I miss data. I love data and I can do great stuff with it. When I started at Forrester, we had no consumer data. Then Bill Bluestein challenged me to come up with a consumer segmentation. We used that segmentation, Technographics, to build our first consumer surveys. We entered an awesome world in which you could find…
This time last year I was just scheming. Now I’m rolling. Thanks to all of you, I’m on my way to something new. Here’s a recap of what happened in 2015 and what I expect in 2016. 2015 milestones March 2: Escape. I leave Forrester Research after 19 years 10 months. I’ve reveal my scheme…
I had a lot of fun with this interview with J.S. Leonard for his Bleeding Ink podcast, which serves indie authors. We got to talk about how I got where I am now and what I’m passionate about. If you’d like to hear a fun conversation about an hour, give a listen or download it to your phone…
Too much of what I read, masquerading as analysis, is just polemics. That’s a shame, because polemics generates more heat than light. Basically, there are two ways of arguing. When you argue polemically, you start with a position. For example, you may start with the idea that social media marketing is effective, or that gun…
In November, I had an enjoyable conversation with Mitch Joel of Six Pixels of Separation. If you’re interested in how I shifted my perspective from Forrester analyst to author to bullshit fighter and what I’m after here, listen in our conversation.
I’m 57. I’m happy. I’m doing what I love. This didn’t happen by accident. Thanks to my writing teachers, and to those who really taught me to write: Dena, Jon, Bill Blue, and all my editors at Forrester. Thanks to those who supported me, believed in me, and boosted my confidence: Kimberley, Ray, Isaac, Mom…
All good blog posts are the same. They begin with a startling idea that grabs you right off. Like sitcoms or romance novels, they have a formula. You get sucked in, even though you subconsciously know this. Have you noticed the rhythm that blog posts share — and the fact that many start with a rhetorical question? Then they add some detail…
I just want to write for the rest of my life. Is that so much to ask? Despite my training as a mathematician, my first job was as a writer. I’ve written everything but fiction: software manuals, online help files, newsletters, press releases, interactive tutorials, books, newsletters, reports, articles, proposals, ads, memos, emails, speeches, blog…