Web Strategy, Co-Founder HyLo & Spunch - Aaron Post - The life and times of a startup (and everything else).

You will fail when….

by aaronpost on February 4, 2010

Just a few observations I made over the years while working for various companies and startups.

Communication is not your teams #1 Priority.
The roles within your team are not clearly defined.
The voices in your head block everyone elses in the room.
You aim to please instead of aiming to perfect.
Mission and/or Goal is not thought about in every decision by everyone within company
When to much time is focused on $$$
When not enough time is spent on $$$
The roadmap is not constantly revised as the business grows

I’m sure there are thousands more I could post and maybe over time I will. As I am starting a few new ventures, these were the key ones that I have been thinking about. If you have more, please feel free to post.

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The Kindle, iPad and the Library

by aaronpost on February 1, 2010

Do you remember talking about “that time in the future” when we may no longer need a library? Well, that time is here, sort of.

While I applaud technology and its ability to increase efficiency, reduce over all cost, etc., I am beginning to question this next bold step we are about to take. I know its been talked about for years but the perfect storm is brewing and it doesn’t look pretty for those who can’t afford it.

Every State is going through budget cuts and its only a matter of time before a library or 9 as in the case for Phoenix. Not a big deal you say, well it may not be except when I think about all the books I check out and how much I read, I’m not sure that my wife, my kids and I could afford to pay for that kind of expense. Could you? (Ex. my family 14 books a month * 9.99 to 14.99 per book, that adds up quickly and that doesn’t include magazines, papers, etc.) One could argue that its just a shift from paying the government to paying a business, except I am pretty sure the government is not going to reduce my bill any. Then you have newspapers and magazines who in time will cut the print edition.

I realize there will be a whole new business built from this shift (netbooks – like netflix only for books), but I am curious what this will really mean for those not in riding the digital wave? In the state of AZ, 15.6% of the population is below the poverty level and I would bet that number will increase this year, again I ask if we had no library today, where will that that group get their information at a low cost. As we boldly move to the digital era (which I am looking forward to) I have a growing concern for the where my information will come from and how we are going to pay for it.

SIDENOTE: Do I sound cheap? I do buy books from time to time

Last time I was at the library (last weekend) it was packed, I had to wait 20 minutes to check out a few books? This is not an alarm or some sort of “save the library” post, just a reminder of that conversation you had years ago about the library going away. I don’t believe its going to happen today or tomorrow, but I do believe we should really begin a dialogue about this migration away from this very low cost resource that so many depend on.

With each great leap someone (or something) will be left behind, who will it be and what will it mean.

And don’t worry about me, I already have my pre-order in on the iPad.

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$1,209 a year

by aaronpost on January 5, 2010

In case you were thinking of doing a startup on the side, $1,209 is what is cost in coffee. Please keep in mind that does not include:

Food
itunes (need inspiration)
Fuel
Water (by the bottle)
Snacks
Sugar Water
Movies (more inspiration)

Just thought you should know, Happy New Year!

DISCLAIMER: This is for those working from coffee shops and not from the home office, work place or friends house.

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Looking for a Social Media Strategy?

by aaronpost on December 21, 2009

The Ultimate, be all end all, one size fits all Social Media Strategy

View more documents from Christian Verschaeren.

Just to good not to post.

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I’m a Entreprenuer

by aaronpost on December 16, 2009

Seriously, that is what the guy said when asked what he does for a living.

No you’re not.

You don’t go to school to be an “entrepreneur”
You don’t apply for jobs with the title of “entrepreneur”
You don’t just buy a laptop and work at a coffee shop or co-working space and call yourself an “entrepreneur”
You don’t get biz cards with the title “entrepreneur”
You don’t just start a blog, make 25cents and call yourself an “entrepreneur”

Sorry for the rant, I know its cool to drop that word into your title “entrepreneur”, especially when you say I plan on being a “serial entrepreneur”. Yea, that’s hot?

First you need to understand the word before you throw it around:

An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of an enterprise, or venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks.

ITS NOT A TITLE, its a classification so stop it already.

Again, sorry for the rant but I spoke with two people in the last three days telling me they are “entrepreneurs”. Put the textbooks down and go do something worth talking about, then I might call you something more than a monkey.

#justsayin