What I've learned over the last 20 years in tech

What I've Learned Over the Last 20 Years in Tech

I recently joined Anthony Pompliano for a conversation on The Pomp Podcast. This is a juicy one, where we dive into my thoughts on choosing bootstrapping vs. venture capital, why creators are the next founders, and why labor costs are decreasing and marketing costs are increasing. Anthony's expertise is in all things finance, crypto, and the economy, so I really enjoyed this conversation, which covers a different set of topics than some of the other podcasts I've been on.

The Rise of Superpower Tech

One of the coolest evolutions in tech over the past decade has been the rise of superpower tools—ones that create a "bridge of access" between a user's current abilities and the skills they need to create something. The emergence of so many thoughtful "no code" tools—everything from Airtable to Squarespace to Canva—has given everyone the opportunity to be a creator, as well as minimize the amount of time it takes to create something. Superpower tech helps you do just that—become "super" at whatever it is you want to do. Which tools can you not live without?

29 Zoom Alternatives

In April 2020, about a month in to the pandemic, Zoom hit a record 300 million daily meeting participants. By comparison, at the end of 2019, Zoom had only 10 million daily meeting participants. That is mind-boggling growth. Practically overnight, people started using Zoom for everything. While the video communication app's popularity has soared, only about 30% of the people my FYI team recently surveyed said they would be very disappointed if they could no longer use Zoom. Here's why: there is no lack of viable competitors. Here are 29 alternatives to pay attention to. 

Why You Need a Product Sieve

Product development is one of those things that doesn't often have a clearly defined end goal. There is always something else that could be done, so random things end up making their way into a roadmap just to keep a team busy and a product moving forward. I agree with Tyler Wince: We should be more rigorous about validating the value of every single feature and unit of work we add into our products. You're probably working on valueless features without even realizing it. Here's how you can stop doing that. 

How to Create the Ultimate Lead Capture Page

Whether you're trying to get people to sign up for a free trial of your product, join a webinar, or download a digital guide, you'll have to create a lead capture page at some point. Knowing how to create a great one can make all the difference. This is a fantastic list of 11 actionable things you can do to create a lead capture page that will get you the conversions you're looking for. 

How to Reduce Crisis-Driven Product Churn

Every business loses customers, no matter how great it is. This reality hits home a bit harder given the pandemic we're facing this year. I've seen many startups make the mistake of focusing a ton on acquisition and not nearly enough on retention. But, the latter is significantly cheaper and ultimately your source of sustainable growth. This is great advice for building a culture that values customer retention. My favorite suggestion: Make sure you implement a CRM system and make it a priority to develop stellar relationships with as many of your customers as possible. 

How to Ready Your SaaS Startup for Growth Post-COVID-19

We're months into the pandemic and a "new normal" is finally settling in for many companies. If your startup is going to survive, it's important to use this time to build internal processes that allow you to hit the ground running once conditions allow for it—lockdown or not. Here are a few of the things you need to do: get your data in order, set up and optimize your CRM, and maximize your outbound lead generation efforts. Read on to learn more about each. 

Collaborating in an Empty Room

There are countless benefits to working remotely, but one of the big challenges is collaboration. This is a very useful guide to making collaboration work when your team is remote. A few of the key things to consider: establish ground rules, find alternatives to being in the same room, recognize your new limits and capabilities, and reaffirm your core principles. This is a must-read for all managers and leaders.