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We need to fight Mediocrity!

Fri, 04 May 2012 11:24:00 -0400

There’s a lot of mediocrity being celebrated, and a lot of wonderful stuff being ignored or discouraged

Sean Penn

It can sound arrogant or pretentious to say so, but I really think we need to encourage people to fight mediocrity! It’s perhaps one of the most dangerous poisons of our current lives. But what is mediocrity? Mediocrity is this status between bad and good, when something is not suffisant, not qualitative. The problem of mediocrity is not only its intrinsic definition, but also, and perhaps more important, is the fact that people are satisfied with mediocrity. Fighting mediocrity is fighting its production, and also its celebration.

Mediocrity is everywhere in the tech world for example:

Startups that limit themselves to copy a concept, or do something cheap (a good example: all the daily deals stupid websites)
Medias, and especially blogs that write articles about topics they don’t know anything about or just because it generates trafic, so they produce crap.
Consultants or any business guys, who just tries to do the minimum viable, and not the best.

In my post about me turning entrepreneur, I wrote something that people remembered “My project will be huge. Actually, it’s either it’s huge, or it isn’t”. I’ve thought a lot about it since I’ve started the project and met plenty of people. What I really think is that not only am I trying to build an ambitious project, not only do I want to change things, but I’m also trying to fight mediocrity as much as I can. I don’t want to take the easy way, I don’t want shortcuts that lead me to bad quality.

And as in Sean Penn’s quote that I used to start this post, not only do we need to fight mediocrity in what we’re doing, but we also need to fight mediocrity celebration!

Oh, and I need your help. If you ever think something I say, write or produce is mediocre, please tell me. Honestly.

Collaborative Consumption Groundswell Video by Rachel...

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:48:00 -0500

Collaborative Consumption Groundswell Video by Rachel Botsman

This video is already old (numbers are even bigger now) but this will allow you to understand what is my current obsession…

The Food Picture Dilemma

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:52:00 -0500

Let’s pretend I’m eating a really delicious meal (that I prepared by myself or not, whatever) and I want to share a picture from my mobile.

Homemade Cassoulet

How can I decide on which social media I’ll post my pic?

Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Path
Instagram
Foodspotting
Foodreporter
~~Linkedin~~ (in the case of a dish we can easily forget Linkedin)
Evernote Food (if you want to remember it somewhere)
Foursquare (if the dish is from a restaurant)
~~Socialgrapes~~ (if it’s not a dish but a good bottle of wine)

Ok, I think you got the idea, and actually I could keep this list going. Of course Facebook and Twitter can generally be updated directly from the other apps (but this still isn’t the case for Google+) but there’s still a choice to make:

is my picture a general update (then => Facebook, Twitter)
do I want to share it a with a limited group (then = Google+, Path)
is it primary a nice picture (then => Instagram)
is the dish the most important (then => foodreporter or foodspotting)

I’m convinced there’s an opportunity for niche communities such as the ones around food, but it’s more and more difficult to have user mindshare…

As I explained in a previous post, I am more and more interested in new trends regarding food consumption and tools that aim at increasing the sharing experience when we eat, cook or buy food. I’m testing a lot of new (or less) new apps so please share if you have any that I should check or test.

Following my previous post where I announced ny new plans as an...

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:17:51 -0500

Following my previous post where I announced ny new plans as an entrepreneur Entrepreneur Mode On I thought I would share with you the mood I am in. And what’s best than music to share it?

So here are two songs that are special to me for various reasons, and it happens that they make a lot of sense for me now ;)

Entrepreneur Mode On!

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:13:00 -0500

In case my title was not clear enough: yes, I am now an entrepreneur, working on my own project (I won’t call it a start-up before it actually starts).

Before giving you more details about this new project, a few comments about what happened to me to be that crazy. Really, you want to create your company when everyone tells you 2012 will be bad for the economy worldwide ? Oh yes, I want it!

I joined Seesmic a little bit less than a year ago, and it has been a real pleasure to work with the Seesmic team, especially Loic with whom everything started and with Michelle, that joined me last July to run Seesmic European activities. It was amazing to work with and learn from them.

But, there was a major problem. I’ve been surrounded by inspiring entrepreneurs for the last 5 years now, and I couldn’t resist further. I had to start my own project. I’ve learned a lot when I joined Goojet before the company was even created, and I spent 4 years busy with marketing but also various startup activities, as I was surrounded by 3 great entrepreneurs Marc Rougier, Ludovic Le Moan and Guillaume Decugis. I am grateful I’ve participated in Goojet pivot into Scoop.it, platform which is performing very well since its launch. Being Techcrunch France co-editor during one year and a half with Roxanne Varza was also a wonderful opportunity to meet and get inspired by great entrepreneurs. The best part of it for me were the two events I went to organize, Remix and Recipes.

Last year at Seesmic was very intense, full of diverse projects (social platforms and mobile apps, partnership with Salesforce, events such as SMMD or Dreamforce etc.) and was actually richer than expected, as my activities weren’t limited to Europe but concerned global marketing and biz dev needs.

Oh, and LeWeb of course. This was an amazing event. This was my 6th LeWeb and I had already took part to the organization of some events, but this was huge. I was lucky to be the curator and host of the new “Social Enterprise Track” as well as a member of the organization. And I should be part of the organization again next year.

Two weeks ago, I turned 28. And as 2012 is supposed to be the last year of our planet earth, I had to do something. First I proposed a few months ago (she said yes) so that’s the big 2012 project on the personal side and second, well, I decided it’s a good time to work on my own project and start my own business. And the good thing is that I have a few ideas, and one could actually be pretty huge! I am especially excited by two things: the “share economy” or “collaborative consumption” trend as well as the food industry so ping me if you want to talk about it.

I want to spend time brainstorming and working on these ideas, as well as giving me a chance to find one or two partners. So if you think there might be a fit and I haven’t send you an email yet, get in touch!

Mhh. One more thing. My project will be huge. Actually, it’s either it’s huge, or it isn’t ;)

I know I’ve not been writing very actively for this blog, but I promise next posts won’t be only about me starting or quitting jobs ;)

Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Trends 2011

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:12:18 -0400

It’s perhaps the only “tradition” I’ve ever had in my blogging habits since 2005. Each year in August, Gartner releases its Hype Cycle and I am always keen to share it.

The 2011 edition of this Hype Cycle for Emerging Trends has been released, based on 1900 technologies that have been studied. It’s a full study you can buy from Gartner, but the cycle is always available as a graphic, and here it is.

Image found on Silicon.fr

Previous editions of this hype cycle can be found here (2010) or here (2005-2009).

What do you think of this year trends? In comparison to last year? I will post my thoughts later on but please tell me what you think.

Bye Bye Techcrunch France !

Thu, 05 May 2011 17:10:38 -0400

Comme cela vient d’être annoncé lors du Techcrunch France Recipes, je quitte mon rôle de co-éditeur de Techcrunch France et d’organisateur des évènements (#TCFRemix et #TCFRecipes).

Pourquoi j’arrête là mon implication dans Techcrunch France, alors que l’équipe est top, que le blog est redevenu un rendez-vous incontournable pour l’actualité des startups en France, et que j’ai participé à la création de deux magnifiques évènements pour aider l’écosystème ? Il y a trois raisons principales à cela :

je n’ai plus le temps pour m’y consacrer comme il se doit, surtout au niveau de l’écriture d’articles
mon rôle de Directeur Europe de Seesmic va me faire être de plus en plus en conflit d’intérêt avec des sociétés que nous pourrions couvrir sur Techcrunch France (certaines sont partenaires, d’autres concurrentes, d’autres investisseurs etc.)
en terme de positionnement personnel, les deux positions me demandant d’être très visible, il était de plus en plus compliqué pour les autres de comprendre quand je parlais/agissais en tant que Seesmic, quand en tant que Techcrunch France etc.

C’est donc avec regret (mais avec la volonté de bien faire et d’être focus) que j’arrête là mon implication dans cette équipe TCFR. Je suis persuadé que les choses vont bien aller, car il y a un boulevard et un besoin d’un média comme Techcrunch France et Roxanne, la rédactrice en chef, et les autres rédacteurs sont top!

Que vais je faire ?

Me consacrer encore plus à Seesmic, qui me passionne plus que jamais. Nous avons de très très belle choses à faire et je veux m’y consacrer à fond.
Redevenir blogueur “individuel”: non pas en cherchant à développer mon propre blog, mais plutôt en contribuant en invité à des blogs qui souhaiteront accueillir mon point de vue, mon analyse du marché etc. Je vais donc être SBF => Sans Blog Fixe.
Et puis je vais continuer à rester proche des startups, je dois bien encore pouvoir aider un peu ;)

Je vous rassure, ce blog Tumblr n’est pas uniquement destiné à annoncer des départs, mais c’est vrai que depuis que j’ai rejoint Seesmic, je n’ai pas eu le temps de me consacrer à des billets persos… mais justement cela va changer.

De Goojet à Seesmic !

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:29:00 -0500

[In English below]

Je peux aujourd’hui le dire de façon officielle : je quitte le poussin Goojet, pour aller devenir un Raton-laveur chez Seesmic ;) A partir du début Février, je ne serai plus Directeur Marketing de Goojet mais Directeur Europe pour Seesmic.

Après bientôt 4 ans de bons et loyaux services chez Goojet, j’ai pris la décision d’aller tenter une nouvelle aventure, un nouveau challenge chez Seesmic. Mais avant de vous parler de la suite, parlons un peu des 4 années passées :

Une équipe fantastique : depuis le début où Ludovic (Le Moan) m’a proposé de rejoindre l’aventure qu’il était en train de lancer avec Marc (Rougier) jusqu’à l’arrivée de Hélène (Brevet) dans mon équipe, et bien sûr en passant par tous ceux qui ont participé au projet à Toulouse (certains étant avant tout des amis), ou à Paris, sans oublier Guillaume (Decugis) le DG de Goojet, force est de constater que ces 4 ans ont été avant tout rythmés par des relations humaines, sans qui rien n’aurait été possible
Une diversité très formatrice pendant tous ces 4 ans : ayant été là dès le début du projet, j’ai fait énormément de choses. A commencer par la stratégie, l’analyse de marché pour Goojet avant le lancement, en passant par des pitchs lors de conférences, jusqu’à l’animation de la communauté, la gestion de la publicité etc, etc. La liste est longue, et j’avais même été implicitement designé office manager à Paris, mode startup oblige ;)
Un dernier projet lancé, Scoop.it dans lequel je crois énormément et que je vais continuer à suivre (puisque je garde de toute façons quelques actions de la société, je vais donc rester en quelque sorte “Scoop.it Evangelist” comme ils disent aux US). Pour suivre mes topics sur Scoop.it, c’est par ici d’ailleurs.

Et donc, que vais je faire désormais chez Seesmic ? Je vais occuper le poste de Directeur Europe et à ce titre là mon rôle va être de développer la société sur le marché Européen. Mes journées seront donc bien remplies du triptyque Marketing-Communication-Business Development

Seesmic, après deux pivots, se concentre aujourd’hui (depuis la mi-2010 en fait) sur le développement d’un outil permettant aux marques, aux entreprises de mieux gérer l’accès aux medias sociaux. Que ce soit pour la publication ou le monitoring, et que ce soit sur des réseaux sociaux externes (Facebook, Twitter) ou interne (Salesforce Chatter), Seesmic se veut l’outil parfait pour les entreprises, outil disponible sur le web, via une application desktop, sur les mobiles etc.

Je connaissais bien sûr de nom le fondateur de Seesmic, Loic Le Meur, depuis mon “début” dans le web 2.0 il y a 6 ans, mais ce n’est que depuis quelques années que nos chemins se sont croisés de plus en plus, à Leweb bien sûr chaque année, mais aussi au Techcrunch France Remix que j’ai organisé en Novembre dernier avec Techcrunch France (où je continue bien sûr d’être co-éditeur). Comme souvent dans ce genre d’histoire, nous nous sommes d’abord dit “ce serait génial de travailler ensemble” et on a vu ensuite les détails ;)

Voilà, je crois que vous avez l’essentiel de l’histoire pour aujourd’hui. Le chapitre Seesmic ne fait que commencer, et il s’annonce déjà très excitant !

——-

Starting February 1st, I leave my position as Marketing Director of Goojet/Scoop.it and will start as Europe Director for Seesmic

After 4 years at Goojet, I wanted a new challenge, some new perspectives. After a discussion with Loic Le Meur where we agreed we both would like to work together, we ended up seeing this Seesmic opportunity. Seesmic is just starting its B2B offer, so it was the perfect timing for accelerating and having someone (me) in Europe developing the business. My activities will so be mainly Marketing-Communication-Business Development

I loved my four years at Goojet, not only the team is wonderful (some of them are real friends), but the mission and what we’ve achieved is really really cool. I had to manage so many various projects that it’s just impossible to list them all, but I did learn a lot! I’ll stay involved as a shareholder and an advisor of the company (call me “Scoop.it Evangelist” now if you want). By the way, here is my Scoop.it profile

I’ll stay co-editor of Techcrunch France

Now let the show begin!