joshuago’s business Bookmarks

You've got an amazing service but nobody knows about it. Nobody knows the benefits of building on your API. You have a classic chicken and egg problem. The trick is to think of your API as a product and as a business in and of itself, which means you have to understand how to market it, build awareness, and drive market adoption. And don't be afraid to cannibalize your product in the process.

The economic downturn in the United States has had an unexpected consequence for startups – it has created more of them. Young and old, innovators who are unemployed or underemployed now face less risk in starting a company. They have a lot less to lose and a lot more to gain.

Why are the enterprise people so confused? Why don’t they just quickly adopt the best products without requiring complex sales processes?

Building useful, utilitarian applications is embedded deep in Google's DNA, and this is why they haven't succeeded at building social applications. They're not out to set up frivolous gimmicks because their core values dictate that they do good by their users, not make it easier for them to whittle away their time.

People are not really stupid, it is just that you know a lot more. Don’t let knowledge blind you.

The social value of tags on Del.icio.us is only a happy side-effect. Even though most of the ink spilled about Del.icio.us is about the social value, it’s really not the reason why people use it.

Business is about creating something of value to other people, and selling this thing to the people. Do not get sidetracked by the dream of fast money and fast fame.

Up and down society, people are moving away from commercial, productive activities and toward pleasant, enlightened but less productive ones.

Never tell the whole story in the headline if you want optimal click-through.

Companies have a roving eye: they’re always more interested in the customers they don’t have. So they pour money into sales and marketing to lure new customers while giving their existing ones short shrift, in an effort to minimize costs and maximize revenue.