A failure to focus

You NEED to Focus

This post is an extension of my previous post: Why we need to re-define failure.

When I speak at events, I talk a lot about how a lack of focus will be why you don’t succeed.

For success, you need to focus on one business and not try to pull off multiple things. You must be singleminded in that pursuit, and not be waylaid by other shiny ideas.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/79/9a/59/799a59fbdbea6c6896719274a5416fcd.jpg

Which brings me to my latest failure: AudienceOwl (AO).

Between biz dev for Examine.com, meeting with awesome entrepreneurs for chocolate chip cookies (I may have something bubbling for the Toronto scene soon), and SJO.com, AudienceOwl was not given the full attention it needed. So while my co-founder Martin (more on him later) was grinding and doing an amazing job, me getting tugged in multiple directions meant my contribution to AO was subpar.

The hard part is not coming up with an idea – those are a dime a dozen. The hard part is always in execution, and with my lack of focus, my execution was garbage.

What IS AudienceOwl?

So what does AO do? Three primary things:

  1. It figures out who is behind each email.
  2. It connects with your email list and exports the data seamlessly.
  3. It figures out who the influencers are.

#1 lets you understand your customers

#2 helps you segment your audience.

#3 makes it easy for you to expand your network. Everyone talks about how your network is your net-worth – no one easier to network with than someone already following you.

Marketers love to talk about demographics and “knowing our customers” all the damn time, yet have no clue who is on their own email list.

And considering that your email list is likely your most valuable asset (just see what you can do with a little segmentation)… that’s a huge oversight. And thus a great opportunity in the marketplace.

How AudienceOwl got us into the mainstream

The first magazine we ever got into was Men’s Health UK. Years ago, when I first wrote what became AO, the software would run once a day to analyze all of our newest email subscribers and twitter followers. So I would load it once a day and manually see who was following.

At this time, Examine.com was at ~5000 visitors/day (we’re now at ~60,000 visitors/day)

One day a certain “Ed Vanstone” signed up. I forget what his email address was, but the domain was not something that would normally catch my eye. But his twitter bio caught my eye:

Ed Vanstone Twitter

Digital Director at Men’s Health UK? Why hello sir!

I quickly popped Ed an email saying something akin to “Hi, I’m Sol. Saw you following us, if I can ever help, just let me know.”

Ed replied and took me up on the offer. A few months after that, we were on menshealth.co.uk (our first mainstream website). A few months after that, we were in Men’s Health UK (our first magazine mention). And after that it just snowballed (media is often about leveraging one publication to get into another).

I’m a huge fan of looking at the past to learn what begat what. I’m a huge fan of being retrospective on success. And looking back – the start of it all was us being in Men’s Health UK. Since then, we’ve been mentioned in so many mainstream publications that I honestly cannot remember them all. And we got into Men’s Health UK because of AO.

Without AudienceOwl, Examine.com would have nowhere near the mainstream profile it does.

But wait, there’s more!

All this talk about how useful AudienceOwl is, and I haven’t even mentioned how we utilize AO to convert our customers into our evangelists (check out what Joey Coleman talks about), or how we use it to segment our email list.

Clearly, it does great stuff for us. We know the market needs it.

So how am I counting AudienceOwl as a failure on my part?

How I failed:

We know that AudienceOwl not just a great idea, we also know that the market needs it, and we know that it works. However, beyond my own lack of focus, the website itself was trying to juggle three things simultaneously:

  1. Research your customers
  2. Glean demographic information on your email list (ala segmentation)
  3. Identify influencers

All three are amazingly useful products on their own. But trying to explain all three simultaneously was a bad idea.

For comparison’s sake, Examine.com originally started just covering bodybuilding supplements, then all supplements, then nutrition. It began focusing on one area until it was a home run, and then focused on expanding into new arenas.

With AO, trying to convince someone to buy in across three “products” at once was a bad idea.

In short, I failed my own rule of focusing on one thing at a time.

A further failure to focus…

Those who know me well enough know that while I take few things seriously (thus why we have the #cookielife), I do take my responsibilities very seriously. My modus operandi when starting a business it to get things going, bringing in smart people, and letting them execute and KO.

The issue of the product messaging being diluted was raised by Martin himself. I was so distracted by other things that I did not notice what a blaring issue it was.

So here I was, doing a shitty job (if we are honest), but still hanging around. Why the hell was I sticking around? The todo list kept getting longer…

Business is not a vanity project. You either do the work or you get the hell out of the way. And I was just getting in the way.

The moment of truth

Two Fridays ago, I flew into NYC for the day for an event Todd Herman had put together – a fireside chat with OgilvyOne’s CEO. Afterwards we all headed over to the rooftop at Ink48. New friends were made, and of course the common “so what do you do?” question was asked. And as I deftly avoided the question (I hate it… but I’ll cover that another day), I realized that AudienceOwl was something I only thought of when people asked the “What do you do?” question.

Otherwise I just did not think about it.

The next morning I flew back to Toronto and called up Martin to let him know: “I’m out.” I wasn’t carrying my weight, and we both knew it. I was holding AudienceOwl back.

And so what now for AudienceOwl?

Martin is going to continue to develop it. I’m in the process of divesting my ownership so that it becomes Martins (as I said, business is not a vanity project). I lost money (~$15k). But it was a sunk cost anyway – it was time to cut my losses and move on.

At the same time, it’s a product I still fully believe in. And that’s what I’ve tried to thread throughout this article – that the failure was not the product; the failure was on me. And I specifically say on me – yes it was a failure, but in no way does it dictate that I’m a failure. That’s OK – shit happens.

Don’t take your failure at one thing to mean you are a failure.

What you need to learn from all of this:

  1. AudienceOwl.com was/is a great idea. Knowing more about your own customers is a no-brainer.
  2. The failure was on me.
  3. Yes I failed, but I learned from my mistake.
  4. This one failure does not suggest that I am a failure.
  5. Shit happens.

Your homework…

So you have a few things to do:

  • If you are not signed up as for SJO.com, you need to asap. Beyond my 17 years of experience, I frequently expand on topics via email only.
  • Check out AudienceOwl.com. If you’re serious about entrepreneurship and marketing, you need to get on it
  • Think about what you’re focusing on. Really think about it. And if your focus isn’t tight, re-jigger it up.
xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosofutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbethttps://bsport.fithttps://onbet88.ooohttps://i9bet.bizhttps://hi88.ooohttps://okvip.athttps://f8bet.athttps://fb88.cashhttps://vn88.cashhttps://shbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩaAG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *