petrifying. you may have something that is working, but when you change it, you are being very deliberate and saying, okay, what am i changing this to and i hope it works better than i have right now. sure. how do you decide it will work better? maria and i were talking about this before we came up here. there are a milliondeizi exerci. you can do focus groups and data and market information. at a certain point, there are so many variables. it is petrifying. you need to commit to try something and recognize there is a chance it may not work and be ready to pivot and shift and continue refining. there are so many things to consider, that youç are at a certain point that you go with your gut and give it a shot. especially if you are an existing business, talk to your customers and use them as a resource. your best customers. what do you like about us?
my best investments so far are companies that had no traction. finding pinterest, they had no traction. thank you for coming on the program. thank you. thanks, j.j. we spoken a lot on the show about how to create a brand. but then once you create it, how do you gain traction with the brand? it is a topic here at the small business summit. we have a panel to talk about it here. adam rich is the co- founder of thrill list. then maria ross. great to see both of you. thanks for having us. when you started thrill list, which is a well known popular grand. how much did you think about brand? you know, i think without even really knowing to call it brand, it was something we were really very focused on out of the gates. i started it not as an
entrepreneur, but the audience. it was a product i wanted. it targeted city information for the post-college guy. i was living in new york and feeling the lack of things that were evaluated that were my interests. a lot of what i took that position to be ended up becoming our brand. that seems almost easy. the brand is you. your desires and likes and your interests. if you have a company, maria, that is not so reflective of yourself, how do you think about what the brand0su1 be? it is right to do it that way. you have to think about first and foremost your customer. who is your ideal customer? what do they want and care about and what do they desire? always being empathetic and put yourself in their shoes and offer the benefit they need. as you have grown, have you
hi, there. i m j.j. ramberg. welcome to your business. we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. what better place to do that than the 2012 new york times small business summit. small business owners and business journalists have gathered to talk about business and funding and marketing social media.ç the majority of small businesses shutdown before being around for five years. only one-third make it to ten years. what are the odds of a company being around for 150 years through five generations of the same family? you will love meeting the mcalisters. a new york family that knows how to beat the odds. okay, jeff, haul the line in. line s there and ellen s getting in position. brian mcalister s family name had dotted the new york harbor since 1864. before that, you have to be lucky. that was the year his great grandfather, james mcallister helped business along the shore. has it been pure luck it has been in the family that long? there are seve
since 1864. before that, you have to be lucky. that was the year his great grandfather, james mcallister helped business along the shore. has it been pure luck it has been in the family that long? there are several things that have to happen. one, you cannot make too much money. if you make too much money, everybody wants to sell it and get rich. if you don t make enough, they leave. you may say he found a sweet spot for the company. too much success onç the one hd and too much stress on the other. the most efficient boat in the world and the lines are like a knot. james mcallister started it with a single cargo boat. he launched a transport business to help himself and three brothers. we have the mcallister towing. the next generation expanded it behind cargo to passenger ships and tugboats and towing. as the new york port expanded, the family diversified with different businesses all with the mcallister name. when my great grandfather died, he left one