Friday, July 18, 2008

Bugs, Quirks and Hiccups

Apple’s new 3G iPhone launched last week greeting the market with fresh applications, cheaper prices, and faster speeds. Enter, hiccups.

Since last Friday, iPhone users have encountered several issues ranging from poor MobileMe functionality to complete iPhone black-out. If you change things up, there’s always the possibility that any well-laid plan will meet setbacks, especially when launching a high-tech product like this.

Should Apple lovers be shocked? If you’ve bought an apple product, you’re probably in the majority of consumers who have found most of their devices flawless and their compatibility seamless. You would expect the quirks to be minimal, perhaps non-existent. However, the reality is that nothing is perfect; Apple customers understand that problems may arise. Everyone is still buying iPhones, right? Apple’s brand is still in tact – they can afford to have hiccups.

Would You Still Buy Research?

Regardless of the offering, a product must add value upon its release. Apple wouldn’t launch an iPhone the size of a Kindle with a fatal flaw in its wireless technology – Apple knows better than that. There would have to be an incentive to buy, adding value to your work or your life. Hiccups or not, iPhones will still be flying off shelves because of the value offered.

Wall Street is a different world, and a research product is far different from an iPhone. When held to an investor’s high expectations, research providers are not given leverage – there is no room for error. Research providers must be resilient, precise and completely entrenched in their work. Every part of the process must add value. There isn’t a research provider anywhere who would hand-write their insights on scroll paper, seal it with wax and then send it to a client via horse courier – at least not in this century.

The same is true for the content. What adds more value: the analyst who walks the factory floor, or the analyst who makes phone calls asking what the factory floor looks like? The standards of a research provider must be high, as it should be assumed that someone is always paying attention to quality. At StreetBrains, we’ve identified realistic strategies and goals that enhance our products and their distribution invaluably. Our clients demand the best and we pride ourselves on delivering just that.

Whatever you offer must beat expectations, so as to never raise doubt about your value. In this world, you can’t afford to deliver bugs or duds; unless, of course, you have the iPhone 5G.

Friday, July 11, 2008

And the All-Stars Keep Coming...

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen. -Bob Lemon

The upcoming MLB All-Star Game reminds us of one important point: victory is the work of many great players.

The All-Star Game transcends a star-studded publicity stunt, remaining a competition where the best players can showcase their larger-than-life abilities. The bullpen is the key – the bases would be empty without it.

At StreetBrains, we are adding to our list of all-stars, stacking our bullpen to exemplify the best in investment insight. Our roster is incomparable and continues to grow. Just three hours before the first pitch is thrown at Tuesday’s All-Star Game, StreetBrains will be unleashing our newest all-star.

At 2pm on July 15th, Joe San Pietro, a former aerospace/defense analyst at Wachovia, will be hosting a webinar that will informally launch his brand, DEFINITIV, on the StreetBrains platform. His addition to our bullpen is just one of the many ways in which StreetBrains is adding value and sustaining victory.

DEFINITIV is one of the best sources for aerospace/defense research. With a large roster of industry contacts and unmatched experience, San Pietro is able to find hidden value and strategic plays within the sector.

StreetBrains is excited to continue our all-star tradition.

If you would like to join the DEFINITIV webinar on Tuesday, July 15th, please contact Robert Livingston at 212.430.3043 or James Kempski at 212.430.3050.