About me
People sometimes ask for information about the projects I've worked on. Here's a partial list, followed by my resume.
Creation of publishing software company. I founded and ran Century Software, the world's first downloadable PostScript font company. We had thousands of customers worldwide, and built alliances with the major publishing software companies of the time, such as Adobe, Aldus, and Cricket. The company also did custom Macintosh programming. We were listed in the Macintosh 100 list by Macintosh Buyer's Guide, and the products were rated four mice by MacUser.
Defining the market for phone services. I developed the user segmentation and tested product concepts for a series of new phone services being considered by a network services company. The work involved two quantitative studies plus focus groups. The research and analysis was all completed in less than a month, to enable presentation of the company's three year plan to the board of directors. As a result of my analysis, they chose to emphasize three services in particular, and changed their target market. The Board approved the plan.
Use of online enthusiasts as a marketing multiplier. PalmSource needed to document the wide range of vertical market software available for Palm OS, but didn't have the money to fund the creation of dozens of vertical market whitepapers. So my team and I recruited 50 volunteer authors from the Palm OS user base to create written “Expert Guides” which we hosted online. The guides were very well received by the press, were used as collateral in business development, and were heavily referenced on Google (we usually showed up on the first page of search results for a topic). Total cost for creation and ongoing maintenance of 50 guides: under $3,000 per quarter.
Worldwide handheld and smartphone opportunity. Palm OS licensees didn't understand what their market opportunities were. This was constraining growth of the company. I led a worldwide initiative to define the market potential for handhelds and smartphones. The project included conjoint studies in the US, UK, France, Germany, and China; followed by focus groups. Output from the project included a whitepaper, presentation, and video on product opportunities, which was used to recruit and educate licensees, partners, and developers.
Product road map. I created and drove a new product strategy process for a consumer electronics firm. Through research, we determined the target segments and the problems we could solve for them. I then organized and led a cross-company effort in which engineering and product marketing constructed long-term product road maps in each of the target segments. These road maps were used to guide product development, creating the first long-term product strategy the company had produced in four years.
Marketing outreach in preparation for an assault for Microsoft. A software company was under assault from new, heavily funded competitors. I led a company-wide marketing campaign that included advertising, collateral, creation of new sales tools, and a worldwide press and analyst briefing tour. The result: stable market share despite being heavily outspent by Microsoft.
Creation of a new PC market segment. A computer hardware company wanted to enter the Windows PC market with differentiated systems. I led development of the marketing strategy, including research to identify the target user segmentation, creation of a visual design language to appeal to the target (colors, textures, graphics), creation of a new brand name, creation of an online store, and selection of a new advertising agency for the company.
Discontinuation of a brand. You have to know when to walk away. Sales of a computer brand were stagnant and the product line's margins were substandard. Through research I determined that the brand had become associated with the idea of low-end, obsolete technology, causing dealers to shun it and customers to refuse to pay full price for it. We discontinued the brand and repositioned the products.
Resume
USERTESTING, INC, CA 2013-present
VP Product Marketing, VP Mobile
UserTesting is a startup creating a new world of on-demand human insight, via saas and crowdsourcing. I've helped the company grow from 29 employees to about 300.
CERA TECHNOLOGY, INC, CA 2009-2013
CEO
We worked on a web/mobile service to help business people stay on top of the flow of information through their lives.
RUBICON CONSULTING , CA 2006-2010
Principal
A high tech consultancy specializing in market and product definition, go-to-market planning, business model optimization, and competitive war-planning.
PALMSOURCE, INC. Sunnyvale, CA 2001-2005
Chief Competitive Officer / Vice-President of Strategic Marketing
Led key marketing initiatives. Worked with the CEO to plan company strategy. Identified target markets and how to win them. Created core marketing messages and content.
- Strong role in refocusing company on smartphones. Heavy interaction with operators and mobile phone makers in US, Asia, Europe; working on both product plans and business models.
- Partnered with licensing team to recruit new licensees and open up new market categories.
- Conceived and managed initiative using volunteer authors worldwide to create an online guide to Palm OS software called the Expert Guides.
- Led major worldwide PR campaign to communicate Palm OS advantages.
PALM, INC. Santa Clara, CA 1999-2001
Vice-President of Product Planning (2000-2001)
Created and managed Palm's product planning and long-term product strategy process. Drove creation of product and solutions road map, managed definition phase reviews of new products, coached teams on product feature and business decisions. Tracked programs' progress throughout development, and helped resolve problems when they occurred.
- Championed termination of unprofitable geographies and development projects.
Chief Competitive Officer (1999-2000)
Acted as a lead spokesperson worldwide, created core messages, and led competitive strategy.
- Championed company's decision to dramatically increase marketing investment. Sales subsequently rose 107% year over year.
- Focused company's messaging down to three points that were picked up by press and analysts.
- Senior spokesperson. Keynote speaker at PalmSource conference. Numerous press interviews and presentations to conferences, journalists, and customers. Featured in Wall Street Journal, Computerworld, etc.
SOFTBOOK Menlo Park, CA 1999
Vice-President of Marketing (acting)
Led product and outbound marketing for pre-IPO startup that developed electronic books and secure document distribution systems.
SILICON GRAPHICS Mountain View, CA 1997-1998
Director of Strategic Marketing, Personal Workstations
Created outbound marketing team for new business unit that created SGI's first Windows/Intel systems. Budget $32 million per year, staff of 25.
- Led marketing's role in website/e-commerce development, and in SGI-Intel alliance negotiations that led to comarketing and other shared activities.
- In case you don't remember this product, here's what ArsTechnica wrote about it. It was a beautiful dream.
APPLE COMPUTER Cupertino, CA 1987-1997
Director of Marketing, Home & Education Division (1996-1997)
Created product and worldwide marketing group for newly-formed home and education division. Product marketing, business management, business development, central marcom. Staff of 20, yearly run rate of two million units.
Director of Mac Platform Marketing (1994-1996)
Created Apple's Mac vs. Windows marketing team. Company leadership in business strategy, messaging, guerrilla marketing, and sales support. Created the core differentiation messages used by all of Apple.
Director of Competitive Analysis (1990-1994)
Led team responsible for making Apple respond to external threats and opportunities. Sparked creation of popular ad campaigns (“Hard Way / Easy Way”), and supported the salesforce (including weekly e-mails, monthly audio tape, presentations).
PRIOR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES:
CENTURY SOFTWARE. Founded software company that created desktop publishing software and did custom programming. Ran all aspects of the business, including product development. Products rated four mice by MacUser and placed on Macintosh 100 list by Macintosh Buyer's Guide.
JOURNALIST. News editor at various trade magazines.
EDUCATION
BA in International Relations, with departmental honors. UCLA. Los Angeles, CA. Also heavy journalism training.
LANGUAGES
French, PostScript, C.