Jargon that will keep you going through the year

By Sarah Romney

1 Bleeding edge

A product or service that is very new, a little more so than “cutting edge.” Bleeding edge usually refers to a technology that very few customers are using and implies some uncertainty and unreliability.

2 Freemium

A combination of the words “free” and “premium”—a model that allows some basic or limited services of a product to be used for free. Additional services or advanced features require a premium to be paid. Examples of products with this strategy include Spotify, Skype, and Candy Crush Saga.

3 Growth Hacking

A business strategy focused on growth. It usually refers to startup businesses with low budgets that use creative and inexpensive strategies to get customers.For example, a startup company may use a blog or social media to build awareness and attract customers.

4 Rif

Pronounced “riff ” and stands for reduction in force. Refers to a permanent cut in headcount at a company and results in many layoffs. May be used as a verb to describe an employee that was “riffed,” or laid off.

5 Wheelhouse

A place or area where someone is free to practice his or her specialty or star power. The term originated as a name for the house where boat pilots were free to practice their core competencies in the wide-open ocean. You may hear something like this: “She is in her wheelhouse with this project!”

Notes

(2018). Bleeding Edge. Retrieved from www.investopedia.com (2018). Freemium. Retrieved from www.investopedia.com What is: Growth Hacking. Retrieved from optinmonster.com Reduction in Force. Retrieved from www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools Stevens, H. (2018, May 9). Catchphrase Du Jour: Wheelhouse. Retrieved from www.chicagotribune.com