Can Media Companies Deliver Sustainable Innovation?

This was another busy and productive week at Nine Lives Media inc. While Amy Katz continued to build out several business relationships and sponsorships, I applied polish to our latest site launch (Works With U) and also moderated events in Minneapolis, New York and Boston.

During the event in New York, which focused on Business Analytics, a key theme emerged: How do you drive sustainable innovation in your company? I know: Everyone is abusing the “innovation” word these days. But I rather like the term “sustainable innovation.” It describes a company that continually reinvents its products and services — even before such moves are necessary.

Works With U: The Ubuntu Linux Site for the Rest of Us

Nine Lives Media Inc. today launched Works With U, a Linux-oriented Web site for the rest of us. Works With U is set to document the rise of Ubuntu Linux in academia, business and consumer settings. We’ll show readers how to unlock the full power of Ubuntu in their organizations. And we’ll help millions of readers understand that Ubuntu is a true platform — mobile, desktop, server — for the modern age.

Now that you’ve got the “official” company line, let me share some less formal thoughts about Works With U, and driving our business forward. When we launched Nine Lives Media Inc., Amy Katz and I had a clear goal:

Nine Lives Media Inc.’s Next Web Site

We’re nearing the launch of our next media site, Works With U (found at www.workswithu.com). The site, which will debut in early May (very early May … hint, hint), will help academia, businesses and consumers to discover the full power of Ubuntu Linux.

Initially, we didn’t expect the site launch to be too difficult. After all, our launches of MSPmentor and The VAR Guy went relatively smoothly in January because we had clear goals and a good site development partner. We quickly mastered new widgets and ad management systems for both of those sites, which now rank among the fastest-growing blogs in the IT industry. In fact, MSPmentor and The VAR Guy are already ranked within the top three percent of all blogs worldwide, according to Technorati.com.

Still, getting Works With U our the door presented us with some new challenges.

Does Ubuntu Linux Work With U?

Where is Nine Lives Media Inc. going next? Here’s a hint: In addition to our first two media sites (MSPmentor and The VAR Guy) we’ve been testing a third site called All About Ubuntu — which is devoted to Ubuntu Linux coverage.

In case you didn’t know, Ubuntu is the fastest-growing Linux distribution in the world. Our All About Ubuntu beta site has received more than 70,000 page views during our tests. Readers seem to be enjoying it. But All About Ubuntu is only a beta media site.

We’ve got bigger plans… bigger ambitions. In fact, we’re nearly ready to show you a vastly improved site. It will feature a new name, a new URL, and plenty of content for established and aspiring Ubuntu users

Coming soon: Works With U (www.workswithu.com).

Stay tuned.

Travel Tip: Finding Starbucks When On the Road

As a native New Yorker, I’m used to seeing Starbucks on every street corner. But this morning, during a business trip near Dallas, I was having trouble finding a local Starbucks. And I didn’t have WiFi or GPS handy to lead me to the mother ship. Here’s how I solved my liquid panic attack.

Using R&D to Battle the Recession

The US economy is (A) in a recession or (B) near a recession. Either way, things aren’t so great. Yet Nine Lives Media Inc.’s first-quarter budget included two major Web site launches: The VAR Guy and MSPmentor.

We’re not stopping there. Despite the economic storm clouds, our second quarter budget includes a third site launch and new investments in multimedia. And we continue to attend targeted events that will propel our business forward. Here’s a bit more about the strategy.

Can Blogs Become Billion Dollar Businesses?

Before I launch into a rant, I want to be clear: Amy and I don’t consider Nine Lives Media Inc. a pure “blog” business. Yes, we build and launch blogs. But ultimately, we use many types of media to generate an ongoing dialog between high-tech companies and their targeted audiences.

Certainly, blogs are important to us. We’re passionate about them. But there’s a difference between Nine Lives Media Inc. and the bigger tech blog providers like TechCrunch. While TechCrunch has broad high-tech readership, our sites are designed to go narrow and deep on specific niches. Which strategy is smarter?