Lean Startup Seattle

Adam Tratt from Haiku Deck - Pivot or Persevere

January 7 · 6:15 PM
TechStars

Pivot or Persevere?
Adam Tratt, co-founder and CEO of Haiku Deck, will share insights about his team's unlikely journey from a celebrity-focused social gaming startup to a top-ranked iPad productivity app. His story, about changing direction while staying true to lean principles and listening to his heart, will resonate with anyone who has faced the tough choice about when to pivot and when to stay the course.

Haiku Deck is an iPad app that allows anyone to create flawlessly beautiful presentations. Previously Tratt oversaw the launch of Cranium in markets around the world, served as SVP of for marketing agency MRY, and was Product Manager at Microsoft.

Tratt began his career as a Product Manager for the first ever Microsoft Internet product, Internet Assistant for Microsoft Word. His crowning achievement was teaching Bill Gates how to create a web page using Microsoft Word. Gates thought the demo sounded “salesy.” Tratt took it as a compliment.

After marketing stints at a few dotcoms in the e-commerce sector (iCat and iShip), Tratt left technology to become the first marketing hire at board game startup, Cranium. Cranium went on to create more than a hundred different toys, games, and books- selling millions of units worldwide and winning multiple Toy of The Year awards. Over the course of 6 years, Tratt led international expansion across 26 markets, and served as General Manager of the Canadian subsidiary. In the pre-Facebook era, Tratt led a range of untraditional community and social efforts to amplify the enthusiasm of Cranium’s fans through word of mouth, email, viral, and partner marketing.

Immediately before participating in Techstars, Tratt served as SVP of Business Development for Mr. Youth, Mashable’s 2010 Social Media Agency of the Year. In this role, Tratt worked with clients across consumer, technology and mobile sectors including Nike, T-Mobile, Intel, HP, and Microsoft.

Tratt lives in Seattle with his wife and three kids. Though people often hear Tratt before they see him, he is often seen wearing high-visibility clothing as a precaution. Reach him on Twitter, @adamtr

http://www.geekwire.com/2012/haiku-decks-adam-tratt-startup-storytelling-win/

Lean Startup Seattle is for anyone interested in the application of Lean Startup Principles and the Customer Development process developed by Steve Blank and refined by Eric Ries. We are bringing the Seattle Lean Startup community together in a variety of formats to learn from each other. What works? What doesn't? Is lean just a buzzword? Or can it really help build businesses?

Agenda

6:00 - Registration

6:30 - Start w/ Intro & Scope

6:35 - "15 Second” Spotlights

6:45 - "15 Minute" Networking (Pizza, Beer Included)

7:00 - Presenter and Discussion

8:00 - Raffle, Feedback And Closing Remarks

8:15 - Networking Hour

Join or login to comment.

Chris Lange

Really enjoyed the story and the insights

0 · January 8
Craig Huizenga

Totally enjoyed the talk, learnt a lot.

0 · January 8
Arne-Per Heurberg

Adam held true to telling a good story in a presentation. There were good take-aways. Still not getting an iphone though.

1 · January 7
A former member

Looking forward to this event.

1 · January 7
John Sechrest

Topic suggestions are welcome. We have speakers for January and february, I am working on the speakers for march and april. We will not be at The Easy in February and March. I am working on the new location. Tell us what would help build up your next step and we will work on a speaker.

0 · January 4
A former member

I'd like to suggest a topic, if that's ok.

0 · December 27