28 June 2009 by Change Agent Des
Four years ago — when the iPhone and iPhone apps were just a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye — three Boston-based Venture Capitalists had the courage to invest in Allan MacKinnon and his vision of a new app development platform for mobile phones. These VCs had the courage to bet that mobile apps would be the success that they have become, as well as the courage to back Allan’s contrarian approach to create a platform – called Nemo — that would let developers write a mobile app once and have the app run on over 90% of the phones that people have in their pockets.
With the development of Nemo complete, we’ve decided the best way to enter our “commercialization” phase is as part of a larger, established company — either a hand-set manufacturer, or a company that supplies infrastructure to mobile carriers.
So why will it take courage for a VP at one of these companies to buy Everypoint? It’s not because of product risk; testing proves Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Allan MacKinnon, Apple, Everypoint, Fairhaven Capital, Feature Phones, Mobile App, Mobile Devices, Mobiles, Prism Ventureworks, Smart Phone, Smartphone, Venrock Ventures, Venture Capital, iPhone | 2 Comments »
6 June 2009 by Change Agent Des
In an earlier post, I give my view on the six things it takes to be a good interim executive. In another, I discuss the three cases when, in my view, a business should consider interim executive management. Today I was asked, “Why does interim management work?” Here’s what I said.
No Ulterior Motive: For the interim executive, it’s never about “What’s in it for me?” Or, “What’s the impact on my bonus/options/future job.” Rather, it’s always about, “What’s best for the company? What’s the best way to fix this up so I can move on?”
Key Players Engage: It’s never me that turns a place around. Rather it’s key players – many of them junior managers or individual contributors – who are the ones who make the biggest impact. (In this post I talk about how, in the first week on each assignment, I figure out who those key players are.)
Prior Knowledge: I never cease to be amazed how often I’ll use something that someone taught me, often a long time ago and / or often in a seemingly very different circumstance. This prior knowledge from so many varied situations is key.
Posted in Change Agent, Des Pieri, Desmond Pieri, Interim, Interim Management | Leave a Comment »
2 June 2009 by Change Agent Des
My very first interim assignment a decade ago was at E Ink, the maker of Amazon’s Kindle. I am pleased to see the company was successfully sold and will remain in Boston. Congratulations to Russ Wilcox and the great team at E Ink
Here’s what I say about E Ink in my Resume:
Reporting to the CEO in an interim role as General Manager of a 22-person group within a 100-person VC-funded company that originated out of MIT. Was charged with determining why divisional revenue targets had not been achieved. Although possessing no prior knowledge of the product space or the target markets, within weeks determined that success could not be immediately achieved with the current product in the existing markets. Created and managed four SWAT teams which rapidly conducted exhaustive research to find new market opportunities for the Company’s technologies. Recommended significant modifications in product, distribution, and markets. Today, E Ink’s technology is the display in Amazon’s popular Kindle wireless reading device.
Posted in Amazon, Boston, Change Agent, Des Pieri, Desmond Pieri, E Ink, Eink, Interim, Interim Management, Kindle, MIT, Russ Willcox, Turnaround, Venture Capital | Leave a Comment »
27 May 2009 by Change Agent Des
David Brooks’ NY Times Op-Ed piece, “In Praise of Dullness” provides data from numerous studies as to what does – and does not – make a good CEO. He reports that traits that are NOT associated with being an effective CEO include many things that seem counterintuitive, including: strong people skills, being a good listener, a good team builder, an enthusiastic colleague, a great communicator. He contends that warm, flexible, team-oriented and empathetic people are less likely to thrive as CEOs.
Rather Brooks reports that organized, dogged, anal-retentive, and slightly boring people are more likely to thrive as CEOs! Studies show that traits which correlate well with CEO success include emotional stability and conscientiousness; being dependable, making plans, and following through on those plans. He concludes with, “The CEOs that are most likely to succeed are Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in A Better Way?, David Brooks, Des Pieri, Desmond Pieri, Good CEO, Interim, Interim Management, NY Times, Steve Blank, Steven Gary Blank | Leave a Comment »
11 May 2009 by Change Agent Des
We have an important potential client visiting tomorrow so I’ve lassoed the troops and we just cleaned the office. One of the younger guys asked, “Des, this company will be buying our technology, not our office space. So tell me again why we’re cleaning the office before they arrive.” To which one of the other guys said, “Tell them your story Des.” Here goes.
My first job out of school was working for a large computer company. A few years into the gig, I had an assignment on the New England District staff, one of five guys working for the District manager who managed two dozen Branches.
One of our tasks was for the District Manager and his staff to go to each branch once a year and do an all-day review of everything: sales forecasts, accounts receivable, quality of service, installations, inventory etc. The first time I did one of these reviews, when we arrived at the office, I headed straight for the conference room for the presentations to begin.
But the boss said, “No, Des, we start in the back room at the loading dock, Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in A Better Way?, Des Pieri, Desmond Pieri | 3 Comments »
22 April 2009 by Change Agent Des
I know – she’s your wife, not your mother. But it’s still your responsibility to make sure your kids have something ready to go on May 10th. Here are five ideas:
KiDoodles-Kids-Art-Jewelry You’ll have to move fast on this one, but it’ll be a sure hit. Turn your kids’ art into a piece of handcrafted jewelry she’ll treasure forever.
“Laura Rider’s Masterpiece” Your wife probably has read Jane Hamilton’s The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World, both Oprah’s Book Club selections. This book is hot off the press and a sure hit.
Steep Falls Pillow Mist Your wife will soon adopt a bedtime routine around this relaxing scent. (What happens next will Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in A Map of the World, Bell'occhio Caramels, Daily Grommet, Josh Bach, Kelly Corrigan, KiDoodles-Kids-Art-Jewelry, Laura Rider's Masterpiece, Mother's Day, Oprah's Book Club, Pacific Shaving Company, Past Grommets, Steep Falls Pillow Mist, Susan Boyle, The Book of Ruth, The Middle Place | Leave a Comment »
15 April 2009 by Change Agent Des
Today we were to have our second meeting with senior guys of a major player in the “video on the web” space looking to add video on mobile phones. Their goal: “To achieve the slickness of the iPhone, maybe better, but on everyday phones.” The purpose of today’s meeting was to come up with a spec for a demo app using Everypoint’s product, Nemo.
Four days ago, instead of writing a draft spec, two of our engineers said, “Who needs a spec? We know what people want to see in video on their phones. Let’s just write the application now!” Today, 30 minutes before the start of the meeting, we emailed each of the attendees not a draft spec, but a completed app. They were blown away.
Comments from this stellar group included, “Your guys writing a working app in four days that will run on 1 billion handsets is… Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Allan MacKinnon, Des Pieri, Desmond Pieri, Everypoint, Feature Phones, Mobile App, Mobile Devices, Mobiles, Nemo, iPhone | 1 Comment »
7 April 2009 by Change Agent Des
At Today’s Xconomy Forum: The Future of Mobile Innovation in New England, Jeff Bussgang extracted useful tips out of his CEO Round Table. But the play of the day has to go to Rich Miner of Google; maybe the fact Rich is currently transitioning from Google Android to Google Ventures allowed him to be a bit less reserved. For me, his take away line was,
“If I was talking to someone with a great mobile app idea I’d encourage them to write the app first on the Android platform and then on another platform with a large installed user base.”
This is exactly the reason Android, iPhone, and Blackberry developers have been signing up in droves for Nemo from Everypoint. There are 1.2 billion phones already in the hands of customers today who could instantly download a Nemo app — without any permission required of either their carrier or their handset provider – far larger than iPhone’s 18 million market size.
By the way, where was Jeff Bussgang as the afternoon wore on? Something tells me he would have had tickets for Opening Day!
Posted in Android, Blackberry, Des Pieri, Desmond Pieri, Everypoint, Flybridge Capital Partners, Google, Google Ventures, Jeff Bussgang, Mobile Devices, Nemo, Opening Day, Red Sox, Rich Miner, iPhone, xconomy | 1 Comment »
23 March 2009 by Change Agent Des
This past weekend was our third trip to Pittsburgh. We fall in love with the city every time. Fellow Bostonians, here are six reasons to consider Pittsburgh for your next weekend getaway.
- Cheap, easy flights. Plan ahead and the 1 hour 10 minute flight can be had for $55.
- Cheap, luxurious hotels. The historic Renaissance Hotel in the center of town is offering weekend rooms at $100 a night. Walk across the river and catch a Pirates game at beautiful PNC Park where standing room tickets are only $8 and the food is great though, as The Onion reports, the baseball could be better. Or visit one of the four Carnegie museums, including the seven story Andy Warhol Museum.
- Cheap, easy driving. A rental car for the weekend can be had for $90 all-in, and parking in city center is only $5 a day. And the last mile of the 20 mile drive from the airport is stunning, causing the NY Times to say Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in A Better Way?, Andy Warhol Museum, Carnegie Museums, Church Brew Works, Only city in America with an entrance, PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pirates, Renaissance Hotel, Shenley Park, The Onion, The Strip District | Leave a Comment »
16 February 2009 by Change Agent Des
During my first day of each interim CEO / COO assignment, inevitably I’m invited to what I’m told is an important meeting. And inevitably I refuse. Agreeing with the points made by University of Chicago professor Reid Hastie in his NY times article, “Meetings Are a Matter of Precious Time,” one of the first things I change at each company is the plethora of ineffective meetings.
The tactic I use is simple; I refuse the very first meeting to which I’m invited – no matter how important the subject may appear – by stating that I’ll only even read meeting invitations that include three things. 1. The objective we will achieve by the designated end time. 2. The agenda we’ll rigidly follow during the meeting. 3. The homework required of each attendee before the meeting starts.
The objective can’t be “to discuss…”; it needs to be a decision or an action. Not “We’ll discuss why sales are 20% below plan” but rather Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Change Agent, Des Pieri, Desmond Pieri, Interim, Meetings, NY Times, Reid Hastie, Turnaround, University of Chicago | 2 Comments »
