September 8th, 2008
Disclosure: Brian Sommer
I am co-owner of TechVentive, Inc. One of its business units publishes research reports about technology providers. As a result, this business receives small amounts of revenues from a wide variety of software firms, software buyers and others when they purchase copies of reports. Interestingly, many of the report buyers are competitors of the covered firm. Some firms do secure reprint rights to these reports. None of these purchases, individually, represents a significant amount of total revenue for me and the nature of it is hard to predict where it will come from.
I also provide some marketing strategy and/or market segmentation work for software firms as I have developed a unique database that segments the largest 4000+ technology buyers in the world. Many technology firms periodically engage me for unique views into this database for future marketing campaigns. I do not blog about these efforts and do not blog about client firms while they are active clients unless some pressing news story erupts. If that event, I will indicate any perceived or real conflict of interest.Occasionally, I will develop unique intellectual property pieces for technology or service providers. I only have one such deal active at this time and do not blog about these companies during these engagements or for six months thereafter.
I have no investments in technology firms. While I’ve been offered friends and family stock and other inducements in the past, I have steadfastly refused these.
I used to be a partner with Andersen Consulting but have had no ownership stake in the firm since leaving it in 1999.
