Welcome to PR Vibes™, created by Calysto Communications to provide you with key insights into the publications and events in the telecommunications industry. Today, we’re featuring an interview with Roger Entner, CEO and founder of research and consulting firm Recon Analytics. Before launching Recon Analytics in January of 2011, Roger was the senior vice president, Research and Insights for The Nielsen Company’s telecom practice. He joined Nielsen through the acquisition of IAG Research, now Nielsen IAG, where he was the senior vice president, Communications Sector. Before that, Roger was Vice President, Telecoms at Ovum responsible for the North American market, and headed the wireless carrier group at The Yankee Group.
To help you better understand Recon Analytics’ focus, we asked Roger to share some of his insight on the firm and social media. Enjoy!
Can you tell us a little about Recon Analytics and how it came about?
I have been a long- time analyst in the telecommunications industry. I headed up the wireless carrier practice at The Yankee Group for many years, and then I went to Ovum and headed the North American telecom practice there. In order to learn more about advertising and to gain general management expertise, I went to IAG Research, which was purchased by The Nielsen Company, and became head of telecom research at The Nielsen Company. But you always have the dream of starting your own company one day and when you get to your 40s, it’s now or never. I started Recon Analytics in January of 2011, with nothing really in hand but a vision.
What was your first priority?
The first thing I did was set up an executive advisory board, which is an industry first. Serving on our executive advisory board is Denny Strigl, former President and Chief Operating Officer of Verizon Communications and President and CEO of Verizon Wireless; Ed Reynolds, former President, Network for Cingular Wireless and President of BellSouth Mobility; Dennis Miller, former President and CEO of Midwest Wireless and Jim Greenwell, President and CEO of BilltoMobile.
I’m very glad to be able to rely on the advice of people who are true industry luminaries and who help me understand how industry executives are really thinking. I think one of the biggest shortfalls that most analysts have is that they have never walked in the shoes of a CEO. I can tap into their knowledge, where appropriate, and how to best approach certain problems.
What sets Recon Analytics apart?
The advice we give relies on fact-based research that’s deeply grounded in reality and looks at issues from multiple angles. When you are looking at issues, you always have to remember that you need grounding in facts, but facts are not everything. People make decisions, not numbers. Where Recon Analytics differentiates itself is through analysis of disparate data sources, instead of relying on only one data source.
And, we are inundated with more and more data and information, but we are gathering less and less insight from it because we are overwhelmed by all of the data. It’s like looking at a Monet painting. If you’re too close, you only see colorful dots. But I’m able to take a step back and see water lilies. What’s important is to be able to find different data sources, take a step back and then come up with new insights that are revolutionary and insightful — things that others have missed and that are standing in plain sight.
What’s your sweet spot?
What we are really good at is looking at the telecom ecosphere business model. How does this all work together? How do the members of the ecosphere make money? What are the triggers that really allow them to better exploit their position and improve their performance? How does a company in the mobile space really make money? What are the three things they have to do that really moves the needle? That’s the sweet spot of the company.
Overall, the mission of the company is really to bring light where there has been darkness, where people don’t have enough good insight to make good decisions. We do that by telling people what they need to know, not what they want to hear. I have worked with colleagues who’ve said, “I can’t disagree with my client. They already decided on this strategy.” The greatest service that we can give our clients is to give them good advice. And if that means disagreeing with them, then we will disagree with them and provide the data as to why their strategy is not going to work. Good clients are not looking for analysts that are rubber-stamping their decisions. They are looking for critical insights they are not able to come up with themselves. If you are just agreeing with your client, then your client is paying you too much money — no matter how much it is!
What services does your firm provide?
We are standing basically on three legs: Syndicated research, custom consulting and policy related data analysis, as well as white papers.
What are your future growth plans?
I didn’t start this company to be a one man show (one is a lonely number); I’m into empire building! I’m currently working with several other professionals to complement our coverage and I strongly anticipate hiring in the near future.
As an analyst, how much value do you place on information that you get via social media, such as blogs and Twitter?
I do read digital sources of information. It’s part of the information sources and like with so many other things, some are more valuable than others. You do have to be very careful as to who the source is and what their reputation is. It comes all down to reputation. It’s one of the true things that in the end, reputation is the only thing we have.
Will we see you on Twitter?
Of course, but only when it matters. Whenever I write something or contact somebody and ask for their time and attention, I am very cognizant that, after someone has spent time with me, either in person or by reading something that I have provided, I don’t want that person to wish they could have their fifteen minutes back. One of the big challenges with a lot of social media is that people tend to overshare and they are erring on the side of quantity, instead of quality. I would like every interaction I have with people to be one of quality. I’m deliberately taking a different route than many others who are updating their followers about when they arrive at the airport or what they’re eating. Even my girlfriend doesn’t want to know that much detail, so why would any potential client or reader care? The people that I contact have to feel afterwards that I put forth effort and that it was a valuable experience. It may or not help them at that moment, but there is definitely somebody out there who would be helped by me reaching out. It’s not a waste of anyone’s time.
Closing thoughts?
Overall, I’m looking at the problems affecting businesses that are in telecom from a slightly different angle, to provide new insights that nobody else is providing. During my career, one of the biggest compliments that a client gave to me was when someone said that whenever they work with me, they got everything that they got from everybody else –as well as a unique insight that really changed the way they looked at the issue.