Noel Hillman

I help sales teams scale. Chief Revenue Officer @Pipe

[Noel Hillman @noelhillman]

@elonmusk Couldn’t agree more. Pay to attract talent, make it illegal to accept any outside funding from special interests (including speeches or other engagements), add in term limits, and include their staff in these rules as well. These are not “careers” this should be public service

[Billy Oppenheimer @bpoppenheimer]

In 1985, Nike held a 24-hour shoe design contest.

Nike was struggling. Their stock dropped 50%. They had to lay off people. Adidas, Converse, & Reebok were all selling more shoes.

So in a panicked attempt to find creative talent, Nike held a shoe design contest.

The winner was

A corporate architect named Tinker Hatfield.

"Two days after the competition," he said, "I wasn't even asked—I was told that I was now a footwear designer for Nike."

As he got to work on his first official shoe design, he thought about a building he had studied in architecture school: The Centre Pompidou in Paris.

The Centre Pompidou is an inside-out building, meaning that the structural, mechanical, and circulation systems are all exposed.

“That building,” Tinker said, “was describing what it was to the people of Paris. And I thought, ‘Well why not do that with a shoe? Let’s cut a hole in the side and show what’s in the shoe.’”

So Tinker designed an inside-out shoe:

The Air Max 1.

The Air Max 1 was a massive success, and it steered Nike's design direction from then on.

"To this day," Tinker says, "Phil Knight says I saved Nike."

Takeaway 1:

Had he not studied that building in Paris, Tinker says, he couldn’t have created the Air Max.

Creativity, he says, is a function of the “library in your head."

“When you sit down to create something...what you create is a culmination of everything you’ve seen and done previous to that point.”

Takeaway 2:

Tinker Hatfield went to architecture school and then he was a corporate architect for 4.5 years. Then, literally overnight, he became one of the best shoe designers in the world.

This makes me think of a counter-intuitive discovery made by psychologist Charles Spearman in 1904.

Before Spearman, the natural assumption was that the more you specialize in one thing, the worse you’ll be at other things.

Instead, Spearman discovered "the positive manifold" phenomenon.

He found that different abilities tend to be positively correlated. That the expertise gained through specialization is transferrable. That the cognitive and creative abilities cultivated as an architect could positively correlate with being a shoe designer.

- - -

"Creativity is a function of the previous work you put in."  — Robert Greene

Follow @bpoppenheimer for more content like this!

[Scott Polchleb @scottpolchleb]

Happy to announce that I’m officially joining @Pipe as Chief Innovation Officer covering all things design, strategy, and product. I couldn't be more excited about the amazing opportunities ahead and really look forward to working with @LCSVoiles again.

[namrata @namrataganatra]

🚀 Thrilled to share the exciting news! I have officially joined @Pipe as the Chief Product and Technology Officer. With an outstanding team and some remarkable additions, I can't wait to dive in and expand Pipe's product offering, reaching even more incredible business owners. Let's get this thread started! 👇 /1
https://t.co/wFsXkEtx1m

[Pipe @pipe]

Pipe has been honored with a @webbyawards nomination!

Only a small percentage of companies get nominated, and your votes decide who takes home the People’s Voice award for best financial services web and mobile design. So we need your help!

Head to cast your vote now 👇 https://t.co/Mp8jOGxsBC

[Lukas Wagner @lwgnr_]

A downturn can challenge any business, but it doesn’t have to be catastrophic. There are crucial steps you can take to protect your business and come out healthy on the other side. You can grab a copy of our CFO Playbook for four proven strategies. Link in the comments.

[Pipe @pipe]

If you've been impacted by the events at SVB and need access to immediate capital for payroll and operational needs, Pipe has you covered, whether you’ve worked with us in the past or not. /1

[Luke Voiles @LCSVoiles]

@pipe is committed to helping companies through tough times. That’s why we're offering access to immediate capital for payroll and operational needs for companies that have been impacted by the SVB news. 1/

[Alfredo Jiménez @fredo_jmnz]

We’re here to help!

[Luke Voiles @LCSVoiles]

I am incredibly excited to have been given the opportunity to lead @pipe going forward as the team continues to build the future of alternative finance. 1/

[Noel Hillman @noelhillman]

It’s been nearly a year since @waynieg and team came onboard with @pipe and this marks another really exciting step forward in serving the entertainment industry. 2023 is going to be a big year.

[Noel Hillman @noelhillman]

Who do I know in the media and entertainment space? We just released an end-of-year 2022 streaming report that you may be interested in. It’s called The Wrap Up Report. Check it out here: https://t.co/1PRThtPRxB

[Pipe @pipe]

Whether you’re a TV or film producer or distributor, an advertiser, or you just really, really like watching Netflix, don’t miss The Wrap Up Report from @Pipe Entertainment. Check out the full report here 🍿: https://t.co/5iXFaE5CJz

[Pipe @pipe]

For a lot of founders, @Xero is the first choice for accounting software. We’re excited to announce that @Pipe is now a fully Xero-connected app.1/

[Noel Hillman @noelhillman]

@pipe 🔥🚀

[Yas @yas_moaven]

So much has changed since we launched @pipe in 2020.

The world is truly a different place and so is the market for businesses looking to grow. /1

[Yas @yas_moaven]

When you’ve got a chance to make a big move & take your company to the next level, you have to take it.

That’s why @ajagrawal24 story is one of my favs. No spoilers; let’s just say he did that & used @pipe to do it. Check him out today on @TheBestBizzShow https://t.co/eWdYL9oo54

[Yas @yas_moaven]

There’s more than one way to finance your company. How you choose to build your capital stack is a decision that will have a long-lasting impact on the sustainability and health of your business.

A few things to keep in mind👇1/

[Noel Hillman @noelhillman]

Last Monday, I was honored to be by my Step Son’s side when his Make-a-wish came true. It was incredible to see Jake do something he loves after battling Leukemia for 3 years. @MakeAWishGA and @Braves @BallySportsSO are incredible organizations!

[FanDuel Sports Network South @FanDuelSN_SO]

"𝗞𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗹𝘇𝘆𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗼𝗳𝗳."

Here's the story of Jake Kowalzyk signing a one-day contract with the @Braves.

@MakeAWishGA surprised Kowalzyk, a young fan whose leukemia has been in remission for over a year, with the chance to join to his favorite team.

[Yas @yas_moaven]

You don’t have to give away your margins to save cash flow. If you discount subscriptions by 15–30% for up-front payment, you’re taking a hit to your profit margins & customer LTV. @pipe gives you another way to accelerate cash flow —without discounts 👉 https://t.co/jSfo2ZQleW

[Yas @yas_moaven]

With the slowdown in funding, savvy founders are weighing their options to finance operations & growth between rounds.

Many are considering @pipe & other alternatives like venture debt. Here are some things to keep in mind 👉: https://t.co/HFYvyJWoio