KNX News Radio In Depth Adam Rizzieri Twitter Edit Button Sept 2022

KNX Radio Los Angeles: Now What For Elon Musk & Twitter?

Agency Partner’s CMO Adam Rizzieri joins KNX News in Los Angeles

It finally happened. Elon Musk officially owns Twitter. It only cost him $44 Billion and yes, he way over-payed for the typically underperforming social media company. This purchase is a major win for all of the former shareholders who really didn’t stand a chance of earning $54.20 per share based on the company’s rocky trajectory. $54.20 is literally 8 times the company’s revenue projection over the next 12 months and in context, social media companies like Meta have only a 3x revenue multiple in their company valuation. So an 8x multiple is just huge! Elon bought Twitter for $54.20 per share when in reality, a market standard would have put the company closer to $24 per share.

 

 

So… yes, it’s true. Elon Musk is the new, self-appointed “Chief Twit” and the social media company’s former CEO, Parag Agrawal is now unemployed, as is the company’s former CFO Ned Segal and the former Chief Censorship Officer, Vijaya Gadde. But don’t feel bad for them. Apart from suppressing extremely relevant news stories around the time of the 2020 election, this leadership team routinely abused their power to silence conversations that did not mesh with their personal political beliefs. Twitter’s leadership team used their extreme power to dictate national discourse. As of now, the damage has been done, and while their leadership team was rapidly fired leading up to Halloween, collectively, they are set to bring in some $90 Million from the deal. So again, don’t feel bad for them. They’ll be fine.

The Twitter purchase saga was no doubt, entertaining for bystanders, and Musk was extremely public about his concerns of the ratio between real humans and bots on the platform. Once he expressed his interest in buying the company, he gained access to internal information that made the purchase much less attractive. Despite that, from day one Musk has been adamant that his intentions for buying Twitter were not purely money motivated.

He wants to create a super app called “X” that truly enables and facilitates free speech. So maybe it’s okay that he over-payed? Sure, $44 Billion is literally billions of dollars… it’s a ton of money! But maybe, just mayyybe he will turn this social media company into a profitable business that creates value beyond just dollars and sense.

Moving forward, Twitter could change in major ways. In the short term, the now private company can do a lot of things that public companies cannot do. Musk, as the owner, will fire everyone that cannot handle a simple “mean Tweet.” Expect to see his army of engineers work to defeat bots and authenticate all real human users. A true measure of actual humans will help enable to platform to cater to advertisers that funnel revenue into the business.

Additionally, Twitter will likely become an open-source application. With its algorithm open to the public, it can avoid the secrecy and perceptions of bias that the company has carried on its back for many years. In the short-term, users should expect to enjoy expanded character counts, moving away from the 280 character limit, and also an ability to post videos that exceed the current 140 second limit. Elon loves a good parody video, and many of those videos are longer than 140 seconds.

Must Twitter DOGE cryptoWhat about DOGE and blue checkmarks? We have heard insight that Twitter will enable payment processing and we know that Elon loves him a good DOGE coin meme. Tesla accepts DOGE so expect to see that cryptocurrency boost in value as Twitter adds some interest to it. As far as the blue checkmark users, we know that Elon wants to see the company authenticate all users. It is possible that Twitter Blue subscribers will be given access to the blue check, typically reserved for celebrities and influencers, but it is also possible that blue checks will be subjected to a monthly fee as Musk looks to make the company more financially healthy.

Over the long-term, Musk truly believes that he can turn Twitter into a super app. When we think of “super apps,” think of China’s WeChat app, which allows for everything from payment processing, to direct messaging, public micro-blog posting, file sharing and more…. What China’s government doesn’t want you to know is that WeChat is also used to track the movement, behavior, and relationships of Chinese nationals that are traveling abroad – we expect that Musks’s “super app” will be way less creepy and not totalitarian in nature. And get this: he might even bring Twitter’s founder, Jack Dorsey BACK into the mix.

To opine on the issue, Adam Rizzieri of Agency Partner Interactive joins Audacy’s Los Angeles business news radio show “KNX In-Depth,” with hosts Mike Simpson and Charles Feldman.

Listen to their conversation below.

 

FastTech-2022-Award-Tech Titans

Dallas Innovates: Tech Titans Announces 22 Fast Tech Companies of 2022

First Published on Oct. 6, 2022 at DallasInnovates.com. Authored by Lance Murray

Tech Titans, the Richardson-based tech industry group, released its list of Fast Tech companies, the 22 fastest-growing technology companies in North Texas based on three-year revenue growth from 2020 to 2022.

Dallas Innovates - Tech Titans - Fast Tech Awards 2022The organization said that the ranking is compiled from nominations that were submitted directly to Tech Titans, and from independent research using publicly available information conducted by Moss Adams and Comerica Bank.

The final rankings will be announced during the Tech Titans Awards Gala on Oct. 27.

2022 Fast Tech Companies in Alphabetical Order

5Q Cloud
Don Goldstein, CEO
The company provides solutions through its own Virtual Private Cloud Services with data centers in Atlanta and Dallas.

Agency Partner Interactive
Muhammad Younus, CEO
The firm helps growth-focused businesses achieve ROI-driven strategies by providing bespoke custom web design, website development, and digital marketing.

AmplifAI
Sean Minter, CEO
An AI-driven performance enablement platform built for enterprise teams.

Chargeback Gurus
Srii Srinivasan, CEO
e-commerce chargeback and fraud prevention specialists. 

Cloud Ingenuity
Suzanne Kosub, CEO
A trusted partner in technology that focuses on business, architectural and organizational outcomes by aligning people, process, technology, and data.

Cypher Learning
Graham Glass, CEO
An Al-infused platform is empowering schools, businesses, and entrepreneurs worldwide.

EmpowerMX
Dinakara Nagalla, CEO
A software suite dedicated to helping airlines and MROs plan, execute, and optimize their operations.

Entouch
Jon Bolen, CEO
The company delivers sustainable solutions that reduce energy usage, drive profitability, and simplify facility management for multisite operators.

Lone Star Analysis
Steve Roemerman, CEO
A provider of predictive and prescriptive analytics and guided artificial intelligence.

Newline Interactive
Kevin Wang, CEO
A global leader in interactive touchscreen displays.

Ntegrated Solutions
Mark Floyd, CEO
An IP telephony firm specializing in communication solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses.

o9 Solutions Inc.
Chakri Gottemukkala, CEO
The provider of a knowledge-powered analytics, planning, and learning platform for next-generation global enterprises.

ParkHub
George Baker, founder and CEO
A provider of parking management systems that offer a birds-eye-view of parking lot operations.

Perry Weather
Colin Perry, CEO
A provider of real-time emergency weather and lightning alert systems.

Qentelli Solutions
Prasanna Singaraju, CEO
Digital and cloud transformation through DevOps implementation, automation, agile transformation, AI and deep learning.

Siepe LLC
Michael Pusateri, CEO
A public cloud-managed services and data analytics provider addressing the technology needs of asset managers.

Take Command Health
Jack Hooper, CEO
The company focuses on employee health benefits at an affordable price.

TimelyMD
Luke Hejl, CEO
A student-centered platform that is designed for digital natives. Its solution offers on-demand access to mental health and medical care and a diverse, culturally competent provider network.

Trintech
Teresa Mackintosh, CEO
A leading provider of financial software empowering the offices of finance to maximize value within their organizations.

Velo ITG Holdings LLC
Taylor Toce, CEO
A managed IT services provider focused on providing businesses with the technology and support they need to achieve maximum velocity in their markets.

Zimperium
Shridhar Mittal, CEO
A mobile security company that’s purpose-built for enterprise, securing both mobile devices and applications so they can securely access data.

Plus, meet the 43 finalists for the Tech Titans Awards

Last month, Tech Titans announced 43 finalists for the Tech Titans Awards who also will be honored at the event.

You can see that list here.

KNX News Radio In Depth Adam Rizzieri Twitter Edit Button Sept 2022

KNX Radio Los Angeles: Twitter Finally Tests An Edit Button

Agency Partner’s CMO Adam Rizzieri joins KNX News in Los Angeles

It’s finally happening, Twitter is now going to test its much-anticipated “edit” function.

Twitter said in April it would come out with it due to popular demand. Twitter Blue subscribers will get to tinker with it in the coming weeks first. Adam Rizzieri of Agency Partner Interactive joins Audacy’s Los Angeles business news radio show “KNX In-Depth,” with hosts Mike Simpson and Charles Feldman.

Listen to the radio coverage below.

 

For more information, click to read the blog, “Is Twitter Finally Adding the Edit Button?

twitter_purchased

CBS News: Elon Musk on Why he Wants to Purchase Twitter at a Premium

Agency Partner joins CBS Austin

Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest men, has struck a deal to buy the platform Twitter at $54.20 a share which was accepted Monday. Making the sale worth about $44 billion.

“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” Musk stated during his announcement.

During initial negotiations, our co-founder and CMO Adam Rizzieri was asked by Melanie Torre from CBS Austin on his thoughts on the accusation and what the board of directors at Twitter might think of the deal.

Adam believes Musk can bring value to Twitter, especially in terms of growth. He points out, that Twitter reported a $221 million loss for 2021—much of that related to a shareholder-waged lawsuit for misleading investors about user growth.

“I think a guy like him can compel more Americans to go to the platform. I think he can compel more people around the world, in general, to get on the platform,” Adam said.

Black-History-Month-2021-970x650

Celebrating Black History Month

Honoring 2 Pioneers That Paved The Way For Black Technologists

When it comes to recognizing the significance that Black Americans have made to the United States, the question we ask ourselves is: “where do we start?” It’s easy to think of historical figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and others who did so much to further Civil Rights in our country.

We know that the first celebration and observance of Black History Month was in 1970 at Kent State. We also know that six quick years later, President Ford recognized its significance at the United States Bicentennial.

Today, we know that the importance of Black Americans is far greater than what can be celebrated in just one month. Morgan Freeman said that “Black history is American history” and our society has been greatly improved by the work of Black authors, scientists, business leaders, educators, activists, and more.

Remembering The First Black Man to Earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science

As a digital agency, we have a special love for technologists and marketers. That’s why we want to recognize the memory and significance of Clarence “Skip” Ellis.

dr-clarenceProfessor Ellis In Action

In 1969 Mr. Ellis became Dr. Ellis by becoming the first Black man to earn a doctorate degree in computer science.

Dr. Ellis later became a college professor at the University of Colorado and he worked to advance the study of computer engineering as director of the Collaboration Technology Research Group and also by participating as a member of the Institute of Cognitive Science. The work that Dr. Ellis engaged in is what is credited in part for giving birth to the types of technologies that support tools like Google Docs and Google Sheets, among many others.

In 2014, Dr. Ellis passed away at the age of 71 and his colleagues remember him for his warm presence and calm leadership style both as an educator and also as a technology researcher.

Honoring The First Black Woman to Earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science

marsha-williamsProfessor Williams

For some, technology has been viewed as a “man’s world” but thanks to pioneers like Marsha Williams, there are plenty of opportunities for women of color to enter the room and drop some knowledge on the table.

About ten years after Dr. Ellis earned his Ph.D., the first Black woman, Dr. Marsha R. Williams, earned her Ph.D. in computer science at Vanderbilt University.

Born in Memphis in 1948, Dr. Williams was always known to be brighter than the average student and by 1969 she earned a degree in physics from Beloit College prior to pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Michigan.

Like Dr. Ellis, Dr. Williams also worked to educate her community by sharing her knowledge as a college professor. Gaining tenure as a professor in 1990, Dr. Williams has developed a strong reputation as an advocate for STEM programs geared towards minority communities.

But she’s so much more than just an educator. She has also “been there” and “done that” as her professional experience also includes time spent working at IBM. As both an educator and a technologist, her contributions to the academic, technology, and minority communities are both measurable and memorable.

She is currently a tenured professor at Tennessee State University, was among the first African American educators at the University of Mississippi, and her academic publications are admired by her students and peers alike.

There Are SO Many Other Important Black Innovators, Educators, Business Leaders…

As we take this month to commemorate the culture and accomplishments of African Americans, Agency Partner is thankful to people like Dr. Williams and Dr. Ellis. Their desire to work towards the pursuit of knowledge and their efforts to share experiences and educate their peers makes them worth mentioning as we celebrate Black History Month.

The reason for Black History Month is important, and it is largely because the accomplishments of our minority communities have historically gone either unnoticed or simply underrecognized. The fact is that their work has created value that is beyond gender, race, and boundaries. The work and influence of Dr. Williams and Dr. Ellis is a testament to countless other positive figures in our history.

May We Suggest Some Additional Reading?

We hope that you will spend some time browsing the web to learn more about the accomplishments that Black Americans have shared with the world. It’s literally an internet search away! But in addition to that, may we also recommend some additional reading?

A man that we will no doubt write about at some point in the near future, Lt. Col. Allen West (ret.) suggests “Up From Slavery” by the great Booker T. Washington.

Super-Bowl-Commercials-Best-and-Worst

ABC WFAA TV: Best and Worst Commercials of Super Bowl 55

Our Favorite Ads From Super Bowl 55
Agency Partner joins ABC affiliate, WFAA TV in Dallas

What were your favorite Super Bowl commercials this year?

We believe that as a brand, Anheuser-Busch is among the GOATs in advertising.. here in 2021, there were some standouts!

We think the top commercial of Super Bowl 55 was for Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade, tastefully poking fun at the idea that “2020 was a lemon of a year.” So many relatable moments!

But there were other goods ones in the mix.

We loved the #FlatMatthew commercial for Doritos 3D and let’s not forget about the State Farm ® stand-ins commercial, now featuring “Drake from State Farm.”

After a turbulent 2020, humor was a big part of Super Bowl advertising this year and that comic relief has us laughing and looking forward as a result.

Agency Partner Interactive’s CMO S. Adam Rizzieri joins ABC TV affiliate, WFAA in Dallas/Fort Worth to share a perspective on what we saw last night.

Fun Fact: 30-second spots cost $5.6 million this year!