MAVEN's Growth

1. 76

   Don Bobbittposted 4 years ago

   
   I play around with the Stock Market so I started watching MAVEN'a stock around a year ago. I figured that if I was going to be working (writing"") for them then I should know something about my Boss.
   Well, in case you are not aware, Maven is like the Alien Plant in Little Shop of Horrors. They are constantly eating up dozens of publishing (and other information-centric) sites that operate on the web. From Sports Illustrated to the numerous small information sites that are financially in trouble, Maven is purchasing them, and keeping the best of what they have to offer as well as the top staff, and then discarding the rest.
   Don't get me wrong, I like this means of growing your business, and so far they seem to have an operating plan that works.
   Me? I'm enjoying the ride I have with Maven and I hope they keep up their acquisitions and keep growing this profitable platform i am using.
   DON

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      Tim Truzy info4uposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks, Don. I was apprehensive at first. But now, I see these guys really want to grow and demonstrate an interest in their authors' success. Good news! More power and many years of success to you, Maven and HP.

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2. 77

   psycheskinnerposted 4 years ago

   https://nypost.com/2020/05/19/cutbacks- … the-maven/

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3. 0

   Emceerposted 4 years ago

   Looks like MAVEN is a lot like Sandhills Global.
   
   
   "Sandhills Global is a privately held American information processing company that produces a diverse range of products and services from well-established trade publications and websites to hosted technology services. The company primarily serves the transportation, agriculture, aircraft, heavy machinery, and technology industries. Its trade publications include TractorHouse, Machinery Trader, Machinery Trader Auction Results, Truck Paper, RentalYard, and AuctionTime, in addition to Controller, Executive Controller, and Charter Hub. Each print publication also has a companion website. Sandhills' portfolio also includes software and online services such as www.AuctionTime.com, BidCaller, Auction Flex, HiBid, Aircraft Cost Calculator, FleetEvaluator, Fast Track Iron, CraneTrader, EquipmentFacts, RV Universe, MotorSports Universe, Power Systems Today, Oil Field Trader, The Gage Team and others."
   
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhills_Global

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4. 84

   SANJAY LAKHANPALposted 4 years ago

   Good News. I have seen several publishing sites collapse, and I was apprehensive bout HubPages and the subsequent entry of Maven.

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      Emceerposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      That's really cool. What do you think, in which direction Maven and HubPages is going?

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5. 76

   Don Bobbittposted 4 years ago

   I've also sen this before with other companies, and some turn themselves into a new identity with a lot of power, while others overstretch their reach and implode.
   Only time will tell, I guess.
   From my perspective, I believe someone does need to vacuum the floor on the web in a lot of sectors, so Maven could be in for a long (years?) stretch of growth.
   For me, as one of the old Hub crew, now called a publisher on Maven, I just need them to start showing me more direction towards my success on their site(s).
   Right now, they keep listing their instructions for proper grammar, spelling, etcetera, while I want better definition on what they want me to write that we can both profit from.
   Let's face it, there are a number of us on HP who can write a good article, but not many of us who wants to jump in, cold-turkey and write a "daily editorial" and keep the subject matter fresh and interesting.
   I'm sure many of you will agree, we can write 700 to 1000 words on a category and keep  the quality high, but I didn't see anywhere that Maven wanted this.
   Anyway, as I said, I like the overall MAVEN direction. They're like an Alligator in a swamp full of Rabbitts. They can't help but get fatter.
   DON

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6. 0

   Marisa Writesposted 4 years ago

   This is a quote from the article Psycheskinner linked to:
   
   "Maven, which took over Sports Illustrated and acquired Jim Cramer’s The Street within the past year, also released its financial results for the nine months through Sept. 30, 2018. The company listed a net loss of $35.4 million for the period, and an “accumulated deficit” of $25.8 million.
   
   ....The Securities and Exchange filing has said the company is a “going concern” with enough cash on hand to only carry it through April 2021."
   
   It sounds like so many dot com companies.  Its share value is based on pure speculation about the money it might make one day.   Coronavirus is highlighting the fragility of that kind of investment - just look at Uber, for instance.

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7. 77

   psycheskinnerposted 4 years ago

   I was trying to not be too abrasive but yes, Maven is mixed news at best. So I'll be abrassive.  What the heck.
   
   Maven are acquiring rapidly but with money that runs out in April. They are laying a lot of people off at the sites they acquired.  The sites they acquired are astoundingly diverse and Maven does not have enough staff to really understand how to optimize their individual earnings structure in a changing online ecosystem.
   
   They are bold, being bold sometimes pays off big, and often fizzles.
   
   Me, personally?  I had faith in Hubpages because they knew how to win at the game they were playing--and let's be clear, it was a difficult game.  I think Hubpages was the only successful content farm still standing at the time Maven acquired them.
   
   Now we are one game in a big shiny arcade.  That's very exciting and also quite risky.  I am backing up my hubs.  Because like most skilled and adaptable content creators, I will only let my emotional attachment and sunk costs hold me in one place for so long.  And losing my Amazon income while the communication channel goes dark?  That might be the beginning of the end.

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8. 0

   Marisa Writesposted 4 years ago

   We have to remember the true story of why HubPages sold out to Maven:
   
   https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/06/hubpage … years.html
   
   HubPages was far more successful than any other content farm, but it still wasn't successful enough to satisfy its investors. Paul sold up because it was a last-gasp attempt to keep the company going.   The worrying thing now is that I recall he had to meet certain performance targets over 2 years (?) to get the maximum payout.

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   paradigmsearchposted 4 years ago

   A lot of missing people... https://hubpages.com/about/team

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