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Exclamation Point That Everything Changed Reply-To: Notes to an entrepreneur Feedback-ID: =?us-ascii?Q?f0b05d3f-cec2-4cc8-8967-86cae53e4e6c=3Anewsletter=3Abe56f4a0-b5ab-?= =?us-ascii?Q?45f5-af7d-e9fb8c385c45=3A795fb0691ea91b9?= List-Unsubscribe: =?us-ascii?Q?=3Cmailto=3Abe56f4a0-b5ab-45f5-af7d-e9fb8c385c45+e1509d45-2796-417?= =?us-ascii?Q?7-a9d9-f8bde2c6df8b+f0b05d3f-cec2-4cc8-?= =?us-ascii?Q?8967-86cae53e4e6c=40unsub=2Ebeehiiv=2Ecom=3E=2C?= =?us-ascii?Q?_=3Chttps=3A=2F=2Fnews=2Eplanetsmallbusiness=2Ecom=2Funsubscribe=2FeyJ0eXAiOiJK?= =?us-ascii?Q?V1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9=2EeyJzdWJzY3JpYm?= =?us-ascii?Q?VyX2lkIjoiZTE1MDlkNDUtMjc5Ni00MTc3LWE5Z?= =?us-ascii?Q?DktZjhiZGUyYzZkZjhiIiwicG9zdF9pZCI6ImYw?= =?us-ascii?Q?YjA1ZDNmLWNlYzItNGNjOC04OTY3LTg2Y2FlNTN?= =?us-ascii?Q?lNGU2YyIsImxhc3RfcmVzb3VyY2VfZ3VpZCI6Il?= =?us-ascii?Q?Bvc3Q6ZjBiMDVkM2YtY2VjMi00Y2M4LTg5NjctO?= =?us-ascii?Q?DZjYWU1M2U0ZTZjIn0=2EUyUPsqAgUIsDPqO=5FrK8a?= =?us-ascii?Q?bG2-Y2rsTz2=5FM2-GFMUhvlM=3E?= List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click sId: be56f4a0-b5ab-45f5-af7d-e9fb8c385c45 x-beehiiv-ids: =?us-ascii?Q?{=22account=5Fname=22=3A=22https=3A=2F=2Fnews=2Eplanetsmallbusiness=2Ecom=2F=22=2C=22campa?= =?us-ascii?Q?ign=5Fid=22=3A=22f0b05d3f-cec2-4cc8-8967-86cae5?= =?us-ascii?Q?3e4e6c=22=2C=22category=22=3A=22newsletter=22=2C=22email=5F?= =?us-ascii?Q?generated=5Fat=22=3A1772682949=2C=22user=5Fid=22=3A=22be5?= =?us-ascii?Q?6f4a0-b5ab-45f5-af7d-e9fb8c385c45=22}?= x-beehiiv-type: newsletter x-list-id: be56f4a0-b5ab-45f5-af7d-e9fb8c385c45 x-list-owner: x-newsletter: =?us-ascii?Q?https=3A=2F=2Fnews=2Eplanetsmallbusiness=2Ecom=2Fp=2Fthe-day-jerry-yang-and-?= =?us-ascii?Q?david-filo-had-the-chutzpah-to-say-no-t?= =?us-ascii?Q?o-the-suits?= x-newsletter-id: https://news.planetsmallbusiness.com/ x-newsletter-signup: https://news.planetsmallbusiness.com/subscribe X-SG-EID: =?us-ascii?Q?u001=2EbW9l0BBhaJRjHcuIgIwpN1rNe4oHXQ=2FdW4L87v1NEdDTOZzkElUHJx6Un?= =?us-ascii?Q?dOmNahVF2CQf67nZVUGzNbuvN=2Fh4Y5EALtlAbw6?= =?us-ascii?Q?KgL11=2FYZ79GoskCwtjIjNHqt7bj2Jm9hoDvbBEp?= =?us-ascii?Q?p=2FlG1DuhyAobmA5itfT=2FU5dpfMXNJpVchad8vEy?= =?us-ascii?Q?=2FGFZAx26rZSggJ09V60Nq60L2SfQlefDznFxWeJ?= =?us-ascii?Q?FcdeKaA5nHsxxzqeJCexD0NHexq2wYi+M4i6XvJ?= =?us-ascii?Q?ZCNB2KEBb9GW0XqFn8flwomUWw=3D=3D?= X-SG-ID: =?us-ascii?Q?u001=2ESdBcvi+Evd=2FbQef8eZF3BpTL9BgbK5wfSJMJGMsmprC4cBUZJCrQVYjCO?= =?us-ascii?Q?0A=2FxUMBSNXd8DMlTcnfC1litCBYb7dm+opYK3IC?= =?us-ascii?Q?HUrb=2Fto+ZTZF0iaXfPOLcH=2FNWCQsg+pRiNwXZKI?= =?us-ascii?Q?Nd8wp9lP3yuDTSCr8D=2FOIShUG9LlPzPKLTBKHfM?= =?us-ascii?Q?CxFEkEPP7tcdYCuk94mewOev3MZ6CxBMT=2Fsf4ji?= =?us-ascii?Q?2m4IzYoqMa96+qd5OUfZ=2F6Q9uM1dUyydo=2FMs4oz?= =?us-ascii?Q?rgNEyGQB1rZTsfTAzC1+VvXji5hzTdr1MDoT3Qy?= =?us-ascii?Q?3YmK3RcIfOtTVycK+A+UB7BLSqH0pgF0zVHnV7O?= =?us-ascii?Q?CsNuEig+N7cCNARzd5i2wscGRKFJMygTFb2ctjf?= =?us-ascii?Q?1IdBDedYVJgMTQYQu0huIrxTk+3ilByzloyZPx1?= =?us-ascii?Q?sJdxXE9XPbZFeviRVEd0mVx86JhiP7yP30fipxC?= =?us-ascii?Q?IbFDZUZvOq69PbUGXL8YraTj26PYks4skuIpua2?= =?us-ascii?Q?+P8Po=3D?= To: "alvarochf@traceseis.com" X-Entity-ID: u001.Gv86RTPl24Ephzd1t/ydVQ== --e3e6bfef6d73ddcbcaf66a222135488eeefedc18ed2e5443abdae0e35d0e Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Mime-Version: 1.0 ---------- I have an idea, but it only works if you like it. So please do your pal Ste= ve a favor and answer the poll right after tonight=E2=80=99s fun story. And= thank you in advance! -------------------- In 1994, Jerry Yang and David Filo were just two shlumpy graduate students = living in a Stanford University trailer that smelled of stale pizza and ove= rheated server racks.=20 The PhD students had stopped studying. Altogether.=20 Why?=20 Because they were obsessed with an list regarding that newfangled contrapti= on called =E2=80=9CThe Wold Wide Web=E2=80=9D aka, the Internet. Jerry and David had tried to make sense of it, tame it, organize it, even l= isticle it. They quirckily called their page, =E2=80=9C**Jerry and David=E2= =80=99s Guide to the World Wide Web.=E2=80=9D** ## The Value of Obsession It certainly wasn't a business.=20 It was a digital map of their own curiosity. But their obsession was so int= ense, and others had found their page and rankings and lists so interesting= , that their "hobby" started crashing the entire Stanford University comput= er system.=20 The university gave them an ultimatum: shut it down or move it off-campus. ## Enter the Suits Two brilliant students invented something white hot, using a breakthrough t= echnology, and people are flocking to it so much that the university=E2=80= =99s computers are crashing? Call in the checkbooks! Where are the Investment Bankers? We need Venture Capitalists, stat!! When the monied class in in suits finally showed up at the disheveled trail= er, Jerry and David didn't put on ties, refused to do so. Didn=E2=80=99t ev= en put on shes; Birkenstocks would do just fine, thank you very much!=20 And, while the investors loved the platform Jerry and David had created, if= not their quirky name, they only would agree to change it to . . . . ## Yahoo! Yes, Yahoo! and the exclimation point was a deal breaker; kill that punctua= tion, kill the deal.=20 (Jerry and David had looked up the word "Yahoo" in the dictionary and found= : _A person who is rude, unsophisticated, and uncouth. _They loved it. They= kept the name, and insisted upon the defiant exclamation point.) Being different, insistig on doing things their way or no way, mean that th= ey would show up to high-stakes meetings in Silicon Valley barefoot. Or, th= at they they would refuse to change their titles to CEO and President, insi= sting instead on being called =E2=80=9CChief Yahoos.=E2=80=9D ## Birth of the WWW=20 The suits ended up investing anyway. But they sure didn=E2=80=99t do so des= pite the bare feet and "rude" name; they invested _**because**_ of it. They= realized that in a cold, clinical world of cold data, Jerry and David=E2= =80=99s kooky guide to the World Wide Web was something with a human pulse. (And a lot of visitors!) But it was by being true the the entreprenur code and leaning into their "w= eirdness," by trusting their obsession, that Jerry and David were able to c= reate a brand that people actually really liked.=20 At its peak, Yahoo! was valued at $125 billion. ---------- =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 ## TODAY=E2=80=99S POLL ---------- ---------- =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 ---------- =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 Share Notes To An Entrepreneur Love these notes? Send them to a friend or fellow entrepreneur or colleagu= e!=20 You currently have 0 referrals. Or copy and paste this link to others: https://news.planetsmallbusiness.com= /subscribe?ref=3D1kRhvXwp9r =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 ----------###=20 =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 ---------- ### How Jennifer Anniston=E2=80=99s LolaVie brand grew sales 40% with CTV a= ds View image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,forma= t=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/file/9c86a305-3e2e-4= 8cc-885f-30ca62045089/LolaVie_Beehiiv_1200x600.jpg?t=3D1772056645) Follow image link: (https://advertising.roku.com/solutions/advertise/ads-ma= nager?utm_medium=3Dpaid_newsletter&utm_source=3Dbeehiiv&utm_campaign=3Dpem-= us-ads-manager-beehiiv-cpm-q12026&utm_content=3Dlolavie_LP_cpm&utm_term=3D0= LGATGWRUS&_bhiiv=3Dopp_8316a151-3d77-4fe9-ba99-6a62c9f012a8_71a23586&bhcl_i= d=3D09a4dac3-d048-4606-9648-3efe8a7c2cbc_e1509d45-2796-4177-a9d9-f8bde2c6df= 8b_eaa7bafd-5791-489b-96e6-b1ca32cb26b5) Caption:=20 For its first CTV campaign, Jennifer Aniston=E2=80=99s DTC haircare brand L= olaVie had a few non-negotiables. The campaign had to be simple. It had to = demonstrate measurable impact. And it had to be full-funnel. LolaVie used Roku Ads Manager to test and optimize creatives =E2=80=94 reac= hing millions of potential customers at all stages of their purchase journe= ys. Roku Ads Manager helped the brand convey LolaVie=E2=80=99s playful voic= e while helping drive omnichannel sales across both ecommerce and retail to= uchpoints. The campaign included an Action Ad overlay that let viewers shop directly f= rom their TVs by clicking OK on their Roku remote. This guided them to the = website to buy LolaVie products. Discover how Roku Ads Manager [helped LolaVie](https://advertising.roku.com= /solutions/advertise/ads-manager?utm_medium=3Dpaid_newsletter&utm_source=3D= beehiiv&utm_campaign=3Dpem-us-ads-manager-beehiiv-cpm-q12026&utm_content=3D= lolavie_LP_cpm&utm_term=3D0LGATGWRUS&_bhiiv=3Dopp_8316a151-3d77-4fe9-ba99-6= a62c9f012a8_71a23586&bhcl_id=3D09a4dac3-d048-4606-9648-3efe8a7c2cbc_e1509d4= 5-2796-4177-a9d9-f8bde2c6df8b_eaa7bafd-5791-489b-96e6-b1ca32cb26b5) drive b= ig sales and customer growth with self-serve TV ads.=20 The DTC beauty category is crowded. To break through, Jennifer Anniston=E2= =80=99s brand LolaVie, worked with Roku Ads Manager to easily set up, test,= and optimize CTV ad creatives. The campaign helped drive a big lift in sal= es and customer growth, helping LolaVie break through in the crowded beauty= category.=20 [Learn more](https://advertising.roku.com/solutions/advertise/ads-manager?u= tm_medium=3Dpaid_newsletter&utm_source=3Dbeehiiv&utm_campaign=3Dpem-us-ads-= manager-beehiiv-cpm-q12026&utm_content=3Dlolavie_LP_cpm&utm_term=3D0LGATGWR= US&_bhiiv=3Dopp_8316a151-3d77-4fe9-ba99-6a62c9f012a8_71a23586&bhcl_id=3D09a= 4dac3-d048-4606-9648-3efe8a7c2cbc_e1509d45-2796-4177-a9d9-f8bde2c6df8b_eaa7= bafd-5791-489b-96e6-b1ca32cb26b5). ---------- =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 ---------- ## The Takeaway Craig was 42 when he started his email list. And he built his empire slowly= . When everyone around him was chasing scale, Craig just kept helping peopl= e. he also did this on a shoestring. The growth funded the business. You do not need funding or hype to build something great. Sometimes the mos= t powerful thing you can do is=C2=A0stay small and stay useful. ---------- =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 ---------- ## Steal This Strategy =F0=9F=8E=A5 **Video =E2=80=93 **[Watch: Jerry and David=E2=80=99s Excellen= et Adventure ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DMpgAN3wVWfo)This clip capt= ures the "before the breakthrough" moment where a student hobby became a gl= obal mandate. =F0=9F=8C=90 **Website =E2=80=93 **[Explore: 30 Years of the Yahoo! Exclama= tion Point](https://www.hatchwise.com/resources/complete-history-of-the-yah= oo-logo) A visual breakdown of how they maintained their "weird" identity w= hile scaling into a corporate giant. =F0=9F=9B=A0=EF=B8=8F **Tool =E2=80=93** [Take the Quiz: Find Your Innate B= rand A](https://www.kayeputnam.com/brand-archetypes/)[rchetype](https://www= .kayeputnam.com/brand-archetypes/) Discover if your brand is the Outlaw, th= e Explorer, or the Sage so you can stop hiding your magic and start leverag= ing it.. **Book** - [The Small Business Bible](https://www.amazon.com/The-Small-Busi= ness-Bible-Everything/dp/1118135946/ref=3Dntt_at_ep_dpt_1), by Steve Straus= s. The classic book that literally tells you =E2=80=9Ceverything you need t= o know to start, run, and grow your own small business.=E2=80=9D ---------- =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 ---------- ### About Steve=20 Steve Strauss is the best-selling author of __[The Small Business Bible](ht= tps://www.amazon.com/The-Small-Business-Bible-Everything/dp/1118135946/ref= =3Dntt_at_ep_dpt_1?utm_source=3Dnews.planetsmallbusiness.com&utm_medium=3Dn= ewsletter&utm_campaign=3Dbutterball-s-turkey-talk-line-the-hotline-that-sav= ed-thanksgiving&_bhlid=3D3858bc9a4c0ec12e508ddbbc0df9091aba0c31f0)__ (and 1= 7 other books), Inc.=E2=80=99s _[small business columnist](https://www.inc.= com/author/steve-strauss?utm_source=3Dnews.planetsmallbusiness.com&utm_medi= um=3Dnewsletter&utm_campaign=3Dbutterball-s-turkey-talk-line-the-hotline-th= at-saved-thanksgiving&_bhlid=3Dd32fdb0ff6e2daa2aa9027df4d9f8b20b6305b2c)_, = a lawyer (non-practicing), and an entrepreneur. He sold his last venture, _= [TheSelfEmployed.com](https://TheSelfEmployed.com)_ to Mark Cuban & Zen Bus= iness. Need a ghostwriter or a newsletter for your business? =3D= =3D_[Contact Steve!](http://sstrauss@mrallbiz.com)_=3D=3D ---------- =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94 =E2=80=9C**=E2=80=9CBe bold! For boldness has genius, magic, and power in i= t.=E2=80=9D **=E2=80=9C =E2=80=94 **- Goethe** =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94 You are reading a plain text version of this post. For the best experience,= copy and paste this link in your browser to view the post online: https://news.planetsmallbusiness.com/p/the-day-jerry-yang-and-david-filo-ha= d-the-chutzpah-to-say-no-to-the-suits --e3e6bfef6d73ddcbcaf66a222135488eeefedc18ed2e5443abdae0e35d0e Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Mime-Version: 1.0 The Day Jerry Yang and David Filo Had the Chutzpah to Say No to the Suits= :root { color-scheme: light; supported-color-schemes: light; } body { margin: 0; padding: 0; min-width: 100%!important; -ms-text-size-ad= just: 100% !important; -webkit-transform: scale(1) !important; -webkit-text= -size-adjust: 100% !important; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased !importa= nt; } .body { word-wrap: normal; word-spacing:normal; } table.mso { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; padding: 0; table-lay= out: fixed; } img { border: 0; outline: none; } table { mso-table-lspace: 0px; mso-table-rspace: 0px; } td, a, span { mso-line-height-rule: exactly; 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} .bodyWrapper { padding:10px 4px 10px 4px !important; } .social-mobile {float:left !important;margin-top:10px !important;} } @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { u + .a .gg { width: 100% !important; width: 100vw !important; } .tok-heart { padding-top:75% !important; } .tok-play { padding-top: 250px !important; } } @media screen and (max-width: 320px) { .tok-heart { padding-top:65% !important; } } .u { border: 1px solid #CACACA !important; border-radius: 2px !important;= background-color: #ffffff !important; padding: 0px 13px 0px 13px !importan= t; font-family:ui-sans-serif,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Se= goe UI",Roboto,"Helvetica Neue",Arial,"Noto Sans",sans-serif !important;fon= t-size: 12px !important; color: #767676 !important; } .u a { text-decoration: none; display: block !important; color: #767676 != important; margin: 0px !important; } .u span, .u img { color: #767676 !important;margin:0px !important; max-he= ight:32px !important;background-color:#ffffff !important; } <= body class=3D"a" style=3D"margin:0px auto;padding:0px;word-wrap:normal;word= -spacing:normal;background-color:#FFFFFF;">
A sto= ry about why your "weirdness" can be your greatest asset  &#= 8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&#= 160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= ; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = 204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 60;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌=  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ R= 04; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &= #8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 0;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&= #160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ̴= 4; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &#= 8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&#= 160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= ; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = 204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 60;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌=  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ R= 04; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &= #8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 0;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&= #160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ̴= 4; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &#= 8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&#= 160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= ; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = 204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 60;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌=  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ R= 04; ‌ ‌ ‌

March 04, 2026

3D""

The Day Jerry Yang and David Filo Had the Chutzpah t= o Say No to the Suits

A story about why your "weirdness" ca= n be your greatest asset

<= tr>
3D"like"<= /table>=
 
=3D"comment"
<= table role=3D"none" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" align= =3D"right" class=3D"">
3D"share
 
=3D"share
 
3D"share
 
3D"share
3D""
= =

In partnership with

 
 

I have an idea, but it only wo= rks if you like it. So please do your pal Steve a favor and answer the poll= right after tonight=E2=80=99s fun story. And thank you in advance!

 
 

And, while t= he investors loved the platform Jerry and David had created, if not their q= uirky name, they only would agree to change it to . . . .

In 1994, Jerry Yang and David Filo were just two shlumpy gradua= te students living in a Stanford University trailer that smelled of stale p= izza and overheated server racks.

The PhD students had stopped stu= dying. Altogether.

Why?

Because they were obsessed with = an list regarding that newfangled contraption called =E2=80=9CThe Wold Wide= Web=E2=80=9D aka, the Internet.

Jerry and David had tried to mak= e sense of it, tame it, organize it, even listicle it. They quirckily calle= d their page, =E2=80=9CJerry and David=E2=80=99s Guide to the World Wide= Web.=E2=80=9D

The Value of Obsession

It certainly wasn't a business. <= /p>

It was a digital map of their own curiosity. But their obsession was= so intense, and others had found their page and rankings and lists so inte= resting, that their "hobby" started crashing the entire Stanford = University computer system.

The university gave them an ultimatum: = shut it down or move it off-campus.

Enter the Suits

Two brilliant students inve= nted something white hot, using a breakthrough technology, and people are f= locking to it so much that the university=E2=80=99s computers are crashing?=

Call in the checkbooks!

Where are the Investment Bankers= ?

We need Venture Capitalists, stat!!

When the monied cla= ss in in suits finally showed up at the disheveled trailer, Jerry and David= didn't put on ties, refused to do so. Didn=E2=80=99t even put on shes;= Birkenstocks would do just fine, thank you very much!

Yahoo!

Yes, Yahoo! an= d the exclimation point was a deal breaker; kill that punctuation, kill the= deal.

(Jerry and David had looked up the word "Yahoo" in= the dictionary and found: A person who is rude, unsophisticated, and un= couth. They loved it. They kept the name, and insisted upon the defiant= exclamation point.)

Being different, insistig on doing things thei= r way or no way, mean that they would show up to high-stakes meetings in Si= licon Valley barefoot. Or, that they they would refuse to change their titl= es to CEO and President, insisting instead on being called =E2=80=9CChief Y= ahoos.=E2=80=9D

Birth of the WWW

The suits ended up investing anyway. But they= sure didn=E2=80=99t do so despite the bare feet and "rude" name;= they invested because of it. They realized that in a cold, c= linical world of cold data, Jerry and David=E2=80=99s kooky guide to the Wo= rld Wide Web was something with a human pulse.

(And a lot of visit= ors!)

But it was by being true the the entreprenur code and leaning= into their "weirdness," by trusting their obsession, that Jerry = and David were able to create a brand that people actually really liked.

At its peak, Yahoo! was valued at $125 billion.

<= /table><= tr>= <= /tr>=
 

TODAY=E2=80=99S POLL

Would = you be interested in joining a weekly group "office hours" sessio= n with/ Steve where he would look at your business challenges, give feedbac= k, insghts and strategies, hear Steve talk about brand deals, shoestring fu= nding, digital products...

=
<= a style=3D"font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;" href=3D"https://link.ma= il.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.SCudmY8ua17pTT3asw4_0Bzn206RNx_GI6y4jWaO4U8f3ie-WM= Fc3OV2NL1Hg_q-K1AlowoRoIsPeUkpVcK5sukeUuN64RCt8Ff2fvQK-9J1Mgxtjv4szK3C1OM3p= SFz4K-lPpxYrnulrhlHUaGH1O9TuUfZ0pB4sVpYQ_UowyScvQDPNtvzocg8L_TuI6S7nUoQCSvO= JY1mVRhBGMS-5gpr8UubeQ0J1xyhZCG7Iy8HnQwuvAnYwYN0Vg_-To2ptQDfE0Gw2wL-NtdgQqx= jt7GudgYrxp0effKCkWlmxm9qUxfRiHbnpFDIpsSCIVt2zEiOqVOGj-bzvIYn5SFAbzCpeY7JVL= JjDntsCSOuMuHfDAPtfvlb9qThSUWFCi3SjyGktOYC9iLqCM2gPmTAfO6s4nNMYah2WWA6a-rA4= pvE8FA4QpCCHHIkMh-ysKMa2N9Z09Z-yCwJbc73NasySUJj3M3-BnZJl41CatS4JvyUrrQmkaqS= JkK4yi9vtQ_5orTiN-ORkjMGt1-1SGJu_7KvPPMxGlxl2Bzy7kGRKhkCTxIK1ExLpR00mP7e4Rt= 2bqGaZC9DIx1T5-UsIq2t68CGecUkAS73vfOsecmb5SekvZ3BFD8i98cBJAaXazURGQ0itRKlrw= nHAT-quqbA2ODUwmDVcExfLqFrBEOZC92dsic8aiVE1M7aZkoG3i899fUi5xVtrByPbSCqpLUnZ= 4QGwcyz85Fu_Tez3A2o7vo8ZzeYL22NUxdhAmmgraaHP_jz7ypVKGdpVLMqi8I_HIkWITTzoRln= idjpjenXgtKLcaVLD085pkVqQyR1BmWgVlq502zpFmme23M5zfj8MzvoLwMPE3sr46JbXAPRc7r= ypKwHJeJk83aAluUFfZuQOK2aX1ODMpy7T0HBV6V-IVIeMMxx5SvYyd0rpqejUtl5gZd5y9N91P= r1XNfprZ9qPVmAYtqahQW7HOTPNdbxAJafXa30IKYQwjOcOaYJwR-AHkxHtigHffXUo59Xugvft= d8Lm8Q9d4A0sN8GLM6fEZtfTcHuu6uwvwauSSWNPPrgNJ9zhe3oaEHM_bM2X_irzIc8hJYrH0RB= ZCckY-UpOUhTl_zXYPHufp8SCPgj88s/4oo/6t41vQxFS06RICAhtJJvmQ/h7/h001.G2-0z9Wz= KjRC4P9SsCBGb8geDsKBv9YDOiKLgbudv64">

Yes, you bet!

= Well, I would definitely like to check it out

It depends on the commitment

That bum Steve Strauss? No way!

=

<= /p>

 

=

=
 

Share Notes To An Entrepreneur

Love these notes? Send them to a friend or fellow entrepreneur or colleag= ue!

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3D""
Click to Share

Or copy and paste this link to others: ht= tps://news.planetsmallbusiness.com/subscribe?ref=3D1kRhvXwp9r

 

 

<= tr>= <= /tr>

How Jennifer Anniston=E2=80=99s L= olaVie brand grew sales 40% with CTV ads

= <= tr>
=
3D""

For its first CTV c= ampaign, Jennifer Aniston=E2=80=99s DTC haircare brand LolaVie had a few no= n-negotiables. The campaign had to be simple. It had to demonstrate measura= ble impact. And it had to be full-funnel.

LolaVie used Roku Ads Man= ager to test and optimize creatives =E2=80=94 reaching millions of potentia= l customers at all stages of their purchase journeys. Roku Ads Manager help= ed the brand convey LolaVie=E2=80=99s playful voice while helping drive omn= ichannel sales across both ecommerce and retail touchpoints.

The ca= mpaign included an Action Ad overlay that let viewers shop directly from th= eir TVs by clicking OK on their Roku remote. This guided them to the websit= e to buy LolaVie products.

Discover how Roku Ads Manager helped LolaVie = drive big sales and customer growth with self-serve TV ads.

The DTC= beauty category is crowded. To break through, Jennifer Anniston=E2=80=99s = brand LolaVie, worked with Roku Ads Manager to easily set up, test, and opt= imize CTV ad creatives. The campaign helped drive a big lift in sales and c= ustomer growth, helping LolaVie break through in the crowded beauty categor= y.

Learn mo= re.

 

<= td align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=3D"font-size:0px;line-height:0px;p= adding:30px 0px 30px;" class=3D"dd">

The Takeaway

Craig was 42 when he started hi= s email list. And he built his = empire slowly. When everyone around him was chasing scale, Craig just kept = helping people. he also did this on a shoestring. The growth funded the bus= iness.

You do not = need funding or hype to build something great. Sometimes the most powerful = thing you can do is=C2=A0stay small and stay useful.

=
 

Steal This Strategy

=F0=9F= =8E=A5=C2=A0Video =E2=80=93 Watch: Jerry a= nd David=E2=80=99s Excellenet Adventure This clip captures the &= quot;before the breakthrough" moment where a student hobby became a gl= obal mandate.

=F0=9F=8C=90=C2=A0Website =E2=80=93 Explore: 30 Yea= rs of the Yahoo! Exclamation Point A visual breakdown of how the= y maintained their "weird" identity while scaling into a corporat= e giant.

=F0=9F=9B=A0=EF=B8=8F Tool =E2=80=93=C2=A0Take the Quiz: Find Your Innate Brand Archetype Discover if your brand is the Outlaw= , the Explorer, or the Sage so you can stop hiding your magic and start lev= eraging it..

Book - The Small Business Bible, by Steve Strauss. The classic book that literally tells you =E2= =80=9Ceverything you need to know to start, run, and grow your own small bu= siness.=E2=80=9D

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About Steve

Steve Strauss is th= e best-selling author of The Small Busi= ness Bible (and 17 other b= ooks), Inc.=E2=80=99s small business columnist<= /a>, a lawyer (non-practicing), and an en= trepreneur. He sold his last venture, TheSelfEmployed.com<= /a> to Mark Cuban & Zen Business. Need a = ghostwriter or a newsletter for your business? Contact Steve!

 
 

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=E2=80=9CBe bold! For boldness has genius, magic, an= d power in it.=E2=80=9D

 
- Goethe
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