PlayFirst
Mari Baker is the CEO of PlayFirst and the former CEO of Navigenics. Previous to that, she was an executive-in-residence at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which she joined in 2006. Prior to that, she was president of BabyCenter, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company. Under her leadership, BabyCenter became the world's leading Web site for new and expectant parents, winning numerous online health awards and expanding significantly offline and internationally.
Prior to her tenure with BabyCenter and Johnson & Johnson, she was a senior vice president at Intuit, Inc., which she joined in 1989 as product manager for Quicken. Baker led Quicken to grow into the number one personal finance product in the world, along with international expansion and the launch of Quicken.com. Baker also held executive or product management positions at Now Software, Migent Software, and E.F. Hutton.
Mari Baker attended Stanford University, graduating with degrees in economics and sociology. She served on the board of trustees of Stanford University from 1996 to 2003, where she oversaw the Stanford Medical Center, and she continues to serve as a trustee emeritus. Baker currently serves on the board of directors of the Cozi Group and she is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization.
Related Links: http://www.playfirst.com/
Last Updated: Tue, Apr 14, 2009
| Category | Title | Author/Speaker | Organization | Length | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | An Executive's Perspective Inside Venture Capital | Mari Baker | PlayFirst | 05:14 | 04/2009 |
| Podcast | Building an Organization, Building a Team | Mari Baker | PlayFirst | 55:52 | 04/2009 |
| Video | Choosing the Path Least Worn | Mari Baker | PlayFirst | 01:21 | 04/2009 |
| Video | Give Thoughtful Recognition and Praise | Mari Baker | PlayFirst | 02:12 | 04/2009 |
| Video | Keep it Fast and Simple | Mari Baker | PlayFirst | 02:52 | 04/2009 |
| Video | Knowing When to Step Down | Mari Baker | PlayFirst | 01:20 | 04/2009 |
| Video | Setting a Company Culture | Mari Baker | PlayFirst | 01:57 | 04/2009 |
Kick in the door when it opens, says Mari Baker, CEO of PlayFirst, on her former affiliation with VC firm Kleiner Perkins. She transitioned from her executive roll at BabyCetner and soon sat in on pitch meetings, reviewing the portfolios of numerous start-up companies. Along the way, she took on an appreciation for the difficult choices made by venture capitalists. The experience taught her to be more thoughtful of approaching firms for future capital. It also solidified her understanding that being funded is more than just asking for cash; it's establishing a long-term relationship between the company and its funders.
After two decades in start-up entrepreneurship, Mari Baker, current CEO of PlayFirst, shares some of her lifelong strategies for long-lasting success. She stresses defining the relentless purpose of the enterprise, honing a focus, and building a conscious company culture, amongst other backbone-building tasks.
Mari Baker, CEO of PlayFirst, tells a story from early in her career of eschewing a well-paid job at an established company for a lesser position with a smaller firm. She listened to her gut instinct, which leaned in favor of the upstart opportunity and the chance to work with a more stimulating, more knowledgeable team. Though it was a daunting short-term financial decision, the upstart job was with Intuit, which went on to become a very successful enterprise and the right path overall for her career.
Be conscious of the in-house messages that you send. Mari Baker, CEO of PlayFirst, encourages business leaders to think about the values of a company that are reflected in its communications; for example, celebrating employees who work deep into overtime or who find the least expensive resources. The way you praise your workers is a declaration of your company values, and if not handled carefully, they can send the message that long days and bottom-rung pricing are the only way to succeed. Be certain that praise is allocated carefully and that its an accurate representation of what's expected and desired on the job.
A core fundamental proposition for building any new business must be a relentless desire to wow the customer, says PlayFirst CEO Mari Baker. Think of every customer as a salesperson, and bring them solutions that are faster and easier ways to solve their problems. Maintain focus amidst a sea of customer feedback, and don't try to implement every possible functionality, else you'll spread your resources too thin.
It sometimes happens that a leader deems it necessary to take the company in a new market direction. And it takes a leader with courage to admit that they do not have the skills, connections, or background to be at the helm. In this clip, PlayFirst CEO Mari Baker explains the circumstances behind her leaving early disease information service Navigenics, and uses it as an example of how the needs of the organization can sometimes trump over all. 
What does your company stand for? How will you make decisions? What are your overall philosophies? These questions are easy enough to answer when the company is three friends sitting in a living room, but how are they defined for a burgeoning business? Mari Baker, CEO of PlayFirst, urges companies at a turning point to put forth concentrated effort to define and pinpoint these policies and ideals, and to otherwise define a culture that can grow along with your product line. She cites as an example a two-day offsite meeting at Intuit when they'd bulked up their staff to 30 people, and the positive results that ensued.