This Week in Local

In Episode 49 of This Week in Local, Localogy Senior Analyst  Charles Laughlin facilitates a mini-masterclass on “BD-led M&A” with Josh Scherman of B2B Software Advisors. Josh is a small business SaaS veteran (ex of ConstantContact and SurePath Capital Partners) who now advises SMB software companies on growth and setting themselves up for successful exits. In brief, “BD-led M&A” is something we see every day when we read about this or that software company being gobbled up by a bigger fish.   Often the companies involved knew each other long before one purchased the other. And these relationships often begin with partnerships struck by biz dev pros traveling from one industry conference to another forging integration partnerships, reseller relationships, and so on.  These relationships often mark the beginnings of courtships leading to rich exits.  On the episode, Josh cites a number of famous examples of BD-led exits, including Endurance International and ConstantContact. And more recently, Atlasian’s acquisition of Loom.  In fact, Josh says this LinkedIn Post from Loom Co-founder Vinay Hiremath reads like an advertisement for BD-led M&A.  This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.  If you would like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode, please write to us at podcast@localogy.com.

In Episode 48 of This Week in Local, Localogy’s Mike Boland sits down with Progress Partners  Managing Director David Arslanian to unpack key takeaways from the OpenAI fiasco, now that the smoke has cleared.  As Mike puts it, David is the podcast’s  “resident expert on all things finance and corporate doings.” Mike and David devote the episode to understanding what the Open AI board/Sam Altman imbroglio really means. Open AI’s board abruptly fired Co-founder Altman and later bowed to pressure to reinstate him. First, Mike and David briefly unpack what happened. Then they offer some lessons from the bizarre turn of events at the organization at the heart of AI’s rapid evolution from something running in the background to something poised to run every aspect of our lives.  Ultimately, a lot of what happened came down to money vs. mission. And money always wins that fight.  This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.  If you would like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode, please write to us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E47 of Localogy’s This Week in Local podcast, senior analysts Charles Laughlin and Mike Boland find new angles on the ongoing saga of how AI is changing everything. Mike starts with a review of how Amazon and Google are making it easy to use generative AI to create product descriptions for Google product listings or Amazon product pages. Mike sees these moves in the context of how AI is working its way through the marketing stack, from stock images to copywriting to now the creation of product images. Charles takes this in a different direction and talks about recent comments from investor and All-In Podcast bro Chamath Palihapitiya that it is easier than it has ever been to launch a software company with just a couple of people. How? Well, just automate most tasks, from product development to marketing, using AI. In this scenario, Chamath doesn’t see an outsize role for VCs.  Catch the hosts' selections for “Who Won the Week”. Perhaps Mike or Charles will mention you or your company! This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.  Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Drop us a line at podcast@localogy.com.

In E46 of Localogy’s This Week in Local podcast, senior analysts Mike Boland is joined by guest co-host Dan Hight to share their key takeaways from Localogy’s Place 2023 conference in New York on November 7th, which the two hosts co-moderated. The event covered the local intersection of the physical and the digital. And the two analysts highlighted the lessons they took away from a high-powered group of speakers from companies that included Google, Yext, Foursquare, BrandMuscle, and many others. Some of the issues the analyst highlighted were the new normal in local advertising now that 3rd party cookies restrictions are in place. And of course, how AI is changing everything. This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. ## Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Drop us a line at podcast@localogy.com.

In E45 of Localogy’s This Week in Local podcast, senior analysts Charles Laughlin and Mike Boland sound off on Amazon ads to AI-enhanced meetings.  First Mike talks about a new option for SMB-facing agencies and publishers to sell inventory from a major advertising platform. In this case the ads are from Amazon, and hibu is  the guinea pig for this partnership model. Charles then trots out one of his favorite hobby horses – the future of work. In this instance he asks if the pivots and now rebranding of what was once Waitroom (now Rumi.ai) signal trouble in the fledgling “remote tech” space, or is Rumi just being opportunistic and poivoting to positioning itself clearly as an AI-enhanced meetings play and not as an alternative to Zoom.  And please remember to listen to the very end to catch the hosts' nominations for “Who Won the Week”. Perhaps Mike or Charles will mention you or your company. This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. ## Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Drop us a line at podcast@localogy.com.

In E44, Localogy senior analyst Mike Boland talks about the evolution of a major newspaper company in the digital media age with Brandon Grosvenor, Chief Revenue Officer of Torstar Corporation, the parent company of the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily paid newspaper, as well as multiple digital properties including Homefinder.ca and Save.ca. The conversation covers a lot of ground, from the arc of transformation in Yellow Pages (Brandon is a former Yellow Pages national sales exec) to the ability for a company with traditional media roots to thrive in a Google and Meta-driven world.  This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Write to us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E43, Localogy senior analyst Charles Laughlin talks about the unique power of local influencers with Emily Steele, the CEO & Co-founder of Hummingbirds. Hummingbirds is the antithesis of Khardashian level influencer marketing, where celebrities will millions of Instagram followers hawk luxury goods. Rather, it’s about that friend in your community with perhaps hundreds of followers who convinced you to try out that new cocktail bar or yoga studio. Ultimately Hummingbirds sees itself as an innovative way for brands to break through to Millennial consumers who are “spending money on Spotify to avoid ads.” Des Moines, Iowa-based Hummingbirds began in 2019 to “help place-based brand find and work with hyper-local content creators to drive awareness and sales.” Steele says that brick and mortar retail and personal services businesses seem to resonate most with local influencer marketing.  The company raised a $1 million seed round late in 2022.  This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Write to us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E42, Localogy senior analysts Charles Laughlin and Mike Boland sound off on two topics that involve protecting the little guy. First Mike talks about how big tech platforms like Meta and Airbnb are applying user verification to small businesses.  Charles then asks out loud if crowdfunding platforms will become a go-to resource for tech startups running out of runway during the long VC winter. And always remember to listen to the very end to catch the hosts' nominations for “Who Won the Week”. Maybe they will mention you or your company. This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. ## Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Write to us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E41, Localogy senior analysts Charles Laughlin and Mike Boland return to explore two top of mind topics. Mike begins with a look at the recent “Made by Google”event, which ostensibly was to roll out the new Pixel 8 phone but felt more like an AI product rollout.  Charles then talks about how an increasingly commoditized buy now pay later industry is seeking diversification in some familiar ways, including subscription products and retail media networks. Please be sure to listen to the full episode to catch the hosts' nominations for “Who Won the Week”. This week’s entries touch on both the digital and physical worlds.  This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. ## Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Write to us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E40, Localogy senior analysts Charles Laughlin and Mike Boland return to explore two rather divergent topics. Mike starts the show off with an update on Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, which makes it possible to fill a basket in a store, and just walk out with the goods, and pay for them electronically. The analysts kick around why this hasn’t yet revolutionized retail. Charles then shared details of a story he is working on about a private equity group rolling out local home services companies, offering a viable exit opportunity for local plumbers nearing retirement age.  Please be sure to listen to the full episode to catch the hosts sharing their choices for “Who Won the Week”. This week’s WWTW entries touch on some big tech milestones. This Week in Local is brought to you by Localogy. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.