An Interview with Ean H. Jackson, Managing Director, Analytics Marketing Inc
Ean H. Jackson is the President of Analytics Marketing Inc., a strategic consultancy and a provider of business development and fund-raising services for growing businesses. He also serves on the faculties of Simon Fraser University, University of Phoenix and the University of British Columbia where he teaches in the MBA programs. He speaks frequently on business and technology issues and serves on the boards of numerous industry and not for profit organizations. As a mentor for New Ventures BC, he coaches entrepreneurs and startup companies. He is an active angel investor in the social software and Web 2.0 area. His educational background includes an undergraduate degree in Arts from the University of Western Ontario, a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Southern Methodist University and a certificate in Internet Marketing from the University of British Columbia. Live with his family in North Vancouver BC.
Ean’s Blog Ean’s Linkedin Profile
Yaron Bazaz: Hi Ean, How you find yourself involved with early stage ventures?
Ean H. Jackson: “Before having children, my wife and I decided we would take a year off to travel in Asia and Europe. In the months before our departure, a friend asked for some help with sales for his 2-person ISP (Internet Service Provider) in exchange for shares. I gladly complied, then left on our trip and forgot about the shares. More than a year later when I returned home, the company went public. When I read about it in the business pages, I casually remarked to my wife that we made more money traveling than working during the entire year before we left. She pointed out I’d forgotten a zero. Becoming a paper millionaire was positive reinforcement for my first startup experience, but after having participated in about 20 more since, I have to say that I truly love the excitement of the early stage business.”
Y.B: One of your areas of expertise is Web 2.0. How do you feel these technologies will impact the way we market products and services?
Ean H. Jackson: “I’ve been passionate about the software and telecommunications space for over 20 years. Over the years, I’ve participated in several waves of technology innovation that have led to the creation of the Internet as we see it today. (E.g. network infrastructure, commercial ISPs, website development, online marketing.) The current wave, now widely called Web 2.0, looks at the Internet as being a utility that can be accessed through a browser, anywhere, anytime by just about anyone. I’m very excited about how social networking software is making it possible for people from around the world to share and collaborate. I believe there are tremendous opportunities for investors who place their bets carefully in the Web 2.0 space.”
Y.B: How do you see the web evolving?
Ean H. Jackson: “I see the Internet growing in significance in the future. I see a wireless, high speed handheld device replacing the desktop and notebook as the primary way of accessing the Internet. This prediction has already come true in countries such as Japan and Singapore. I see more and more software applications migrating to the web where they will be accessible to any authorized user and where they can be more easily managed. The Software as a Service (SAAS) model is an example of this growing trend. As Google has show, search is big and will continue to grow in significance as more and more content is created on the web. It’s interesting to note that some of my MBA students were born into a world that included the personal computer and were raised in a world in which the Internet was a given. They come to class with a wireless notebook computer and do most of their research, class work and dating, through a browser.”
Y.B: What recommendations do you have for entrepreneurs interested in the Web 2.0 arena?
Ean H. Jackson: “I’d advise them to look at how a 15-25 year old uses the Internet. This demographic takes the Internet for granted. “Web 2.0” success stories such as Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and others started with teenagers using the Internet to date and to play. How can other demographics use the Internet to date and play? How can you, the entrepreneur, use technology to bring passionate people together around a common interest? Most importantly, how can you then extract fat recurring revenues or build a loyal user base that will be of value to a bigger fish?”
Y.B: Do you have recommendations for investors who are trying to screen out and find lucrative web 2.0 opportunities?
Ean H. Jackson: “There has been an explosion of “Web 2.0” investment opportunities of late. My simple test is to try the application. If it’s easy to figure out, fun, entertaining or makes my life easier, I’m interested. I then ask myself, my friends and my children whether they like the application as much as I do. If they like it, I ask how much they would pay to use it and how much pain they would feel if I took it away. Of course, I then look at the management team and the exit strategy.”
Y.B: You invest in Web 2.0 ventures, and us I understand you “coach” startups on their sales and marketing strategies and help them raise money. Could you elaborate?
Ean H. Jackson: “I confess….I’m a sales guy. I was not gifted with the creative ability to invent something new and finance was not my calling. I am passionate about helping businesses leverage technology to either save money or to make money. It’s always been easy for me to look at a widget or an application and see how it can be used as a business tool. That naturally led me into consultative sales. It also led to fundraising. I find it very stimulating to identify new markets and still get an adrenaline rush when I close a deal!”
Y.B: What are your recommended business books?
Ean H. Jackson: “My recommended books are:
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Y.B: You teach MBA Classes in International Marketing, Entrepreneurship, eBusiness and Internet Marketing in three universities - University of British Columbia, University of Phoenix and Simon Fraser University. What is your unique edge as a professor?
Ean H. Jackson: “It would be better to ask my students that question! In a classroom setting, I see myself as a coach and a facilitator. My students are smarter than I am, but they generally like my classes because I make them reflect the real world. I involve local businesses in case studies. I bring in subject matter experts as guest speakers. I use Web 2.0 technologies to maintain discussions online after the class is finished. I use current events in the media to spark debate. Most of all, I believe my classes are popular because I conduct them through a browser, so there is no expensive texts for my students to buy!”
Ean’s SFU Entrepreneurship class site Ean’s Univ’of Phoenix eBusiness class site
Y.B: It is a common belief that one of the weaknesses of the Canadian economy is the insufficient entrepreneurial spirit. As an MBA professor in three universities, what do you think about your students - our next generation of managers and entrepreneurs?
Ean H. Jackson: “I don’t agree that Canada lacks an entrepreneurial spirit! I am constantly impressed and challenged by the entrepreneurial spirit of my students. I believe the majority dream of one day being at the helm of their own business. Given that our country is 1/10th the size of our neighbor to the south, I do believe that most Canadian entrepreneurs have an inferiority complex, however. A great success for a Canuck is to grow a business and sell it to Microsoft or Google. We don’t think big enough to want to become a Microsoft or a Google.”
Y.B: You are mentoring students in the Vancouver Board of Trade “Leaders of Tomorrow” (LOT), University of British Columbia “Executive Mentor Program” (EMP)and also volunteer your time to Enterprize and New Ventures BC. What are the objectives of those programs?
Ean H. Jackson: “The LOT and EMP programs are aimed at helping undergraduate students understand more about the “real world” by pairing them up with business leaders for the academic year. As a mentor, my role is to help the student achieve his or her goals. When I was an undergrad student, I would have very much appreciated the opportunity to learn more about business from someone who was in the trenches. I didn’t have that opportunity, so this is my way of paying forward. Enterprize and New Ventures BC are venture business competitions aimed at helping budding entrepreneurs get their show on the road. Enterprize is strictly for university students where New Ventures is open to anyone. I didn’t benefit from a business mentor, but believe I would have, so I try to put back where I can.”
Ean H. Jackson: “Enterprize and New Ventures BC are venture business competitions aimed at helping budding entrepreneurs get their show on the road. Enterprize is strictly for university students where New Ventures is open to anyone. I didn’t benefit from a business mentor, but believe I would have, so I try to put back where I can.”
Y.B: Your social life includes high-performance sports such as triathlon, running, cycling, cross-country and downhill skiing. You’ve competed internationally on national teams and have completed 3 double-Ironman, 6 Ironman and almost 100 ultramarathon runs. I understand you are a licensed downhill ski and cycling coach and you helped start up the Canadian 100K National Team. Do you find any correlations between your athletics, academic and business activities?
Ean H. Jackson: “Well, like most entrepreneurs, I’m a goal-driven person with a hard head. No matter how bad things are, like most entrepreneurs, I see the glass as being half-full. Whether in academics, sports or business, it’s important to do your homework, to only pick fights you know you can win, and when you’ve picked a fight, to give it everything you’ve got because loosing is not an option.”
Y.B: Have you ever thought of combining your interests in Web 2.0 and sports?
Ean H. Jackson: “As a matter of fact, I’m working on a project in that space right now. In a world where a typical running race may cost $50 and an Ironman triathlon $500, we are aiming to make the world a better place by providing thousands of low-key races for free to athletes of all abilities. It’s a subscription model where runners pay small annual membership dues to join the Club. The beta project already has about 50 free events and 350 paid members - www.ClubFatAss.com. We have revenues from advertisers, sponsors and will soon be selling merchandise, as well. Membership is growing explosively and, like Facebook, it’s been mostly word-of-mouth. We’re doing a first angel round right now and are looking for 10 investors to chip in $50K each for 20% of the venture with proceeds going almost exclusively into marketing and promotions.”
Y.B: You told me previously that you are writing a book for entrepreneurs that looks at how technology and globalization are revolutionizing sales. Can you tell us a bit about it?
Ean H. Jackson: “Sure, if you promise to buy a copy of the book for all of your best clients if I ever get it to press! The book is based on 3 observations. First, I’ve seen that most businesses start with a subject matter expert - a software programmer, a roofer, a real estate salesperson. That person is highly skilled and passionate and probably outstanding with customers, but that person fails in business far too often because he or she is not familiar with sales. I’ve also seen that there are some amazing business development technologies out there, especially some of the browser-based Web 2.0 solutions, which are dirt cheap and highly effective, but not well known to the general public and hard to evaluate if you’re not an expert. The third observation is that there are very talented people in emerging countries who are happy to do the same work as your neighbor or mine for a lot less money.
My book will be a sales recipe book for the growing business, but with a twist. It will show how to leverage these technologies and these offshore human resources to generate exceptional sales in ways that have never been possible in history. I’m sharing a lot of the content for the book on my blog.”
Y.B: Thanks a lot Ean for your time and all the best.
Ean H. Jackson: “Thanks you, Yaron!”
