Podcast Summary.

Podcast - Expand your brand

Episode 49
Episode Summary

The Digital Revolution: A Conversation with Matias Marquez

Today we are joined by Matias Marquez, a serial entrepreneur at the intersection of advertisement and tech, to discuss the path he forged in exiting his first company to a Fortune 100 organization, the growth of his current business called Ethos, and all the dirt in between. Matias shares his experience of working hard and perseverance, and how it has led him to success. He also talks about the importance of being honest and upfront about the difficulty of being an entrepreneur. Matias also offers some great advice on how to stay motivated and focused on your goals.

Working with Big Brands and Consumers

Matias has had a decade long experience of working with big brands and consumers. He has learned that consumer brands really care about their customers, and they care about all their customers, no matter their level of technology literacy. He has also learned that large companies are often not as slow as people think, and that convenience is key for consumers. 

Matias' Current Business

Matias is now the CEO and founder of a company called Ethos. He is helping consumer brands learn about digital assets and NFTs for the first time. He hopes to progress the adoption of digital gift cards and show people that this is awesome technology. 

Introducing People to New Technologies

Matias Marquez has always been passionate about introducing people to new technologies. He did this with digital gift cards at Via Tab and is now doing it with digital assets at Ethos. He believes that consumer brands have the power to progress things and that new technologies can help them build better relationships with their customers. 

Challenges of NFT Adoption

Matias Marquez believes that one of the biggest challenges of adoption is crossing the chasm. This means making the technology so simple that people don’t even know they are interacting with an NFC and blockchain. To do this, Matias and his team at Ethos are innovating and investing in making the technology easier for people. They have integrated the ability to display NFT's that they are issuing into Apple wallet. This allows people to purchase items with PayPal without needing a crypto wallet. 

Benefits of NFT Adoption

Matias Marquez believes that the more commonplace NFT's and digital assets become, the more people will understand the technology and its benefits. He also believes that the more utility filled use cases there are, the more brands will adopt the technology and create great experiences for their customers. This will help people to see firsthand how the technology can be beneficial. 

Building Trust With Consumers: Strategies for Big Brands

Trust is an essential part of any successful consumer brand. It's what allows customers to feel comfortable trying new technologies and products. In today's digital world, building trust with consumers is more important than ever. Matias Marquez discusses strategies for big brands to build trust with consumers and how to ensure a positive experience for both brands and customers. 

Strategies for Building Trust With Consumers

Building trust with consumers is an essential part of any successful consumer brand. Matias Marquez, CEO of Ethos, has some great strategies for big brands to build trust and ensure a positive experience for both brands and customers. 

  1. Brands should over-index on the benefits and perks that customers get when they engage with a digital asset. This could be free shipping on subsequent purchases, access to special products that other people haven't gotten, or special time with the person who's creating the products. 
  2. Brands can issue digital assets for free. This is a great way to engage with new customers and reward existing customers without having to sell the asset. When customers receive a free digital asset, they feel rewarded and appreciated, which builds trust with the brand. 
  3. Brands should be intentional when it comes to planning an exit. An exit is a big life event and should be planned for carefully. Matias recommends having a vision that the company is chasing and then making sure everything else supports that vision. 

Emotional Impact of Exiting

Exiting a business is not just a happy yellow brick road journey. It's a life event that can have a big emotional impact. Matias experienced this when he exited his last company. He knew that if they handed the company off to the right partner, it would have a better outcome for employees, customers, and the company as a whole. 

It's important to remember that tech exits rarely happen unintentionally. It's important to be intentional when planning an exit and to make sure that it's the right decision for everyone involved. 

Selling Your Business: A Guide to Strategic Exits

As an entrepreneur, you’ve likely put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into building your business. When it comes time to sell, it can be an emotional rollercoaster. It’s important to approach the sale of your business strategically and with intention. 

Three Important Stakeholders

When deciding who to sell to, Marquez boiled it down to three important stakeholders: employees, customers, and shareholders. He recommends giving each a scorecard to rate how well the strategic partner lines up. 

Marquez notes that the matrix doesn’t always lead to the highest bidder, as there can be other factors to consider. He emphasizes the importance of being intentional about the sale, as it impacts not just the founder but many other people. 

Creating an Environment for Strategic Thinking 

Marquez recommends creating an environment where you can think through the future of your business. This could be through quarterly board meetings, advisors, or even taking a solo trip to reflect. He notes that it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of a business, and it’s important to step back and think about the bigger picture. 

The Importance of Grit and Perseverance

Matias believes that grit and perseverance are the key ingredients for success in entrepreneurship. He talks about how luck plays a role, but it’s the hard work and dedication that will ultimately lead to success. He also stresses the importance of staying focused on your goals, even when things seem difficult.

Matias also offers some great advice on how to stay motivated and focused on your goals. He recommends reading Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Things About Hard Things, which he calls “the Bible” for entrepreneurs. He also advises founders to be generous in helping other entrepreneurs, as it can help build relationships and open up new opportunities. 

Advice for Growth Stage Founders

Matias offers some great advice for growth stage founders. He emphasizes the importance of having a long-term orientation and staying focused on your goals. He also recommends being honest and upfront about the difficulty of being an entrepreneur. 

Finally, Matias suggests that entrepreneurs should always be looking for ways to give back to the community. He believes that helping other entrepreneurs can not only be beneficial to them, but also to you. 

Conclusion

In this podcast episode, Matias Marquez shared his passion for introducing people to new technologies and how he is doing this with digital assets at Ethos. He discussed the challenges of NFT adoption, the technical innovations being made, and the benefits of NFT adoption. If more brands adopt the technology and create great experiences for their customers, people will be able to see firsthand how the technology can be beneficial.

Selling a business can be an emotional process, but it’s important to approach it strategically. Marquez recommends focusing on three important stakeholders: employees, customers, and shareholders. He also recommends creating an environment for strategic thinking, so that you can chart a pathway towards the future of your business.  By approaching the sale of your business strategically and with intention, you can ensure that everyone involved is taken care of and that your vision for the future is realized.

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