Your Company Is You / 05.12.08
If you remember the conversation on sacrifices then you might recall the reasoning behind why I posted it. Companies are almost expected to carry an air of professionalism with everything they do. This professionalism might equate to not having fun to most people because it doesn’t have the greatest connotation behind it.
Last week Tyme wrote an entry about what we do for our group and a majority of the comments didn’t know that I handle most of the programming duties. They probably thought I was just the face of the company. The fun guy if you will and that is understandable because I do not come out and say what I do.
When we do a streamcast or drinkcast it is more of a party than anything. It’s not in us to sit down and pretend we are in a classroom. The best teachers were the ones that made learning fun and if you want to know about our company all you have to do is know about us. This means seeing a group of people who have a different take on professionalism. This means that no matter how big your company is it is always based around the personality of the people running it.
When Bill Gates ran Microsoft it was feared, when he stepped down and Ballmer took over it began its downward spiral. Apple is Steve Jobs just as much as Dell is Dell.
I don’t have the experience of being a top executive in a corporation before I go off to run one of my own. I started my own with my feet already moving. I didn’t learn the rules of proper business etiquette that told me when I host a video chat or podcast that I have to bore the excitement out of my audience. All I know what to do is be me. Sure business and personal are separate, but you are never separated from yourself and so that is how things will probably always be.
I have to admit, before attending this streamcast, the personalities at 9rules were largely unknown to me. I didn’t follow their Twitter accounts, I wasn’t active on Chawlk and didn’t do much to get involved.
Now I feel somewhat connected to the whole thing. It’s odd but now I feel like I want to be part of it. I did submit my site and I hope I get accepted. On a larger scale, it’s very interesting to see how the human element changed my feelings toward what is normally just data and graphics.
The great thing here is if you like us then you might be more interested in what we do, however if you hate us then you could probably care less what the sites are all about. It definitely works both ways. With so many brands and companies out today it is hard to make your’s standout. It is hard to get people to notice you and build that connection. Connections are built with feelings so you have to make your audience bond with your brand on an emotional level and for now we like to do that by showing them who we are.
Your company will always be you no matter what the past brand is or will be.
4 Responses
Tyme White // May 12th, 2008
I think it’s important for individuals to be themselves. So often we see people trying to copy not only a company’s business model but also their style - it usually does not work.
Travis Vocino // May 13th, 2008
I agree Tyme.
I think there’s definitely been a move away from the old “try to look like a huge company because no one knows on the internet” thing. Now the new hotness is being (and being ok with being) as small as possible.
Having an approachable feel as founders goes along with that concept.
Eli James // May 14th, 2008
Also, streamcasts make us feel that we know you. Laughter and fun can be a great binder - I’m pretty much a 9rules fanboy through and through now.
Eli James // May 14th, 2008
PS: it’s also a great risk for most companies, though, that reliance on people. I believe that good companies may rely on one or two amazing personalities, but the truly great ones last with or without these people as the core of their brands. Starbucks rocks, for instance, without a superstar corporate personality at its helm.