Rochelle Grayson

It’s official! After my last post about the challenging business environment in Vancouver, I am thrilled to announce that I have taken on the role of CEO for a top-notch startup called BookRiff! So, Vancouver, like it or not, you are stuck with me for a little more time

I am extremely excited by BookRiff because they have developed a solution to a very important (and fundamental) issue facing media today, namely: How can consumers use media as they wish, while also ensuring that content owners get paid?! BookRiff answers this question quite elegantly and simply.

Essentially, BookRiff is a technology platform that allows consumers to mix content from virtually any source–published books, websites, and their own files–to build custom compilations called Riffs. Think of Riffs as “Mixtapes of Text”. Each time a Riff is distributed, all content owners and contributors get paid. BookRiff’s technology manages the authoring, bundling, licensing, attribution, and payment details for each of these custom compilations. That’s pretty powerful!

To provide a little history, BookRiff was initially incubated within Vancouver-based D&M Publishers, one of Canada’s largest independent publishers, and was recently spun-off as an independent venture.  I have been “dating” the company for a couple of months and we mutually decided it was finally time to “go steady”! I am thrilled that President of D&M Publishers and founder of Bookriff, Mark Scott, has entrusted me to drive BookRiff’s future success! We already have some great partners and plans in place and we are building a phenomenal team! Do stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the very near future!

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Yesterday, I read a great post by Alex Samuel, “Even in a virtual world, where you live still matters“. Her thoughts were incredibly apropos because recently, I’ve been stewing about what the city of Vancouver has to offer business people like myself. As I stated almost two years ago, Vancouver has the potential to truly become a global business centre. I’m sitting on several municipal, regional, and industry Boards to play my part and what I hear over and over again  is that Vancouver lacks the senior management talent and financing/investment ecosystems to reach its full potential. And, I couldn’t agree more!

I’m often referred to as one the “Exotic Birds” here in Vancouver. (I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. ) I have lots of senior management, operations, finance and investment experience and the city would like to court more people like me. So, why aren’t there more people like me in Vancouver? Well, based on my experience, I think there needs to be a realignment of what it “costs” to be a global business player.

Recently, I’ve been approached by several local companies and organizations to join their teams, and while the opportunities have been very exciting, the conversations have come to a screeching halt (a little exaggerated) once dollars start being discussed. Now, I do understand that Vancouver isn’t NY, San Francisco or Toronto, but why am I consistently presented with compensation packages that equate to what I earned 10 years ago?! (And, this is not to point the finger at any one Vancouver company; this has happened numerous times.) At the same time, I’m being heavily courted by companies in other cities that are offering packages that are 2-3 times higher.

I really want to stay in Vancouver! But, as a business person, I am trained to balance opportunities with maximizing revenues. And, that’s exactly what these companies want me to do, once hired. So, why would I act any differently when it comes to my own earning potential. Now, I am not completely mercenary. (Frankly, if I were, I would be much richer and definitely NOT living in Vancouver.)

So, where does that leave us… well, I would like to see a shift in valuing those very skills that seem to be lacking here.  Right now, we aren’t raising the bar to make Vancouver business opportunities attractive on a global scale! (To this point, I have spoken with at least a dozen phenomenal/qualified/ambitious colleagues in the past two weeks and we all joke that we’ll meet at YVR on our way to companies that do value us.)

Vancouver did a fabulous job raising the bar for the Olympics and for two weeks it truly felt like a global city! Now, we need to take that same energy and investment to make it become a world-class business environment! I’m not leaving, yet…but, I am putting the city on notice!

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Yeah, today is Ada Lovelace Day! And, that means that for almost 50 hours (think of the entire world), we are paying tribute to phenomenal women in science and technology! Quite frankly, it’s a real shame that we only focus on this topic for 50 hours because I’m sure the kudos could go on and on!

That said, I’d like to honor two women in science and technology! As a half African-American, half Puerto Rican woman in technology, I tried to find someone similar to me, but that seemed to be asking for just a bit too much So, I decided that I’d still honor my heritage and break it up into two extremely honorable mentions!

The first woman I would like to highlight is African-American Valerie Thomas! Valerie Thomas received a patent in 1980 for inventing an illusion transmitter. And why should you care?! Well, this “futuristic” invention extended the idea of TV to having 3D projections appear as though they were right in your living room! For any of you who were at CES or watched the movie Avatar, I’m sure you can understand the impact Valerie’s patent may have on our future media consumption and experiences. All I can say is that I am in complete awe of Valerie’s foresight, intelligence, curiosity and achievements!
Congratulations, Valerie, for being such a great visionary!

The second woman I’d like to celebrate is Puerto Rican Olga D. González-Sanabria! Olga played an instrumental role in the development of the “Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries”, which helps enable the International Space Station power system. As someone who watches the ISS, whenever it flies over Vancouver, I am once again humbled by such an achievement! Muchas, muchas gracias, Olga, for your vision, intelligence and commitment to exploration, on so many fronts!!!

What I do find interesting is that both women spent most of their careers at NASA and excelled there. Hmmm…something to ponder!!

Clearly, we’ve come a long way, but we still have much further to go! I just read a New York Times article today stating that women continue to face cultural biases in science and math fields.

Nevertheless, please join me in truly honoring and celebrating Olga and Valerie (neither of whom, for the record, do I personally know ) There are literally millions of women who have paved the paths and who inspire me to continue my journey! I am extremely grateful to all of you! Many Thanks and Muchas Gracias!!

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I just read this interesting MediaPost article about consumer trends for consumer packaged goods and wondered how these food trends translate to the games space?

Trust
Players are looking for game publishers they can trust! Of course, they can always go with the tried-and-true, but they may also be open to trying out new publishers and indie games, especially if the price is right! For existing big players, now is the time to solidify your relationship with your dedicated and hard core fans. Find ways to make them feel like a VIP. And, for indie developers, now is the time to launch those innovative games at the right price…which brings me to the next point…

Control
As the MediaPost article states,”People are continuing — and in some cases, intensifying — their efforts to save money and cut costs.” Players are looking much more closely at getting the biggest bang for their buck. So, it’s up to game developers and publishers to deliver this promise! Find ways for your players to feel like they’re getting a true bargain!

Simplicity
As part of the trend to control costs, people are looking to simplify their lives. This recession may, in fact, provide a great opportunity for online and mobile games. These games can be much simpler (and cheaper to develop) than their console counterparts. They are also much easier to distribute and deliver. There you have it, simplicity in game development, game-play, as well as delivery. Who’da thunk?! Start thinking about what you can do in these markets. If you don’t, you risk the chance of losing traction in players’ minds, especially in some of these emerging (North American ) markets.

Playfulness
Do not focus on simplicity at the cost of game-play! Players still want compelling and fun games! As the MediaPost article states, “People are looking to up the fun factor in their lives”. So, give them more fun! And, be creative in how you increase the fun factor! It can’t simply be more of the same. Playfulness should include finding fun and entertaining things in unexpected ways. Right now, creativity is more than King, it’s God!

Trading down, up and over
To make every dollar go further, players are accepting trade-offs. Whether it’s “tricking” themselves into thinking that spending smaller amounts makes a purchase more attractive or just realizing that they really don’t need to buy only AAA titles, players are now exploring and willing to try out new (and cheaper) titles. Make it worth their while to try your game and surprise them! If you do want them to pay more for your game, make sure there is a premium experience to go along with the premium price tag!

If you can successfully translate the above trends into your game, you just might have a recession winner! No guarantees, but you’ll definitely be closer to aligning yourself with those consumer purchase behaviors we’re seeing at ALL levels.

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Happy Labor Day! Today is the last day of summer and now, it’s time to get back to business as the “New Year” begins. I’m re-reading a few books/posts as I prepare for my next venture (yes, there is something incubating and I’ll report back in a few weeks or so )

I am finding some interesting (and unsettling) discussions about “old” leaders/entrepreneurs. On the interesting side, there was a post in Techncrunch this morning about the benefits of older entrepreneur leaders, and I was also impressed with Jay-Z’s recent interview on Bill Maher, especially in answering why an “old” man (40) like him is still successful in a industry that’s all about youth. On the unsettling side, I do get a sense that a quote in Seth Godin’s, Tribes, best describes what I sometimes hear/sense from younger entrepreneurs:

…some people admire the new and stylish far more than they respect the proven state of affairs…As a result, new ways of doing things, new jobs, new opportunities, and new faces become ever more important.

Well, technically, I now fall into the “old” category! (Although, thanks to my parents, I’m told I look younger ) Am I one of those “old, stodgy, outdated” leaders/entrepreneurs?! I’ve always said:

I’m a Gen Y in a Gen X body! I’ve always been a change agent and have even been too early to a market.

So, what makes me and my “older” colleagues successful in industries that seem to value youth?! I would argue that it is a combination of curiosity, flexibility, AND experience allowing us to have a unique perspective, as well as, partnering with 20-somethings who have the energy, time, and market insight to launch new and sustainable ideas!

Perhaps, I’m only saying this because I’m 40. If I were 28, I might be disagreeing with this argument. There are still a lot of amazing opportunities out there and I plan to bring ALL of my experience (and flashiness ) to every endeavor I’m part of. I’ll be sure to keep you posted…

Happy New Year!

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With the global financial markets in turmoil, valuations are on everyone’s mind these days: financial valuations, market caps, brand valuations, etc. Today, I read a great article about the burst of the “Brand Bubble” and the impact this will have on brand companies’ intangible assets. Brand valuation is a concept with broad corporate acceptance and many of us are quite familiar with it. However, I’d like to throw out a new valuation model called Social Capital Value Add (SCVA).

For the past month, I’ve been conversing with Michael Cayley about his new valuation model that goes beyond Brand Valuation and explores the value of Social Capital. There is a sociology truism that the strength of the network lies in its weakest ties. Corporations with consumer-facing brands need to start looking at, evaluating (hopefully, even financially valuing) and engaging with their Social Capital, especially as consumers become more powerful in the two-way Brand conversation.

We have not figured out all the exact details of the financial model for this new metric. But, I do know that a Social Capital Valuation Model will be important to the future growth of most companies and there are many companies already recognizing this, e.g. MTV, Dell, Procter & Gamble, Monster, Comcast, CNN and several others. I’m excited to be working with companies that recognize this fundamental shift in brand strategy and I’m also thrilled to be part of an emerging team of thought leaders figuring these issues out!

If you have any related thoughts, research or are simply interested in being part of this distributed, virtual think tank, do send me a note!

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Today’s my birthday and I’m overwhelmed by the number of well-wishes I have already received! Birthdays are great times to reflect and today, I’d really like to give special thanks to:

1. My amazing husband, Geoffrey Meredith, who is truly my best friend, my soul mate and my muse; every day with him is a day to celebrate! I love you dearly!
2. My wonderful and supportive family; my mom, dad, brother, step-father and extended family have always been there for me, through thick and thin, and they have been my greatest cheerleaders! Thank you for guiding me and for shaping me into the woman I am today!
3. My incredible circle of friends; as I get older, I realize how important and rare true friends really are and I absolutely cherish them! Thank you for being part of my “family of choice”!

That said, I also thought it might be interesting to mention 10 things about myself that some of you may or may not know:

1. As a child, I bit my nails. I can’t remember when I stopped, but I do remember being told by family members that I’d never get a husband if I bit my nails. I don’t buy that argument, but I did find a phenomenal husband and I don’t bite my nails
2. When I was in High School (in Germany), I was the lead singer of the band, Bella Zooth! It was a R&B band and we toured within Germany and even did a recording at a studio in Schwäbisch Gmünd. Unfortunately, I never got a copy. So, if anyone can track that down, I’d be really curious to hear it
3. Speaking of lost copies, I was also interviewed and sang on a Ghanaian Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) program when I lived in Accra in the early 90’s. Once again, if anyone knows how I might track down a copy, I’d sure be thrilled (and cringe) to see it again
4. I still have ALL of my teeth, including all of my wisdom teeth! And, I also have a gap between my front two teeth, which merely supports the fact that I clearly have a big mouth
5. I do not drink coffee and perhaps more interestingly, I don’t like chocolate! I hear the gasping already
6. Speaking of food, I would have to say that my favorite flavor is coconut! I simply can’t say “no” to anything with coconut in it; just don’t contaminate it with chocolate
7. I love loud colored clothes; anyone who meets me know this! But, what you probably don’t know is that ~99% of my wardrobe is second-hand! I love a great deal and can’t remember the last time I bought a brand new piece of clothing
8. Speaking of clothing, I love to knit and sew! Yes, many pieces of my wardrobe I made myself and all through high school and college, I knit most of my sweaters, skirts and dresses
9. I lost 135 lbs and have kept it off for 3 years! This is probably one of my proudest achievements
10. My husband and I met 13 years ago when Match.com was in Beta! I have to say the odds were truly in my favor since there weren’t many women in the system My husband was the first “match” on my list and we’ve been together ever since! (BTW, they gave us lifetime memberships, which we both still have; not that we have any need for it )

So, there are 10 things about me! What 10 things would be on your list?

Thanks again, for all the birthday wishes! I will definitely have a great birthday; how could I not I really look forward to the upcoming year because each and every year has consistently been better than the last!

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I do love conferences, but they do exhaust me! This week, I attended another great conference put on by the Canadian Society for Training and Development (with the unfortunate acronym of “CSTD” ). In a session earlier today about Learning in 3D environments, the concept of “Machinima” came up. Here’s a simple definition I found online:

Machinima (muh-sheen-eh-mah) is filmmaking within a real-time, 3D virtual environment, often using 3D video-game technologies.

What’s most interesting about Machinima is that it allows participants in 3D worlds to capture their activities, either as proof of bragging rights or to allow for post-mortems or reviews to occur after an event has been completed.

It suddenly hit me today that much of what we enjoy about digital social media is the ability to capture important social interactions or thoughts that previously were intangible and could only be recalled by our memories and only from our perspective!

How amazing is it that we can now go back and review that exact exchange, really see what others said or did! Talk about empowering tools for personal growth and professional development! Now that’s powerful!

This may seem quite obvious to many of you ! But, for me, it provided a new perspective on these latest social media tools; I realize that the ones that bring me the greatest value are the ones that allow me to capture my “intangible experiences”. That’s the power of capturing!

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I just returned from my 4-year old nephew’s birthday party…exhausted! It was a great party and I made quite a few new friends with the 3-5 year old crowd (don’t know what that says about me !

In any case, on the way home, I started to wonder what his Social Graph might look like based on his party playmates . What would a Social Network Analysis look like for a 4-year old? Who were the influencers, mavens, trendsetters, cool hunters, etc.? Which application would be most important to his network – the Train, Car or Balloon App? Perhaps, the Dora App (that one seemed to appeal to both boys and girls). Is 4 too young to think about such things? The simple answer is yes! I’ve clearly been focusing on Social Media too much lately!

I sincerely hope that I am not the only one with such outrageous thoughts! If you’ve had similar experiences, I’d love to hear them!

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Yesterday, I decided to give Twitter another try. I tried several months ago and never got into it, but I have “heard” that the conversations (aka “tweets”) are no longer just about “What are you doing?”, but have evolved for some Twitterati to conversations more about “What are you thinking?” or “What do you finding interesting?”. In fact, I think Hugh MacLeod’s tweet (aka gapingvoid) yesterday captured it best :

Just told a friend: “Don’t phone me, e-mail me or IM me. Just Twitter me. It’s the only media that I respond to now.”

As a result, I’ve decided to go back and see what nuggets of wisdom I can both share and glean from the Twitterati’s tweets. I’ll blog my thoughts periodically; but if you want to follow me on Twitter (it probably won’t be that interesting ), my ID is RochelleGrayson.

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