The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship produces Bootstrapped, a podcast featuring founders, investors and serial entrepreneurs. The podcast is hosted by Elana Fine, Managing Director of the Dingman Center, and Joe Bailey, Associate Research Professor at the Smith School. Each episode brings a different startup story to life with special guests offering advice and lessons learned on topics that range from fundraising and marketing to team formation and customer acquisition.
On this episode of Bootstrapped, we spoke with Brian Taff, serial entrepreneur and President of Streetsense, an experience-focused strategy and design collective. Taff talks about the changing face of retail and the need to create a personalized experience for customers. The goal of brand marketers is no longer about authenticity as people see right through that, Taff claims; it's about making the brand approachable and meeting customers' expectations. Taff discusses how to get customers to be not just promoters, but defenders of your brand.
As President and Chief Operating Officer of Streetsense, Taff focuses on the day-to-day management of the company and the execution of its strategic initiatives. Previously, he served as Chairman of Delivery Labs, and prior to that as Vice President of Corporate Development for Namemedia, where he oversaw corporate development and M&A. He was a founding member of Namemedia’s predecessor company, Buydomains.com, a company that he spearheaded the sale of Highland Capital and Summit Venture Partners in 2005. Taff has also served as CEO of a cutting-edge retail systems internet technology venture, acting president of a local restaurant chain, and advisor to online business ventures and venture firms. Taff sits on several boards of advisors, including the board of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship.
To listen to this episode and gain further insights into the startup world, subscribe to Dingman Bootstrapped on iTunes or download the episodes on the Dingman Center website.
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About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.