MATE 014 – Rory Aronson introduces FarmBot, the AI robot which farms your veggie patch

Rory Aronson revolutionised agriculture when he created the coolest invention ever—FarmBot—an AI robot which farms your veggie patch. Seriously, this autonomous robot plants seeds, waters the garden, checks the soil nutrients and kills the weeds. In this episode of MATE, Rory explains how he built this precision agriculture machine and why it’s going to transform the agriculture industry. We also discuss how he hacked the product launch video to go viral and smash the goal on their crowdfunding campaign.

Rory Aronson
Rory Aronson

 

Topics:

  • What is CNC farming and what are the benefits?
  • How FarmBot works and how to build one
  • Who FarmBot is created for
  • Why Rory decided to make FarmBot open-source
  • How FarmBot compares to traditional methods of agriculture
  • Plans to make FarmBot available for under $1,000
  • Kickstarter’s impact on launching the project
  • How to make your product launch video campaign go viral on social media
  • How Rory has dealt with the sudden media attention of becoming an instant celebrity
  • What’s exciting you right now? Burning Man.

 

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MATE podcast is a show about Marketing, Advertising, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Hosted by Adam Jaffrey: Digital Strategist and Entrepreneur. Made with ❤ in Melbourne, Australia.

MATE podcast is a production by branded podcast agency Wavelength Creative.

MATE 013 – Bill Friedman reveals the business principles of Las Vegas gangsters

Bill Friedman has spent his entire adult life working in and around the Las Vegas casino business, alongside the gangsters who built the Las Vegas Strip. He has spent countless hours interviewing members of The Mafia, researching their histories and building a picture of the gambling industry in America. In this fascinating conversation, Bill shares the stories and lessons learned from the gangsters of Las Vegas.

  1. Part 1: Bill Friedman’s background and the gangster history of Las Vegas
  2. Part 2: Casino management and how casinos are designed to keep players focused on gambling
  3. Part 3: The marketing and business lessons learned from how gangsters operated their Las Vegas casinos
Bill Friedman
Bill Friedman

 

Topics:

  • Bill Friedman explains how he got involved in the casino business
  • The legalisation of gambling in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Bill’s fascination with gangsters, their business ethics and how he socialised with them.
  • Objecting to his drafting in the Vietnam War and being questioned by the FBI
  • Hollywood’s misrepresentation of The Mob
  • Bill’s research with the School of Criminology at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • What is Casino Management?
  • The unique ways casinos are designed and how they are conducive to enticing gamblers to play
  • Personalised service, giving customers what they want and the many ways casinos reward high-rollers.
  • The real reason casino chips are used at the tables instead of cash
  • How Frank Woolworth pioneered retail merchandising
  • Despite similar names, Woolworths Limited in Australia has no affiliation with the F.W. Woolworth Company in the United States.
  • The benefits intimate casinos enjoy
  • An analysis of the very successful, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays Here.” tourism advertising campaign.
  • Why people gamble
  • How Bill produced huge profits for the Castaways and Silver Slipper casinos
  • How differentiating your product from the competition can be more beneficiary than mimicking their traits
  • The creative and outlandish marketing campaigns Bill implemented to capture the attention of the casino-going public

 

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MATE podcast is a show about Marketing, Advertising, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Hosted by Adam Jaffrey: Digital Strategist and Entrepreneur. Made with ❤ in Melbourne, Australia.

MATE podcast is a production by branded podcast agency Wavelength Creative.

MATE 012 – Chris Rauschnot shares the marketing secrets of Las Vegas

Chris Rauschnot is a digital influencer, content producer and marketing consultant from Las Vegas, Nevada. I interviewed Chris at the Bellagio Hotel on The Strip, where he revealed the marketing secrets big brands can learn from Las Vegas. We also talked about influencer marketing, social media marketing, Pokémon GO, and why Chris decided to base his business in Sin City.

Chris Rauschnot
Chris Rauschnot

 

Topics and links:

  • Christopher Rauschnot describes himself as a digital influencer, brand advocate, writer, blogger and traveller. He works as a digital consultant in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Chris’s writing includes: blogging; reviewing products, services and travel experiences; covering celebrity appearances; and has recently been writing copy for products being launched on crowdfunding sites.
  • We recorded this episode of MATE at the Bellagio Hotel, with a beautiful view of the famous Bellagio Fountains.
Our view of the Bellagio Hotel Fountains from my hotel room, in Las Vegas.
Our view of the Bellagio Hotel Fountains from my hotel room, in Las Vegas.
Chris Rauschnot's article on HuffPost appearing next to Steve Ballmer's
Chris Rauschnot’s article on HuffPost appearing next to Steve Ballmer’s

 

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Connect with MATE:

 


MATE podcast is a show about Marketing, Advertising, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Hosted by Adam Jaffrey: Digital Strategist and Entrepreneur. Made with ❤ in Melbourne, Australia.

MATE podcast is a production by branded podcast agency Wavelength Creative.