STARTUP TO UNICORN SHOW 2: Prime Lesson From The Pandemic: Connectivity - WILLIAM EASTMAN

"Unicorn" is a term used in the venture capital industry to describe a privately held startup company with a value of over $1 billion. When IBGR was formed the decision was to attempt to reach Unicorn status and delay seeking investment capital to the last moment. Preferably one and done.

We started broadcasting at the beginning of the pandemic and learned how to build a recession proof business.

Prime Lesson From The Pandemic: Connectivity & the Network Effect. “Networking is a business model, not a technique or meeting on zoom.”

EPISODE ONE
The Network Effect is when increasing the number of participants (nodes) improves the offer. 

Network Elements - Nodes & Links
“Network effects have been responsible for 70% of all the value created in technology since 1994.”

Topic 1: A Network of Nodes & Links

• Addition of 1 unit (business, association, person)
• Initially the addition of Nodes add cost > value, after critical mass value > costs
• Total number of Nodes doesn't determine value, it is the amount of activity
• Links are methods, apps, software that links nodes together

EPISODE TWO
Mapping and influencing the development of nodes and links is the role of executive management; who you bring in and their corresponding networks.

Central vs Marginal Nodes
"Copy Your Highest Activity Nodes - Recruiting and Engagement"

Topic 2: How Powerful Are Your Nodes?

• Central Nodes = most powerful individuals & organizations 
• Central Nodes and corresponding links represent critical paths or flows
• Nodes can be clustered by mapping the links
• Marginal Nodes = less links and lower activity, dormant or poor fit

EPISODE THREE
How should we mix a common linking platforms and creating / using our own becomes the key issue. Obviously we have to go where the future customers are but if you don't move them, you don't own the relationship.

Building or Building on Current Links
"Let others aggregate, then consolidate to your platform"

Topic 3: Use of Current Platforms

• WhatsApp - 2B
• Facebook Messenger - 1.3B
• WeChat - 1.2B
• QQ - 600M
• Telegram - 550M
• SnapChat - 500M

EPISODE FOUR
Once the network has begun operations, it is critical to track how information flows in the system. Our primary Central Nodes are OnAir Hosts using proprietary links. 

Density & Direction
"The density of a network is determined by its ratio of links to nodes;  the higher the ratio, the denser the network."

Topic 4: Understanding Density and Influencing It

• Unevenly distributed
• White Hot Center = densest and highest activity
• Cluster around Centers
• Directed & Undirected Directionality - a measure reciprocity
• One to One or One to Many?

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