Why Usernames are Useless
On Monday, I thought the new bit.ly user interface (UI) was flawed because every time I tried to log in, it stated that my password was invalid. I tweeted about it and was contacted by their support team. After I explained the problem, they told me what to do – use your username to log in, not your e-mail address. The frustration and time suck my oversight caused made me realize the importance of making the barrier to entry for your customers virtually non-existent.
Since the evolution of Facebook Connect, as well as the ability to log in to many sites via Twitter, having a separate username for each site has become pretty much irrelevant. No one forgets their e-mail address, but requiring customers to create a username could actually hinder customer acquisition. There are many sites I have not checked out simply because I didn’t have the time or energy to come up with yet another creative username.
Users will return to your site if they like your product, but you have to get them onto your site first. A company that does this well, in my opinion, is Wiggio. They have a button that allows you to test drive the site before buying in or creating a password. This allows customers to see what all the hype is about, kind of like listening to a 30 second clip of a song on ITunes before purchasing it. They also don’t bother with the username feature. The advantage of this option is that, unlike a video tutorial, it allows the user to experience the site immediately. Patience is not something you should test.
So unless a username is essential to your product, i.e. your product requires customers to interact with one another (social media and online gaming immediately come to mind), I say scrap it. Hopefully bit.ly will change their log-in strategy soon.
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30-Day Reflection
This is officially my 30th blog post in a row. It’s hard to believe how quickly this month flew by. I never struggled to come up with ideas, but there were many times when I didn’t feel like writing or struggled with publishing a piece that I wasn’t completely happy with. Going forward, I still have to decide whether or not I will continue to publish a piece daily or switch to another schedule (most likely 3 times a week). If you have been reading this blog and like it, let me know what you think I should do in the Comments section. I realize I am behind in terms of responding to comments, but I will respond to everyone by Monday. Also, let me know what your favorite blog post is so far and why. This will help me know what to focus on going forward.
7 Things I Learned Over the Course of the Month
- Don’t forget to thank your readers. I am still amazed by how many friends of mine have said they read my blog regularly. Even if I am slow to respond to comments, I really do appreciate them, especially when they are constructive. I welcome comments that challenge my thinking and push me to grow and think outside of my comfort zone. It would have definitely been harder without all the encouragement.
- Big name people are more accessible than you think. They’re also just human. Sure, they may be super smart or incredibly accomplished (or both), but it’s all about how you can relate to someone. The best conversations I’ve had with people at networking events over the past month have had nothing to do with what they or I do, rather what our common interests are.
- Take time to reflect. Consistent execution is important, but if you don’t take time to look at the bigger picture, you’re not going to be able to get to the next level very easily. Awareness is a skill that’s worth developing early on.
- Follow up. This is still something I need to work on, but you really never know how someone you meet can help you. You also never know who is reading your work, so you might as well write the best blog you possibly can. Which brings me to my next point…
- Spell check! One thing that annoys me more than anything else is finding typos on websites and blogs, especially when spell check is built into most web editing software now. There is really no excuse for spelling mistakes. Just don’t make them.
- Say no often. This is another thing I’m still working on. It’s hard when many attractive opportunities arise that you think might help you out. They won’t if they make you less focused. In order to do something well, you have to do it consistently and continually for a long time. Pick that ONE thing you love and focus on being the best at it.
- Start out with attainable goals. Two months ago, my goal was to go the gym every morning at 6:30 am. I am not a morning person. Two months later, I am quitting my gym because I didn’t go one single day during that time. This also goes back to the awareness piece.
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Tonight, I attended an event hosted by Boston Leaders for the Future of Education, a network of people who want to help shape the future of education in Boston and who believe that all students deserve an excellent education. A panel of education entrepreneurs spoke about their failures and successes and why many of them (The Achievement Network, INeedAPencil, BetterLesson) had chosen a for-profit operation model.
Here is why I think this makes sense:
- Grants can expire, but if you create a worthwhile product, you will always have customers that are willing to pay.
- There’s more red tape involved in becoming a non-profit.
- You are held accountable for your failures. This is often not the case in the public school system, especially due to the fact that tenure is so easy to get.
- You have the freedom to focus on what you do well, rather than what a funder wants you to do well. It’s not always the same thing.
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What I Learned From Bill Ford
Tonight I visited a class called The CEO Perspective: Corporations at the Crossroads at MIT Sloan. Bill Ford, who is the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors (and former CEO) of Ford, spoke to the class about leadership and the future of energy. His son, who was in the audience, currently attends Sloan and previously worked at Ford.
During the auto industry crisis, Bill Ford did 2 things that are rare in the corporate world: he decided to stop paying himself a salary and he didn’t cut the college tuition scholarship. At the end of the class, a student raised her hand and mentioned she used to work in product development at Ford. She commented that Bill’s decisions at the time made employees feel like he really cared about them during a period when everyone feared they were going to be laid off. She also told me afterwards that one guy who used to sit across from her cried when he found out the scholarship was not being cut because he had 2 children in college. These stories illustrate the value of customer loyalty and listening to what people want. It’s also important to remember that a company has 2 sets of customers: the people who buy their product and their employees.
Cool Things Ford is Working On
- inflatable rear seat belts
- MyFord Touch – similar to the iPad (one woman asked an interesting question about whether or not the auto industry is the next turf war between Microsoft and Apple)
- Microsoft Hohm smart grid – tells you the optimal time (i.e. cheapest) for your electric car to be plugged in at your house
What I Learned About the Auto Industry and Its Future
- Batteries are the future (vs. oil), and America needs to find a way to support local production.
- One manufacturing job creates 9-10 spinoff jobs. No other industry does this.
- Ford turns their paint fumes (at factories) into fuel.
- The 3 things the auto industry needs to focus on in the future are smart grids, traffic flow management, and personal mobility.
- Bill Ford believes the only true clean energy out there is electric energy. Hydrogen is only good as a stationary source of energy.
- A national energy policy is needed to truly reshape the auto industry.
Advice on Leadership
- “At the end of the day, if a company isn’t about making people’s lives better, they probably don’t deserve to exist.” – Bill Ford
- Invest in companies that you see as long-term partners.
- It’s all about the people. Develop relationships with people at all levels of your company, from the janitor to the receptionist.
- You go into joint ventures to save time and money, but you usually do neither. You often spend more money and more time sorting out your differences.
- Don’t let your company become fat, dumb, and happy.
Advice on Product Development
- Spend on R & D even during the bad times. You never know when this spending will give you an edge over your competitors.
- The most difficult communication is that between marketers (who talk in probabilities and generalities) and engineers (who want specificity). If you have an engineering background and can translate that into marketing terms, you have a job for life. Very few people like this exist in the auto industry right now. Jim Farley is a good example of someone who can speak both languages effectively.
- “I can make whatever you want, just don’t ask me what that is.” – head of product development at Ford
- Product lead times often can’t keep up with the latest trends.
- Be careful about introducing technology for technology’s sake.
- Propietary technology – keep moving one step ahead of the posse (if you can).
Other Companies That Are Making Waves in the Auto Industry
- Octopus (Hong Kong) – tells you how to get from Point A -> Point B via your cell phone (includes the various routing options and their costs)
- A123 – MIT startup that produces batteries
- Better Place – electric car network (model is currently in Israel and Denmark)
- Tata – Indian car company; Ford’s competitor
Background Reading (this was what students were required to read in preparation for the lecture):
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=93
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/business/24ford.html?_r=3&ref=business
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a5PurZLv.cDk
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6379.html
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/jun2009/bw2009064_832265.htm
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- They adapt to change well.
- They know how to get the information they need on short notice and with a limited budget.
- They can adapt to different audiences easily. (prospective customers, funders, and partners)
- They’re good at lying. Because who really knows what the financial projections will be a year from now, much less 5.
- They blend in. Not many consultants or entrepreneurs are on the cover of Time magazine very often.
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Thoughts On Efficiency
Note: I wrote the first draft of this blog post on the back of 3 business cards and a Post-It note. (This is what happens when you ride the T and forget your notebook.)
Sometimes the most efficient thing you can do is just to do something. Startups are a series of trial and error, kind of like standardized test questions you are unable to decipher beyond narrowing them down to 2 possible answer choices. You can revise or refine your strategies later, but ideas are just ideas. No matter how good they are, no one will care if you don’t produce anything.
When I started my blog, I made a commitment to start writing again. 26 posts later (if you count this one), I am glad I stuck with it. I know the writing could be better and my ideas aren’t always as fleshed out as they could be, but at least I’m writing. The point is efficiency is better learned on the job than behind the scenes. It’s the difference between a thinker and a doer.
Because in reality almost every process could be more refined. It’s just a question of priorities and resources. And maybe efficiency is really just the equivalent of chewing with your mouth open – a combination of action and transparency.
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Tip: Use Evernote or SpringPad to save recipes you find online.
Simple Things to Make at Home
1. No-Knead Bread – I know what you’re thinking. Make your own bread? I can’t even boil water! Bread is actually one of the simplest foods to make, and it always tastes better fresh. Plus, think of how much money you’ll be saving. It’s so simple, in fact, that even a 4 year old can make it! Scroll down on the website for the recipe.
2. Stupidly Simple Salmon (I have to thank my aunt for this recipe.) Great food to impress someone with. Everyone always thinks it took hours, but it’s really one of the simplest dishes to make.
1 piece salmon filet (1/2 lb per person); fresh bundle of herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro, thyme -whatever you have or like); parchment paper; salt and pepper, olive oil
Preheat oven to 450. Place a large piece of parchment paper on a rimmed cookie sheet (large enough to encase the fish securely). Smear olive oil lightly on the paper. Place half of the herbs on the paper. Then place the uncut salmon filet on top. Add salt and pepper, a little more olive oil, and the rest of the herbs on top. Fold the parchment paper securely into a neat package. Place in the oven for 15 mins. When you take it out, it must rest for another 10 minutes before you open it.
Note: you want a good fistful of herbs that cover the bottom and top of the fish – don’t be stingy.
3. Crock Pot soups – Crock Pots make your life simple because you don’t really have to cook anything. This lentil soup recipe is as easy as they come and you should have at least half of the ingredients already.
4. 5-minute ice cream – Ok, maybe this isn’t THAT healthy, but it has to be better than the processed stuff, right? Plus, it only takes 5 minutes!
5. Stir-fry: It’s healthy and super simple to make. Cook rice in a rice cooker or pan. Put a spoonful of canola oil in a wok (medium heat setting) and let it heat up. You can test whether the oil is hot by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If it crackles, it’s hot. Add 2 (lightly scrambled) eggs to the wok. Once they are cooked, remove them. Add a little more oil, then dump the rice in. Add soy sauce (to taste) or a different sauce if you’d like. Once the sauce is mixed into the rice, add frozen peas (thawed), frozen shrimp (thawed), sliced mushrooms, scallions, and anything else you’d like. Keep stirring until the veggies are cooked. Turn off the heat and add the scrambled egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Should take 30 minutes or less.
6. Mango Dessert – Never underestimate the power of frozen fruits and veggies. They pack in more nutrients than you might think and are good to have on hand in a pinch or when you run out of ideas for what to make next. This recipe also comes from my aunt. Enjoy! (and if you couldn’t already tell, I have a sweet tooth)
Buy a frozen (14 or 16 oz) pkg of chopped mango and let it thaw. Puree it with the juice from one half of a lime and ¼ cup of sugar. In a cold bowl, beat 1 and ¼ cup heavy cream until pretty stiff peaks form (during the beating add 2 Tablespoons sugar). Fold mango into the whipped cream; put in little ramekins or dishes and chill for a couple of hours.
Tools Needed
Wok (Ikea -$7.99)
Crock Pot (Target – $19.99)
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