Author: Mike Hillyer
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Product Managers need to Think from the Outside-In
One of the easiest ways to kill a product is inside-out thinking in the Product org. Take a quick read of this and come back, I’ll wait: Imagine putting years of research and development into a product for it to end up being “completely stupid”. How does it happen? While some of the issues in […]
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Getting Started with Home Assistant and Node-RED
Getting Into Home Automation and Home Assistant During the recent pandemic, it seemed like everyone was picking up a new hobby, and I was no exception. While I’d made some progress toward converting my home into a smart home by using a collection of smart devices, I didn’t have any real cohesion between the different […]
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I Opened an Atlanta VR Experience Center
My First VR Experience I didn’t just jump straight to opening a VR Experience center in Atlanta, as with most stories there’s an origin that starts when I was younger. I was in my early teens when I got my first taste of virtual reality thanks to a trip to the Calgary Stampede. My family […]
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The Joys of Yakiniku
Growing up I developed an interest early on in Japanese culture, thanks to my regular watching of Robotech as a child. I was fortunate to attend a high school that had a Japanese language program as one of its available courses and took three years of classes for a great teacher who immigrated from Japan and […]
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Dig a Little Deeper!
I recently re-watched The Princess and the Frog and realized it could be interpreted on yet another level, as an allegory for how to be more successful as a Sales Engineer. For those who haven’t seen the film (and I recommend you do), you can catch up on the plot at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_princess_and_the_frog. The film has a […]
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Why Your Email Marketing Sucks
There’s a great article over at Hubspot that talks about “16 Things People Really Hate About Your Email Marketing” and it’s a good read. I especially liked: The content of your email — whether the copy itself or the offer you’re promoting — should be something the email recipient actually wants to receive. And you […]
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More Wisdom From Ed Catmull
Another great video of Ed Catmull speaking at the 2012 General Commencement of the University of Utah: http://webapps5.utah.edu/digvid/?id=2012-05-04~88 Jump to 98:25 for the commencement address. What follows are my notes as I watch the video myself. I love the importance he ascribes to creativity, even in industries that are not typically considered creative. He also […]
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Management Lessons From Phineas & Ferb
One of the best things about having small kids is they can be used as a cover for watching cartoons, and one of our favorites is Phineas & Ferb. For those unfamiliar with the show, here’s a sample: This is a great show because it’s one of those shows that can entertain both adults and […]
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The Management Wisdom of Ed Catmull
I greatly admire Pixar and its people, and one of the people I admire greatly is Ed Catmull, the Pixar founder. His personal contributions to computer science and computer graphics are phenomenal, but he’s also an excellent leader and businessman. The following video from an Economist conference provides a good example of his wisdom: And […]