MGR Unplugged

In this episode of MGR Unplugged, Manuel and David cover some of this week's tech and eCommerce related news, and we even disagree on a few of the topics.

Google’s new commerce plays: according to a blog post by Denise Ho, group product manager of Google Shopping. When a mobile user enters a search term like "running shoes," Google will identify products from internet retailers and bring them together with enhanced functionality. We discuss how that may affect current eCommerce platforms?  Read More >

Nexflix Slips despite new subscribers: Netflix shares opened down 2.4%. The company reported late Tuesday earnings up 333% in the fourth quarter, better than double the number forecast by analysts. The Los Gatos, Calif.-based outfit added 8.76 million new streaming subscribers in the quarter, Wall Street was looking for 7.8 million. The streaming video wars are heating up but Netflix has a pretty good head start in the race.

Facebook’s New Look and Dark Mode:  The new Facebook resembles Twitter more than anything else. It has simple, flat colors as well as a very Twitter-like top banner and home feed -- not to mention plenty of rounded corners. All in all, Facebook is now sleeker, more minimalist, and decidedly more modern.

Jeff Bezos’ phone hack in 2018 allegedly may have been led by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia to blackmail Bezos into softening the Washington Post’s reporting on Saudi Arabia. It all started with a malicious WhatsApp message…

Read More >

Apple’s privacy battle with the FBI Continues and the iCloud loophole is now exposed more than ever.  David and Manuel don't fully agree on this issue.  Read More >

Book's I'm reading now:  Bob Iger’s biography.  The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.  The title says it all. Highly Recommended.  

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In this episode of MGR Unplugged, Manuel and David go over some of the startups and marketing headline news from the last few days.  Some of the topics covered include: 

Startup Growth at all costs: Is it the end of an era?  There are multiple examples in the news these days of companies that are unprofitable, yet they are planning on going public or are already public.  WeWork, Zume Pizza, Casper, Uber… But investors are starting to look more thoroughly at the balance sheets too and questioning valuations. 
Read more here >

Barstool Sports (sports betting) in talks to be acquired by a Casino company. One more example of how attractive media companies have become these days.  In this case, Penn National Gaming, a casino operator, may be soon closing the deal to acquire Barstool Sports. 
Read more here >

Facebook's next move. Is Facebook planning to create its own version of Shopify eCommerce store front?  It’s a rumor.  It’s on Twitter.  Will it become a reality?  Time will tell... but it makes sense.

Google launches Google Travel with added features to make it an all encompassing platform for everybody’s travel plans.  Who benefits from this latest addition and who is not so happy about it?
You can read more details here >

Apple’s ITP keeps making tracking more difficult for advertisers. Intelligent Tracking Prevention was introduced by Apple to its own Safari Browser in 2017 and since then, it’s been a tug-of-war between Apple and third party browsers and advertising platforms to work around the third party cookie limited lifespan. 
Read more here >

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Join Manuel and David as they discuss some of the proven strategies that successful DTC brands are using today. 

81% of consumers plan to shop direct-to-consumer brands

 
Selling direct-to-consumer, commonly referred to as DTC, means companies are selling their products directly to their end customers, therefore, bypassing third-party retailers, wholesalers, or any other type of middlemen to deliver their products.

Known examples of DTC brands include Casper, Warby Parker, and Dollar Shave Club and many others.  

A unique approach to growing a DTC brands is to develop a niche audience through mobile and digital channels with content marketing that grabs the attention of that audience.  After that, a company starts offering products related to their niche to their audience.  Samples of this approach include Food52 and Bon Appétit.

Some of the other major advantages of going direct-to-consumers:

• Owning your consumer data
• Cost Savings by eliminating the middle man or supply chain expenses.
• Control of your own brand by not relying on other companies to present your products.

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Happy New Year Everybody!  

As we kick off 2020, Manuel and David go over the most popular marketing channels adding their own opinion and thoughts on whether they’re overrated, underrated or neutral.   Take a listen and let us know what you think!

Our thoughts on:

• Email Marketing – Direct selling, Newsletters
• Text messaging – Direct selling, text messages, FB Messenger and SMS
• Direct Mail\
• Print Ads
• Outdoor Advertising, 
• Billboards, exterior signage 
• Paid Social:
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Snapchat
  • Pinterest
  • Tik-Tok   
• SEO – Traditional Organic Optimization
• Paid search and display campaigns: Google, Yahoo! Bing
• Content Marketing -Blogs, Articles
• Press Releases

The interesting point is how some of the above channels seem to work in cycles.  For example, email marketing was the game when the Internet just started, then it had a period of decadence due to excessive Spam and poor practices, while now it’s making a serious come back thanks to improved messaging and audience segmentation.  Ditto for Direct Mail and other marketing options.  

Let us know what you think!

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Join Manuel and David as we recap some of the top tech companies news of the decade that is about to end.  Who got it right and who got it wrong and what we can expect in 2020 and beyond.  We're now on video too so head over to our YouTube channel if you want to watch rather than listen!

Watch MGR Unplugged Episodes on YouTube >

·       June 2010: Apple launches the iPhone 4, the first one with a high-resolution selfie camera, and the first iPhone to be available across all major US carriers.

·       July 2011: Spotify launches in the US

·       July 2011: Netflix launches Qwikster, loses thousands of subscribers and returns to being just Netflix again.

·       October 2011: Steve Jobs dies. Everyone wonders how can Apple continue without him?  The rest is history.

·       April 2012: Facebook buys Instagram.  Hard core Instagrammers are not too happy…

·       August 2012: The Oculus Rift arrives on Kickstarter.  VR takes the stage.

·       May 2013: Adobe Launches Creative Cloud.  A SaaS trend that would be followed by many other companies.

·       June 2013: Edward Snowden reveals the NSA’s PRISM project and since then, has been exiled in Russia.

·       February 2014: Facebook buys WhatsApp. WhatsApp users are not too happy either…

·       March 2014: Amazon raises Prime subscription fee for the first time.  Nobody cares, still is a good deal.

·       November 2014: Amazon launches Amazon Echo.  Alexa becomes the most popular name in the US, and she’s always listening… allegedly.

·       December 2015: SpaceX lands a space rocket. The era of recycling rockets officially begins.

·       November 2016: Donald Trump is elected president of the United States.

·       March 2017: The Guardian publishes Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal. 

·       June 2017: Amazon Buys Whole Foods.

·       February 2019: Spotify becomes an “audio” company by adding Podcasting to its repertoire. 

·       December 2019: Larry Page and Sergey Brin leave Google. Surprisingly or not, the news outlets reaction is very subtle. Sundar Pichai had already been in charge for months.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

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Join Manuel and David as we recap our year for everything non-working related, including our top movies, book recommendations and our plans for 2020. Oh, by the way!  We're now on video too so head over to our YouTube channel if you want to watch rather than listen!

Watch MGR Unplugged Episodes on YouTube >

Our Top Movies (in not particular order)

• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• Ford Vs Ferrari
• Parasite
• The Irishman
• Apollo 11 (not mentioned but great too)

Some of the books that we've read this year...

• Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David J. Epstein
• Awareness: Conversations with the Masters, Anthony de Mello
• Stillness Is the Key, Ryan Holiday
• Are We There Yet?: The American Automobile Past, Present, and Driverless, Dan Albert
• The Longevity Diet: Discover the New Science Behind Stem Cell Activation and Regeneration to Slow Aging, Fight Disease, and Optimize Weight, Valter Longo
• Creative Calling: Establish a Daily Practice, Infuse Your World with Meaning, and Succeed in Work + Life, Chase Jarvis
• Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds, David Goggins
• Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don't Have To, David Sinclair
• Rush to Glory formula 1 racing's greatest rivalry, Rubython
• Super Thinking: The Big Book of Mental Models, Gabriel Weinberg
• Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level, Leander Kahney
• The Airbnb Story: How Three Ordinary Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions . . . and Created Plenty of Controversy, Leigh Gallagher
• 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Yuval Noah Harari
• Insane Mode: How Elon Musk's Tesla Sparked an Electric Revolution to End the Age of Oil, Hamish McKenzie
• The 5 Mistakes Every Investor Makes and How to Avoid Them: Getting Investing Right, Peter Mallouk
• Emotional Equations: Simple Truths for Creating Happiness + Success, Chip Conley
• Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes--But Some Do, Matthew Syed
• Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity, Jamie Metzl
• The Algebra of Happiness: Notes on the Pursuit of Success, Love, and Meaning, Scott Galloway
• Under the Influence - How to Fake Your Way into Getting Rich on Instagram: Influencer Fraud, Selfies, Anxiety, Ego, and Mass Delusional Behavior, Trey Ratcliff
• The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, Gary Keller

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What have we learned from this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping season?  Join Manuel Gil del Real and David Gil as they dissect the numbers, who got it right and who got it wrong, and what to expect for the rest of the Holiday Season in the eCommerce world.  Some of the topics that we discuss... 

• Amazon’s Cyber Monday breaks single day sales record for the company – CNN BUSINESS
• Walmart and Target were big Black Friday winners, heavily combining digital into their retail strategies – CNBC
• Apple Pay Has Passed PayPal in eCommerce Checkout Volume, So if You’re Not Using it, You’re Missing Out
• Best Techniques to Drive External Traffic to your Amazon Listings - MGR Blog
• Amazon's New Attribution Program for Off Amazon Campaigns, We've Heard About it But Haven't Seen it Yet...
• Black Friday and Cyber Monday are Over, But There are Still Many Opportunities to Cash in This Holiday Season

Enjoy!!

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Is your business marketing plan ready for Black Friday - Cyber Monday and the rest of the Holiday Season?  Join Manuel Gil del Real and David Gil as they discuss the latest eCommerce trends, do's and don't's, and winning strategies for the busiest shopping time of the year.

• When you should (have) started planning for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
• Understanding that the last weeks of the year are anything BUT 'business as usual.'
• Managing additional order volume, customer care, fulfillment and returns
• Budget inflation.  Increasing your advertising budget to remain competitive despite the increased demand for ad space
• Ads strategy.  Don't be afraid to test multiple versions and use a wider audience.  This is crunch time and you don't have much time to experiment.  Be in the game.
• Keep a close eye on your own online store.  Be sure that your customers encounter a seamless experience while ordering online from you.  There's no worse waste of time and money than driving visitors to your store only to see them leave because your online cart is not performing up to their expectations.  Make it Seamless and Frictionless. 

For further reading:

• Your Digital Marketing Advertising Checklist
• How to Get the Most Out of Your Facebook Ads Campaign
• Reducing Cart Abandonment Through One Page Checkout
• Google Ads Industry Benchmarks
• How to Increase Your Average Order Value

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"We have a mantra where we need to focus on financial responsibility, team member morale and guest experience, simultaneously with the same level of priority, and you know that's almost impossible. It's like trying to juggle three balls in the air but you're lifting the three balls at exactly the same time you're trying to juggle them. It's a constant struggle...     Every day, a decision that I make or I may influence, has an effect in finances, team member morale, and guest experience... every single day." Greg Charbeneau

Welcome to another episode of MGR Unplugged.  Today I'm joined by Greg Charbeneau.
Greg has dedicated his career to the zoological operations, hospitality and entertainment industries, and working at nationally acclaimed aquariums, theme parks and resorts for over 30 years.

Greg is the kind of person who's not afraid to step out of his comfort zone and face new challenges.  Mobility has played a big role in his professional life and with that, he's held a variety of positions at theme park locations in Ohio, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and the Bahamas where he became the VP of Marine Operations and Marketing at Atlantis Bahamas Resort.

As if that wasn't enough of a transition, his next challenge took him all the way across the mainland to tackle yet another major challenge and start up the Southwest’s (yes in the middle of the desert) largest public aquarium, including 200,000 square feet, two million gallons of water, 60 exhibits, over 30,000 sea creatures and over 500 species.  In his current position as Vice President/General Manager at OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale Arizona, Greg Charbeneau directs and oversees all aspects of the business.

Greg also participates in the development and management of other projects within the company that we also cover towards the end of this show.

Below is a list of questions and topics that we covered during our conversation with Greg Charbeneau.

• Let’s start with some of your background first.  Tell me a little bit about yourself. Growing up, family, education, etc.
• How about your current family? Wife, children, how do you manage your family life with your professional life?
• What things interested you growing up?
• What made you decide to study Marine Biology?  Can you describe briefly what that entails?
• How do you connect Marine Biology with marketing and the business side of the various positions that you've held throughout your carreert?
• What’s your average day like these days?
• Tell me about your morning routine. What motivates you in the morning about the day ahead. Do you look forward to it? And if not, what do you do to dig deeper and overcome the slump.
• What are you trying today that is a little bit beyond or outside of your comfort zone? A little bit uncomfortable, uneasy for you?
• Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve decided to “burn the boats.” When it’s sink or swim but there’s no going back.
• Moving on to your current position at OdySea Aquarium, how big of a challenge is to maintain this type of facility in the middle of the desert versus at any other coastal city?
• How unique is the design and construction of the aquarium itself?
• How does OdySea Aquarium get funded or what is the primary source of revenue?  Is it primarily from ticket sales, sponsors, corporate events?
• What makes OdySea Aquarium so special apart from the fact that it’s located in the desert?
• How do you develop a mindset that pushes you to pursue what you want to accomplish in your life?
• Are any particular periods of your life, professionally or personality that made you question your own purpose or your own principles?
• Tell me a little bit about Paradise Earth and OdySea in the Desert.  How are those projects developing?
• If you could go back 15-20 years in your life, what if anything would you do differently?
• Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years?

"As you can imagine, never two days are alike, there's so much happening between 20 thousand animals, 70 exhibits, two million gallons of water, intermixed with miles and miles of electrical conduit, anything can happen on any given day!"  Greg Charbeneau

Episode Links:

• Learn More about Greg Charbenau here >
• Visit OdySea Aquarium Website >
• Visit OdySea Aquarium on Facebook >
• Visit OdySea Aquarium on Instagram >
• Visit Paradise Earth Website >

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After a two-week business trip in Spain, Manuel Gil del Real and his partner David Gil discuss their impressions about the European lifestyle and the advantages of potentially hiring contractors from European countries with a lower cost of living.

Among other topics, we talk about:

• The urban lifestyle compared to the more suburban living in the US
• Public transportation in large European cities
• Cost of living in European countries
• Average income and income to debt ratio compared to the US
• Eating and dining out.  Why European waitress love American patrons and their generous tips

All that and much more in this episode of MGR Unplugged.

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