Outsourcing is something you have to manage.

A few years back, for what seems like a lifetime ago for me now, I was running a small company. One of our projects at the time was to build an online branded-email application targeting the local fashion industry. Back then, it was a pretty open niche, with no, or very few competitors. We felt there was a sufficient demand from the industry based on all the PR the fashion industry sends out before fashion shows, but we knew that the barrier against  entry into this niche was low. We felt we had a window of opportunity, but we had to act fast. We had big dreams, but unfortunately, also shallow pockets.

We didn’t have the in-house staff to take on such a project and to finish it before the next Fashion Week, where ideally, we’d approach fashion designers and their PR staff with the idea. So we made the decision to outsource overseas. This is the story of how not to make the same mistakes we did. Read more…

Management Outsourcing

Chased by thieves? Outpace them.

It might be true that there is no such thing as an original idea. Everything, at one point or another, is copied from something else. Some call this inspiration, others, copyright infringement. I call it a fact of life. Yes, it completely and utterly sucks. No one likes to see their blood, sweat and tears earn others business or praise. It’s like seeing someone else take credit for your children, unconscionable.

But what is one to do? Read more…

CSS/Design, Humour, Marketing, Personal Brand Copied

Sometime you have to try on a lot of hats before you find the right fit.

Many write about articles about “finding your calling” and “living your dreams”. The basic formula reads something like this, “Find something you love to do, and do it for a living”. Easier said than done, in my opinion. Finding your calling is pretty straight forward if you like to act, cook, or design cars. There are set paths for those career-choices, and plenty of university degrees available.

But like many web-folk, my career has taken a zig-zag path to where I am now. The web just wasn’t a career option back when I was in university. Had it been, things probably would have worked out differently. Not that I’m complaining. Over the last decade, I’ve worn several hats and enjoyed the fit of each one. I’ve been an engineer, a photographer, an entrepreneur and a lead web designer. And each role along the way has taught me countless lessons which I continue to benefit from today.

Some may view my career shifts as a product of indecision and uncertainty. Pfft. I believe it to be quite the opposite.  Fifteen years ago, I knew I wanted to create something. I just wasn’t sure what. I tried my hand at a bunch of stuff but none of it felt perfect. So I kept listening, kept working hard, and kept pushing my limits.  I knew my calling would make itself heard, it simply didn’t exist yet. It took me a while, but I’m certain I’ve found it in web marketing intelligence. Unfortunately, this journey can take a very long time for some. That’s the harsh reality of life; for many people:

The world hasn’t caught up to their dreams. Read more…

Life Lessons Switching Careers