YAGB: yet another guest blogger 02 Dec 2005
13 comments Latest by Joel Mueller
Hiya folks. Jason kindly asked me to entertain you with a few posts over the next month, so I will try not to bore.
Quick background: My name is Mike Tatum, and I work for CNET Networks in San Francisco. Specifically, I am in the Strategy & Development group which is responsible for mergers & acquisitions, investments and strategic partnerships. If you are interested in some of the deals we have done (and wild speculation thrills you), you might check out this post at paidContent. This is my second tour of duty at CNET, as I was here first in 1997. In between I have done a number of start-ups, some modestly successful… and some not so much (never start a hardware business, repeat, never start a hardware business).
Over the last 10 years I have been on both sides of the M&A transaction, and from my current buy-side vantage point, I will try to impart some perspective on preparing your company for a possible acquisition- or not. I will also discuss some of the markets and opportunities I personally like right now. Hopefully these posts will provide a nice compliment to Ryan Carson, and his Small Biz 101 pieces. Additionally, I will proudly pimp for my company, and share some of the new projects we are working on. I will also leave comments on, so you can bash/praise away.
To stress the my opinions point, it should be noted that the views and opinions I make on SvN are my own, and not those shared by or representative of CNET Networks. My statements should not be considered directional statements on CNET’s current or future businesses. My Mother would also like to say she has always thought I have had a smart mouth, and she tried her best to raise me right- so if I offend you, please do not hold her responsible.
Look forward to spending the month with you.
13 comments so far (Jump to latest)
Giorgio Martini 02 Dec 05
Well, hello! :-)
Kendall Guillemette 02 Dec 05
Well. I suppose that I would prefer a smart mouth to a dumb ass. So, welcome, and I look forward to your wisdom
Kendall 02 Dec 05
My last comment was in no way meant to indict anyone else. So, I guess, i’m the dumb ass.
amine 02 Dec 05
Welcome :)
Mike Moscow 02 Dec 05
Hiya’ pal.
I wish you would have made your intro/bio piece a bit shorter and actually written an introductory article on preparing your company for a possible acquisition - or not.
Sorry, I just think that some of the GB’s should spend less time introducing themselves. Spend more time writing actual content. Content is king, no?
JF 02 Dec 05
Mike, content is coming. I ask the guest authors to intro themselves so people have some context for the following posts.
Matt 02 Dec 05
Very glad to see you blogging Mike. :)
Mike was one of the guys at CNET that made my time there as fun as it was. He’s also the reason I wound up at CNET in the first place.
Mike Moscow 02 Dec 05
Understood, Sorry if I came off a little “dicky”, it just seemed a bit long-winded.
Welcome Mike, looking forward to some good pieces from ya’ :)
Mike Tatum 02 Dec 05
No worries. I understand completely, and felt like a bit of a dick talking about myself too. ;-)
I’ll hopefully have some very interesting things for you shortly.
DaleV 02 Dec 05
This is a smiley-happy crew. :-)
Paul Farnell 03 Dec 05
Hi Mike. So…. did you meet the 37s guys through your job? ;-)
Mike Tatum 03 Dec 05
Hi Paul, I sure did. The great thing about my job is get to talk to everyone on a number of different levels. M&A, investment, partnership, contracting for new projects, conferences, etc. I meet a lot of great people that way.
Probably not the answer you were looking for, but that’s the truth.
Joel Mueller 06 Dec 05
I look forward to your tips for preparing your company to be acquired by another. You wouldn’t be interested in buying up MacUpdate (www.macupdate.com) would you? :)
macupdate.com/about.php