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blog_6.24.09; 40 stations in 40 days

06/24/2009 by jackperry

Facebook is an amazing tool. It connects, reconnects and broadcasts everything you are willing to share. People either know you well, or they used to know you well…or both. Still, it varies from person-to-person which is why I was taken aback yesterday when someone in Facebook asked, “Why are you visiting TV stations?” One simple question. My simple answer (in the form of a question). Why wouldn’t I?  I guess I’d forgotten about the really cool benefit of Facebook connecting the past with the present and then shaping the future.

Truth be told, the local broadcast community is sitting on a rocket ship. Digital television (DTV) is that ship. To most people DTV it is a pretty picture (HD), but to me it is just bits. Lot’s of bits. Right now look up in the sky. You can’t see them, but no matter where you are in the U.S. there are likely 200 – 250 Mb/s flying past your head…all of which is coming from local broadcasters.

Not that long ago I sent a few cross-functional teams out to talk with stations. Their mission was to collectively visit 40 stations in 40 days. I wanted them to uncover what the “next big thing” was so that we could build it for stations. Knowing that our first broadcast technology (Geneva) had a limited lifespan (now almost having run its course), we needed something to replace it. Interestingly, all of the teams discovered the same thing: build a program management tool and we’ll sell a ton. The day I left Titan, we had over 700 stations using that tool. 40 in 40 worked.

This time it is a little different. I know exactly what needs to be done. We are building it. It will work. In the spirit of my first 40/40, I am on a mission to brief station after station after station about a very critical technology that’ll help them move to the forefront of connectivity to their viewers. Since I’ve made a living off of working with local broadcasters for going on 15 years, it just makes sense to do these briefings face-to-face. It’s also a lot easier to discuss sensitive issues face-to-face.

So, as I head out into a hot, steamy, muggy and otherwise uncomfortable Michigan day, I know that by nightfall I’ll be well into the 20s for stations visited. Can I make 40? Will 40 be enough? Not sure. What I am sure about is what we are building…

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blog_6.16.09; in board development mode

06/16/2009 by jackperry

_boards

I’ve been at this now since 1989, when I first joined a small start-up software company that got big, really big, very quickly. That company had a rag tag group of employees who didn’t know how to fail and an extremely driven founder. I went on to either start or support the founder at a number of successful technology companies. Before Madbak, my most recent run was 13 years as the CEO of Decisionmark (aka TitanTV). Through it all I have seen a lot. Perhaps I haven’t seen it all, but I have seen a lot.

Here’s one thing I know about great companies. They typically have a great board of directors, or if in the really early stages, they have a great board of advisers. Where a bad board can bring a company to its knees, a great board can make all the difference in the world. What makes a great board? 1) experience, 2) balance, and 3) trust. Board members need to be experienced so they can give you meaningful counsel. A board needs to be balanced so that all members have a voice. You need to trust your board and they need to trust you.

The last month at Madbak has been around getting the team in place, partners in place and a board put together. No entrepreneur shy’s away from making decisions (it is our nature), but a great board provides: guidance, checks-and-balances, and when needed, support. Our recruiting list is pretty straightforward. We’ve been out talking with technology leaders, cable executives, CE manufacturers, and of course, people from broadcast television.

What Madbak is building is not for the faint of heart. To get where we want to go, Madbak is developing a pretty heady board and board of advisers. The company deserves that. In fact, all companies do.

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blog_6.8.09; End of Analog – all good things must come to an end

06/08/2009 by jackperry

_origins

Way back in 1374 Chaucer wrote the proverb: There is an end to everything, to good things as well. It took about 300 years, but that proverb eventually landed on this side of the pond as: all good things must come to an end.

While we can only speculate as to what motivated Chaucer to write this proverbial thought, it is a proverb that we can all relate to. I know my decision to leave Decisionmark / TitanTV behind at the end of February was not an easy one. Truth be told, a dozen of us sat back and used two grease boards to figure it out. On one grease board; the pros, the other grease board; the cons. The result was something akin to a scale…leaning without question one way. I went the direction which would allow me to make the biggest impact on the industry.

Analog broadcasting ends Friday. It was a good thing. Analog broadcasting served us well for 60+ years. I got a black-and-white television of my very own in the early 70s. It served me well until the early 80s when I gave it to my girlfriends’ sister as she headed to law school at Michigan (the things we boys do…) My first color television came in 1985, a 25″ console that swiveled. That ultimately made it into my brother-in-laws living room after about ten years. Over the years as we transition to a new television, the old ones are either moved to a spare bedroom or passed on on to a friend or family member.

This transition, the DTV transition, is different. It isn’t “about” the television, it is about the pipe. I think what Chaucer meant way, way, way back in 1374 was that it is OK for things to end. With each ending is a new beginning. For me, the scale tipped because the end of analog television meant the beginning of something much, much bigger.

The end of analog is the beginning of a whole new era of broadcasting. Digital media will no longer mean a website. Those will become passe. What is about to happen in local broadcasting (digital broadcasting) is a tighter, nearly one-on-one connection between station and viewer. The notion of “households” will give way to people, devices, places. Where the Internet has been a threat to local, digital broadcasting will give rise to local.

Yes, analog ends Friday. It has served us well. That said, it is time to move on and get after the future. We’ve got work to do.

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blog_6.5.09; you’re a fighter not a poet

06/05/2009 by jackperry

_poetry

Imagine my surprise last night to hear from Mike, a friend from 25 years ago. “Come on, Jack.” he wrote “You expect me to believe you’re a poet, not a fighter.” I have to admit, the line made me smile. I sat for a bit and tried to remember how a guy I knew that long ago would remember me. The last time I saw him I worked days in the mail room at Charles Schwab in Century City, CA and played hockey in pretty decent west coast league at night. Fun times. Mike is right. I am hardly a poet…

While I blogged about Rocky (yesterday) and my intent was to focus on the substance of Stallone’s script writing, it is the fighting that people remember most. Having thought about that this morning I wonder if it is really the fighting that excites people about Rocky, or all the things in and around his fighting? Is it that he won more than he lost? Is it that the fact that in Rocky IV, “Suddenly Moscow is pro Rocky?” I think it is this: 1) he doesn’t quit, and 2) just when you think he is going down, Rocky finds the strength to fight on, and lastly 3) nobody wins by accident. It takes hard work and preparation.

For grins, and to remind us all about the Rocky we all came to know and love, watch the clip below. See if you can watch it only once… See if you can keep your hands by your side at the end…

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blog_6.4.09; character: many have it, some don’t

06/04/2009 by jackperry

_character

Since writing about my High School friend Jarl Brey and the movie For Love of the Game back on February 28, 2009, I’ve been racking my brain to come up with a pseudo-business angle on our other (Jarl’s and mine) favorite movie, Rocky Balboa, the final installment in the Rocky series. Over the past few months I’ve received emails from friends, colleagues, and former employees (thank you) asking, “When is the Rocky blog coming?” Soon, I’d reply. Truth be told, I never felt like I could do justice for the idea. Until today.

Watch the clip below, then we’ll talk about it:

Granted, there are a lot of things going on there and elsewhere in this movie. This scene, perhaps more than any other Stallone scene, is packed with messages. For some, the notion; It’s not how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward…how much you can take and keep moving forward… That is how winning is done… might be the lines which speak the loudest. As a guy who literally grew up in the software industry, I can definitely relate to that.

To me, however, it is the final passage; …you’ve got to be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers to say you are not where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody… Cowards do that, and that ain’t you! You’re better than that… Stallone is right. People who waste time blaming others have less time to spend on the pursuit of winning. When your focal point is misplaced, it is, well…misplaced.

It hit me today that the Rocky blog was so long in coming because I couldn’t add anything to what Rocky says in this scene. Who among us hasn’t run into a person, or two, or three that doesn’t make the bane of their existence blaming others for their woes? Not many, I’ll bet. Rocky is right. People like that are Cowards. Who among us hasn’t been beat up by life; business, personal or both? Not many. Rocky is right. Winners are the ones who keep moving forward. That actually is how winning is done, by continually moving forward. Isn’t the finish line ahead of you?

My Rocky blog is short. The movie got critical acclaim, but not great reviews. You probably haven’t even seen it which is what makes the fact that Jarl and I share it as a favorite movie even more strange. Someday soon, over a beer, or two, or three, Jarl and I will figure out why we share this as a favorite movie. I’m sure it’ll be interesting to say the least. And, after all is said and done, I’m sure we’ll both still be moving forward.

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blog_6.3.09; the real madbak

06/03/2009 by jackperry

_family

What’s up with that name, Madbak? What’s a madbak? Has Jack gone mad? Nope.

Madelyn Baker-Perry and Jack Perry (my grandparents)

Madelyn Baker-Perry and Jack Perry (my grandparents)

People have all kinds of reasons for company names. TitanTV actually started out as a suggestion from a friend to name my new project TitanicTV. I told him I thought it sounded like it was sinking. I crossed of the “ic” and we had Titan. In the very spot I sit now used to be 2nd Story Software (TaxACT), named I guess, because this is the 2nd story.

Madbak is a tribute to my late grandmother, whose maiden name was Madelyn Baker. If you have read my blog before then you know I believe in constants. Growing up Madelyn Baker-Perry was the one constant I could always count on…Madbak.

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blog_6.2.09; Genesis, luck, napkins, vantage points, notebooks and buckets

06/02/2009 by jackperry

_the genesis of Madbak

Back in 1996 I got lucky. I was in an all day meeting in Washington D.C. where a bunch of people were negotiating (OK, fighting) about a settlement. I was brought in to help the two sides build a technical solution which would be the ultimate result of their negotiations. My only role in that meeting was to sit there quietly until a technical question came up. I was surrounded by more cuff links than you’d find at an estate sale on Park Avenue. So, rather than just play drums with the free legal pads and #2 pencils (plentiful at law firms), I started to draw out a better solution than the one the group around me was outlining. You see, I had the unique vantage point being in the middle with no particular interests in the outcome whatsoever. Clarity.

dcAfter doodling on about 15 different napkins, suddenly everything clicked. No more iterations. I didn’t need a 16th napkin. I was certain that what was on my napkin would work. The meeting adjourned at about 8:45 P.M. so I headed out into the waning daylight of a muggy August D.C. summer night…napkin in hand. That night I knew my life would never be the same. For the next 11 years that napkin grew into a nice, tidy (and profitable) technology business. Until we sold the company in 2007 to private equity guys, you’d have been hard pressed to find a better run company from the storeroom to the boardroom. Not huge. Just good. Smart. Focused. Visionary. Tremendous upside.

This past February 28th, after fulfilling my 2-year contract to run the company, I left the building. The next morning, March 1st, I started Madbak.

This time it was in the Starbucks at our local Barnes and Noble with my son Jackson. The plan had been to relax for a while, get a boat and perhaps a place to dock it (the movie Dan In Real Life inspired me…). Free from the constraints of post-sale employment, I sat down to work through my personal email account (now my only email account). I was shocked to see so many email messages from Friends. Facebook and a blog I’d written the night before about my High School friend Jarl and the movie For Love of the Game had generated notes from a rather eclectic group. It took a few minutes, but I suddenly realized that I needed to tell lots more people where I was. To get organized I bought a spiral bound notebook.

Since I’d left my list of contacts behind, I decided to put people into buckets from memory: consumer electronics, personal friends, broadcasters, media, inside the Beltway, outside the Beltway, multi-channel video providers, press, software and hardware guys. Call it luck. Call it lightning strikes twice. Doesn’t matter. Looking at those buckets something clicked. I realized what a strange, yet unique vantage point I hold. On the next few pages, about 20 to be exact, I started to iterate on Madbak… Connecting Media. People. Places.

Remembering the sacrifices my family had made with our last company, that night I decided to run the idea of a new company by them first. I knew my wife would like it because I’d be too busy to buy a boat and a dock (so she hoped). My father-in-law would like it because, well, son-in-laws are supposed to work. The kids reminded me that when you build a company you are that company. It defines you. You define it. Big Green light from them.

Our New Headquarters in the Silicon Prairie

Our New Headquarters in the Silicon Prairie

So, less than 24 hours into semi-retirement, Madbak was born. I began the process of recruiting people from every bucket. I readied myself for the upcoming NAB. That would provide the best venue for a business sanity check. As I worked the list, an interesting theme emerged. People mostly wanted to know why I had waited so long. My response? Long story… Short version: My kids are right; when you build a company you are that company. It defines you. You define it. In certain situations, that can make things complicated. Madbak suddenly made something complicated into something easy. Very easy. It also comes with the added benefit that I own it…all of it. Mad? No, Chief Madman.

What we are building is pretty cool. It may not impact everyone, but then again, it just might…

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blog_5.28.09; I am Spartacus

05/28/2009 by jackperry

_unity

OK. So I’m not really Spartacus. You are. Well, maybe you aren’t, but many many readers of this Blog are Spartacus. They are people of vision, integrity and passion. They are in alignment with the person to their right, left, back and front. Companies are about people. I was reminded of that recently as my oldest daughter is heading off into the workforce and going through the trials and tribulations of the interview and hiring process. At the end of the day what makes a great company is not the product. It is the people.

If you haven’t seen the movie Spartacus, you should. In fact, buy it. Share it with the rest of your company. Share it with your family. The culminating scene (see clip below) shows what happens when people, united by a common vision, are faced with adversity. While we don’t carry swords, or are shackled, or wear loin cloths to work, we are confronted with the challenge of staying in business. Business 101: The business is the people.

My instructions as little JP heads off into the world is look for a company where the people are focused, but enjoying themselves. I told her to be prepared with questions and ask those same questions of several different people. Did the answers match? Did they even have an answer? Does it feel like people are excited about being there? If not, take a pass. Look for Vision. Finally, “the test”- are they making money and having fun? If they are, then she can too.

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blog_5.21.09; why I am bullish on broadcasters

05/21/2009 by jackperry

_bullish

A couple of weeks ago I spent several minutes searching for my morning paper only to find out that I had stepped right over it when I went out the front door. I actually saw it, but because of its size (roughly like a rolled up Parade section), I thought it was an advertising circular and ventured out into the front yard. I thought the paperboy had made a bad throw that morning. He hadn’t. As always, his aim was perfect. The paper had changed. It will never be the same.

Unrolling that paper caused me to ask: does size matter when it comes to local news? Is the content in that now micro-paper any less important because the rubber band is totally obliterating it? More important yet: does delivery platform matter when it comes to local news? Packed with questions to answer, I grabbed my backback, kissed the kids, dog and my wife and road my bike to the office. I needed a grease board.

There are a little over 2,000 full power broadcasters spread throughout the U.S. After that, there are something like 3,500 “Community Broadcasters” out there. If you put up an antenna (something I recommend) you’d see tons of free content. Tons. Cable and DBS (satellite) reach about 98 million out of 112 million households, but they cannot do it as efficiently or in such a direct way as a local broadcaster can.

Go anywhere in the United States and you’ll find a little over 12 channels available to you. 12.3 to be exact. Each of those channels now broadcasts data at 19.4 Mb/s. This is important to my bullish forecast. 19.4 Mb/s is a bunch. Combine that with practically ubiquitous broadband and the future of local broadcasting is about to explode. What? Jack, surely you jest… No. But perhaps I am a little mad.

The reason I am bullish on local broadcasting is local broadcasters are fighters. Sure, so are newspapers. I know. This is different. The paper can only counter-punch with a smaller format, less content and more ads. Television broadcasters have what amounts to a bazooka in their arsenal. Instead of using the entire 19.4 Mb/s for traditional broadcasting, the innovative ones will pack 4 – 5 Mb/s with other stuff. What might that other stuff be? Think about it. The answer isn’t that hard to figure out. It’ll happen and viewers will benefit. Combine that with a back-channel and the future will give rise to connected broadcasting, er 2-way television. Imagine that…2-way television.

I am bullish on broadcasting. It is the dawn of a new era…

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blog_5.20.09; your first office will be mobile

05/20/2009 by jackperry

_mobile offices

For an entrepreneur there is nothing more exciting than “hanging out your shingle” and announcing to the world, “We are open for business.” But is that office actually your first office? I don’t think it is. Your first office is a state-of-mind. It is really quite mobile…

Not too many years ago, barely into my forties, I was still playing baseball (hardball) in a 30+ league. While it is hard to admit, I was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that my best 30+ baseball days were back when I’d just turned 30+. I needed a 40+ league and I needed it fast. For me, baseball was a better way to spend a Sunday than on the golf course. Having grown up watching my own father continue to play baseball into his 30’s, it was important to me that my son Jackson saw me play.

On my final team was a guy much closer to 30 than me. While I can’t do justice to what his vision was, back then Matt Miller was rapidly morphing himself into an entrepreneur. Matt founded a company called Mobile Demand. Like most entrepreneurial ventures, Mobile Demand started in Matt’s first office…his brain, his state-of-mind. While the rest of us were playing baseball, Matt was building a company. Sure, he might have been playing baseball too, but he was at that stage where building a company is never off your mind. He was doing both.

So, it is with that memory today that I realized your first office is a mobile office. Successful entrepreneurs start with a vision. They iterate on that vision with themselves. At some point they start sharing that vision with others…perhaps while warming up on the ball diamond. It moves beyond vision when the plan hits paper. At this point a trip to Barnes and Noble is in order to get a cache of business plan writing books. The discussion continues. Having heard your pitch before, friends will start to listen more intently. At this point, you’ll either attack the future with a vengeance (perhaps get a real office) or you’ll realize 10 years has passed and you forgot…

For my story, I haven’t talked with Matt since those days on the diamond. Still, it has a happy ending. Check out the video below:

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