The Dunbar Number, From the Guru of Social Networks

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Description:  A little more than 10 years ago, the evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar began a study of the Christmas-card-sending habits of the English. This was in the days before online social networks made friends and “likes” as countable as miles on an odometer, and Dunbar wanted a proxy for meaningful social connection. Source: Businessweek.com Date:… Read more »

Growth in digital to remain in double digits through 2015

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Description:  Worldwide, digital ad spending passed the $100-billion mark for the first time last year, according to new eMarketer estimates, and will increase by a further 15.1% in 2013 to $118.4 billion. Source:  eMarketer.com Date: Jan 09, 2013 Link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1009592#SH2CeEcfGTU7hlwu.99 Questions for Discussions: Why do you think these advertising spending trends are growing? How will… Read more »

Nasty Gal: One of L.A.’s Fastest Growing Companies

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Description: Jon Erlichman introduces a report about Nasty Gal, an e-commerce website for women’s fashion which has become one of the fastest growing companies in Los Angeles. (Source:Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Jan 03, 2013 Link: http://bloom.bg/VFWUfO Questions for Discussions: Why do you think this firm has become so successful? What lesson is… Read more »

Job Applicants’ Cultural Fit Can Trump Qualifications

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Description:  At a recent job interview at Summit Partners, a private equity firm in Boston, an applicant was asked, “If you could pick one person to play you in a movie, who would it be?” Source: Businessweek.com Date: Jan 03, 2013 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-03/job-applicants-cultural-fit-can-trump-qualifications#r=hp-ls Questions for Discussions: What do you think of the this process of applicant… Read more »

Help for a Start-Up, but at a High Price

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Description:  EATWHATEVER is a two-step breath-freshening product created four years ago by a then-26-year-old Australian expatriate named Jacqui Rosshandler. Starting with $60,000 in capital, contracting out production and working solo from her New York apartment, Ms. Rosshandler and her company, Jacquii L.L.C., managed to grab a promising but tenuous toehold in the billion-dollar breath-freshening industry… Read more »

Cutting the Cable Cord in Favor of Online Viewing

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Description: Bloomberg News’ Alex Sherman reports on cable’s rising costs. He speaks with Jon Erlichman on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Dec 28, 2012 Link: http://bloom.bg/12UIfCD Questions for Discussions: Explain why cable fees are rising? Do you think the cable firms could survive if they could only charge… Read more »

A Zuckerberg Christmas Photo Tests Online Privacy

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Description:  It’s become almost axiomatic that Facebook (FB) privacy settings are so complicated that even relatively savvy users get tripped up by them, especially since the giant social network has a reputation for changing them without warning, resetting defaults, and so on. In a deliciously ironic illustration of this phenomenon, Randi Zuckerberg—sister of Facebook co-founder… Read more »

The Worst Commissioner in Professional Sports

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Description:  In case you missed the latest news – – the National Hockey League has a hard enough time getting people to pay attention when games are actually being played –Commissioner Gary Bettman went nuclear last week, filing a lawsuit against his own players. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Dec 19, 2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-19/the-worst-commissioner-in-professional-sports.html Questions for Discussions:… Read more »

5,500 people fund Made in USA undies

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Description: Flint and Tinder used Kickstarter to bring men’s underwear manufacturing back to the US, but was surprised by the challenges they encountered. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Dec 17, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/12/17/t-kickstarter-flint-tinder.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: How did this company get the needed financing to succeed? How did this approach to financing dove-tail with… Read more »

GM Buying 200M Shares, U.S. to Exit in 12-15 Months

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Description: Dec. 19 (Bloomberg) — Bloomberg’s Dominic Chu reports that General Motors will purchase 200 million shares of its stock from the U.S. Treasury as part of the department’s plan to sell its entire holding of GM stock within 15 months. He speaks on Bloomberg Television’s “In The Loop.” Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date:… Read more »