How I Succeeded: Brightcove’s Mark Blair

How I Succeeded is a regular series on Lifehacker where we ask business owners for the secrets and tactics behind their success. Today: Mark Blair from Brightcove.

Current gig: VP Asia Pacific at Brightcove
Location: Sydney
Current mobile device: iPhone 6+
Current computer: MacBook Pro
One word that best describes how you work: Engaged

What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?

Google Apps. In particular, the collaboration features of Docs and Sheets, which have changed the game when responding to RFPs.

What social network do you find the most useful?

LinkedIn. I use it for every meeting I walk into to get some context and background on the person I’m meeting. It’s also useful to reach out to folks you don’t know — if you’ve got a good reason for reaching out most people respond well.

What were the most important lessons you learned while growing your business?

An awesome team is everything. Always look to hire people that are better than you and drive that culture into your team so they do the same.

What has been the most surprising part of your business journey?

How willing people are to help you. I’m constantly amazed about the amount of altruistic people I meet in business who will go out of their way to provide guidance or let you use their network to help you achieve something important.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Nothing — there is always someone doing what you do better. The key is to figure out a way to hire them.

What’s your sleep routine like?

Minimal! Covering Asia Pacific while being based in Sydney with HQ in Boston, lack of sleep comes with the territory.

What advice would you offer to other businesses on how to succeed?

Always look for ways to say yes, internally and externally. Avoid no, it’s a bad word.


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