Rand Fishkin: "Start Me Up"

Stayin' Alive in Tech

In this Season 4 opening episode, we welcome back Rand Fishkin, founder of Moz and co-founder of the new SparkToro, to explore how Rand found innovative ways to not only launch a new (very cool) product during 2020 but also help people and other businesses on a variety of levels in the process.

In this episode, you’ll hear Melinda and Rand discuss the three things that marketers should be doing during a crisis, the difficulty and necessity of changing your brand’s messaging to reflect the times, and how to keep your business and your team surviving during a time when entire industries have been turned upside down.

You’ll also hear some of the innovative ways Rand and his team adjusted the launch plan of SparkToro to account for decreased budgets, shifting revenues, and a general malaise. Oh, and he also figured out a way to donate money during it all. Listen to our show to find out how.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• SparkToro and SparkToro’s blog where Rand writes posts several times a month
• GiveDirectly.org: allows donors to send money directly to the poor with no strings
• HeyElevate.com: helping SaaS companies identify & act on high ROI opportunities
• Rand’s book: Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World
• Geraldine’s book: All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft

MUSICAL INSPIRATION FOR THIS EPISODE ON SPOTIFY:

“Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Stayin' Alive in Tech is an oral history of Silicon Valley and technology. Melinda Byerley, the host, is a 20-year veteran of Silicon Valley and the founder of Timeshare CMO, a digital marketing intelligence firm, based in San Francisco.

We really appreciate your reviews, shares on social media, and your recommendations for future guests. And check out our Spotify playlist for all the songs we refer to on our show.