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June 23, 2005

Virtual Hot Air

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As previously mentioned, a few weeks ago had a lot of fun talking to the Silicon Valley AMA. Great group, great discussion.

If you're interesting in seeing/hearing the Playbook stuff as a pitch...

Special thanks to Bill Hopps of Coreography for recording and setting up these files. Coreography does a great job producing all kinds of multi-media content for marketing and sales. Check them out.

Posted by johnza at 08:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 22, 2005

Seattle = Digital Media Hollywood?

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Not that I actually know anything about the topic (of course that has never stopped me from spouting opinions before), but a month or so ago I joined a very cool panel to discuss this issue.

I love Seattle and I am not sure I love Hollywood (or at least not everything about it). So if you want to hear what I and a group of much more informed folks think about the Seattle technology, media and start-up environment and future, click here (warning it's a bit long).

The other panelists were...

The Washington Software Alliance (WSA) is a great group and does a great job at these panels and topics. They are the oldest and largest state-wide technology trade association. Check out their other events.

Thanks also to Alix Erickson for setting up the audio files (and congrats on your promotion)

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June 03, 2005

The Case Against Perfection

Way too often, especially in the VC business, talk of the beautiful future takes up a lot more time (and warm air) than talk of the practical steps needed to make progress. I can't even count the number of companies that come in talking about the amazing "platform" they have built (meaning technology rather than business platform) that will make them a huge industry leaders someday without any idea of the actual thing they could offer that real customers will buy now. I can't count the number of geniuses with the ideal plan for the perfect situation in the market - who have no idea what they will do in the wild eccentricities of the market.

Thus it was really refreshing to chat with a CEO recently who had a great focus on all three of the ABCs - the vision, yes, the roadmap yes, but also a starting point that simply made sense, even if it wasn't pristine or ideal. In the midst of our conversation she had a terrific quotation:

"Never let PERFECT get in the way of BETTER."

Boy are these words to live by, not just in marketing, or business but in all of your life. Here a number of other quotes that reinforce the same sentiment that I just thought were fun to keep in mind:

"Perfectionism is the enemy of creation, as extreme self-solitude is the enemy of well-being." - John Updike

"A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week." - George S. Patton

"The man who insists on seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides." - Henri-Frédéric Amiel

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business." - Michael J. Fox

"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it." - Salvador Dali

"Strive for excellence, not perfection." - H. Jackson Brown Jr.

"I don't confuse greatness with perfection. To be great anyhow is…the higher achievement." - Lois McMaster Bujold

"A diamond with a flaw is worth more than a pebble without imperfections." - Chinese Proverb

Maybe I like these because I think action and failure and learning are the key to all forms of evolution -- or maybe I like these because they make me feel better about myself ;-)

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