Scalable product? New homepage? Processes in place? After Q1, we’re ready to harvest

Note: I aim to post quarterly career updates. This update covers Q1 2010.

As a gardener, I know it takes months to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor. You work the earth. You sow seeds. You water and weed and water and weed. And, eventually, you harvest.

At Bulbstorm, the first quarter of 2010 was a lot like gardening. We launched our most scalable product yet, created new marketing programs and content, and systematized business processes to prepare for a bountiful 2010.

The payoff came earlier than expected as a pair of influential blogs brought us new attention in early April. First, our work was recognized by influential blogger Jay Baer, who said our latest app is “better than anything else I’ve seen on Facebook.” And, one week later, our app received top billing in Inside Facebook. Wow!

Here’s how I contributed to our collective success in Q1:

• Product management: I oversaw the development and launch of our biggest, most scalable product yet. Our Idea Challenges app extends Bulbstorm’s idea platform into Facebook. Take a test drive in our $1,000 healthcare idea challenge!
• Marketing: When I came aboard in October, we had no marketing collateral and no B2B web presence. In the first quarter, we launched our blog, sent our first e-eblast and completely overhauled our homepage. See the before and after below.
• Project coordination: In addition to leading projects for four different client brands, I spent considerable time “systemicizing”. That meant streamlining task lists, documenting processes, and generally making projects easier – and more profitable – to execute.

Growth is definitely the key word for the second quarter. In the marketing department alone, we’re looking to add one or two talented, management-level teammates.

One is probably a numbers person with experience recommending, implementing and monitoring analytics and reporting tools. The other is probably a social media and Web 2.0 hotshot with a technical background and a finger on the web’s pulse well beyond Twitter and Facebook.

Sound like someone you know? Drop me a line! We’re going to need a few more hands tending to the Bulbstorm garden in the quarters to come.