LESSONS FROM A DECADE IN
MEDIA ENTREPRENEuRSHIP by Rafat Ali skift travel iq

SKIFT IS… The largest intelligence
platform in travel, providing Media, Insights and Marketing to all sectors of the world’s largest industry. skift travel iq

SKIFT DOES… Skift Deciphers &
Defines trends for Marketers, Strategists & Technologists in the global travel industry. skift travel iq

LEVEL 13, 82 SPENCER ST,
MELBOURNE SKIFT’S BHAG: SKIFT IS DEFINING THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL skift travel iq

*ALWAYS ALWAYS* DO YOUR OWN
THING> skift travel iq #1

ALWAYS ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN
THING> skift travel iqSTAY AWAY FROM GEORGE >>

EVERYTHING TO HELP START &
BUILD YOUR MEDIA COMPANY EXISTS DON’T GET TRAPPED IN THE TECH STACK> skift travel iq #2

MIDDLE IN MEDIA IS DEATH>
skift travel iq #3

YOUR EXPANSIVE WORLDVIEW DEFINES HOW
BIG YOUR VISION IS COROLLARY: THERE IS ALWAYS SPACE TO CREATE YOUR OWN WHITESPACE> skift travel iq #4

THE 4 S’s OF CONTENT:
BE SMART, SHARP, SURGICAL & STRATEGIC> skift travel iq #5

BUILD AROUND TRENDLINES, NOT HEADLINES
IGNORE AND BREAK THE SILOS> skift travel iq #6

PACKAGE, VOICE, SENSIBILITY AND BRAND
MATTERS THE INTANGIBLES MATTER A LOT MORE IN MEDIA> skift travel iq #7

STAY AWAY FROM FEALTY TO
INVESTORS, THEY’RE MEANS TO AN END, AND DON’T MATTER MUCH IN THE END RESULTS > skift travel iq #8

YOU WILL HEAR 9 NOs
BEFORE THE ONE YES COROLLARY: SAY 9 NOs TO THINGS BEING THROWN AT YOU, FOCUS ON ONE> skift travel iq #9

AVOID SCENESTERS, AND SURELY AVOID
BEING ONE > skift travel iq #10

YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW
MANY ARE AFRAID TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS. LEARN & RELEARN FEARLESSSNESS > skift travel iq #11

NO ONE HAS EVER BUILT
A BUSINESS KEEPING PEER JOURNALIST SET HAPPY COROLLARY: ALWAYS BE FRIENDLY, NEVER BE FRIENDS> skift travel iq #12

INSPIRATION & INNOVATION COME FROM
ANYWHERE & EVERYWHERE. COROLLARY: THE UNIVERSE FIGURES OUT A WAY TO POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THE HARD PART IS TO STOP AND LISTEN> skift travel iq #13

B2B DOES NOT HAVE TO
BE BORING. SEPARATE VENDORS FROM YOUR REAL USERS> skift travel iq #14

THERE IS STILL TONS OF
DISRUPTION LEFT IN BUSINESS INFORMATION. COROLLARY: BE FANATICALLY FOCUSED ON THE CHANGING USER CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR> skift travel iq #15

USE DESIGN TO PUNCH ABOVE
YOUR WEIGHT > skift travel iq #16

MARKETING/TECH/USER EXPERIENCE/DESIGN IN THE CROSS
HAIRS OF THIS NEXUS, YOU HAVE FUTURE-PROOFED YOURSELF > skift travel iq #17

FOCUS ON ONE BIG ANNUAL
EFFORT INSTEAD OF SMALL ONES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR DOING LESS WITH MORE IS THE NEW DOING MORE WITH LESS> skift travel iq #18

BUILD DIRECT CHANNELS TO YOUR
USERS THINK REPEAT RESIDENTS, NOT REPEAT VISITORS> skift travel iq #19

WILL ANYONE MISS YOU IF
YOU DIE TOMORROW? COROLLARY: WHAT’S YOUR UTILITY VALUE TO USERS? > skift travel iq #20

IMMERSE YOURSELF!
skift
travel iq

THANK YOU skift travel iq
RAFAT ALI FOUNDER & CEO @rafat ra@skift.com