Need someone to lead product management at your software company? I build high-craft software and the teams that build it. I'm looking for my next opportunity. Check out my resume and get in touch.

This is the blog of Adam Kalsey. Unusual depth and complexity. Rich, full body with a hint of nutty earthiness.

Sun's used-car pricing

Freshness Warning
This blog post is over 18 years old. It's possible that the information you read below isn't current and the links no longer work.

Sun announced "significant discounts" on Sun hardware for startups. Problem is, they won’t say what those discounts are unless you sign up with them and get approved. So the day they announced the program I signed up.

I got an email Friday (about a week after applying) indicating that Sun is buried under the response. It’s likely that many, if not most, of the applicants simply wanted to see pricing and have only a passing interest in actually buying hardware. So the "hidden pricing" restriction is causing undue work for Sun.

Sun’s taken several enlightened steps by opening their software and hosting Startup Camp as a way of learning about their potential customers. Then they pull this used-car dealer trick of hidden pricing. Before you give them a price, make sure you get a name so you can give 'em the hard sell.

When I get the pricing, I’ll blog it. There’s nothing in the terms of service preventing it.

Recently Written

What branding can teach about culture
Jan 8: Culture is your company’s point of view in action—a framework guiding behavior, even in the unknown. You can’t copy it; it must reflect your unique perspective.
Think Systems, not Symptoms
Dec 15: Piecemeal process creation frustrates teams and slows work. Stop patching problems and start solving systems. Adopting a systems thinking approach helps you design processes that are efficient, aligned with goals, and truly add value.
Your Policies Aren’t Your Culture
Dec 13: Policies guide behavior, but culture is the lived norms and values of your team. Policies reflect culture -- they don’t define it. Netflix’s parental leave shift didn’t change its culture of freedom and responsibility. It clarified how to live it.
Lighten Your Process Burden
Dec 7: Everyone hates oppressive processes, but somehow we keep managing to create them.
Product Add-Ons Are An Expansion Myth
Dec 1: Add-ons can enhance your product’s appeal but won’t drive significant market growth. To expand your customer base, focus on developing standalone products.
Protecting your Product Soul when the Same Product meets New People.
Nov 23: Expand into new markets while preserving your product’s core value. Discover how to adapt and grow without losing your product’s soul.
Building the Next Big Thing: A Framework for Your Second Product
Nov 19: You need a first product sooner than you think. Here's a framework for helping you identify a winner.
A Framework for Scaling product teams
Oct 9: The people, processes, and systems that make up a product organization change radically as you go through the stages of a company. This framework will guide that scaling.

Older...

What I'm Reading