MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: Pixel-Pizzazz on September 23, 2010, 18:08
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I have never seen this article before today and thought it was a really good - honest to goodness - interview, that others who have not seen it would also be interested in:
http://www.abouttheimage.com/2723/interview_with_istockphoto_founder_and_ceo_bruce_livingstone/author2 (http://www.abouttheimage.com/2723/interview_with_istockphoto_founder_and_ceo_bruce_livingstone/author2)
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I'm sorry all I can think of right now is Steve-O from jackass
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I wondered if he's added another word after it yet. ;)
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I wondered if he's added another word after it yet. ;)
My guess is - Bitch
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Oh, well, I have to say it gave me the first vaguely positive feelings I've had about iStock for weeks. It's a shame that it's only historic documents that do that now.
Did everyone see that GMNicholas added his name to the petition?
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I have never seen this article before today and thought it was a really good - honest to goodness - interview, that others who have not seen it would also be interested in:
[url]http://www.abouttheimage.com/2723/interview_with_istockphoto_founder_and_ceo_bruce_livingstone/author2[/url] ([url]http://www.abouttheimage.com/2723/interview_with_istockphoto_founder_and_ceo_bruce_livingstone/author2[/url])
Bruce's choiice of favorite book is interesting
ATI): Favorite Book?
(BL): 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene (http://www.amazon.com/33-Strategies-War-Robert-Greene/dp/0670034576 (http://www.amazon.com/33-Strategies-War-Robert-Greene/dp/0670034576)
"Its lessons are presented self-help-book style in chapters titled "Maneuver Them into Weakness" and "Seem to Work for the Interests of Others While Furthering Your Own"... notably, the final section on "dirty" warfare is one of the book's longest"
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Yeah I noticed that book choice too. Initially it made me think 'Uh! Maybe not such a nice guy?'... but then I thought... maybe as iStock became more successful, he found himself dealing more and more with less pleasant people (as we often do in business), and maybe he just wanted to be sufficiently armed to second guess their true motives and strategies...
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I have never seen this article before today and thought it was a really good - honest to goodness - interview, that others who have not seen it would also be interested in:
[url]http://www.abouttheimage.com/2723/interview_with_istockphoto_founder_and_ceo_bruce_livingstone/author2[/url] ([url]http://www.abouttheimage.com/2723/interview_with_istockphoto_founder_and_ceo_bruce_livingstone/author2[/url])
Bruce's choiice of favorite book is interesting
ATI): Favorite Book?
(BL): 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene ([url]http://www.amazon.com/33-Strategies-War-Robert-Greene/dp/0670034576[/url] ([url]http://www.amazon.com/33-Strategies-War-Robert-Greene/dp/0670034576[/url])
"Its lessons are presented self-help-book style in chapters titled "Maneuver Them into Weakness" and "Seem to Work for the Interests of Others While Furthering Your Own" and flanked by a withering barrage of reiterative marginalia... notably, the final section on "dirty" warfare is one of the book's longest"
That is really interesting.
It reminded me of another interview I had read, because when I read question #7, in the interview that follows, I made a mental note of that simply bit of advice, to give it some consideration too - since I'm not very (at all) strategic:
http://www.retireat21.com/interview/interview-with-bruce-livingstone-founder-of-istockphoto# (http://www.retireat21.com/interview/interview-with-bruce-livingstone-founder-of-istockphoto#)
Now, after following your link to the book and looking at it's content (the TOC is pretty detailed), and from being able to draw from my experiences of the past some 6 years - IMO, it reads, in part, kind of like a manifesto. So, that is interesting, to say the least.
I'm going to have to buy that book now - not to control others - but to see the signs I might be missing and brush up on any I don't already practice in protection of myself.
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Thanks for that link... this line really stood out for me:
"Communicate openly, honestly and quickly with key stakeholders"
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I think Bruce did a great job promoting and finding Evangelists to promote his brand and the ones who have the most to gain are still vocal in various media including this site.
http://www.retireat21.com/interview/interview-with-bruce-livingstone-founder-of-istockphoto (http://www.retireat21.com/interview/interview-with-bruce-livingstone-founder-of-istockphoto)
"4) Since launching iStockphoto it has gone from strength to strength and has just been getting more popular everyday, what advice would you a young entrepreneur promoting their website? What has been the single biggest impact on your business with marketing?
Communicate openly, honestly and quickly with key stakeholders, media and with internal staff. Find your audience and make it meaningful. Constant innovation and progress is crucial.
Find an evangelist. Get someone to help you promote your web site and get great press about it."
However since Bruce knowingly sold the company to Getty who is well know for shafting their contributors, we only have Istock's current actions to use as a gage of events to come.
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I think Bruce did a great job promoting and finding Evangelists to promote his brand and the ones who have the most to gain are still vocal in various media including this site.
[url]http://www.retireat21.com/interview/interview-with-bruce-livingstone-founder-of-istockphoto[/url] ([url]http://www.retireat21.com/interview/interview-with-bruce-livingstone-founder-of-istockphoto[/url])
"4) Since launching iStockphoto it has gone from strength to strength and has just been getting more popular everyday, what advice would you a young entrepreneur promoting their website? What has been the single biggest impact on your business with marketing?
Communicate openly, honestly and quickly with key stakeholders, media and with internal staff. Find your audience and make it meaningful. Constant innovation and progress is crucial.
Find an evangelist. Get someone to help you promote your web site and get great press about it."
However since Bruce knowingly sold the company to Getty who is well know for shafting their contributors, we only have Istock's current actions to use as a gage of events to come.
Bruce seems to live by those words, I agree. I remember him asking for my personal opinion about IS artists (non-photog). He also made a point to be involved by joining in the forums to personally answer the tough questions. Something stayed and something left when he did. I think he did a good job of tempering opposing sides, when he had control. I still wish him well. I think he did the best he was capable of - and probably then some.
This entire experience has affected me on a much deeper level of understanding our human nature/behavior. Like others, I have gained a lot, from all of this.
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http://kindle.amazon.com/work/33-strategies-war-ebook/B000B9VK5O/B000W9149K (http://kindle.amazon.com/work/33-strategies-war-ebook/B000B9VK5O/B000W9149K)
Most popular:
"Do not be lured by the need to be liked: better to be respected, even feared. Victory over your enemies will bring you a more lasting popularity."
Rings some bells?
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That's the first interview I've read from him. He is not what I would have expected. 35 years old and has attained that level of success! Am I the only one here that has slapped myself in the forehead and wished I would have thought of it first?