Author Archives: payne

Lottery Avoidance: Domain Expertise

Posted on August 5, 2011 by payne

Continuing my ad-hoc series on avoiding the entrepreneurial lottery for pure software Internet/mobile projects:  another “unfair advantage” is deep domain experience around your product and market. In this context, this means at least a few years experience in the domain, … Continue reading →

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Update on Search Query Hijacking

Posted on August 4, 2011 by payne

Earlier this year, I wrote about Frontier Communications hijacking Google searches (and documented the technical details).  I wrote Maggie Wilderotter, Frontier’s CEO.  I immediately heard back from her, and by May, her team asserted to me that they were no longer … Continue reading →

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Lottery Avoidance: Have a Real Asset

Posted on August 3, 2011 by payne

If you’re one of the five people that read this blog, you know I’ve become negative on many pure-software/Internet/mobile entrepreneurial projects.  Low barriers to entry create a competitive, weedy ecosystem that becomes a lottery for many entrepreneurs.  (Investors have a … Continue reading →

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Recommended: “Venture Deals”

Posted on August 1, 2011 by payne

I don’t know any entrepreneurs that love raising money. It’s usually a necessary part of startups, but most entrepreneurs I know have their passion directed at their product, market, and customers, NOT at investment deal minutia.  Also, for funding rounds, entrepreneurs have to … Continue reading →

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The Entrepreneurial Lottery

Posted on July 29, 2011 by payne

A recent Financial Times article about Facebook’s stunning growth struck a chord with me: … I am concerned that he [Zuckerberg] sets an example of meteoric success that virtually no one else will ever be able to repeat. But wannabes … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Ramblings | 2 Comments

Google+ is the New Bar in the Neighborhood

Posted on July 14, 2011 by payne

The more time I spend with Google+, the more I’m convinced XKCD got it exactly right:  it’s Facebook that’s not Facebook. Many Google+ reviewers focus on “Circles” and “Hangouts”, which are great features.  I also think they’re relatively easy to … Continue reading →

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It’s All About Iteration

Posted on July 7, 2011 by payne

With Google+, we’re now reading the comparisons with Facebook, and the inevitable commentary on the commentary. I think Google+ is very interesting (and doesn’t suck), but it’s too early to tell how it will play out.  Google’s biggest hurdle is not Facebook’s … Continue reading →

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Video Chat is Now a Feature, Not a Product

Posted on July 6, 2011 by payne

I tried out the new Facebook Video chat.  It worked great — there was a small download/install, but after that, it was click-and-go. I’m really wondering what Skype gets out of this.  Facebook’s chat is not integrated with Skype at … Continue reading →

Posted in Ramblings, Software | 1 Comment

Turntable.fm and the iTunes Era

Posted on June 22, 2011 by payne

I love turntable.fm. It’s a well-executed simple app offering virtual music “rooms”.  You can just listen, or be one of 5 DJs selecting songs for that room.  It’s a fun way to share music with friends and co-workers.  It’s taking … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Software | 3 Comments

Facebook Is The New Internet

Posted on May 9, 2011 by payne

Well, not quite, but it certainly feels that way!  When did marketers stop using their own URLs in ads and start using Facebook URLs? It’s amusing how this seems to have come full circle.  Many users started out on AOL, … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Software | 1 Comment