I would consider us nearer to full-stack marketers than any one thing, but wonder if this article is just a result of the difference in cultures between SF and the Midwest. Although I can think of exceptions, most non-employee consultants claim to be ‘full stack’ around here even though few are. Whereas most employees are more pigeon-holed and do more or less only a few things – such as sales or product management. I’m not sure either one is better or worse than the other. They each have their place: smaller teams need a more rounded guy, but larger teams can afford less rounded specialists.
From Justin, “I think the SF/Valley/Startup culture difference shifts the relevance of this article significantly for us.
I think on a strict application level, we are neither a building founder or a selling founder. This article very narrowly targets the discussion on a startup that develops “Valley” tech. We serve (varying, and at different individual mixes for each) marketing functions for our customers – but here’s the rub: it is usually for a product and company that already exists.
Now, in a sense, we are the product. For me, my product (design services, my reputation, a valuable solution pitch) is really just me. And while I will call that product the same thing, the actual product has great variability with each customer (or with each job of the same customer). I’m really just building a business on a talent, but I don’t have a building founder (because there is no focused product that the company markets).
Additionally, in a loose application, I don’t feel adequately talented (nor interested) in the full-stack of marketing duties. That is why I would love to have two roles on a full-stack marketing company: creative direction and visual design (creating things by pushing pixels, vectors, typography, and layout).
That said, I can take away a good point from this article, my business can neglect neither the product (sharpening my axe, identifying services [and means of delivery for those services] that I should pick up to serve my market better) nor the selling (pitching, building rep, demonstrating work I have done).
With that said, the next six months are critical to me: in that time I will decide to try to continue independently, join a small company or cooperative, abandon design and focus entirely on writing, or (dark horse) go to seminary.”