Capabilities
Expertise across the value chain
Opportunity Assessment + Validation
We use qualitative and quantitative methods to test, validate, and refine hypotheses about new market opportunities
Competitive Landscapes + Benchmarking
We help clients in established industries understand where their competitors are moving, and the broader market dynamics behind those trends
Market Modeling
We use quantitative methods to undertstand how large an opportunity could be over a longer time horizon and the value chain for that opportunity
Opportunity Deep Dive
Once our clients identify high-value opportunities to pursue, we first help them better understand the potential partners within a particular space—their teams, technolgies, and differentiators.
Partnership Vetting + Negotiation
Once the opportunity is fully validated from a Deep Dive, we provide partnership identification, vetting, and negotiation services to realize its business potential..
Service Conception
Once the team is assembled and they’re ready to hit the ground running, we critical operational and industry insights to ensure success around PRD and MRD development
Partner Development & On Ramp
We help carriers and other content distributors identify and leverage relevant content for their platforms, and we also help application and content developers secure distribution through carriers and other channels.
PR / Marketing
Along with securing deals for our clients, we can also leverage our network of Silicon Valley and Japanese media outlets to help generate relevant PR and marketing exposure.
Post-Merger Integration
We also have exerience helping corporate parents navigate the delicate waters of integrating a newly acquired company (and culture) into their existing corporate structure and flows.
Partner/Portfolio Operational Support
We help identify ways to quickly and efficiently scale the operations and teams of existing services maintained by our clients and their portfolio companies.
Business Development Support
Sometimes our clients will assign us to their portfolio companies, and we then help those companies scale their sales and business development efforts. Other times we’ll help startups directly. In either case, solid business growth is the outcome.
PR/Marketing
Along with helping our clients with general growth initiatives, we can also leverage our network of Silicon Valley and Japanese media outlets to help generate relevant PR and marketing exposure around those growth initiatives.
Government Affairs
For companies in complex, highly regulated industries like telecom, media and technology, we can leverage our network of government and regulatory contacts to better understand the regulatory landscape as well as advocate for our clients to key regulators.
Case Studies
Created an unique identity for a global telco in Silicon Valley. [Read more here]
Executed post-acquisition integration initiatives for a global gaming company. [Read more here]
Assisted communications equipment provider in entering the US wireless market despite fierce competition. [Read more here]
Clients
In their words…
Jon Metzler worked with me to develop and implement a launch plan for Prophet’s efforts in Japan. He helped developed the business and go-to-market plans; worked with me to get approval for those from the Board; utilized his Japan-side network to help build an affiliate ecosystem for Prophet; worked with our operations team to orchestrate the office build-out; and provided support on billable work for our first Tokyo client. He also collaborated with our marketing team for Japan office marketing activities. All in all, Jon helped get our office up and running smoothly in a short time frame and on limited budget. We were immensely pleased with the work Jon did for Prophet.
Blue Field Strategies has provided consistent, reliable opportunity assessment, business development support, and analog intelligence about trends and players in the US mobile market.
I’ve worked closely with Jon Metzler for four years, first as a co-worker and then in his role as consulting Strategic Initiatives and Government Affairs Director to Rosum. He is professional, thorough, conscientious, and is equally comfortable navigating business and government settings. He secured our contract with the Department of Defense and brought us to trial with a VoIP service provider as an E911 solution. Jon handles standards development and partnership development in the mobile TV market and has demonstrated creativity and flexibility in securing a place for Rosum technology.
Blue Field Strategies has been a reliable partner in providing insight, assessment and tactical support in the US mobile and gaming markets.
Jon Metzler helped the jp.shockwave.com team define our audience and worked with the team to manage the design flow of the site. He also worked with content holders to get jp.shockwave.com up on time and on budget. We were very happy with the work Jon Metzler did on the Shockwave Japan launch.
Team
Jon Metzler
Founder + President
Jon founded Blue Field in 2008. Jon has new business creation and market entry experience in print, TV, services, edutainment, wireless broadband, location technology and location services, wireless infrastructure events and more. Jon is Lecturer at the Haas School of Business at UC-Berkeley, where he teaches on Competitive Strategy, Strategy for the IT Firm, and international business. He is associated faculty for the UC-Berkeley Center for Japanese Studies, and has received research support from CJS and the UCB Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity. Jon is also chairman of the board of the Japan Society of Northern California.
Eriko Sekiya
Business Development
Eriko Sekiya is a business development and international growth professional with experience in technology and consumer markets. She brings rich experience in print, television, radio and online media to client engagements. Eriko is a graduate of Japan’s Keio University and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. She is also a prolific author and frequent public speaker.
Michi Kaifu
Chief Analyst
Michi Kaifu is Chief Analyst at Blue Field Strategies. Michi has over twenty years of international business development and consulting experience in the telecom and IoT sectors. She is also founder of Enotech Consulting, and author of two books, one on Japan’s telecom sector and one on the big data sector. She is a graduate of Japan’s Hitotsubashi University and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
Sandro Olivieri
Analyst and Product Strategist
Sandro is a trained Computer Scientist and MBA who has dedicated his career to helping large and small organizations understand their customers and build products to delight them. A veteran of user-centered design, he leads cross-functional teams of engineers and designers to build products and organizations that make an impact. He has helped a 100-year-old publishing company convert their revenue from all print to all digital. He has built processes that helped an online education company provide one-on-one service to each of its 80,000 enrollees. He was on the founding team of AT&T’s innovation centers, helping AT&T innovate in new product areas including wearable devices, connected car, API and developer services, mobile health, IoT, edtech, and big data. Sandro is also Entrepreneur-in-Residence at an edtech accelerator, and a startup mentor in Silicon Valley.
Advisory Board |
Tim Chang
Managing Director, Mayfield Fund
Tim is a proven venture investor and experienced global executive. He was named on the 2011 Forbes Midas List of Top 100 Dealmakers, was featured by The Deal as one of five emerging VCs to watch and by the AlwaysON Hollywood IT List recognizing technology leaders in the digital entertainment industry. Tim invests in the mobile, gaming, digital media and enterprise applications sectors and co-leads Mayfield Fund’s investment practice in China.
Brian Fontes
CEO, National Emergency Number Association
Brian Fontes currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the National Emergency Number Association, a position he has held since June 2008. As CEO, he is responsible for all aspects of the Association. His primary objectives are to ensure that Americans have access to reliable 9-1-1 service, 9-1-1 centers have state-of-the-art technologies and well-trained professionals, and sufficient funding is available so that the 9-1-1 system can best serve those who call upon it as their first voice of hope.
Andrew Isaacs
Adjunct Professor, Haas School of Business, College of Engineering · Founder and Co-Director, Center for Energy and Environmental Innovation
Andrew M. Isaacs is a successful scientist, technology company executive, entrepreneur, and educator. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of technology business leaders and has a strong track record of helping young entrepreneurs launch their careers. Isaacs has worked at the crossroads of advanced technology and business innovation for 25 years, ten of those years at UC Berkeley, helping start-ups and established technology companies create and execute successful growth strategies.
Best Practices
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Contact Us
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area
and occasionally sighted in Japan