The post You’ve Got the Team, We’ve Got the Tech: Introducing Freestar Flex! first appeared on Freestar.

Certification: A Catalyst for Growth

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are increasingly driving decisions in the advertising industry, with many brands and agencies committed to investing in diverse-owned media. Official certification through Sertify helps publishers stand out by providing advertisers with the confidence that their dollars are being spent with verified diverse media outlets. This validation removes potential barriers and creates opportunities for publishers to secure meaningful partnerships with advertisers prioritizing DEI-focused spending.

How Sertify Supports Publishers

Sertify’s streamlined process provides publishers with an efficient pathway to official accreditation. Here’s what the process includes:

• Ownership Verification: A thorough review is conducted to confirm that publishers meet diverse business ownership criteria.
• Enhanced Credibility: Certification builds trust with advertisers seeking to meet DEI objectives.
• Access to Opportunities: Accredited publishers are well-positioned to secure high-value campaigns and increase their visibility in the marketplace.

Getting Started with Sertify

Freestar publishers can now begin the certification process through Sertify here. It takes only 5-10 minutes at no cost to them. For those who have already self-identified as diverse-owned, this next step ensures they maximize their competitive edge and remain attractive to advertisers with DEI goals. 

Looking Ahead

This collaboration with Sertify represents a shared commitment to fostering inclusivity and innovation in the advertising industry. By empowering publishers with the tools they need to succeed, we’re building a future where diverse voices are amplified and supported. Together, we’re unlocking new possibilities and driving meaningful progress for publishers and advertisers alike.

Contact us today to learn more or click here to get Sertify within minutes compliments of Freestar.

About Sertify

Sertify is dedicated to advancing equity in media by providing a straightforward and reliable accreditation process for diverse publishers and influencers. Their mission is to empower publishers, build trust with advertisers, and create a more inclusive digital ecosystem.

The post Introducing Sertify: A New Partnership to Empower Diverse Publishers first appeared on Freestar.

We are thrilled to introduce the newest member of the C-Suite at Freestar– Minnie, our Chief Comfort Officer (CCO). 

Minnie brings 6 months of experience and unwavering joy to this paw-sition. Minnie was rescued from an Atlanta, Georgia area breeder that was shut down after more than 50 Pomeranians were discovered in deplorable conditions. Minnie was born with microphthalmia and has been blind since birth.

Minnie may have been born blind, but she has yet to realize it. This sweet girl is fearless and can run across her backyard to one of her siblings as if she is fully-sighted. Minnie also has a keen sense for human emotions, and responds with the appropriate levels of comfort and love at all times. 

Minnie is incredibly loving and wants nothing more than to be held in her mom’s arms and showering her with kisses, or cuddling in a pet bed with her sister, Chloe. Everyone who meets her instantly falls in love and she has never met a stranger. Minnie adds humor, joy, and plenty of cuddles into the workday.

Minnie is so grateful for her new life and is so happy to be a part of the team at Freestar.

The post Welcome to the Pack, Minnie– Freestar’s First Chief Comfort Officer! first appeared on Freestar.

1. Updating High-Traffic Content

Refresh Last Year’s Top Performers
Your top-performing content from last year should be a priority for updates. Pages that previously attracted high engagement, like gift guides, product reviews, and seasonal travel recommendations, are likely to perform well again. Refreshing these pieces with updated trends, new links, or current recommendations can help boost their relevance and ranking in search results.

Leverage Seasonal and Event-Based ContentHoliday-themed content is incredibly valuable in Q4, but don’t forget about other key spending events that can drive traffic. In years with political elections, there’s an uptick in ad spend around political campaigns. Similarly, major sports seasons like the NFL and NBA bring advertisers looking to target engaged audiences during key sporting events. Make sure to align your DIY guides, travel tips, and holiday shopping lists with these pivotal moments to capture relevant ad revenue.

2. Analyzing Data for Strategic Insights

Dive Into Your Data
Looking at past and current traffic data can reveal critical insights for where your focus should be. Understanding what content is driving the most engagement and ad performance will help you replicate those successes. Use this data to optimize ad placements, refresh top-performing pages, and make informed decisions about future content.

Traffic Trends and Recovery
While some publishers are experiencing recovery in their traffic, especially quality publishers producing reliable and valuable content, others are facing challenges. Understanding the broader traffic trends in your industry can help you anticipate changes and prepare for fluctuations. Freestar can assist with analyzing these trends and suggesting actionable steps to optimize for recovery.

3. Optimizing for SEO

Focus on SEO Best Practices
Quality content goes hand in hand with strong SEO. Update meta descriptions, alt texts, and ensure your content is optimized for mobile users. Q4 is competitive, so making sure your site is search engine-friendly will help capture more organic traffic. Don’t forget to focus on keyword optimization around trending holiday search terms!

Boost Performance with Direct PMPs
Private Marketplace Deals (PMPs) are a powerful tool to secure high-value, targeted ad placements. By offering premium ad inventory to select advertisers, you can ensure higher CPMs and better fill rates. It’s crucial to position your site as a valuable, high-quality partner to direct advertisers, especially during this busy season when demand is high.

4. Capitalizing on Traffic Trends

Scale Issues and Efficiency
With scaling challenges still impacting many, now is the time to focus on doing more with less. Efficient ad layout, strategic partnerships, and traffic quality will become increasingly important in Q4. Quality over quantity is key – advertisers are looking for reliable, high-engagement audiences, and this can improve your value in direct campaigns and PMP deals.

How Freestar Can Help

Freestar continues to support publishers by analyzing traffic trends, offering strategic insights, and ensuring you make the most of your Q4 opportunities. Our header bidding technology and network of demand partners can help you unlock new revenue streams while ensuring high-quality ads and traffic recovery.

The post Maximizing Q4 Ad Revenue: A Guide, Part 2 first appeared on Freestar.

Delivering personalized content is key to capturing user attention and driving engagement. However, personalization is only as good as the data behind it. That’s where Identity (ID) Graph solutions come into play. By leveraging ID solutions, publishers can connect data points across devices and platforms, helping deliver the right content to the right audience at the right time.

What’s an ID Graph Solution?

An ID Graph solution connects a user’s interactions across multiple devices, platforms, and channels, creating a unified profile that informs how content is personalized. This holistic view, often referred to as an “Identity Graph,” provides publishers with the ability to deliver content experiences that are finely tuned to individual user behavior and preferences.

Here’s how an ID Graph makes content personalization a reality:

1. Comprehensive Audience Profiles

ID Graphs aggregate user data from multiple sources, creating rich audience profiles. These profiles allow publishers to deliver personalized content tailored to each user’s preferences, behaviors, and interests, and the usage of a device The result? More relevant content that leads to highly targeted content that boosts more engagement, and increased loyalty.

2. Smarter Content Recommendations

ID solutions enhance your ability to offer more accurate content recommendations by drawing on a user’s history across devices and channels. By serving personalized recommendations, publishers can guide users to consume more content, driving deeper engagement that increases the time spent on the site, and improve the click-through rates.

3. Cross-Device Content Consistency

With an ID Graph, users can receive personalized content no matter which device they’re using. This cross-device consistency is vital for maintaining engagement as users switch between mobile, desktop, and other devices thus ensuring the ads are being delivered seamlessly across devices.

4. Increased Relevance

Using an ID Graph allows you to deliver content based on highly specific user behaviors. Whether it’s adjusting headlines or recommending articles, the increased relevance makes users feel more connected to your site. This not only makes the website relevant but also can drastically reduce bounce rates and increase page views, achieving a higher level of personalization.

5. Detailed Audience Segmentation

ID solutions enable publishers to segment their audience with incredible detail. By understanding nuanced behavior patterns, publishers can tailor content for specific audience segments, delivering hyper-relevant material that improves engagement. The more tailored your content, the more time users spend on your site.

6. Boosted Engagement

Personalized content has been proven to generate higher engagement. With an ID Graph, publishers can present users with content that aligns perfectly with their interests, boosting click-through rates and interaction. This increase in engagement not only helps build loyalty but also contributes to higher ad revenues.

7. Optimized Ad Targeting

ID solutions don’t just enhance content personalization—they also improve ad personalization mapping a better user journey.. By using the same data to tailor both content and ads, publishers can ensure that users see ads that are relevant and engaging, leading to higher click-through rates and better monetization opportunities.

8. Data-driven decisions

 As ID solutions provide valuable insights into the various user behavior on the site, it helps publishers to make not only data-driven decisions but be data-informed as well at all times. This will in turn boost better content creation, superior ad placements, that will in turn impact the ad revenue. 

These help in creating long-lasting relationships with the audiences by ensuring that each interaction feels tailored and relevant. 

9. Be compliant

While privacy concerns are becoming highly notable across industries, ID solutions create “privacy-friendly” ways to target users. The shift away from third-party cookies encourages greater transparency and empowers users to have more control over their data, improving online security and reducing cyber threats.

10. Future-Proofing Personalization Efforts

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, reliance on first-party data becomes even more crucial. ID Graphs allow publishers to maintain personalized content delivery even as third-party cookies disappear, ensuring they remain competitive and continue providing a valuable, relevant user experience.

Don’t Miss Out: Elevate Your Content Strategy with ID Solutions

Personalized content is no longer optional—it’s essential. Implementing an ID Graph solution allows publishers to offer tailored content that captivates users, drives deeper engagement, and boosts revenue.

At Freestar, we help publishers unlock the full potential of their content by integrating powerful ID solutions. Contact us today to learn how we can help you personalize your content and enhance your monetization strategy.

The post Top 10 Reasons Why ID Solutions Help in Personalizing Content first appeared on Freestar.

Bits and Bobs from around the industry:

• Exclusive: Aditude Acquires Hashtag Labs
• Google’s second antitrust trial could help shape the future of online ads
• Unraveling The Mystery Of PubMatic’s $5 Million Loss From A “First-Price Auction Switch”
• Your Day One Recap: DOJ vs. Google Goes Deep Into The Ad Tech Weeds
• Day 2: Stephanie is being emotional and unproductive

 

Exclusive: Aditude Acquires Hashtag Labs

Aditude has acquired Hashtag Labs, merging two ad tech firms that support publisher monetization. The deal, which closed on August 16, reflects publishers’ need for efficient revenue solutions amid growing competition. Hashtag Labs, founded in 2014 by John Shankman, will integrate its technology into Aditude’s platform. Shankman will become Aditude’s chief strategy officer. Both companies collectively support over 200 publishers, and all 25 Hashtag Labs employees will join Aditude. Aditude, which raised $15 million last year, plans to expand through more acquisitions while building additional products, including analytics tools for publishers.

Google’s second antitrust trial could help shape the future of online ads

Google is back in court facing a second antitrust trial from the Department of Justice, this time focusing on its advertising business. The DOJ argues that Google’s ad tools monopolize the market, leading to higher ad prices and limiting competition. If the DOJ succeeds, Google could be forced to divest its Google Ad Manager suite. The case follows an August ruling that declared Google a monopolist in internet search. The DOJ claims Google unfairly leveraged acquisitions like DoubleClick, while Google argues its practices promote innovation and competition. The trial could last several weeks.

Unraveling The Mystery Of PubMatic’s $5 Million Loss From A “First-Price Auction Switch”

PubMatic revised its 2024 revenue projections, citing a $5 million shortfall due to Google DV360 shifting to first-price auctions in May. PubMatic had been tagging bid requests as second-price auctions, winning more bids from DV360 as a result. However, DV360’s updated bidding logic affected all SSPs, redistributing PubMatic’s lost revenue to competitors. Despite the industry-wide shift to first-price auctions in 2017, PubMatic continued using second-price auctions, perplexing experts. The revenue didn’t leave the market but was reallocated to other exchanges when DV360 stopped honoring second-price bid requests. PubMatic declined to comment on the discrepancy.

Your Day One Recap: DOJ vs. Google Goes Deep Into The Ad Tech Weeds

The first day of Google’s ad tech antitrust trial in Virginia highlighted the complexities of the ad tech ecosystem. The DOJ argues that Google operates three monopolies in ad servers, ad exchanges, and ad networks, citing Google’s control of 87-91% of the ad server market and its tie between Google Ads demand and AdX. Google’s defense counters that the DOJ’s claims are outdated, asserting that ads span multiple channels, and it only controls 25% of the market. Witnesses from companies like Gannett and Index Exchange testified on Google’s dominance, with debates over header bidding, programmatic advertising, and server switching challenges.

Day 2: Stephanie is being emotional and unproductive

On Day 2 of the Google ad tech antitrust trial, key witness Stephanie Layser, an expert from Amazon and former News Corp exec, testified about Google’s Unified Pricing Rules (UPR) and its monopolistic grip on publishers. She detailed how News Corp’s efforts to switch from Google’s ad server (DFP) were hindered by the loss of AdX demand, and Google’s refusal to share logs for comparison. Layser explained how Google’s “last look” bidding practices and lack of competition control affected publishers’ revenue. Jay Friedman, CEO of Goodway Group, also testified about the ad market’s complexity and Google’s dominance.

 

The post ICYMI: Ad Tech Edition | Week of September 9th, 2024 first appeared on Freestar.

Bits and Bobs from around the industry:

• Exclusive: Aditude Acquires Hashtag Labs
• Google’s second antitrust trial could help shape the future of online ads
• OpenX CEO John Gentry On Why SSPs Don’t Deserve The Flack They Catch
• The Deal With Demand Gen; The Brokerages Might Be Broken

 

Exclusive: Aditude Acquires Hashtag Labs

Aditude has acquired Hashtag Labs, merging two ad tech firms that support publisher monetization. The deal, which closed on August 16, reflects publishers’ need for efficient revenue solutions amid growing competition. Hashtag Labs, founded in 2014 by John Shankman, will integrate its technology into Aditude’s platform. Shankman will become Aditude’s chief strategy officer. Both companies collectively support over 200 publishers, and all 25 Hashtag Labs employees will join Aditude. Aditude, which raised $15 million last year, plans to expand through more acquisitions while building additional products, including analytics tools for publishers.

Google’s second antitrust trial could help shape the future of online ads

Google is back in court facing a second antitrust trial from the Department of Justice, this time focusing on its advertising business. The DOJ argues that Google’s ad tools monopolize the market, leading to higher ad prices and limiting competition. If the DOJ succeeds, Google could be forced to divest its Google Ad Manager suite. The case follows an August ruling that declared Google a monopolist in internet search. The DOJ claims Google unfairly leveraged acquisitions like DoubleClick, while Google argues its practices promote innovation and competition. The trial could last several weeks.

OpenX CEO John Gentry On Why SSPs Don’t Deserve The Flack They Catch

OpenX CEO John Gentry highlights how SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms) have evolved beyond being “dumb pipes,” investing in data, identity, and sell-side curation. Gentry emphasizes that direct relationships with buyers, clean ad supply, and innovations in CTV (Connected TV) have driven growth. OpenX has differentiated itself by cutting out low-quality CTV inventory and focusing on premium content. Video, including CTV, accounts for 35% of its business, with CTV growing 80% in the first half of the year. While OpenX isn’t currently pursuing acquisitions or an IPO, Gentry remains focused on steady growth.

The Deal With Demand Gen; The Brokerages Might Be Broken

Google’s Demand Gen now attributes all conversions to its campaigns, potentially misrepresenting its performance compared to Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns. Consumer data brokers like Acxiom and Experian face criticism for outdated and inaccurate data, unlike more reliable profiles from Amazon and Google. The Trade Desk is developing a new TV OS to compete with Roku and Google TV, aiming to enhance addressable device reach and cross-platform measurement. Additionally, Reddit lacks a formal publisher program but is being tested by publishers, while Twitter investors face losses since Elon Musk’s acquisition. NaNoWriMo’s new AI policy has confused writers, and generative AI is found less effective than humans at summarizing information.

The post ICYMI: Ad Tech Edition | Week of September 2nd, 2024 first appeared on Freestar.

To gain further insights and strategies for managing publisher traffic and maximizing revenue, watch our recorded webinar, The Truth About Publisher Traffic

Watch Now

The post Top 10 Reasons How ID Graph Solutions Help in Increasing CPM Rates first appeared on Freestar.

Bits and Bobs from around the industry:

• IAS Launches New Made For Advertising (Mfa) AI-driven Site Detection And Avoidance Technology | IntegralAds
• Google Reminds Advertisers To Prepare For End Of Third-Party Cookies | Mediapost
• Everything You Need To Know About the iOS 17 Update and Its Lasting Impact on Advertising | Admonsters
• Israeli Ad-Tech Firms Re-Strategize Amid War | Adweek

 

IAS LAUNCHES NEW MADE-FOR-ADVERTISING (MFA) AI-DRIVEN SITE DETECTION AND AVOIDANCE TECHNOLOGY

Integral Ad Science (IAS), a global media measurement and optimization platform, has introduced a new Made for Advertising (MFA) AI-driven site detection and avoidance product. This technology leverages artificial intelligence to identify MFA sites, which are web pages featuring low-quality content created mainly to serve ads. Advertisers often unknowingly allocate their ad spend on such sites, resulting in minimal meaningful outcomes. IAS’s MFA product uses AI to detect MFA sites at scale, offering advertisers greater transparency into their campaigns and allowing them to reduce wasted ad spend. The product is based on the Association of National Advertisers’ (ANA) definition of MFA sites and considers characteristics such as ad-to-content ratio, ad refresh rate, and traffic sources to classify a site as MFA. This technology aims to provide advertisers with better control over their media quality and improve campaign performance. It recently completed alpha testing and is available as a beta measurement offering for select customers, with general availability expected in early 2024.

The introduction of this MFA site detection and avoidance technology addresses the challenge of avoiding low-quality sites that consume ad spend while delivering poor results. IAS aims to improve transparency and provide advertisers with the tools to make more informed decisions about where their ad spend is allocated. By leveraging AI and adopting the ANA’s MFA definition, this product offers a scalable solution to detect and block MFA sites, helping the industry combat this issue more effectively.

 

Google Reminds Advertisers To Prepare For End Of Third-Party Cookies

Google is set to launch additional tools in November to assist companies in evaluating their use of third-party cookies. This move is a reminder of Google’s intention to disable third-party cookies in the first quarter of 2024. The tools, part of Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative, include a DevTools extension that facilitates the analysis of cookie usage during browsing sessions. The plan is to deprecate cookies for 1% of users in Q1 2024 and increase it to all users by Q3 2024.

The aim of the Privacy Sandbox initiative is to reduce cross-site tracking while keeping online content freely accessible. This move is intended to address competition concerns, particularly those raised by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The industry is responding to the impending deprecation of third-party cookies by fostering greater collaboration related to data and identity solutions, with companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and LiveRamp introducing capabilities to address data-matching and identity challenges in the advertising space. The focus is on interoperability between different identity solutions to enhance data enrichment, understand consumer behavior, and maintain consistency across multiple platforms while navigating challenges related to diverse data sets and consumer privacy. Advertisers and the industry are preparing for the changes by auditing cookie usage and testing for potential issues.

 

Everything You Need To Know About the iOS 17 Update and Its Lasting Impact on Advertising

The article discusses the impact of the iOS 17 update on the advertising industry, particularly in terms of user privacy and data tracking restrictions. With this update, Apple introduces features like New Link Tracking Protection, which removes tracking parameters from URLs in messages, mail, and Safari’s private browsing mode, making it more challenging to track consumer behavior through links. However, the impact on email marketers is relatively small, as UTM parameters remain intact in these cases.

Publishers and marketers are encouraged to adapt to next-generation measurement technologies and embrace contextual advertising while respecting user privacy. The changes brought about by iOS 17 emphasize the need for transparency in data collection practices and compliance with privacy regulations. Publishers should focus on delivering non-intrusive and engaging ad experiences and prioritize ad quality and relevance to navigate the evolving advertising landscape.

In summary, the iOS 17 update underscores the importance of user privacy and data protection in advertising, challenging the industry to adopt more privacy-centric approaches and adapt to changes in data tracking and measurement methods.

 

Israeli Ad-Tech Firms Re-Strategize Amid War

The article discusses the impact of the recent conflict in Israel on the country’s ad-tech industry. Following the attacks by Hamas militants on October 7, Israeli ad-tech companies are facing challenges. Many employees have been drafted into the army due to conscription, while others are dealing with personal losses and caring for their families. As a result, ad-tech companies are scaling back marketing plans, delaying product launches, and skipping industry conferences. Some are also focusing on maintaining existing client relationships rather than seeking new ones. Additionally, the industry is grappling with increased cyberattacks since the conflict began, with some companies reporting a 50% decrease in leads.

The conflict has led to a shift in priorities, with companies like Primis delaying new marketing campaigns and long-term planning. At the same time, they are finding understanding from their clients, who acknowledge the challenges the industry faces in these turbulent times. Many Israeli ad-tech executives are choosing to stay close to their families and are avoiding industry conferences, which have traditionally been opportunities for networking and lead generation.

 

The post ICYMI: Ad Tech Edition | Week of October 16th, 2023 first appeared on Freestar.

Here are their answers.

Note: Responses have been edited for clarity.

Rob Beeler, Founder of Beeler.Tech:

It’s a great question. I’m going to give you two answers. One is –and again, you can hear from my voice that I’ve spent the week at Ad Monsters in Nashville. I’d tell myself, Rob Beeler,  maybe you don’t have to stay out quite so late, and perhaps some of your voice would be back for when you’re at home and a guest on a podcast. The second thing is, I’d go back, and there’s an aspect of trusting yourself, right? So as much as I’ve built up Beeler.Tech, and my name is out there, and people know who I am. Some of that was not trusting myself. I could have gone further and accomplished more if I just sat there and said, “You know what, let’s do this.”    

Neal Pecchenino, Founder and CEO of Boxi Inc.:

I try not to be too self-critical because I am. Still, it’s more at the moment and not so much looking backward because you are a product of everything that led up to that. But it’d be nice to go back and tell me five years ago, sitting in that apartment, spending my own cash, hey, it’s going to be okay. It’s going to work out, but thank god I’m not in a position to do that because I think that fear drove me – and still drives me to this day – to make this a success. So I probably wouldn’t tell myself anything, to be perfectly honest, and maybe that’s a good thing.

It’s a bit different. I don’t think I’d tell my older, younger version anything. Do it. And that’s not because I’ve gotten everything right. It’s because, actually, the things that I’ve screwed up or the things that I could have improved upon, I was tough on myself at the time in which it happened. I don’t want to stop myself from having those experiences. So you really have to live your life, especially as an entrepreneur; you have to have those tough days to have perfect days. And in this business, the highest highs and the lowest lows, I tell everybody that walks in the door: we’re going to have the best days ever here, we’ll have the worst days ever here, so get ready.

I don’t want to avoid the bad days, and I try not to celebrate the good days too much. Jamie Simonoff, one of the biggest things he said, he never celebrates. We don’t really celebrate here. We get wins. Okay, awesome. We could go to lunch, whatever, but I don’t want to have a celebration culture. I want to have a winning culture, and we win every freaking day as a result. And I’m a competitor, and I want to crush the competition, and staying aggressive would be the only thing I’d go back and give myself: maybe be more aggressive. Okay, there we go.

I’ll tell my previous self, and that’s what I’m telling my current self now: just go for it. Like, absolutely go for it. 

Lashanne Phang, VP, Mobile Business at Pubmatic:

Don’t be afraid to take the leap of faith. That’s my takeaway for my young self. Switching to an industry after you’ve invested years and years of effort being at a certain point and then thinking about, hey, I’m going to move into an entirely different industry, it’s a leap of faith unknown, but with sufficient knowledge, understanding, good organization, you get to where you want to be. So don’t be afraid to take the leap of faith.

Nicole Scaglione, Global VP, OTT & CTV Business at Pubmatic:

Mine is the complete opposite of that, in that trying to slow down and be patient is essential. I have this need to be doing a lot of things all the time, and what’s next and what’s changing, and what else can I do to contribute to something that I find super interesting? And I was really excited about many things and didn’t give myself a chance to let them play out and see what happened. So I’m pleased with where I am today with Pubmatic. Still, I would also say that my younger self could chill a little bit, be patient, and understand that it takes longer than 25 minutes for things to really blossom and bloom, and that’s okay. You can still be fulfilled, and you can still be productive, and you can still be challenged. But being patient is essential, too.

Matt Greenberg, SVP of Food52: 

It’s a straightforward concept of patience. I’m an unbelievably patient man now, but things and decisions in my career would have benefited from some more extended patience that I definitely didn’t have as a young, highly ambitious person. That ambition hasn’t changed. I’m still as ambitious as I was when I was 24. But sometimes patience is like the greatest equalizer of opportunity, and finding your way through what could be a great opportunity across your plate seems like the most incredible opportunity ever. Still, you’re chasing something you could achieve, at a place you already have respect and trust in your current opportunity. It could be chasing a deal that you rabbit hole yourself down or trying to hire too quickly for somebody. It applies to everything in one’s career. 

That would be the one thing I would tell myself: relax, slow down. I find myself giving that advice to my team a lot now, or helping them gain perspective in that manner. It comes from direct experience of feeling the same things that they think are proper and being able to tell them stories about both the positives and negatives.

The post Advice to Your Younger Self – From Thought Leaders Around the Industry V.2 first appeared on Freestar.