Update: More Growth at Altimeter Group

We’re ten months in since I joined Altimeter Group, and we’re continuing to grow, nearly quadrupled from 4 to over 15 folks. I’ll give a brief update, with links to relevant resources.

• Recently, we’ve hired Susan Etlinger, our first consultant, who’s going to work closely with Charlene and myself. Clients will get the chance to work with her on projects with me related to social business, research on consumer social behaviors, strategy, and getting your company ready internally.
• Today we announced bringing on board Marcia Conner, a partner focused on enterprise collaboration.  She stems from consulting and research on the enterprise space, including learning, collaboration, microsharing.  Think of her as my internal counterpart.
• Charlene’s book “Open Leadership” (the Groundswell sequel) is going to be on two best seller lists, they are best suited for your executives who need to understand how social can improve leadership.  I’ll update this post as the book continues to spread.
• We expanded into a new HQ, which we affectionally call “The Hangar”, (pics) It’s located in the next tower over from our previous building, it’s over 3000 sq feet overlooking the San Mateo hills, open and airy.  We’re over 15 folks now, including with a lot of books (the top shelf are books authored by partners) and we’re filling it quickly.  Our address is here.
• Open Research is working.  We’re sharing our research reports, webinars, and slides from speeches with the market –not hiding it behind a paywall.  As you share it, more interest increases (see numbers), fueling our ability to do more research.  Thank you for your help.  We’re still getting ‘ink‘ in press and media articles and continue to take briefings from vendors doing interesting things.
• In some bad news, my dog @GoodBoyRumba isn’t allowed in the Hangar (says the property manager), despite Rumba’s intentions to be a proud mascot.

We have more clients signing up, as a result, we’re expanding rapidly, and have a few job openings in sales, accounts, and  a research intern who will work closely with me.  Tomorrow, we’ll be having an all hands, and our folks will be flying in from Colorado, and East Coast to meet at the Hangar.  Stay tuned, I plan to give some exciting updates soon about some new research, events, and hires in the near future.

One last thing.  I learned a whole ton about business by starting my own.  In fact, it’s kinda hard to think that an industry analyst who hasn’t run their own business really knows what it feels like for entrepreneurs to go out and build their own dream.  I have a new found respect for all the entrepreneurs that I interact with frequently, it ain’t easy, I’m learning everyday.