As I write this, it’s New Year’s Day. It’s a holiday, and I shouldn’t be working. I should be doing things that make me happy and bring me peace and joy. I’m in Palm Springs, California with Geraldine and Sarah and Eric (and their 2 year old son). We rented a house with a small
The “Click-My-Bio” Litmus Test
I’m guilty of giving some bad, incomplete advice. I talk a lot about how to engage with influencers and how to earn the attention and awarenes of folks who might help you amplify your messages to a larger audience. It’s a good tactic and I stand by it. If you’re trying to reach people, building
Mixergy Interview On Startup Marketing, Reaching Early Adopters, Burnout, & More
A few weeks ago, Andrew Warner of Mixergy interviewed me on a number of topics. We started by talking about launching a startup marketing strategy, got deep into the tactical process of earning an audience, and ended discussing some of the challenges I’ve had at Moz this year. (Andrew via Extra Pack of Peanuts) Andrew
Can’t Sleep; Caught in The Loop
During the worst weeks of this year, I’ve had this weird mental cycle that, despite being incredibly exhausted, keeps me awake. In my head, I’ve taken to calling it “The Loop.” (photo credit: Geraldine in Paris) The Loop starts out with something small. I’ll be lying awake, in bed, trying to fall asleep, and thinking
Swapping Drivers on this Long Road Trip Together
2013 has been a really hard year for me. In many ways, it’s been harder than even the 2002-2006 era when my Mom and I went deeply into debt and worried about paying the rent and being chased by creditors. Some of that is attributable to the less-than-what-I-hoped-for results the business achieved (mostly because we
Launching Adventure Teams at Moz
Like many software companies moving from the early to growth stage, we’ve experienced our fair share of challenges and pains. At the start of 2012, there were ~50 Mozzers, a very flat management structure, and things like process, communication, and planning were fairly simple. But over the next 12 months, we more than doubled to
How Can a CEO Lead Social Media Efforts for Their Company?
One of the best parts about Foundry’s investment in Moz last Spring was the incredible access to other CEOs, founders, and companies in their portfolio. I’ve had at least a half dozen phone conversations, more than a dozen in-person chats, and a few invaluable get-togethers with my Foundry cousins and learned a tremendous amount every
Why “Checking the Boxes” Doesn’t Work for Hiring or Promoting
As founders, managers, and interviewers, we’ve all been tempted. The person we’re seeking for this position needs to be X, Y, and Z. We’ve already got someone on the team who checks those boxes. Let’s do the easy thing and promote from within. It looks good to the team because we’re showing that there’s a
The First Existential Threat to SEO
There have been thousands of articles over the years proclaiming the “Death of SEO.” The topic is usually just a punching bag for page-view hungry publications with no interest in facts. But, this past week, with Google’s indications that keyword (not provided) would be headed to 100%, I wondered whether the next “SEO is Dead”
The T-Shaped Web Marketer
There’s been a good amount of talk on the web about the “T-Shaped” marketer becoming a model for the future. Several articles will go into more depth than I can, but I did want to share my thoughts on the topic and an illustration I made for a recent presentation.