Usually keeping this newsletter weekly is easy.
It is a routine. This past week has been anything but.
I wasn't tired. I was just uninspired. The line can be thin but I think people often lose inspiration and fail to nail things but they believe its because they're weary that they let things slide...
So perhaps ironically, rather than wrack more a more weary than regular brain for an inspiring intro, I thought to take a look at relevant facts around Nº111.
Wikipedia delivered with some great 111 trivia:
- The atomic number of the element roentgenium (Rg).
- The chemical compound 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is a chlorinated hydrocarbon that was used as an industrial solvent with a trade name "Solvent 111".
- The emergency telephone number in New Zealand & a non-emergency medical public helpline operating in England and Scotland
- It is the lowest positive integer requiring six syllables to name in American English, or seven syllables (including "and") in Canadian and British English.
- Occasionally it is referred to as "eleventy-one", as read in The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien.
- Great Western Railway Pacific locomotive 4-6-2 111 The Great Bear was designed by George Jackson Churchward in 1908. The locomotive was rebuilt into a Castle Class engine in 1924 and was later renamed Viscount Churchill. The numbers 111 remained until she was scrapped in July 1953. (fun fact I have a 611 also named after a train engine)
- In Pakistani history, Pakistan Army's 111 Brigade is notorious for being used for staging the coups to overthrow the elected governments in order to impose martial law.
I hope you enjoyed this random 111 trivia. ; ) Their is some inspiration in the radness section! I'll enjoy the rest of my time here in Griffin, Ga visiting family. I'm back in Amsterdam Saturday & looking forward to getting back in the game Monday! ✌️
Jon
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p.s.
stoked to support a good cause? Check out Bonn or Bust!
Cycling
Bonn or Bust | 290km from Amsterdam to Bonn
I'm riding 290km from Amsterdam to Bonn for the COP23 with an all-star cast including pro Laurens ten Dam & ex-pro Thijs Al, my good friend & awesome photographer Lian, several heavy hitters from the Patagonia Europe office (sup Alex, Cem & Jelle!), Bruno of Fietsbenen, Paul of The Windjammers & other soon to be homies like Michiel & Frank.
COP23 is the place where policymakers and climate technology innovators meet. We're riding there to raise some well-deserved funds for Fossilvrij NL, a Dutch group that fights passionately for cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels.
PLEASE SUPPORT BY MAKING A DONATION HERE:
FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION HERE:
Performance LED clothing: Métier’s illuminating jackets
I've been wearing this vest on early loops & late night spins. I love it.
Rouleur Classic | Rouleur Classic
I'm attending the Rouleur Classic on Nov. 2 - 4 in London. Let's ride while in town! Who else is joining?
Startups
Use Instagram for work? Please take this survey.
My officemate Greenie from Konichigram, who helps brands like Pimms, Bulleit, Capi be more successful on Instagram, is doing a survey.
Help shape his future product by sharing your experience and frustration with marketing through Instagram. It should take about 4 minutes. 🙏
Stop Thinking About Raising Capital For Your Startup. Start Thinking Like a Business Person
Can we at least admit that failure is not the goal? ; )
Product Owners: Best way to pitch not yet market-ready products?
My bud Jost is always looking for insights and good articles on how to promote (pre-sell) new products which are not ready for market yet. He asked me to pose these questions to the readers of this newsletter:
- Is there reason to take a different approach how to reach pilot customers with beta products?
- How do I attract their interest to do a (time consuming) pilot phase after which I need important feedback to further improve my product before releasing?
- Do I need to motivate them with special discounts, or is it just intrinsic motivation by telling them that they are the chosen ones to test this product?
- How do I measure qualitative customer feedback systematically, eg with feedback forms on every website?
- How can I further use pilot customers as ambassadors for my product?
- How do I deal with big expectations if I recognize that my prototype fails and I have to pivot or close the project?
If you'd like to talk shop with Jost, do hit him up on linkedin.
Sales
Sales Hacker Amsterdam photos
The last Sales Hacker Amsterdam was one of the best! Here are the photos : )
- Photos: www.reulo.com
- Organized by: trvl.com & twotoneams.nl
- Hosted by thescaleupgroup.com & WeWork
Is your sales problem really a product problem?
To be clear, there are plenty of sales related issues that are directly attributable to poor sales processes, bad training of sales resources, poor time management, etc. But often overlooked is the role product plays in sales challenges.
The Best Way to Send Fewer Outbound Sales Emails and Get Better Results
Use conversation-driven sales to send fewer emails and get better results. You can reinvent your outbound prospecting to let your customers buy on their terms.
Radness
Chocolate Spokes, A film by Brendan Leonard
I love this short film about Gregory Crichlow, who left his architecture job in 2011 to start a bicycle shop in Five Points, Dever. In this traditionally African-American and Latino neighborhood, he services residents’ bikes to keep the doors open but hand-building steel frames is what inspires him.
Find him at chocolatespokes.com.