Tom McKenzie

🌟 Exciting news in Australian tech! 🌟 Cyan and Collis Ta’eed, co-founders of Envato, have achieved a $375.2 million exit as Shutterstock acquires their company. Envato, a marketplace for creatives, was built from scratch without external funding, proving you can build a massive business and a fulfilling life. 🌐 Key Highlights: $375.2M exit with Shutterstock acquiring Envato. Co-founded by Cyan, a notable female entrepreneur. Bootstrapped success, no external funding. Continued focus on work-life balance and philanthropic efforts. Cyan and Collis remain directors, with Cyan continuing to inspire women in tech. This story highlights the power of innovation and dedication. 🚀👩‍💼 Inspire future women entrepreneurs with “When I’m an Entrepreneur” https://ow.ly/MF4Q50SmWaN Read more: https://ow.ly/ROAa50SmWaM #TechNews #FemaleFounders #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Envato #Shutterstock

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How much does a company waste on duplicated / unused technology? According to a report* NZ businesses are wasting $334M / year technology they don't use. For small business for $900 of spend, $600 of that was going to waste and when you scale.... phew.... it's not pretty! And while a 2022 report, I don't think this has got better. At STATE3 we see this a lot. A proliferation of similar technology all doing a similar job or technology subscriptions which were brought and used once if at all... why have one SaaS subscription / portal / CRM / app when you can have 6 that do the same thing and that are possibly never used! The reasons are pretty straight forward: Poor Processes IT Investment - The business goes off roading and buys something on a credit card without due diligence or engaging with the digital / technology team first. Shadow IT - total frustration with the processes in-house so someone gets a bright idea and buys something.... Mergers & Acquisitions - a company acquires another and they keep everything separate and ta dah! There will be others. In hard economic times, the belts get tightened so it makes perfect sense to aim for where the bloat is... in the spend that is duplicated or not used. And this means taking some steps, such as.... * Figure out what you have (Technology / capabilities audit) * Find out if its actually being used (surveying usage (if possible) * Standardise Technology Offerings via a menu of options * Move to a 'user pays' model * Undertake the very unsexy approach of strengthening technology Governance by making people accountable and responsible. We can help with this by showing you what you have, how integrated it is with the rest of your stack and what the TCO is. When you know what you have, you can optimise decision making and ditch the risk. #digitaltransformation #businessstrategy #success #state3enterprise * Report: https://lnkd.in/gRxU_7mC

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1) Patel's Client Understanding Framework This completely changed the way I thought about client needs. digifix.com.au/frameworks 2) Kim's Targeted Content Framework Hang this up in your room—and stare at it every day. digifix.com.au/frameworks 3) Smith's Engagement Strategy Framework I consider this the Bible of audience engagement. digifix.com.au/frameworks 4) Jones's Visibility Booster Framework Struggling with online presence? Read this: digifix.com.au/frameworks 5) Lee's Conversion Optimization Framework Every marketer should read this: digifix.com.au/frameworks 👉 Want to dive deeper into digital marketing success? Visit our website: digifix.com.au #DigitalMarketing #ClientCentric #GrowthHacking #digitalmarketing #digifixaus

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Fun evening spent with some great company! It’s been a while but really enjoyed getting to Melbourne SEO Collective tonight to listen to Brodie Clark and Peter Macinkovic give their updates on all things AI and evolving in search. I particularly enjoyed the top tips for product grid SEO and if you know me well you’ll know I love to talk about product optimisation for both paid and free listings 🤓 Great to see loads of folks I’ve not seen for ages, including Remi Audette, Abhileen Khurana, Nafisa A., Nikita Singh, Gagan Ghotra, Sam Penny, Nick Smith and heaps of other incredibly talented SEOs. I always love a chat about SEO + PPC experiences. Although I’m in the paid ads camp predominantly, it is SO important to keep up to date with SEO trends in order to understand how the two continue to work together. I think more marketers should cross-pollinate to truly understand their strength. Especially with all of the recent changes over the past 12 months. 📣 Have you heard me say PPC & SEO are supercharged when they work together? 😆 #SEM #search #SEOTrends2024 #MelbourneSEOCollective #ecommerce

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The first time I have ever heard someone singing a song as part of their speech at a Product Management Conference! About metrics. With a backing track. What a very different approach, and fun presentation from Joe Raeburn that also hit us with some powerful messages at Product Aotearoa Day 2. Building successful products and businesses are all about keeping an eye on the money when you're looking for product market it. Find a very popular (and profitable niche) and then find that extra need that is not being met by the people using the products here. Balance Fresh with Familiar. Too much Fresh just scares people - they need something familiar to ease the transition. But at the end of the day fundamentals - metrics, money, customer segments, needs and PMF - are applicable in every product, service or offering you can imagine!

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What do you know about privacy? (Spoiler 🤫 Its not all about keeping things secret) Check out this free learning module built in collaboration between Chameleon Creator and Simply Privacy Ltd to bust some privacy myths that you might be holding onto 🕵‍♀️ Fun fact that I learnt from this module: Even things like the unique way you walk count as personal information ✨ 🔑

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Hey Xero, Kia ora 👋 Great t-shirt 👕 but terrible custom API to integrate to. Please update your documentation. We’ve spilt blood over your integration so could you please approve our 2nd security review so the 100-client cap gets removed 👀 Love from #Jack & team Jenesys AI on behalf of 18 practices and their 1,164 clients that have already onboarded our 🚀 FYI our #Jack will put so much more detailed bookkeeping data into your accounting system, it’ll transform the reporting your clients can do. Good thing you just bought a great analytics platform in Syft Analytics 🇿🇦

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Day #2: The Importance of User Experience (UX) in Mobile App Development User Experience (UX) is a cornerstone of mobile app success. A well-designed UX ensures your app is intuitive, engaging, and meets user needs effectively, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates. Here’s why UX is critical in mobile app development: 1. Enhances Usability • UX design focuses on simplicity and ease of use, making it easy for users to navigate and complete tasks without frustration. 2. Boosts User Retention • Apps with seamless UX encourage users to return, reducing churn rates and building loyalty. 3. Increases Engagement • Thoughtful UX design encourages interaction, helping users stay engaged with your app’s features and services. 4. Improves Accessibility • A great UX considers diverse user needs, including accessibility features for those with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity. 5. Drives Conversions • Apps with optimized UX lead users smoothly through conversion funnels, whether it’s making a purchase, subscribing, or completing a form. Key Elements of Exceptional UX in Mobile Apps • Consistency: Maintain uniform design elements throughout the app. • Speed: Ensure fast loading times and smooth transitions. • Feedback: Provide clear feedback for user actions (e.g., button clicks, form submissions). • Personalization: Offer tailored experiences based on user preferences. Investing in UX is not just a design choice—it’s a strategic move that directly impacts your app’s success and profitability. Make user experience a priority in every phase of development! Connect with our UX specialist to fulfill your requirements. Reach out to us at +91 8448552528 or email us at [email protected]. Visit our website: https://nzsoftech.com #MobileAppDevelopment #UserExperience #UXDesign #AppSuccess #AppDevelopmentTips #MobileUX #UserRetention #AppEngagement #UXMatters #InclusiveDesign

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I had a great call on Friday with Hamish McKay and David Wiltshire (it was awesome catching up again!) going through their incredible Order Editing Shopify app. This is hands down one of the best Shopify apps that I've seen in quite some time, and I fully expect it to be everywhere by the end of the year. But what does it do? In a nutshell, it allows customers to edit their order post-purchase before it ships without the need to contact customer service, which is a simple idea at heart, but it's truly a game changer. Here's what it can do: ✅ Address edits and verification. ✅ Change the shipping method. ✅ Change product sizing and quantities. ✅ Replace products and upsell. ✅ Add a discount code. All the above will ultimately mean less support tickets and more sales 💰

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When it comes to setting up your website, choosing the right domain is essential. If you’re running an Aussie business, you’ve probably considered a .com.au, but there’s also the option of a .com—and, in some cases, even using both! Here’s what you need to know to make the best choice for your business: https://lnkd.in/gFFyXzj3

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Little did I know I was coming down with something, and so all the warm, reassuring things I meant to say at the start of my talk about if I, as an arts and communications grad, a former maths-despiser, and UX-type, could get my head around commercial concepts, then so can you… Well, that part just fell out of my head. What’s left are some (I think) pretty useful tools and concepts for product people who want to try to lift their financial awareness. Don’t let perfectionism get in your way! #productmanagement #value #viability

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Our first Cor planning day in Sydney yesterday 🔥 What did Mantas A. and I do? - We did a deep review of our 30+ customer conversations this month. - We discussed partnerships and Customer Success community events with our first leadership event next week. - We reviewed our product roadmap for 2025. - We discussed everything about our GTM strategy. Nothing beats an in-person session. #customersuccess

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If you want to achieve a higher return on your advertising spend (ROAS) for your ecommerce store, ask yourself this question. Who is more motivated to generate a higher ROAS for your business? A company that charges you a flat retainer, regardless of the ROAS they reach, or one that earns more for reaching a higher ROAS for you? If you run or know someone that has an ecommerce store and you think they may want better results. Please let them know they can always reach out to us to find out how our performance model can work for them https://lnkd.in/gtTVEYJ8

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When you’re thinking about starting a business, a domain name is often the first port of call. It’s cheap to buy for 1 year and you can grab it without committing to a website or emails until you’re ready. Choosing a name for your business can be tricky, so snapping up the domain name for your new idea stops someone else grabbing it and sending you back to the drawing board. And if that idea never quite comes to fruition as a real business, you’re only $21.25 NZD out of pocket for a 1 year domain purchase with Rocketspark’s new domain offer. Plus, if you’ve ever run a half marathon, you’ll know that dropping some cash on an event helps give the motivation of turning “someday” into “let’s do this”. Buying a domain name might help turn that pipe dream of a side hustle into “let’s do this”. Even if you’re not quite ready to quit the day job just yet 😉

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RANT Looking at Anaconda Group Pty Ltd Delivery page it completely talked me out of purchasing a medium priced ($1000) bike. The caveats, cover-my-a$$ unfriendly tone is so offputting. Lack of clarity on delivery - "2-5 business days unless we are busy" - was the gist. Oh and if we try to deliver and you don't answer the door (or we can't be bothered getting out of the truck to see if you are home so we'll put a "not at home note" in the letter box) you can collect it from a depot. Which is the one I am ordering it from. Because I can't collect it in person. So it will just sit there? Whats the point? They are basically saying "ring us" to see if we will take care of you after we take care of ourselves. But you can't ring them - no number. And I can't use the form under "Contact Us" as I do not yet have a purchase order or club number. I think I'd rather buy from someone that doesn't do delivery and pay the hundred bucks to have it delivered in a suitable manner. But not #Anaconda. What do you think? Business as normal or poor customer service? UPDATE: I called Anaconda (number not on website but google maps had it) and they blamed Australia Post the bane of all small online businesses. Nightmare!

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Day 2 of Product Aotearoa Conference and we're off! 🚀 After a State of (product) Nation from our welly host Andrew Tokeley, we're talking Product everything! Kirsten Mann gave us some great tips on Leveraging Sales Techniques in Product Management in the 1️⃣ first session of the day. LOTS of great insights including.... • Importance of understanding customer motivations to tailor product offerings • Aligning product features with urgent customer needs and financial goals • Prospection's journey from tech-enabled services to SaaS platform • Implementation of AI-driven ChatGPT-like dashboards for data analysis • Three Whys framework: Why Change, Why Now, Why Us • Mapping the Three Whys to the Jobs to be Done framework • Repositioning Prospection beyond data as a commodity • Value of collaboration between sales and product teams Whew! I need some caffeine now... lots to do! 😂 😂

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Sometimes, bad things come to an end as well! AKA We have a new website. Now, focusing more on what specifically sets us apart and (finally) easier to navigate. Any feedback is welcome! www.pivotworks.au Not sure what we do, and not keen on hitting the link? We have a lot of solutions in our toolbox: ▪ Automated Email Transaction Processing ▪ Dunning Email Automation ▪ Statement Mass Processing ▪ Scheduled Dunning Call Automation ▪ Automated Sales Order Billing ▪ And many more… Accessibility and affordability are our priorities. pivotworks add-ons are designed to be both cost-effective and user-friendly, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can benefit from enhanced functionality. ...and I promise the link isn't a trap! 😄

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