magazine highlighting their community-driven marketplace.
LessonA company reaches a breakout point when its core values align perfectly with a growing cultural trend.
Epsilon Interactive, formerly known as Bigfoot Interactive, acquired DoubleClick's DartMail business. CEO Al DiGuido had long believed that merging these two New York-based email companies would strengthen their market position.
LessonStrategic acquisitions of competitors can be a powerful way to consolidate an industry and improve profitability.
Fred was the first employee at Nova/CET21 and helped build the sales department from scratch. They managed to hire several hundred great people in less than a year during a very intense period.
LessonEven in chaotic, high-growth environments, it is possible to scale a team rapidly if you focus on hiring great people.
Fred noticed that Technorati had not updated his blog's link count for 66 days, while competitors like Google showed much higher numbers. He compared his stats with other bloggers like Paul Graham and Jeff Jarvis to prove the inconsistency.
LessonAlways benchmark your own performance data against competitors and different platforms to spot technical errors.
TargetSpot initially focused on helping terrestrial radio companies monetize internet streams. They later expanded by adding pure-play internet radio providers like Yahoo! Music and AOL Radio to their network before moving into mobile audio advertising.
LessonDominating a niche first allows a company to build the foundation necessary to expand into broader, emerging markets.
Fred adopted a communication technique from Ranger School called the brief back. He asks people to tell him what he just said and then repeats back what he heard from them to ensure alignment.
LessonManagers should verify that their instructions were understood exactly as intended by having the team repeat them.
Fred implemented new leaderboard and 'like' features from Disqus on his blog to spur participation. He engaged with his readers to debate how to weight 'likes' and measure the relevance of comments versus their popularity.
LessonGamification can drive engagement, but the metrics must be carefully designed to prioritize quality and relevance over mere noise.
During the Eliot Spitzer scandal, Fred observed that traditional media outlets like the NY Times were sourcing content directly from the involved individual's MySpace page. This led to a massive surge in page views for social platforms and niche music sites like Amiestreet.
LessonDigital platforms can capture immediate value from mainstream news cycles through existing user-generated content.
Fred observed that Shutterfly had $66mm in quarterly revenue but a flat stock price, while Photobucket was seeking a similar valuation with much lower revenue. He concluded that the market rewards the growth and social connectivity of open platforms over the steady income of closed ones.
LessonHigh revenue without growth or network effects often leads to a lower valuation multiple compared to high-growth social platforms.
Fred identified a specific need for a music program in a challenging Chicago school environment. He personally contributed $200 and used his platform to raise the remaining $300 needed for the project.
LessonSmall, targeted donations can fully fund meaningful projects when you lead by example and invite others to join.
Fred Wilson reflected on his favorite music to identify works with lasting impact. He selected The Velvet Underground and Nico because it felt more modern than other classics from the same era.
LessonAnalyzing why certain classics endure helps in understanding how to build products with long-term relevance.
Fred Wilson invested in a company called Reciprocal that built a Digital Rights Management system. Despite having Microsoft as a major investor and a working product, they could not convince major content owners to adopt their platform.
LessonEven powerful backers and functional technology cannot save a company if the market refuses to adopt its solution.
Fred outlined his ideal blogroll features in a post, which generated 151 comments. Readers not only discussed the idea but also built five working versions for him to test.
LessonSharing your needs with an engaged community can lead to immediate, functional solutions and prototypes.
Fred's firm invested in Zynga within the Facebook ecosystem and Pinch Media for the iPhone ecosystem. They used these investments to observe and compare how different app platforms evolve.
LessonInvesting in infrastructure or early leaders across different platforms provides a front-row seat to market shifts.
Paul McCartney signed a one-record deal with Starbucks to reach people in a changing world. This move highlighted Starbucks' transition from a coffee shop to a powerful distribution platform.
LessonA strong physical network can become a powerful distribution channel for entirely different industries.
Fred Wilson attended an acoustic solo show by Bruce Springsteen with his son and a friend. While they initially preferred a full band performance, they found the solo piano rendition of Backstreets to be a highlight.
LessonEven when you do not get the exact version of a product or service you expected, a master's performance still offers immense value.
Fred Wilson decided to join FM Publishing to increase his blog's revenue for charitable causes. He believed CPM advertising would outperform the $100-$200 monthly earnings he saw from CPC networks.
LessonIf your current monetization model is underperforming, look for networks that specialize in your specific audience type.
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