I know what you're thinking. Aren't those the youthful faces of the dotcom boom? 👶 👶
And yes, you're right! Ferdi and I were both at Ariba during one of the biggest booms (and busts) in tech history.
My time at Ariba was like an MBA in a box. I got to see every facet of business from hyper-growth to rapid crash to recovery. We were valued at $40bn (on revenues of $100m and quarterly losses of $2bn 😱 ), grew our teams by 3x then had to let everyone go. I came out more resilient & tougher, taking the European business from almost zero to $100m in 3 years. What a roller coaster 😅
Every boom booms, the bubble bursts, but ultimately recovers:
✅ The internet has radically transformed our world
✅ Ariba went on to define a new SaaS category still used today (Spend Management), was acquired by SAP and is now SAP Ariba
✅ Ferdi has become a serial entrepreneur (kudos 🙌 ) and
✅ I've gone on to enjoy leadership roles at Microsoft, Adobe, VMware, LettsGroup and others.
Have I seen it all before? Maybe, maybe not. AI is disrupting our industries and our jobs, but the bubble will burst, new opportunities will be created and we'll rise like a phoenix, just as Ariba did. 🐦🔥
AI and Art: Like Oil & Water❓
It’s tough being an artist. A world notoriously difficult to get into and now being disrupted by AI bypassing human creativity. 😠
While DALL-E and Midjourney may grab the headlines, they're just one small part of how AI is transforming the art world. AI can also handle the business side of art, letting creators focus on what they do best – creating. And empowering artists to build a sustainable career. 💪
That's why I’m proud to work with the team at LettsArt to disrupt the business of art - providing FREE no-code Art Intelligence software for artists to have a better way to manage, share and sell their art. These tools aren't replacing artistic creativity – they're amplifying it by handling the admin and business tasks that many artists find challenging or time-consuming. 🙌
✅ Make More Money. Traditional galleries often take a significant cut from art sales, and don’t offer royalties on future resales. With LettsArt artists cut out the middleman (it’s DTC but Direct To Collector), take a bigger cut of every new sale and even receive royalties from resales of NFT artworks, maximising their potential earnings.
✅ Maintain Control. LettsArt uses AI and Blockchain to make it easy for artists to control the distribution and authenticity of their works.
✅ Spend More Time Creating. From sales and marketing to IT and finance, LettsArt uses AI to provide a whole range of assistants, leaving artists to focus on creating.
✨ Over 800 artists are now running their own gallery using LettsArt (some shared here). Their range of creativity and entrepreneurship is incredible - all using AI to boost their careers.
The reality is that AI and art aren't oil and water at all. They're more like paint and canvas. And the future of art isn't about AI versus human creativity – it's about how they can complement each other.
So, if you know any artists needing a leg up on their journey, have them check out LettsArt. It's completely 🆓. Share this link to sign up: https://www.lettsart.com/start/
🖼️ 🖼️ 🖼️ : Just some of the art from a selection of artists using LettsArt.
All roads lead to the ICP
Had some interesting conversations in the past few weeks with a few GTM leaders. Different companies, different conversations, different needs but all were struggling with setting up marketing for success, the role of marketing, how to structure the team, what OKRs to set and what talent is needed.
What I love about marketing is in amongst all the shiny new things (RIP Second Life, SlideShare, Sribd, Twitter, Clubhouse. Hello AI!), the basics never change. All roads always lead to the need to define the Ideal Customer Profile and, more importantly, agree this across all the GTM functions.
With the ICP in place and the business OKRs mapped out, only then can we start to think about the marketing strategies and tactics. Digital? Events? ABM? Field marketing? Partner Marketing? SDR/BDRs etc. (I know, if only life were that simple).
Always, always get the fundamentals right first!
On a separate, but related, note I did a little sketch in thinking this through to myself, took a photo and asked ChatGPT to provide a clearer, more professional graphic. I think we’ll all agree AI hashtag#NailedIt 🤣
AI: 10x the content, 1/10 the meaning (Source : Jeff Allen)
"How to seize the AI opportunity?"
Enjoyed attending the CogX Festival in London, "How to seize the AI opportunity?" 🤖🌍
AI is truly at the heart of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It’s reshaping everything from operational efficiency to customer experience. But more meaningful use cases outside of "Shrimp Jesus" need to be shared to understand the positive impact of AI. For example, the life sciences industry benefiting in areas like drug discovery and the development of new proteins and compounds. 🧬💡
Here are my 4 key takeaways from the discussions. And of course, it was great to catch up with peers - both old & new!
1. AI is rewriting the rulebook for work: New roles are emerging, but businesses must focus on upskilling employees and setting guardrails to manage AI’s rapid evolution. 🚀 Trust and security are top concerns—especially when it comes to IP, copyright, and privacy. 🔒🧑⚖️
2. We need a human-centric approach: To harness AI’s power responsibly, we need clear guidelines, technical documentation, and governance. 📜 Engaging with policy-makers early and considering public priorities alongside private interests are crucial steps for ensuring AI supports democracy and civil liberties. 🏛️🤝
3. Sustainability and infrastructure challenges: AI’s energy consumption is a growing concern. 🌱⚡ Generating just two AI images would drain an iPhone battery, so how are we tackling the environmental impact of AI.
4. From "wow" to "how": Beyond “wow” moments, companies must focus on the “how”—creating roadmaps that make AI integration feasible while addressing environmental impacts and public service delivery. 📊💻
As AI continues to advance, we need to strike a balance between innovation and responsibility. Let’s build a future where technology works for everyone, not just a few. 🌍💪
#AI #FutureOfWork #Sustainability #Innovation #Governance
