Comments for The Strategy Fox http://thestrategyfox.com Entrepreneurship and Business Strategy Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:59:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 Comment on Killing Netflix “Profiles” - A Stupid Business Decision by tony http://thestrategyfox.com/2008/06/killing-netflix-profiles-a-stupid-business-decision/#comment-87 tony Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:09:20 +0000 http://thestrategyfox.com/?p=112#comment-87 It is disappointing, but I'd have to imagine we're in the 1% of people (or less) who figured out how cool the feature is/was. Judging by the outcry, maybe it's a decision they'll reconsider. It is also odd though - the best part about Netflix (in my opinion) is the ability to manage your queue. And it's huge lock-in - you're not going to take your 150-movie queue with you. Bah! It is disappointing, but I’d have to imagine we’re in the 1% of people (or less) who figured out how cool the feature is/was. Judging by the outcry, maybe it’s a decision they’ll reconsider.

It is also odd though - the best part about Netflix (in my opinion) is the ability to manage your queue. And it’s huge lock-in - you’re not going to take your 150-movie queue with you.

Bah!

]]> Comment on Killing Netflix “Profiles” - A Stupid Business Decision by jacksonfox http://thestrategyfox.com/2008/06/killing-netflix-profiles-a-stupid-business-decision/#comment-86 jacksonfox Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:25:29 +0000 http://thestrategyfox.com/?p=112#comment-86 Gotta say this is really disappointing. Our entire Netflix experience revolves around using multiple queues so that we always have one movie and a bunch of TV shows on hand. Gotta say this is really disappointing. Our entire Netflix experience revolves around using multiple queues so that we always have one movie and a bunch of TV shows on hand.

]]> Comment on TripIt and Dopplr - A Match (which could be) Made in Heaven by jeckman http://thestrategyfox.com/2008/04/tripit-and-dopplr-a-match-which-could-be-made-in-heaven/#comment-85 jeckman Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:09:44 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2008/04/tripit-and-dopplr-a-match-which-could-be-made-in-heaven/#comment-85 Another approach I've tried is to use both TripIt and Dopplr - using Dopplr for the "badge" it enables users to put in the blog sidebar, but using TripIt to actually create and manage trips. Dopplr can subscribe to an iCal feed, and TripIt publishes an iCal feed. I describe <a href="http://www.openparenthesis.org/2008/03/06/tripit-to-dopplr-auomtation" rel="nofollow">how to connect Dopplr to TripIt here</a>. It does have issues, though, in my experience - the Dopplr account subscribed to the feed thinks trips get deleted just before they occur - so it shows an accurate badge right up to the day before the trip, but then deletes the trip? Still looking into it. Another approach I’ve tried is to use both TripIt and Dopplr - using Dopplr for the “badge” it enables users to put in the blog sidebar, but using TripIt to actually create and manage trips.

Dopplr can subscribe to an iCal feed, and TripIt publishes an iCal feed.

I describe how to connect Dopplr to TripIt here.

It does have issues, though, in my experience - the Dopplr account subscribed to the feed thinks trips get deleted just before they occur - so it shows an accurate badge right up to the day before the trip, but then deletes the trip? Still looking into it.

]]> Comment on E*Trade Crash a Boon for the Likes of Zecco? by tony http://thestrategyfox.com/2007/11/etrade-crash-a-boon-for-the-likes-of-zecco/#comment-56 tony Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:13:37 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2007/11/etrade-crash-a-boon-for-the-likes-of-zecco/#comment-56 A little history lesson is in order. Etrade’s big innovation in the early 2000’s was to consolidate their brokerage and bank balance sheets so that they could take all that idle cash in customers’ brokerage accounts and use it to buy mortgage backed securities. The big benefit being that they took on a little more risk but got higher interest rates on the cash and made more money off their customers. Now it seems that the “little more risk” has turned into “a lot more risk”. However, the other brokerages have not been as aggressive as Etrade and therefore are not significantly affected by the mortgage write-down. It's definitely a boon for businesses that didn't follow E*Trade's model. On Monday, E*Trade's competitors' stocks prices (like Schwab, TD Ameritrade) were up about 6.5%. For more discussion: http://www.zecco.com/forums/ETrade-Mortgage-Concerns-Threaten-O-17931_1.aspx A little history lesson is in order. Etrade’s big innovation in the early 2000’s was to consolidate their brokerage and bank balance sheets so that they could take all that idle cash in customers’ brokerage accounts and use it to buy mortgage backed securities. The big benefit being that they took on a little more risk but got higher interest rates on the cash and made more money off their customers. Now it seems that the “little more risk” has turned into “a lot more risk”. However, the other brokerages have not been as aggressive as Etrade and therefore are not significantly affected by the mortgage write-down.

It’s definitely a boon for businesses that didn’t follow E*Trade’s model. On Monday, E*Trade’s competitors’ stocks prices (like Schwab, TD Ameritrade) were up about 6.5%.

For more discussion: http://www.zecco.com/forums/ETrade-Mortgage-Concerns-Threaten-O-17931_1.aspx

]]> Comment on Owners vs. Operators: A Career Choice by tony http://thestrategyfox.com/2007/11/owners-vs-operator-a-career-choice/#comment-55 tony Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:46:52 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2007/11/owners-vs-operator-a-career-choice/#comment-55 You know what I'd say man. The service industry (consulting, banking, etc.) does very little for you in terms of practical or usable experience. I had it a little better with ACN, cause they actually do stuff. Nothing beats jumping in with both feet. So get out of the consulting BS and do something real =) Also - being an "entrepreneur" should not be a goal in and of itself. One of my prof's in college said you should only start a company if it's the ONLY way you can do something that you need to do. I think that's great advice... You know what I’d say man. The service industry (consulting, banking, etc.) does very little for you in terms of practical or usable experience. I had it a little better with ACN, cause they actually do stuff. Nothing beats jumping in with both feet. So get out of the consulting BS and do something real =)

Also - being an “entrepreneur” should not be a goal in and of itself. One of my prof’s in college said you should only start a company if it’s the ONLY way you can do something that you need to do. I think that’s great advice…

]]> Comment on New Insights In the Quest for an All-Business-Class Domestic Airline by Dan Moniz http://thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/more_thoughts_all-business-class_airline/#comment-53 Dan Moniz Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:52:35 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/more_thoughts_all-business-class_airline/#comment-53 Midwest is reconfiguring their entire fleet, MD-80s and Boeing 717s, to offer both Signature Service (2 by 2 business class seating) and Saver Service (2 by 3 seating) on all flights, so it'll cease to be an all-business-class airline, though I imagine even the Saver Service will be a pretty high-end coach service compared to other carriers. Midwest is reconfiguring their entire fleet, MD-80s and Boeing 717s, to offer both Signature Service (2 by 2 business class seating) and Saver Service (2 by 3 seating) on all flights, so it’ll cease to be an all-business-class airline, though I imagine even the Saver Service will be a pretty high-end coach service compared to other carriers.

]]> Comment on Putting it Together: The Credit Crunch, A Weak Dollar, and Entrepreneurship by Imminent slowdown - Blame the “YouTube effect” « Technology, Venture Capital, Private Equity http://thestrategyfox.com/2007/08/putting_it_together/#comment-36 Imminent slowdown - Blame the “YouTube effect” « Technology, Venture Capital, Private Equity Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:20:10 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2007/08/putting_it_together/#comment-36 [...] are entering a phase of self reflection. Ref. - Fred Wilson’s piece, Read Write Web et al. The dampening impact of the sub prime crisis is already too well documented for further [...] [...] are entering a phase of self reflection. Ref. - Fred Wilson’s piece, Read Write Web et al. The dampening impact of the sub prime crisis is already too well documented for further [...]

]]> Comment on New Insights In the Quest for an All-Business-Class Domestic Airline by tony http://thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/more_thoughts_all-business-class_airline/#comment-35 tony Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:29:34 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/more_thoughts_all-business-class_airline/#comment-35 dude, i just realized how into airlines you are... ever consider working for like virgin america or something? that might actually fit pretty well. dude, i just realized how into airlines you are… ever consider working for like virgin america or something? that might actually fit pretty well.

]]> Comment on Earn My Tweets by Jackson http://thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/earn-my-tweets/#comment-34 Jackson Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:49:35 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/earn-my-tweets/#comment-34 1. Grab your Facebook status RSS feed 2. Plug it in to http://www.rss2twitter.com/ or http://twitterfeed.com/ 3. Go nuts signing up for every "presence" app on earth: Dopplr, Plazes, Jaiku, etc. 1. Grab your Facebook status RSS feed
2. Plug it in to http://www.rss2twitter.com/ or http://twitterfeed.com/
3. Go nuts signing up for every “presence” app on earth: Dopplr, Plazes, Jaiku, etc.

]]> Comment on The Gluten-Free Niche by Jackson http://thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/the-gluten-free-niche/#comment-26 Jackson Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:02:48 +0000 http://www.thestrategyfox.com/2007/09/the-gluten-free-niche/#comment-26 You should try <a href="http://www.newgrist.com/" rel="nofollow">New Grist</a>. We found it at the World Beer Fest last year and I was impressed. It's very light, but pretty tasty. You should try New Grist. We found it at the World Beer Fest last year and I was impressed. It’s very light, but pretty tasty.

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