Member Info for Sisteract

Yep, but it's typical of most directorships. They just feather their own nests !!

The directors salaries at bird are approx £620K, let's say Summit is on around 120K plus as an estimate. That's over 750k. Staff wages on top of that.Compare that with the turnover. Even on a basic level that's way to higher percentage for a sustainable business. In a crowded room those that shout loudest are heard. Bird are in a crowded room and it's barely a squeak. It's a fools game to educate others ,wait for people to cotton on to how good the product is. It takes forever, may never happen and costs a fortune. I remember all the cloak and dagger stuff years ago, we can't tell you, client confidentiality and all that... Where has it got them... absolutely nowhere. The world is littered with successful businesses that don't have the best products but were the best at marketing and self promotion and the world is littered with great products that no one knows about.

If they have the best product then someone needs to get in that boardroom and tell them to start shouting about it. !!

But I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. I don't see where the money comes from !!

Bird really have only one strategy and exit strategy.. To build a product that starts to get traction, make money and then some bigger fish sees the value. I hope they get there because bird have sold a very good yarn to investors who have continuously kept them afloat.

In my opinion marketing shouldn't be cost saving initiative, for bird it is the most important department otherwise we'll be just be a great product that nobody knows about, wants or needs. Bird are completely useless at marketing/self promotion. Goodness knows they've had the expertise/customers in the past and where are we ?... a start up tech company losing money still.................fishing around in the dark for influencers and god knows what else !

Cost saving initiative - IM reduce your unjustified 212k ridiculous salary for a failing business by 50% and let's make a decent marketing fist of it !

Taken from Blackbird Websites:

Ian McDonough

Executive Chair

Ian brings considerable knowledge and experience of delivering growth and value in the global media sector. His core expertise is in building high-value and commercially innovative partnerships. During his five years at BBC Worldwide, he rose to become Executive Vice President and General Manager for one of seven global regions. Most recently, Ian covered the UK, Ireland, Nordic and Baltic countries as Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Turner (formerly Turner Broadcasting). He previously held senior commercial posts at A&E Europe and Viacom Asia.

Nick Lisher

Non Executive Director

Nick Lisher is a senior growth marketing executive known for his expertise in community building, digital and data driven performance marketing, and innovative brand development. With a career spanning over two decades, Nick has a proven track record of driving user acquisition and revenue growth, having held key leadership roles at Flo Health, Nextdoor, and Depop. Currently the Chief Growth Officer at Manual & Voy, Nick has spearheaded growth across diverse industries, including music, fashion, technology, education, and health.

Non Executive Director

Youri Hazanov brings a wealth of expertise in developing and scaling international businesses, extensive knowledge of partnerships across B2C and B2B sectors and a comprehensive understanding of the diverse business models that underpin success in the Creator Economy. As General Manager and Chief Partnerships Officer at JellySmack, a SoftBank-backed unicorn in the Creator economy, Youri leads the company’s global expansion efforts drawing on his deep knowledge of Partnerships and advanced analytics. Prior to JellySmack, Youri spent 10 years at Google launching, developing and managing YouTube across international markets. Fluent in five languages, he holds an MBA, a Master's in International Relations, and teaches Digital Marketing at the International University of Monaco.

and then we have the super duper Hyw Dymond and Carolie S... are they still with bird.

You'd think with all that experience we'd be moving at pace.....not a snail's pace !!. We can all talk a good game !! and we're in the hands of a marketing company with 5 staff.

Blackbirdplc.com

Blackbird.video

Elevate.io

Three websites......What actually is the point ?. Such a confusing picture !!

I agree with the credibility issue and wonder why Blackbird never really shout from the rooftops about their technology being used at major sporting events or big sports bands. It should be plastered everywhere but bird and marketing don't sit well in the same sentence !!

So bird are now working with the Scale Up Collective Ltd on Marketing. A small company of five staff. Another example in my view of bird thinking small but presumably it's governed by cost. Vanessa used to work with Coconut who the Scale Up Collective proudly boast on their website increased their turnover by 174% in twelve months. Wouldn't we all like that. Vanessa talks well and theory is all good in practice but can she walk the walk with bird. Only time will tell.

Agreed. I think IM has been reading all the Advfn posts with all the boys and girls spouting off about the product features and all the flowery stuff. When will the penny drop that a successful needs one essential ingredient....customers..customers and more customers and bird simply don't have enough.!!!!!

Pleased they have done this because in-house marketing was amateurish and pitiful. Hopefully they have researched this properly and chosen a capable marketing company because they can't afford get this wrong. !!

So now it should get interesting as we GTM. The Sales and Marketing function at any business is the most important, without it there is no business. And in birds case it has been pitiful. There is a complete disconnect between the talent in Product/Development and the lack of talent in S and M which has achieved virtually nothing. They say they have learn't a lot from a strategy akin Aunt Mable selling her chutneys at the Sunday market. Now they have to shout from the rooftops about the product and they need to get professionals in to do it properly. It costs what it costs but bird have no alternative or crash and burn is on the horizon.

"IM is not a wealthy Guy". Well he should be on a salary of £212K per year. Let that sink in !!!!!!!!!

He invested a lot of his money before Elevate was even a thought, so not the best judgement call but we know the reasons.!! and now all the eggs in one basket. Trouble is birds eggs don't stand out from all the other eggs and if you've don't have the money it's nothing but wishful thinking. !!!. Money to be made down here though. !

"Where is this going to drop back to ?" . Well there's a question without an answer !!

Where are we with bird. Well, we are still a company that can't stand on its own feet. Reliant on funding from third party sources because it is continually losing money and we know another fundraise is coming.A product that they are continually developing that no-one wants and the proof is in the numbers.

Will it get there... who knows !

I prefer to ask a different question.. " What will it increase to" and there is plenty of evidence in the last years to guide us through with the ups and downs of the story telling and I use that as part of my strategy to make 20 - 40% . Over a short period of time.

Let's face it investing in the Aim is a huge gamble. Investing in bird which is losing money with no definite proof of concept is the biggest gamble you can make.

Agreed. They look like a bunch of guys who turned left when the whole world is turning right and they're on a one way street.

It's written all over their faces that something isn't right. Will the product ever be right and they're running out of money. When the story teller is looking that glum you know there is a serious problem. Looks like a fundamental business plan failure to me and it wouldn't surprise me if Sumit walked. He's better than this. !

"I am more confident in Blackbird today than at any point since I first invested" Tell your face that Ian !!

After watching that shambles....I rest my case !

Average 5.5 new paid subscribers per week in the last 12 months. Way to go bird !!!!?

Quite obvious the tie ups in the past year have done nothing where it matters.

There is real disconnect between IM's boundless enthusiasm and the facts on the ground.

I can't make my mind up where the problem is. It seems rushed. Is it a market research issue, business plan, product or a marketing issue.

I suspect all. But no doubt IM will talk well tomorrow and convince many doubters. Not me though.!!

"I am more confident in Blackbird today than at any point since I first invested" Let that sink in for a moment.

What was Ian said a few months ago.. Bird could be a thousand bagger ?.

Based on what ? - 388 paying users. It's embarrassing. The figures as always are dire. You can't be solvent and loss making for ever.!!

You have to give IM credit. He's a very good frontman because boy do bird need a good talker and he's on form today They have to create a good story to convince people/ entities to give them money because if they stop and bird run out of money they're history.

IM is paid £200k plus for this. It's laughable. And Bill Roberts strategic advisor to a company with 388 paying users. !!

So are bird building a product that people actually want in a market worth how many million, billion ?. The answer is staring us in the face.. A resounding No. !!

Still money to be made though depending on the next raise !

PC, We've crossed swords a few times. I'm well aware what goes on in business I've been a director for 30 years plus.

Bird have one proven talent and ability and that is to manage losses. Everything else is wishful thinking.

They are fortunate they have no debt. With debt they would be insolvent.

I agree that a delist is in birds best interests moving forward but I don't see where the 75% needed is coming from.

The Aim has done nothing for shareholder value apart from covid period.

It's so amusing reading this chat board and advfn. Throughout the year all the talk is about the next shinny feature and when the results are due the realisation hits home that it's a numbers game and all the doom and gloom spreads like it should. Any company survives or dies on its financials and in birds case it's always been pretty dire. It we are not gaining traction this time then the realisation has to hit home that there are building a product that nobody

wants or as my deal old dad used to tell me before he died...there is no point in climbing the ladder when it's leaning against the wrong wall. !!!

Not sure any of that really matters. We need conclusive proof that Bird are building a product that people actually want and are prepared to pay for. ?

Even birds strategy of going after start ups, small players etc with a marketing strategy akin to Aunt Mable selling her chutneys at the Sunday market will tell us that.

Nobody made it big thinking small !!!

So just about 10 days or so to wait until the FY results.

So let's see how we have moved on since last years nett loss of £2.3M on a turnover of 1.6M and 100 paying users in early march 2025.

So what's happened this year:

More features added

Placing and Offers at over 2m

Tie ups with Epidemic Sound,Nat West accelerator,Barclays Eagle Labs, Enterprise Nation, New York Chambers of Commerce.

Anne De K gone and the fanfare announcement of Bill Roberts as an advisor.

No doubt they'll be a lot of positive spin and the futures bright with the creator economy now worth 100 Billion, Zillion, Quadrillion and bird only need 0.001% but my guess is they're still making a loss and the promises continue ??

Let's not get personal boys.! You know I'm right. !

Discussions about the product and views and likes is schoolboy stuff.

Are chat boards for RR /Saga full of technical points about engines, cruising and insurance. Of course not ,it's sales and bookings. Do I need to know in detail about engines, defence or cruising/ to invest in these companies.... of course not. MM's are not interested in anything like this. They're interested and making a market, supply and demand. Do features generate demand for sharesor affect supply . Errr NO.! Look at the history !! The share price is where it is for a reason !!. But don't worry it's Bill Roberts to rescue !!