Unexpected Gems
Rubicon Consulting is a strategy and marketing consultancy designed specifically for the needs of tech companies, from today’s global giants to tomorrow’s.
We’ve lived through the rise and fall of numerous paradigms, from the PC era to the graphical OS wars, e-commerce, Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and the rise of mobility. We’ve been in your shoes through industry, whole product and market lifecycles more times than we can count. We know where high-tech companies get stuck, and we know how to unstick them. And we keep our heads above the battle, scouting out the business trends and technologies you must know about to be competitive. Rubicon’s got the ability to think way outside the box, while staying grounded in the realities of the business. It’s a blend that often surprises people and until they’ve experienced it, they think it’s just not possible. Much like an artichoke beholds an unexpected treasure, you won’t believe our value until you’ve experienced it.
When you want to win markets, think Rubicon. We give you the intellectual rigor and wisdom you’d expect from a giant consulting firm, with the savvy and hands-on focus of veterans from some of Silicon Valley’s best companies. Our principals stay involved with every project, and our team shares a “murderboard” process to make sure the results are built on the best ideas. With us, you always get the A team; there is no B team.
Our Team
Nilofer Merchant
CEO & Chief Strategist
Bringing to bear nearly 20 years in key leadership positions at Apple, Autodesk, and Adobe, Nilofer has honed her collaborative strategy approach to design winning go-to-market programs for some of the most successful corporate brands. Her keynotes attract SRO crowds at business leadership events, technology expos, women’s conferences and universities — ranging from Red Herring to CTIA and PBWC to Stanford. Having won multiple awards for her insights on applying strategic thinking and innovation, she’s been quoted in major business publications such as BusinessWeek, Fortune and The Wall Street Journal. Nilofer earned her MBA from Santa Clara University, a BS in Economics from University of San Francisco and is a certified Instructor of Facilitative Leadership from Interaction Associates.
Michael Mace
Principal
A 20-year veteran of some of the tech industry’s toughest battles, Michael is a widely regarded as a strategist who also does tactics, translating big ideas into practical implementation plans. He is a go-to guy for clients and journalists looking to understand trends in the computing industry, mobile markets, and web futures. A blend of techno-geek and top-drawer business thinker, he specializes in combining technology expertise, deep business and market experience, and objective customer data to generate insights that are both cogent and actionable. When you can see both the forest and the trees—and Michael can—it is easy to see how everything fits together. Michael is also the only person we know who can deliver a data-packed, 60-slide presentation in 50 minutes without making it seem rushed (bring us in for a project and you’ll see what we mean).