We love to point out companies that we admire and the just launched Sprout Robot is certainly in that category. They have an adorable design. They have a free useful service that tells you when to plant seeds in your garden depending on your area (and even points you to instructions on how to do [...]

We love making software with incredible attention to detail. I’m not saying we always succeed, but we certainly try. And there’s nothing we love better than using software made by people with the same values. When we needed an e-mail service awhile ago we ended up with some white label piece of crap whose name [...]

There’s nothing we love more than more companies like us. And we say that humbly hoping that said companies won’t be insulted by the comparison. The criteria are typically that the company is small, tech-focused/savvy, experimenting with lots of new products to see what works, and focused on being profitable and having a great workplace, [...]

I am a big fan of vegetables. Fresh, flavorful, crispy, juicy vegetables can’t be beat. One of my favorite meals of all time was almost entirely composed of vegetables. (The meal was prepared emphasizing the greatness of the vegetables themselves rather than trying to simulate some sort of meat-based dish.) I would eat a lot [...]

We have sort of a platonic internet love affair with the guys at Less Everything. When we started Jackson Fish Market we had to pick an accounting package. QuickBooks and PeachTree looked so ugly and complicated that I just couldn’t bring myself to use them. They made my eyes bleed and my head hurt. I [...]

Kevin Meyer posted a nice little trip report on his visit to American Apparel on the Venture Hacks blog. Not sure there’s much I can add to the writeup. It’s inspiring. I know we’re a tiny fraction of a fraction but i believe we have some of this DNA. From the piece: “Brief background on [...]

Stardock is an interesting company. I had always known them as a publisher of tools for customizing and skinning the Windows UX. But they also have a software distribution tool and they’re publishing some very well-received games as well. They’re a private company and as such have no requirement to “report” much of anything. However, [...]

Super interesting development. This may have been happening for awhile and I hadn’t noticed, but I just saw that a company called SignalApps is marketing Mac-based client code applets that talk to 37 Signals apps. The 37 Signals guys have had an API for awhile so this is not surprising. But if someone could make [...]

Yesterday I posted a link to my “review” of a really crappy website for the folks at imediaconnection. My original writeup lauded an app I use all the time. While they were looking for criticism, I think my original post is worth publishing as the folks at Less Accounting are doing a great job. Here [...]

As usual, the stars of the big budget world represent the brass ring for most businesses. But in a business that is hit-based, the more low budget approach can be a higher percentage shot… “Jennings points to the ballooning costs of MMORPGs — World of Warcraft is estimated to have cost $40 million to $50 [...]

I’m not a big fan of energy drinks or diet supplements. If I could design my daily energy boost it would be a story every day about a tiny enterprise that makes it big without all the trappings of a large enterprise. Today’s story is: “Jonathan Blow, developer of the game Braid, an Xbox game [...]

As you may know as a reader of this blog, we’re a little different animal than most web startups. Not only are we building a portfolio of experiences, but we’ve done it without taking any investment. This is not a new or original concept and most businesses are started this way. It’s called bootstrapping. One [...]

I’ve been a manager many times throughout my job history. There’s a trap that most managers fall into – the trap of control. Basically, you want to lead your organization and guide them to shared success. What better way to do that than to optimize them around a shared objective? After all, once everyone is [...]

When it comes to brands doing digital marketing, I’m a big fan of trying to incorporate your online presence into the audience’s life on an ongoing basis instead of trying to get a bunch of their attention for a brief moment before they move on forever. MSN definitely took the latter approach when creating the [...]

In the early ’90s, way before all this crazy internet stuff, we still would get excited about new client software (I still do actually), and there were a series of games for the Mac (and Windows too now) that occupied our hearts and sapped our productivity for some time — Little Wing Pinball. Crystal Caliburn, [...]

As with most parents I have a strong sense of responsibility for making sure my kids are exposed to as many cool things as possible so as they get older the world is their oyster and not overwhelming, scary, and unknown. Giving them music lessons (my six-year-old son plays the drums, and my four-year-old daughter [...]

My favorite artisinal small batch lego kit producer is about to release another set. This time it’s the “Young Woz and Jobs Playset”. Pretty much all Apple-themed, PodBrix produces a limited run of a new set every few months. I know there are logical explanations but PodBrix’ ability to fashion custom minifigs and other pieces [...]

On most large (or even small) scale creative endeavors it’s typically unfair to give only one person credit for the end result. Most quality expressions of creativity (that I find myself in awe of) are the output of teams. But, it appears to be in our nature as a society to search for the one [...]

As people keep reminding me, I worked on Apple’s last wildly-hyped handheld communication device. It’s easy to draw parallels between the Newton MessagePad and the iPhone. You’ve got the great industrial design, powerful and innovative hardware and software, and “change the world” attitude. You’ve also got out-of-control expectation-building, a new input method the CEO says [...]

For many years I’ve quite enjoyed my t-shirt collection. My t-s have always been super comfortable as well as free. Unfortunately, most of their comfort came from the fact that I always got them two sizes too large and their “freeness” meant their content was restricted to the genre of high-tech schwag that has fed [...]

A few months ago I got to see the Cirque du Soleil show put to the music of the Beatles – Love. I have mixed feelings about Cirque du Soleil. Frankly, I’m not a fan of French Clowns. My feelings are best summed up by this still hysterical Expedia ad: At the same time, I [...]

Through the magic of MetaFilter we recently came across a new branded experience from the California Milk Processor Board (the “Got Milk” people). When it comes to nurturing a brand, these guys get it (see the second comment), are very good. Note the chocolate chip cookie on their site. They don’t even have a picture [...]

Paul Senzee got a package the other day. Here’s the start of his description: Last week I received a Fed-Ex package at my desk. All excited to get a package, (kind of like those people who win on the radio and say “I never win anything!!”) I grabbed Ryan Burkett to open it with me. [...]

OK. I admit it. We’re not the first to complain about this. And frankly, we’re so early in the creation of Jackson Fish that we’re not in a position to say we’ve created much of anything quite yet. That said, we do have goals. And sometimes, when we describe those goals, we get this look [...]

Who would have thought that the iron grates and manhole covers that dot a city’s streets could be an opportunity for creativity, and small moments of wonder. I love that even in the most unexpected places somebody on the planet has the vision and execution to discipline to deliver beauty and quality. I started noticing [...]

It’s a new take on an existing electronic device. It’s wicked cool. And I am desperate to get one. The iPhone? No. A Chumby. And the world of clock radios wll never be the same. I’ve never even seen one up close but to me the Chumby makes me feel like I felt when I [...]

At Ignite Seattle last week I got to hear a short talk by Ellie Lum one of the founders of R.E.Load Bags on how they make thier snazzy messenger bags. (Yes, snazzy.) First of all, their bags are very hot. They showed off pics and live ones at the talk and they were super sexy. [...]

I’ll admit up front that I know very little about the real economics of movie theaters. I don’t know much more than the standard refrain that they make all their money on popcorn and soda. And given the way movie theater chains construct their experiences around the popcorn and soda I have no reason to [...]

It’s true that often the blogosphere can seem like an echo chamber. But I kind of think of it like junk mail. When a catalog comes in the mail that I like it’s no longer junk mail, it’s something interesting and valued. So while the discussion on the net may often seem like echoes, when [...]

I really love working in the software industry. I love the feeling of unlimited potential in terms of what software can do to make people’s lives better. And one of the things that is an indicator for me of the health and excitement is the number of littler software companies I come across that are [...]