Author: Kelli Richards

Q&A with Hank Barry, Co-Chair of Sidley Austin

main-thumb-18564-200-DSxxx9IruUyo3z8umhkofirFp4hvYIzN

I welcomed Hank Barry, co-chair of Sidley’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice, on my Blog Talk Radio show last Monday. I met Hank during his tenure years as the CEO at Napster.

During our interview Hank shared his experience with Napster as a “good one.” He said,

“I wouldn’t change a moment of it.” Hank explained to me that because of some internal issues at Napster, his partners asked him to be the CEO for, “quote, three or four weeks,” but he ended up staying in that position for almost two years. We talked about his complex career with Napster, learning about policy making, negotiating with record companies, and interactions with some of the major artists.

We then shifted into a conversation about Hanks career with Sidley, a worldwide law firm. Hank said, “The fundamental mission of the firm is to provide the highest quality of professional legal services, simple as that.” We discussed his work with pro bono cases and human rights cases including the launch of the first global pro bono initiatives called the Africa and Asia Agricultural Enterprise program, which entails reaching out to developing countries and helping people who have agricultural goods get those products to market and get a fair return on their investment.

When asked what his next project or collaboration might be Hank said, “Well I’m just trying to be a good partner to Sidley Austin. I mean that’s my main goal in life right now, just to be a good partner and grow this office.”

To hear the full interview visit my BTR with Hank Barry

There, you can find new interviews with some of the top innovators of our time.

My BlogTalkRadio episodes are regularly scheduled live, every Monday at 8:00 pm EST.

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of All Access Group

https://allaccessgroup.com

The Scoop on Zach Zalon, Former President of Virgin Digital

I recently talked with Zach Zalon, the co-founder of Wilshire Axon and former President of Virgin Digital, the digital platform for Virgin’s Entertainment Group. We discussed his inspiration for launching Virgin Digital and the philosophies that have structure his career.

Zalon attributed most of his career to the fundamental philosophy that was created when he worked as manager at the Troubador club, a live music nightclub. He spoke of the clubs ability to showcase up-and-coming artists that didn’t have a big following by bookending a major label act with these new artists. “Our philosophy was to democratize, in some respects, access to fans by using the bigger bands that were going to draw all those people to our club as the gateway to that bands fan base.” The philosophy that was created from this was the underlying desire to support independent artists that didn’t have the proper following or support.

He took that philosophy with him when he left the Troubador. At that time, the Internet was in its early states, and Zalon teamed up with his connections in the music world to use the Internet as another vehicle for expanding an artist’s access to new audiences, which inspired him to branch out and create his own consulting firm, The Factory Network.

Transitioning into his career with Virgin, Zalon explains that Virgin had been a client of The Factory Network (TFN), and they had worked with the company to do a variety of things. TFN wrote a business plan for what they thought would be a fairly innovative service called Radio Free Virgin, a global, online radio service that connected very deeply with the mega stores around the world to drive a fairly significant audience. When Richard Branson funded it, Zalon and his team decided to close down TFN and take on the project for Virgin full time.

After many years with Virgin, Zalon and his team spun out of the company and created two separate companies, Wilshire Axon and Hello Music. Zalon and his team used the blueprinting methods they had created during their time at Virgin and established a digital product design firm. Hello Music started from the teams desire to help artists. The idea behind it is to pre-negotiate opportunities that, up until now, only major acts have gotten access to and providing that access to artists anywhere in America in a standardized experience.

When asked what he most wanted to be remembered for Zalon said that he didn’t feel like he had been around long enough for a legacy, but rather explained that the three things he and his team were focused on were helping large companies create amazing digital experiences for their customers, helping independent artists get support, and an overarching focus on the city of Los Angles.

To hear the full interview visit my BRT Interview With Zack Zalon.

There, you can find new interviews with some of the top innovators of our time.

My BlogTalkRadio episodes are regularly scheduled live every Monday at 8:00 pm EST.

 

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of All Access Group

https://allaccessgroup.com

 

Social TV & Second Screen: How Television Captivates Fans Using Social Media

intonowAre you guilty of calling up Carson Daly in the early 2000’s and requesting a song on MTV’s show, Total Request Live? MTV is just one early example of viewers interacting with television. American Idol has also been notorious for enabling fans call in or text to vote for their favorite contestant for nearly a decade, but with the growing popularity of social media, we’re seeing an expansion of audience participation and networks are taking it a step further.

Not only are people requesting music and voting for their favorite talent, –online and through smartphones –but now audiences can interact directly with the stars and other fans, participate in contests and polls, and discuss show predictions, all while watching the show using their smartphones and tablets.  This is called Social TV or Second Screen.

Social television is almost essential nowadays. Fans expect to be able to tweet and post along with their favorite characters. Showtime, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), and the teen network ABC Family are just three of the networks that do this flawlessly.

So what are these networks doing right?

Showtime has been known for producing quality content for years, but the network has since stepped it up with the introduction of the Showtime Sync App for iPad. The app encourages viewers to follow along with the app while watching their favorite shows like Dexter, Homeland, and Shameless. As long as the audio is enabled on your device, the app syncs with your television, and allows users to take polls, make predictions, and get exclusive content specific to the episode playing. Users can even test their knowledge of their favorite shows and characters by answering trivia questions.

Incorporating an insiders view through the use of blogging is one of the ways Oprah’s Lifeclass has captured the attention thousands of people. The show airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network and showcases Oprah’s life lessons and advice. Oprah elicited popular bloggers and gave them behind-the-scenes access to the show, so they could share their experiences with the world. Oprah also effectively uses Skype, a video communication system, to directly incorporate viewers into the television program. Viewers can call in and ask questions, discuss their fears, or share success stories.

The family channel, ABC Family flawlessly uses twitter to interact with fans (250,000+). Actors from the popular shows such as Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game live tweet every episode that airs. Hashtags are even displayed (strategically, I might add) throughout the episode during suspenseful or unexpected moments in the plot, so that fans can take to twitter with their reactions. Viewers have direct access to their favorite characters/actors and are encouraged to ask questions, make predictions, and participate in contests –and are rewarded with real responses. The network has often used twitter as their primary platform to give fans updates about new characters, plot twists, and new television programs.

The driving forces behind social TV and second screen are companies like yap.TV, Get Glue, intoNow, Zeebox, and Blip.TV. The common theme among them surrounds the platforms they offer –apps allowing you to connect to online communities while watching your favorite shows. Let’s take a look at a few of the best.

Yap.TV is an online TV guide with Facebook and Twitter integration and provides content feeds and group chat capabilities. IntoNow uses your television’s audio to recognize which show and episode you are watching and delivers preprogrammed content, similar to the Showtime Sync App. Blip.TV has taken a different approach from the others and showcases content from up-and-coming and well-know producers. The content is anything from reviews to updates to predictions, etc in the form of videos. The platform also has popular social media integration.

These networks have certainly gained a loyal following and continue to stretch the boundaries of social media. Meanwhile the tech companies behind second screen continue to evolve, adding new capabilities & ways to engage over time. Fans are developing an even deeper relationship with the celebrities and characters they love. In what ways do you use social media to interact with your favorite television programs? What does this mean for the future of social TV? What will viewers expect next?

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

Stop Wishing Your Life Away- THRIVE

Fearless people not only live amazing lives and achieve great heights — fearless people take on projects from which the rest of us would run. Thrive! Stop Wishing Your Life Away…

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

Are You Ready to THRIVE?

Thrive Poster w info & KelliDo you ever feel like your life is passing you by? Like there are things you’ve wanted to do and make happen, but you just haven’t gotten around to doing them? Do you feel like you’ve been distracted or lived a life of excuses or have felt pressure to keep up with the Joneses, but the harder you try, the more it slips away? It’s time to get real and get empowered. It’s time to THRIVE.

Join me, Kelli Richards, on Friday, June 28, 2013 and learn how to stop wishing your life away.

Date: Friday, June 28, 2013

Time: 9am – 4pm

Location: Silicon Valley Capital Club, San Jose CA

Based on “Million Dollar Consultant” Alan Weiss’s recent book by the same name, this experience will forever change the way you look at the world and empower you to feel and act as the master of your own fate.

Under Alan’s direction, Kelli has condensed and solidified 25 years of working with industry leaders and celebrities to share a very powerful set of skills that will rouse you to set your own course without fear, baggage, intimidation, or guilt.

Thrive! will help you create consistent high points of self-worth (mastery) through the intelligent acquisition and application of skills.

In this powerful one-day workshop you will:

    • Evaluate what’s working and not working in your life; ID areas for transformation
    • Develop techniques to create reasonable “stretch” goals for growth
    • Articulate what legitimate achievements look like for you
    • Master use of your time, including overcoming distractions
    • Jettison the energy suckers and bad influences
    • Mastery of your own life; no longer base your self-worth on outside judgments
    • Get real about things you’ve said you really wanted to do/have in life but never get around to
    • Kill cows (throw baggage off the train—no cows will be harmed!)
    • Act like a success to live like a success
    • Avoid victim and poverty mentalities; be accountable for actions & adopt an abundance mindset
    • Deal with difficult people (including yourself)
    • Recognize and exploit your own greatest assets
    • Get comfortable with who you are & drive your life autonomously vs. keeping up with the Joneses
    • Embrace self-mastery and self-direction
    • Voluntarily discuss obstacles and learn to overcome them
    • Create a six point, personal plan to ensure that you Thrive!

Investment in your future: $799 registration fee 
($599 if you register before May 15).

In addition, you’ll receive a copy of Alan’s book “Thrive: Stop Wishing Your Life Away” on which this workshop is based; lunch is also included. Register early as space is limited & we expect it to sell out.

Yes, sign me up for Thrive!

Tech Advances for a New Century – Fingerprints as Credit Cards

FingerImagine going to your local Starbucks and instead of having to rummage through your wallet in the morning, simply pressing your finger to a scanner and walking out. Headache averted. Want to know more?  Read on for a 4-minute history and update on Scanning for Payment.

For years various companies have developed innovative, “easy” payment options for purchases at locations ranging from retail stores, to restaurants, to public transportation systems, to small-personal merchants. Businesses life Flock Tag, Square, and others, all feature an accessible, simple ability to allow the fast swipe of a card for payment or – bringing access to individuals and businesses who never accepted credit cards for payment before this due to the clunky technology and equipment.  Now it’s as easy as a 1” “square” and an app on your SmartPhone.  Yes, commerce has definitely come to the masses.

Square sends its user a card reader which plugs into the head phone dock on smart phones, allowing for users, usually small business owners, the ability to charge sales to cards. Square offers two payment options, either a rate fee per transaction or a flat $275 monthly charge.

Breeze Cards are re-loadable magnetized cards used in the Rail system in Atlanta, Georgia. The cards differ from Subway passes in cities like New York, in that they are reusable; by simply swiping your Breeze card at a kiosk you are able to add rides to the card, which is then swiped upon entering and leaving the “Marta”- subway.  This is a huge win for green ecology, all but eliminating the waste of use and use-up passes for other systems, like New York.

The Flock Tag is a step further in this brave new world.  It is a “customer loyalty program,” originated in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which aims to replace all promotion cards at local stores that keep count of purchases – basically it works like this:  Buy 10 smoothies and get your 11th free.  To make it even easier, it combines all stores into one loyalty card.  The card is simply swiped after you pay and works with its corresponding phone application to track purchases and promotions.  What do ALL of these various cards have in common? They all represent new “revolutionary” forms of payment, and promotion, aimed at simplifying the payment process for consumers worldwide.

While all these cards are revolutionary in their own rights, engineering students at The School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, a small university in South Dakota, may be in the process of outdoing them all with their implementation of fingerprint scanners as payment.  

And while there are privacy issues with this sort of technology, what could be more convenient than paying for your purchases by swiping your finger?

To good to be true? It keeps getting better. If this type of finger payment elicits memories from movies in which someone steals your finger, and you can’t cancel a finger like you can a credit card, the engineers in Rapid City are implementing a live hemoglobin check in the scanner, so only “live” fingers can be used as payment.  Gross, maybe?  Effective and thought provoking?  You bet.

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

 

Twitter Music

Twitter MusicAs all of us know, there are countless online music apps and platforms circulating the web, from Spotify, to Pandora, to Soundcloud, to Last.fm – all offering “unique” variations on the music listening experience. Let’s have a quick overview and then I’ll make a few valuable points.

  1. Spotify works with Facebook to allow friends to share music in real time, as they listen.
  2. Pandora lets users pick a genre, or artist, or song and create a playlist accordingly.
  3. Soundcloud targets the artists themselves, allowing recording and sharing, which in turn, appeals to listeners looking for the next great musician or fans seeking sneak peeks of new songs.
  4. Last.fm basically provides an encyclopedia-like amount of information about artists with biographies to similar musicians and popular tracks.

So it comes as no surprise, and it was only a matter of time before Twitter released its own online music player, cleverly named, “Twitter #Music.”

So what does #Music have to offer, and is it even worth using when compared to all the other listener options?

Lets check out the app.

Twitter organizes its music selection into four categories: Popular, which they describe as “new music trending on Twitter;” Emerging, “hidden talent found in the Tweets;” Suggested, “artists you might like;” and #NowPlaying, “tweeted by people you follow.” 

The Popular music section is basically Twitter’s version of the iTunes top 100, or the Billboard top 100, except it illustrates the top 40 songs played on Twitter.  Is less actually more? The ‘Emerging’ category promises to expose new, up and coming, talented musical groups –probably Indie-Rock bands; ‘Suggested’ is exactly what it sounds like –Twitter analyzes your tweets and follows and provides you with music accordingly (not bad for music discovery purposes); and ‘#Nowplaying’ is pretty self-explanatory.

While the idea of Twitter joining the music sharing industry is a pretty obvious decision, and the categories they break the music down into seems legitimate, and are integrated into Twitter pretty logically, it still is difficult to imagine #music making any real impact in the music sharing space, despite its already massive audience.  The sad news is that Twitter has failed to offer any “new” advantages to using its application.

Popular music can be found anywhere. There are far more credible sources for “emerging” talent on sites like Pitchfork.com, or even through Spotify – and “Suggested” tracks has already been mastered by Pandora. However, possibly the biggest flaw in #music is the fact that I could really care less about what people I’m following are listening to. Facebook and Spotify work so well together because they only share information among friends, or at least acquaintances. Twitter is different in that it is a totally different type of social networking. Yes I follow my friends, but I also follow people for news, for sports analysis, for tech advances, or because they may just tweet hilarious, absurd and interesting thoughts.

But that does not mean that I am interested in what Anderson Cooper, Snookie, LeBron James, or what @crapmydadsays is listening to?  Not really.

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

 

Search Resources

Topic Areas & Guests

Categories

Join our mailing list

For insights on industry trends, and for details on special projects/events. We respect your time and your privacy.