This executive briefing on how organizations can best leverage the MeettheBoss social media platform was prepared by Shawn Michael Thibodeaux while an MBA student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana.
Overview
Many professionals must wonder how top business executives and CEOs think. What problems do they face and how do they manage to stay ahead of the competition? How can they climb the corporate ladder? MeettheBoss provides a unique experience into the minds of such executives. MeettheBoss provides an interactive approach to connecting top managers and industry leaders from around the world with peers and business professionals. Through engaging top industry experts in virtual roundtable discussions, MeettheBoss provides insight into current industry issues and how to tackle them. The company also hosts short video blogs from renowned companies and institutes about various business aspects such as issues facing human resources, finance, and leadership, to name a few. Through these insightful discussions and videos, businesses may find solutions and strategies to combat tough issues and competition.
The Platform in Brief
MeettheBoss provides an interactive approach to engage industry leaders and top management through virtual roundtable discussions. Each roundtable consists of seven people: five business executives, a solution provider, and a moderator. Each discussion lasts ninety minutes, and users are able to view scheduled roundtables; however, users may not participate in the discussion. The MeettheBoss research team works with industry contacts to develop relevant topics and content for each discussion. To quote the official company site, “Attendees come to our roundtables to solve their critical business challenges; they are there to learn from peers at different stages of implementation, and understand more about the solutions available to them” (MeettheBoss, 2015). In addition to these roundtable discussions, business professionals commissioned by MeettheBoss upload short video channels that address seven business areas: finance, leadership, strategy, operations, technology, human resources, and marketing. An interactive blog is also accessible to members to encourage dialogue about a variety of business issues and industries.
For such an innovative and successful site, MeettheBoss is a fairly young company. It is part of the GDS International Group and was founded in 2008. Based in Bristol, England, the company also has locations in New York, Sydney, and Miami. It is a privately held company funded by four large sponsors, the founder and chairman is Spencer Green, and it only had seventy-seven employees in 2008 (Kiss, 2008). The company serves over 107,000 senior level executive members and has partnered with over 20,000 executives from the Fortune 2000 (GDS International, 2015). In January 2015 alone, the site generated over fifty-five thousand visits, with most of the site traffic coming from the United Kingdom, the United States, India, the Netherlands, and Australia (Similarweb, 2015). While no demographic information currently exists about the users, it is relatively safe to assume that most users possess a college degree and are well educated. According to a study by N2Growth (2013), ninety-four percent of the Fortune 100 CEOs were white and ninety-two percent were male. The median age of the CEOS was fifty-seven. Given this data, it is possible to assume that the majority of members may fall into these categories.
The Platform in Operation
MeettheBoss has worked with many notable companies in the last five years, including Barclays, Verizon, Adidas, and Oracle. Most recently, it has collaborated with Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sitecore. These collaborations have brought much insight into challenging issues faced by many industries. The following are a few examples of MeettheBoss in action.
In an upcoming collaboration with Jason Schmitt, the vice president of Fortify, a software security product organization under Hewlett-Packard, MeettheBoss addresses the topic of software security and the rising threat of cyber attacks. These attacks cost companies over $46 billion in 2013 (MeettheBoss, 2015). Notably, at the end of 2014 Sony came under an attack that cost the company millions and led to a loss of reputation (Cieply, 2014). In order to prevent such devastating attacks, Schmitt and five other IT executives will meet to share their insights on the issue and how to achieve software security.
The chief strategist of IBM, John Smart, will also lead a roundtable discussion about maximizing a firm’s real estate. This discussion will focus on matching real estate and business needs, upcoming accounting standards that will affect businesses, and how to maximize portfolio growth (MeettheBoss, 2015). Real estate is often the most expensive item on a firm’s balance sheet. While many companies are now leasing buildings to cut costs, new accounting regulations will affect these costs. Smart’s insights on these matters could drastically change how brick and mortar companies operate and where they may choose to locate their offices.
Darren Guarnaccia, the chief strategist of Sitecore, is one of the industry experts that will be discussing the challenges of digital marketing in an upcoming roundtable discussion. Some of these challenges include content management, marketing automation, and mobile optimization (MeettheBoss, 2015). With many businesses using social media and the Internet to advertise products, this roundtable will provide useful information about how to effectively manage a brand online.
The Platform’s Pros and Cons
MeettheBoss is a unique platform with many benefits for both organizations and its users. First, it provides quick and valuable information to its users. Each roundtable discussion only lasts ninety minutes and the videos for its business channels are roughly ten to fifteen minutes in length. The information is tailored for very specific needs and is presented by top executives with many years of experience in their industry. Thus users are ensured relevant, quality information about pressing issues. Second, it is a free, portable service. Singing up for the website and becoming a discussion member is free. Discussions can also be watched from a variety of locations such as on a desktop computer in an office or an iPad while traveling. Finally, it provides a chance for growth and career advancement. Users may gain valuable industry knowledge from watching the discussions while members in the discussion gain different insights from others and solutions to problems.
However, there are also some cons associated with the platform. First, from a business’s perspective it may be very time consuming for those involved in the discussion. Once a topic is picked it must go through a lengthy feedback and adjustment process before a discussion can take place. Second, the company is not well known to those outside of the organizations that participate in it. Many college students have not heard of the platform and are thus missing out on a valuable learning tool. Finally, it may not be as interactive for viewers as those in the discussion. Since discussions are limited to only six participants, other viewers are limited to just watching the discussion.
Analysis
MeettheBoss provides a unique, innovative way to gain insightful information from top business people from around the world and future projections for the platform seem mostly positive. The company has managed to grow exponentially in just five years. It has developed a large network of very powerful businesses and industry experts. While its target market is C-level executives, the company could benefit as an effective learning tool for graduating college students just entering the workforce.
References
Cieply, M., & Barnes, B. (2014, December 30). Sony Cyberattack, First a Nuisance, Swiftly Grew Into a Firestorm. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/business/media/sony-attack-first-a-nuisance-swiftly-grew-into-a-firestorm-.html
GDS International. (2015, January 1). MeetTheBoss. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.gdsinternational.com/meettheboss
Kiss, J. (2008, December 2). Elevator Pitch: MeetTheBoss wants to be the social net of choice for the financial community. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2008/dec/02/startups-socialnetworking
MeetTheBoss. (2015). Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://meettheboss.tv
MeettheBoss.tv. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.similarweb.com/website/meettheboss.tv
N2Growth. (2013, August 13). Fortune 100 CEOs | Demographics, Education, and Career Path. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://visual.ly/fortune-100-ceos-demographics-education-and-career-path
SimilarWeb. (2015, January 1). MeettheBoss.tv. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.similarweb.com/website/meettheboss.tv
Many professionals must wonder how top business executives and CEOs think. What problems do they face and how do they manage to stay ahead of the competition? How can they climb the corporate ladder? MeettheBoss provides a unique experience into the minds of such executives. MeettheBoss provides an interactive approach to connecting top managers and industry leaders from around the world with peers and business professionals. Through engaging top industry experts in virtual roundtable discussions, MeettheBoss provides insight into current industry issues and how to tackle them. The company also hosts short video blogs from renowned companies and institutes about various business aspects such as issues facing human resources, finance, and leadership, to name a few. Through these insightful discussions and videos, businesses may find solutions and strategies to combat tough issues and competition.
The Platform in Brief
MeettheBoss provides an interactive approach to engage industry leaders and top management through virtual roundtable discussions. Each roundtable consists of seven people: five business executives, a solution provider, and a moderator. Each discussion lasts ninety minutes, and users are able to view scheduled roundtables; however, users may not participate in the discussion. The MeettheBoss research team works with industry contacts to develop relevant topics and content for each discussion. To quote the official company site, “Attendees come to our roundtables to solve their critical business challenges; they are there to learn from peers at different stages of implementation, and understand more about the solutions available to them” (MeettheBoss, 2015). In addition to these roundtable discussions, business professionals commissioned by MeettheBoss upload short video channels that address seven business areas: finance, leadership, strategy, operations, technology, human resources, and marketing. An interactive blog is also accessible to members to encourage dialogue about a variety of business issues and industries.
For such an innovative and successful site, MeettheBoss is a fairly young company. It is part of the GDS International Group and was founded in 2008. Based in Bristol, England, the company also has locations in New York, Sydney, and Miami. It is a privately held company funded by four large sponsors, the founder and chairman is Spencer Green, and it only had seventy-seven employees in 2008 (Kiss, 2008). The company serves over 107,000 senior level executive members and has partnered with over 20,000 executives from the Fortune 2000 (GDS International, 2015). In January 2015 alone, the site generated over fifty-five thousand visits, with most of the site traffic coming from the United Kingdom, the United States, India, the Netherlands, and Australia (Similarweb, 2015). While no demographic information currently exists about the users, it is relatively safe to assume that most users possess a college degree and are well educated. According to a study by N2Growth (2013), ninety-four percent of the Fortune 100 CEOs were white and ninety-two percent were male. The median age of the CEOS was fifty-seven. Given this data, it is possible to assume that the majority of members may fall into these categories.
The Platform in Operation
MeettheBoss has worked with many notable companies in the last five years, including Barclays, Verizon, Adidas, and Oracle. Most recently, it has collaborated with Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sitecore. These collaborations have brought much insight into challenging issues faced by many industries. The following are a few examples of MeettheBoss in action.
In an upcoming collaboration with Jason Schmitt, the vice president of Fortify, a software security product organization under Hewlett-Packard, MeettheBoss addresses the topic of software security and the rising threat of cyber attacks. These attacks cost companies over $46 billion in 2013 (MeettheBoss, 2015). Notably, at the end of 2014 Sony came under an attack that cost the company millions and led to a loss of reputation (Cieply, 2014). In order to prevent such devastating attacks, Schmitt and five other IT executives will meet to share their insights on the issue and how to achieve software security.
The chief strategist of IBM, John Smart, will also lead a roundtable discussion about maximizing a firm’s real estate. This discussion will focus on matching real estate and business needs, upcoming accounting standards that will affect businesses, and how to maximize portfolio growth (MeettheBoss, 2015). Real estate is often the most expensive item on a firm’s balance sheet. While many companies are now leasing buildings to cut costs, new accounting regulations will affect these costs. Smart’s insights on these matters could drastically change how brick and mortar companies operate and where they may choose to locate their offices.
Darren Guarnaccia, the chief strategist of Sitecore, is one of the industry experts that will be discussing the challenges of digital marketing in an upcoming roundtable discussion. Some of these challenges include content management, marketing automation, and mobile optimization (MeettheBoss, 2015). With many businesses using social media and the Internet to advertise products, this roundtable will provide useful information about how to effectively manage a brand online.
The Platform’s Pros and Cons
MeettheBoss is a unique platform with many benefits for both organizations and its users. First, it provides quick and valuable information to its users. Each roundtable discussion only lasts ninety minutes and the videos for its business channels are roughly ten to fifteen minutes in length. The information is tailored for very specific needs and is presented by top executives with many years of experience in their industry. Thus users are ensured relevant, quality information about pressing issues. Second, it is a free, portable service. Singing up for the website and becoming a discussion member is free. Discussions can also be watched from a variety of locations such as on a desktop computer in an office or an iPad while traveling. Finally, it provides a chance for growth and career advancement. Users may gain valuable industry knowledge from watching the discussions while members in the discussion gain different insights from others and solutions to problems.
However, there are also some cons associated with the platform. First, from a business’s perspective it may be very time consuming for those involved in the discussion. Once a topic is picked it must go through a lengthy feedback and adjustment process before a discussion can take place. Second, the company is not well known to those outside of the organizations that participate in it. Many college students have not heard of the platform and are thus missing out on a valuable learning tool. Finally, it may not be as interactive for viewers as those in the discussion. Since discussions are limited to only six participants, other viewers are limited to just watching the discussion.
Analysis
MeettheBoss provides a unique, innovative way to gain insightful information from top business people from around the world and future projections for the platform seem mostly positive. The company has managed to grow exponentially in just five years. It has developed a large network of very powerful businesses and industry experts. While its target market is C-level executives, the company could benefit as an effective learning tool for graduating college students just entering the workforce.
References
Cieply, M., & Barnes, B. (2014, December 30). Sony Cyberattack, First a Nuisance, Swiftly Grew Into a Firestorm. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/business/media/sony-attack-first-a-nuisance-swiftly-grew-into-a-firestorm-.html
GDS International. (2015, January 1). MeetTheBoss. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.gdsinternational.com/meettheboss
Kiss, J. (2008, December 2). Elevator Pitch: MeetTheBoss wants to be the social net of choice for the financial community. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2008/dec/02/startups-socialnetworking
MeetTheBoss. (2015). Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://meettheboss.tv
MeettheBoss.tv. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.similarweb.com/website/meettheboss.tv
N2Growth. (2013, August 13). Fortune 100 CEOs | Demographics, Education, and Career Path. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://visual.ly/fortune-100-ceos-demographics-education-and-career-path
SimilarWeb. (2015, January 1). MeettheBoss.tv. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.similarweb.com/website/meettheboss.tv
Contact Information
To contact the author of this article, “What You Need to Know About MeettheBoss: An Executive Roadmap for Social Media Success,” please email the author at [email protected].
The mission of the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University is to provide educational experiences for personal, professional and intellectual growth, enable the creation and sharing of knowledge to enhance learning and to advance the practice of business, and engage communities through service to positively impact their future. The Accounting and Business programs in the College of Business are accredited by the AACSB International.
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