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Is DTC the natural end-state for e-commerce?
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5 min read
Most of this thinking is not my own. I’ve spent the last few months living in e-commerce with my team at Versett (Omid & Betty) and more recently had thoughts triggered by recent posts from Elena Burger and Web Smith of 2PM. The question at hand: Is DTC the future of retail? Let’s start by…
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Thinking Like a Software Company
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7 min read
Originally published on the Versett Blog Over the last ten years, your customers have dramatically changed. Their behaviours, habits, and technical aptitude have evolved and will continue to do so. They expect to be able to interact with you through digital channels of their choosing and have high expectations of those interactions. This disconnect between…
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I am a strange loop
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8 min read
Having spent a lot of time reading about growth loops, Reforge, and complexity theory, I wanted to explore the possibility that everything is a loop. There has been an emergence of loops as a topic in the product/growth/tech discourse over the last few years. As our understanding of digital products matures, we can analyze and…
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The separation of thinking and doing
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9 min read
I started this post almost 2 years ago, but never finished it. There was always something missing from my perspective on Skin in The Game, and why I don’t necessarily agree that it’s the only way. Since then, I have read a couple books that helped shape my thinking further. Knowing it’s been so long,…
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A Compound Life
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17 min read
This post is a bit more personal development than I would like, but am publishing it anyway. Introduction The first half of your life is commonly conceived of as the best half (youth, memories, earning power, freedom, etc.). But what about the second half? How can we make that better? When you plant an oak…
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Taking a systems view of an organization
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7 min read
Surviving in the new digital economy has required a new set of tools. As companies—equipped with more data and more powerful tools—become smarter, staying competitive is more challenging. Companies need to be aware of how they fit into their competitive arena and evolving to keep up. There are a variety of frameworks that have emerged…
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The power of decomposition in design
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7 min read
I get excited when I come across a book that attempts to apply rigour to an existing field, especially in an area I work. I recently indulged in Notes on the Synthesis of Form by Christopher Alexander, and that’s what it was for me, an indulgence. Alexander applies a more scientific approach to design to…
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Storytelling, not “storytelling”
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6 min read
1 Our industry (professional services/creative services/consulting) has a language problem. This is nothing new. We often use our own language to create a knowledge gap with clients, reinforcing expertise and requiring them to ask us for additional context. Where the problems start to happen is when we use obscure language internally, making it hard for…
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Making The Shift: How to Become a Technology Company
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11 min read
Originally published on the Versett blog How do you make the leap and become a technology company? Last time, we talked about the evolving nature of a technology company, why you should embrace technology and the impacts of your perception of technology. What differentiates these two is rarely the use of technology, but a differentiated approach…
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Why You Need to Become a Technology Company
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9 min read
It’s no surprise that the proliferation of technology has disrupted how companies do business. Organizations are at a threshold moment in their history, fighting to stay relevant in the face of increasing competition while looking to grow and enter the next stage of growth. They know technology plays a part in their future, but are…
Works in progress
