If you’ve ever ventured off on your own to start a business, or even thought about it, then you should listen to this episode. There comes a time in every entrepreneur’s journey when they think about selling the company they’ve created. But how do you do that? And is what you’ve grown even worth selling? Listen as Martin Ringlein shares his story of selling his first company to Twitter. Then leaving Twitter to join President Obama’s innovation council. All the while running a successful co-working space which he later sold. Oh, and creating a product to disrupt the event space which was also acquired. His insights, experience, and enthusiasm are more energizing, they can help you see the world of business in a new light.
Listen to the episode now.
Every year, the Bureau of Digital invites the Digital PM community to take part in two days of enlightening and inspiring presentations, interactive sessions, and social events that spark new professional connections and friendships. This year’s Digital PM Summit, which also happened to be our fifth, followed through on that invitation in spades.
If you weren’t in attendance, you were missed and we hope you can make it to a future Summit to experience the event and the community first-hand. If you’re looking for some follow-up, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for links to presentations, photos, our favorite tweets, and more. Read more.
Why is it we don't do for ourselves what we do for our clients? We know the key to success in new business is sharing the great work we do. But when we get busy we forget to tell everyone we're here. It's crucial to remember that marketing ourselves isn't a one-time effort, it's an ongoing process of outreach across multiple channels. Frustratingly, we often quit using our most successful techniques because we don't like them. Even though they worked amazingly well. Today, Ilise Benun joins us on the Bureau Briefing to talk about marketing and managing clients. We also talk about the importance of self-respect in building the companies we want. Because ultimately, marketing is about relationships with ideal clients.
And be sure to say hello to Ilise at Owner Summit 2018 in Charleston! You'll learn more great insights and connect with digital agency owners from around the world.
Listen to episode.
If you are part of a digital agency, there has a been a discussion around launching your own product. We all talk about it. Heck, maybe you've tried to build that perfect solution in the time between client projects. But you never get traction. Or maybe you assigned a dedicated team to develop it, but that adds financial and cultural stress to a successful service business. So how do digital agencies build and launch great products? Listen in as Martijn van Tilburg shares his insights from the creation of 10,000ft.
And be sure to join us for Owner Summit 2018 in Charleston to learn more great insights and connect with digital agency owners from around the world.
Listen to this episode.
No matter how your digital studio began, you are now a CEO. This is a welcome job title for some, but daunting for others. Either way, you are now running a full-fledged studio and managing a group of people. Understanding how to lead well is an essential key to success. How should you lead your digital studio? How do you work “on” the business while working “in” the business? How do you make the business less dependent on you? How can you share the burdens and benefits of being an owner? How do you keep your employees engaged and active in your vision?
Enjoy this session from Owner Summit 2017, where Traci Barrett from Navigate the Journey will share some of the best practices of leadership, how to align your people to your vision and hope for your agency, and how to embrace your role as head of your organization. Watch the presentation.
Podcasting has always been popular, but there seems to be a new resurgence among digital agencies. But what are the keys to success in podcasting? And the pitfalls to avoid? Lea Alcantara and Emily Lewis share the experience of reaching 100 episodes of their very popular CTRL+CLICK CAST show. They share how they got started, stay motivated and discuss the highs and lows of a long-running podcast. Listen to the episode.
With the fifth annual Digital PM Summit closing in (October 15-17 in Las Vegas. Register by September 30), I thought it might be nice to talk a little bit about what DPM is, how the community is growing, and what that means. Spoiler alert: I’ll also talk a little bit about this during opening remarks at the event. But read on, because this goes far deeper.
What is a Digital Project Manager?
Sure, Digital PMs are just like any other PM in that we handle project scopes, timelines, communications, and team dynamics. But we take special interest in our niche, which is the process by which we build websites, apps, and other digital products. Add to that the fact that we think strategically about how to apply process and deliverables to our work in order to facilitate decisions that meet project goals and get the best out of our teams given specific project constraints. We face similar issues to project managers in other fields, but we get especially excited about the things that specifically affect our projects and our teams. Read more.
I’m writing this as I wait for multiple contractors and insurance adjusters to come to my house. It will take awhile for my family to get back to normal after the nastiness that was Hurricane Irma. While we have a lot of struggles ahead, we are very fortunate to have a house we can live in and a business that, although impacted, has weathered the storm. Here are some tips and tricks we learned so far that have helped us keep moving forward. Read the post.
Managing projects can be a lot to handle: process, deliverables, dates, deadlines, people, personalities, budgets, and more. Arguably, managing people and personalities can be the most difficult. And, when that is the case, you need for the rest of the job to be a little bit easier. These days, we’re using modern tools to help us manage the administrative side of projects. Having a tool that provides a simple output of data that’s needed to keep the project on track, and your team and stakeholders informed can be critical, depending on what you track and report. So we’re wondering: what do you measure? And what do you have a hard time with when it comes to reporting data? We’d like for you to share your practices with us in a new survey created by Digital PM Summit 2017 sponsor 10,000ft. Read more.
As humans, we are social creatures. We crave to be with others who make us feel like part of the pack, especially when we feel a little different. That's why the web industry has been about community from the beginning. Over the past two decades, designers and developers have been getting together to share, learn and support one another. As the industry has evolved, so have the communities. In this episode of the Bureau Briefing, Carl and Chris talk about helping communities they are a part of to grow while making sure the value of the connections are maintained.
Listen to this episode.
You run a digital agency. Your team looks to you for all the answers. Some things you’ve learned over the years and feel confident to solve. Others… well, you just don’t know! The solution? You are not alone! Every year hundreds of owners come together to learn, share and commiserate at Owner Summit. Many owners tell us they’ve drastically improved their shops and avoided major pitfalls through the relationships they’ve formed.
Read more.
Every digital agency has a set of services they sell. Deciding what you'll offer out of the gate is always tricky. Do you base it on what the team is passionate about or what clients are willing to pay for? Maybe both.
Listen to this episode.
The Digital PM Summit is full of learning and networking opportunities that will impact your career and affect how you do your job. Plus, your organization will see the benefits of your participation when you return refreshed with new practices and ideas.
You get it, but how do you convince your boss to send you? First, you've got to explain what makes the Digital PM Summit unique and worthwhile. Here are three of the top reasons... Read More
You know that idea you had? The one that seemed like it could really make a difference in your life. Then, over a period of time, you convince yourself that it will never work. Why do we do this? Well, one day Jason Zook decided to be a force of nature. He took one of his crazy ideas and decided to launch a company where he was paid to wear t-shirts. And it worked…eventually. Because he did the work. He contacted everyone he knew. And hustled. And after months of not quitting, he got traction. Eventually IWearYourShirt made over a million dollars in revenue. Then he shut it down and forced another crazy idea to work. So why aren't you doing your idea again?
Listen to this episode.
Well, I guess that does it. You’ve clicked on a link and expect to find something. But that’s how expectations work. They start before you realize you are thinking about them and they never stop changing. Why do they matter? Because they set the tone for everything we do.
Read this post.
Digital project management has been a part of the web from the beginning, even if we didn’t call it that when we started. As the digital services industry matured, we loosely formalized the role of a digital project manager. But the gaps and differences from one shop to another has led to some confusion. Especially with the increase of account managers being brought on at digital agencies. And now, a tangled web of AM, PM and DPM has us all a little confused as to who should do what. Listen in as Brett Harned shares why we should focus on clarifying the role and not the title. And more specifically, the human beings we task with the responsibilities.
Don't miss your opportunity to be a part of the conversation! Get your ticket for the Digital PM Summit, this October 15-17 in Las Vegas!
Listen to this episode.
This October marks five years of the Digital PM Summit, and quite possibly the start of an active global community for digital project managers. Over the past five years, the Digital PM Summit has served as a meeting place for people who lead digital projects to learn, share ideas, and meet like-minded industry friends. We’ve explored important topics that have not only strengthened attendees’ skills, but have strengthened our sense of community. This year, we’ll continue with that tradition, but will also celebrate who we are, and where we are now as a greater community. It’s not just about the people who end up in the room during our 2-day event, it’s about the people around the world who are a part of the ongoing conversation via Twitter, blogs, meetups, and other great events that have arisen since then. Read more.
Diversity. It’s a big word that causes a lot of conversation. Unfortunately, the conversation isn’t leading to action. In fact, it’s leaving some disengaged convinced that others are “fixing” the problems. In this episode of the Bureau Briefing, Willie Jackson shares his thoughts on why we need to get past the concept of diversity and move forward with a focus on inclusion. To do that, we have to accept some uncomfortable truths about how we got here and what we all need to let go of to move forward.
Listen to this episode.
Every year there are digital agencies that are having their best year ever and holding on as their companies experience rapid growth. At the same time, there are shops that are struggling and are convinced that the sky is falling. Yet it never seems to come crashing down.
So what’s really going on? Find out by watching this Owner Summit presentation!
They call them "the basics". Little, innocuous things that don't seem to really matter. But they do. In fact, something as simple as sending an acknowledgment email to an important message can make all the difference in keeping a team engaged and a client confident. This week Carl and Sam Barnes talk about why getting back to the basics is so important and how to get better at them. And when you do, you can enjoy the positive changes in both your work and your relationships with the people on your team.
Learn more and meet Sam at the Digital PM Summit in Vegas this October!
Listen to this episode.
