Merv's Market Strategies for IT Suppliers

Hi – thanks for coming. I founded IT Market Strategy after three decades in the IT industry, most recently as Senior Vice President at Forrester Research, which acquired Giga Information Group, where I was an analyst and research manager, executive editor of the monthly Research Digest and weekly GigaFlash, and chair of  the GigaWorld conference (later Forrester IT Forum.) I’ve covered the software industry throughout, and launched Forrester’s practice in Analyst Relations. Now I’m following the emerging ADBMS and analytic applications markets as well as BI and other data management disciplines. Most of my working time is spent offering marketing strategy, messaging , AR and other consulting to IT vendors large and small. For that, I do primary research via surveys and case studies, deliver speeches and webinars, and haunt the social computing channels. The good folks at Valley View Ventures represent me, and some other great analysts, too. This blog, http://mervadrian.wordpress.com/ was recently named to the top 50 analyst blogs by Technobabble (http://technobabble2dot0.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/top-analyst-blogs/). 

You can reach me directly at these coordinates:

email:  mervadrian@gmail.com
business site:  www.itmarketstrategy.com
Voice: 408-905-MERV (6378)
Mobile: 925-699-8371    
Skype: merv.adrian
 

Prior to becoming an industry analyst, I worked in Strategic Marketing, data warehouse marketing and analyst relations at Sybase, where I helped launch Sybase IQ, and before that at Information Builders, where I founded and edited a technical journal and a marketing quarterly.  In the 1980s I was a programmer, buildng systems as an independent consultant, and with Shearson Lehman Brothers. Prior to that I was a statistical analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. 

Mike (standing), Randy and Merv (guitars) in Marbella

Some folks know me as much for the Giga/Forrester jam band, where I was a founding member along with Mike Gilpin and Randy Heffner. Our sessions were a popular feature at our conferences and one of the elements I remember most fondly – you never look at a client the same way after you belt out Walkin’ in Memphis with them at midnight after a few beers. Playing is a big part of who I am, but I’ve never made it the career I dreamed of back in the fabulous 60s. Still, I do it when I can.

I was around for the introduction of the PC and edited the NYPC User Group newsletter in the days when billg, Peter Norton and similar luminaries came in person. I wrote a few articles in those days for PC Magazine, ComputerWorld and the late lamented Information Center magazine (that’s where we did BI in those days, kids.) During my daily commutes from the Jersey shore to NYC, I wrote a book, The Workstation Data Link, about the emerging micro-to-mainframe space. Back then we put boards into our PCs to connect up to the glass house, and it wasn’t easy!

It’s been a lot of fun to ride the information technology train, and it keeps getting more interesting all the time. If I can offer you any assistance, please let me know.