The Invisible Mentor

Archive for January, 2010

There is so much going on around us that it is very hard not to feel overwhelmed. We have too much to do at work, and too much information to process. I have been looking at this blog and there is a lot of good content here. I have experimented with breaking up interviews and combining them in novel ways and I have gotten some positive feedback.

I want to enhance the user experience so I am exploring ways to better mine the data by doing textual analysis to provide bite-sized pieces of information that is more easily digested. This is critical for the interviews where we have good original content. All of us, myself included will benefit.  I will also be emphasizing ways in which you can apply the information to your life. What are your thoughts? Do you have suggestions for me? I would welcome them.

And if you are feeling overwhelmed by life, do what I do and just take it one day at a time or one step at a time. A few years ago I was working on a project and I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed so I did what I usually do and broke down the projects into tasks. I focused only on one task at a time, and in no time the project was completed. I am sure that this tip will work equally well for you. Multitasking doesn’t work for most people, so focus on one thing at a time and that thing should be what’s most important to you at that instant.

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

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We present part two of Michael McLeary’s interview today, and part two is as informative as part one. These interviewees are truly invisible mentors in every sense of the meaning. They are unique leaders who we can learn things from. What would happen if we combined the wisdom, wisdom and experiences of all the invisible mentors? What are your thoughts? Let’s read Michael’s interview and learn as much from him as we can.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I tell extraordinary stories for a living. It’s the best career I’ve ever had. What do I mean by telling stories? Well I own a video production/new media/web company about 2 hours north of Detroit, MI. Recently, I also had the opportunity to finish my first feature length documentary, An Anything But Ordinary Journey, with my business partner Casey Turner in October of 2009. I spent over 4 years on the project, interviewing people across the US and Canada on the meaning of success. So whether it’s making films, or serving clients through our business, it’s all about sharing extraordinary stories with the world and that is extremely satisfying.

As an Invisible Mentor, what is one piece of advice that you would give to readers?

Find your passion and purpose. I believe we were all empowered with a gift to give to the world. I’d like to emphasize the words gift and give. When we give of ourselves and our talents freely to others, amazing things occur. This doesn’t mean what you always do is free, but find ways to give back. It not only makes you feel good but also those you affect. When you wrap the concept of giving around what it is you have a passion for, you find moments of joy that are truly amazing and almost unexplainable. If you don’t feel you have found a purpose or passion, begin that search now!

How do you integrate your personal and professional life?

Sometimes it’s hard but really my professional life is almost an extension of my personal and vice-versa. I love making connections and friends. If you are a client, I really do consider you a friend. It’s not what I can get from you but what can I give to you.

What’s a major regret that you’ve had in life?

Not always finishing what I’ve started. I love starting things, finishing a few times hasn’t always been the easiest. One of my resolutions this year is to go through and tie up any loose strings I have in my life.

What are five life lessons that you have learned so far?

Find your Passion, you have a gift so find joy in using it, 2. Truly experience gratitude and be thankful for what you have been blessed with in your life, 3. Persevere even when it looks like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, 4. Be willing to make a Change, even when it may be difficult, 5. Find your Faith, whether it be in God, friends or family; faith is the power that will keep you going.

When you have some down time, how do you spend it?

Down time, what’s down time? Actually, I’m a notorious web surfer. I love reading news. I’m also a Facebook addict. Yes I admit it, I enjoy social media! I also just really enjoy spending time with friends and family and long drives in the summer.

What process do you use to generate great ideas?

I generally don’t have a process, in fact when I force it, it’s harder for me. I’ve been blessed that ideas often just pop into my head out of thin air so I take the time to write them down before I forget. If I really need to find an idea or solution, I’ll actually go out and do something fun and non work related and those are the times I have the best insights.

What’s your favourite quotation and why?

Only 1? I guess I’m going to break the rules and give you 2…
“Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive and go do that. Because what the world needs is more people that have come alive.”
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

How do you define success?

Find your purpose and passion. When you do that and find joy in your life, no matter what society may deem success for you, your life, that is success because you are doing what you are supposed to do.

In your opinion what’s the formula for success?

It’s different for every one. Watch my film, An Anything But Ordinary Journey http:/www.anythingbutordinary.net. Yes, this is a bit of shameful self promotion, but the film follows my journey to find out what it really means to be successful and has so many nuggets of wisdom from a wide range of people. It answers this question.

What are the steps you took to succeed in your field?

The big thing was really to make a decision that I was going to commit to my career choice and continue to pursue it even when times were tough. By taking committed steps of action towards a goal, the path becomes clear, even when at first it doesn’t appear to be.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

I recommend getting some work as a production assistant on various productions. Work for free and find out if you really like it. If you have an opportunity, I strongly recommend finding a quality film school. There is so much to learn. I’m blessed with a natural aptitude for this, but I really want to eventually go to school myself.

If trusted friends could introduce you to five people that you’ve always wanted to meet, who would you choose? And what would you say to them?

I’d ask mostly a lot of questions… My life has been one giant interview with people about success and life. This would be no different.

Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply? Did you have an emotional or intellectual attachment to this book? Why?

Now Boarding Next Stop Your Remarkable Life by Kandee G. I don’t just say this because my friend and mentor wrote the book but because it was one of the first self-help books that I’ve ever read that not only put large concepts in simple language but also did it in a clear and easily readable format.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are five books that you would like to have with you and why? Summarize the book in two sentences.

This is hard because I only really like reading books once. I’d have to say The Bible, because I’ve never read it all the way through, second it’s has a diverse set of stories, concepts and ideas, third, it’s huge. I could meditate on many of the ideas therein for a long time. Otherwise, there is nothing that has caught my attention that I haven’t read that I want to. One other way to solve this would be to ask my friend Steve for recommendations on 4 other books, he’s a voracious reader and could pick some great ones for me.

Have you read any books that inspired you to start a business, service or invent “something”? If yes, which book?

Tony Robbins Unlimited Power really encouraged me to find my purpose and go after it. I’m definitely a Robbins fan.

What one music CD and movie would you like to have with you (on the deserted island) and why?

My tastes constantly change, but right now for an album, independent rock group AG Silver and their album Wake Up and Smell Reality. Movie? I have so many favorites. Probably Star Wars, but that could change tomorrow.

What excites you about life?

I have an opportunity everyday to do something I love and to help change people’s lives and organizations for the better. Everyday brings something new. It brings new opportunities, friends and experiences. I can’t wait to see what will happen each day.

How do you nurture your soul?

Simply taking time out and being with myself or sharing thoughts and ideas with friends. Simple conversation is very relaxing for my soul.

If you had a personal genie and she gave you one wish, what would you wish for? Or, if I gave you a magic wand, what would you use it for?

That everyone would find a POSITIVE purpose and passion in their life. If everyone could do that, there would be little need for arguments, wars and disagreements.

Complete the following, I am happy when.….

I hear that I did something to encourage someone else to pursue their passion.

How can you apply Michael’s interview? Which aspects resonated with you?

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

You can pre-order Anything But Ordinary by clicking here.

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Do you ever enter contests? For the past 2 1/2 years I have been entering competitions and I have won a few. I have lost more than I have won, but for the writing competitions, just by entering, my writing has improved. No one likes losing, including me, but I still enter them.

In September 2009 I saw a notice to enter a contest to rewrite Sleeping Beauty for the launch of Enchanted Conversation, a blogazine. I went to the website and there were various ways to rewrite the fairy tale and I chose to rewrite it from the perspective of the villainess. While I was working on my submission, I was laughing and enjoying the experience and I understood what Joseph Campbell meant by following your bliss. I enjoy writing and I get better as I practice my craft. What are your thoughts, is this the same for you? Are you following your bliss?

I was one of the winners of the contest and the Enchanted Conversation website went live on January 1, 2010. Read my version, Sleeping Beauty Unplugged and let me know what you think. Do you enter competitions. If yes, why do you enter them? What are your best sites to find competitions?

If you’d like to enter a few competitions, here is a website that I frequent:

Prize Magic

Also, Hope Clark has a weekly ezine where she announces competitions, and freelance opportunities, see her website at http://www.fundsforwriters.com.  And, Gary McLaren also announces competitions in his ezine  Worldwide Freelance http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

Photo credit: Via Apture

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I conduct these interviews as much for myself as I do for you. I learn so much from these highly accomplished individuals. I was moved by portions of Michael’s interview and I am sure you will too. The interviewees are usually asked the same questions.  I liked his response to how mentors influenced his life “What most people don’t realize is that they have mentors around them all the time and they probably don’t realize it.  Our friends, family, employers, co-workers, writers, God.  They are all there influencing us every day, in ways we often don’t understand or grasp.”

What are your thoughts?

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I tell extraordinary stories for a living.  It’s the best career I’ve ever had.  What do I mean by telling stories? Well I own a video production/new media/web company about 2 hours north of Detroit, MI. Recently, I also had the opportunity to finish my first feature length documentary, An Anything But Ordinary Journey, with my business partner Casey Turner in October of 2009. I spent over 4 years on the project, interviewing people across the US and Canada on the meaning of success.  So whether it’s making films, or serving clients through our business, it’s all about sharing extraordinary stories with the world and that is extremely satisfying.

What’s a typical day like for you?

That’s a good question. It really varies and that’s what I love about what I do. Some days I’m on the road filming a project or meeting with current or future clients. Other days it is making sure everything is being taken care of in the office or spending time brainstorming and editing projects with Casey. I’m also primarily responsible for graphic design and web design in our company so that may also keep me in the office. Everything we do however is custom designed for our clients, and we ensure that their brand shows through, the benefit for me is I get out of the office a lot to film, photograph, etc. I also do my best to take time to workout regularly and of course there is always family time.

How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated?

I find projects I love to do. I’m fascinated by different people, thoughts, locations and industries, so this career is perfect for me. Things are always different and on the move and that is something that keeps me motivated. The recent completion of this film has also provided an additional level of motivation. I’ve seen and talked with people who have had a life changing experience after watching our film. They are now taking a more proactive role in shaping the life they want.  How can you not be motivated to know that what you are doing is making people’s lives better?

If you had to start over from scratch, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?

There are some things I would do differently, but on the other hand, my life experiences have made me who I am today.  That may sound like a cop-out, but it’s true.  If I had to pick a few “somethings” that I would give advice for others to do or do differently, I’d recommend taking school more seriously.  I did fine in university, but was by no means the top of my class.  I was always active in various clubs and organizations.  I sometimes let schoolwork slip and I realize how important that is now, simply learning the discipline to create good work habits early.

What’s the most important business (or other) discovery you’ve made in the past year?

I’m good enough and have something unique to share with the world.  I’ve always looked at other companies and been somewhat envious.  I’ve also looked at other individuals the same way.  I’d look at myself and have a bit of a complex on whether I looked good enough, or was smart enough, or wise enough.  I realize now I have a fascinating story, and a unique set of skills that many people would kill for.  I know I can hang with the big boys now, and that was the biggest thing I had to realize.

What’s one of the biggest advances in your industry over the past five years?

Digital technology for not only recording video/film, but also editing and storage.  Technology has come so far that it has evened the playing field much more in regards to the quality of an image you can capture compared to those with much more expensive equipment.  It has put pressure on the income you can generate from clients because anyone with decent equipment is out there promising the world.  Can they necessarily deliver it, no.  This also places an additional burden of proof on producers that we can offer something unique for our clients, and a much more experienced understanding of their needs.

What are the three threats to your business, your success, and how are you handling them?

As I noted before, 1. The introduction of quality cameras at near consumer prices.  2. Powerful video editing software is now available for virtually any computer that can allow any consumer to create powerful videos.  3. The downturn in the US and particularly the Michigan economy has also made finding new projects more difficult.  What we have found with problems 1 and 2 is to demonstrate the quality we bring to a project and also to demonstrate to potential clients that making their own video that will get consumers to buy their product is not all that easy.  We’ve attacked our third problem by diversifying and doing more projects outside of Michigan in Canada, Florida and others.

What’s unique about the service that you provide?

We take the time to understand our client, their needs, mission and their branding. By doing that, all of our web, graphic design and video work looks professional and like them.  It exudes their organization.  We don’t just make a video for a video’s sake, but to share their extraordinary story.  All companies have a story, and that’s what clients want to know.

In regards to our recent foray into filmmaking and mine into speaking, we have a unique vision of success.  Instead of interviewing people that most everyone knows, I chose unknown people, like your neighbors, who also have fascinating, compelling, extraordinary stories and outlooks on life to share.  Through the creation of our company and this film, I’ve come to realize success is much more than the tangible value we often assign to it.

What do you observe most people in your field doing badly that you think you do well?

Getting a message across and making it stick.  In our industry I often find people will spend a lot of money for a video that doesn’t tell the viewer anything related to the message they were trying to send, or doesn’t encourage consumers why they should purchase the product or service.  It’s one thing to make a flashy, pretty, even artistic video, it’s another to create something that is effective and encourages a buying decision.

Describe a major business (or other) challenge you had and how you resolved it.

When I got into this industry I didn’t have the experience or funding to do things the right way on my own.  So I found others who had that experience and were open to finding unique ways to partner.  I’ve found that if you really want to do something but don’t have a lot of your needs (whether that is money, experience, etc.), I encourage others to do it anyway.  Take meaningful steps towards what it is you want to accomplish and resources will show up in strange ways.  But you have to take daily steps of faith and persevere even when times look impossible.

What lessons did you learn in the process?

I’ve learned success is much more than your bank account or big things.  Success is the little things we get right every day.  It’s about following through and finishing what you start.  It’s about relationships and time with loved ones.  It’s about finding that happy place inside each one of us, a place where you know that if you checked out of this life tomorrow, you are proud of what you have accomplished so far.

Tell me about your big break and who gave you.

I’ve had a lot of big breaks.  There are three that stick out to me.  My first was in 9th grade my coach selecting me for the 9th grade basketball team.  I was probably the least talented or skilled of anyone who tried out, but I worked harder than all of them.  I’d never made a team before, I’d always been cut, but I had persevered, every summer shooting baskets all summer long and going to camps.  When I finally made that team, it showed me that hard work really was rewarded.  I’ve never forgotten that.

The second had to be meeting my mentor Kandee G during the interview process for my film.  She gave me my first opportunity to work in the speaking business and an inside understanding of the industry I never could have without her help.

The Third was our first video client, Cooperative Elevator Company.  They took a chance on a new company and a pair of kids in their 20’s to create a high quality video with a decent budget who had little in regards to a portfolio.  I’ll always be thankful to them for believing in us.

Describe one of your biggest failures. What lessons did you learn, and how did it contribute to a greater success?

I pissed off and lost a pretty important client.  I over committed and took on a part of the project I even knew at the time I shouldn’t.  But I always love to tell a client we can do anything, and we virtually always deliver.  This time wasn’t the case, and I blew future jobs from the company.  I learned never to over-promise, and more importantly, keep to areas of the project you know best.  There is nothing wrong with stretching and doing something you don’t always do, but of all things, don’t over-promise in an area that is not your strong suit.

What has been your biggest disappointment in your life – and what are you doing to prevent its reoccurrence?

I really try not to get overly disappointed and just live life’s dance.  There certainly times I do get disappointed and when I do, I like to take time to analyze where I made a mistake and how not to do it again.  Then I let it go, life’s not worth getting an ulcer over, we have too many blessings in our lives.  Even if it’s just to be thankful for breathing, that means we are alive and have an opportunity to make future days better.

What’s one of the toughest decisions you’ve had to make and how did it impact your life?

The decision to quit the corporate merry-go-round.  I was very unhappy with my life because I felt my life had little meaning and purpose.  I knew I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing.  On the other hand it was quite scary to give up that guaranteed paycheck every two weeks.  Leaving and starting my own business has been one of the best decisions of my life after I got over my fear.

What are three events that helped to shape your life?

1.Getting married and having three kids.  Nothing really prepares you for that.  I’ve been blessed, even when times aren’t always perfect.  2. Starting my company, Beacon Media.  I’ve learned so much from being my own boss and found some of the things I’ve been searching for in life.  3. Taking the time to make this documentary film and sticking with it.  4 years is a long time on one project, but I made a commitment to not start another pet project until this one was done.  That sense of discipline had a profound impact on my life along with everything I learned from the process of interviewing 20 extraordinary individuals. I liked this response about mentors “What most people don’t realize is that they have mentors around them all the time and they probably don’t realize it.  Our friends, family, employers, co-workers, writers, God.  They are all there influencing us every day, in ways we often don’t understand or grasp.

What’s an accomplishment that you are proudest of?

I could say my children, but I think in the end, right now, I’m proudest of this film.  It really is an expression and culmination of everything I’ve learned so far in my life (including lessons learned from my children).  It has had a positive effect on virtually everyone who has seen it.  Can I ask for anything more?

How did mentors influence your life?

Immensely.  I’ve learned mentors are one of, if not the most important factor for finding a measure of success in life.  What most people don’t realize is that they have mentors around them all the time and they probably don’t realize it.  Our friends, family, employers, co-workers, writers, God.  They are all there influencing us every day, in ways we often don’t understand or grasp.

What’s one core message you received from your mentors?

Every day is a valuable gift from God.  If you aren’t doing what brings you joy in your life right now, you better start looking for it.

We are not promised a tomorrow, only a “right now”.  So pursue your dreams and passions now before you don’t wake up one day and it’s too late.

Which resources (books, movies, training etc.) did your mentors recommend to you?

Some good books I can think of off the bat (in no particular order), How to Win Friends and Influence People, Think and Grow Rich, The Bible, Now Boarding: Next Stop Your Remarkable Life and so many more…

As an Invisible Mentor, what is one piece of advice that you would give to readers?

Find your passion and purpose.  I believe we were all empowered with a gift to give to the world.  I’d like to emphasize the words gift and give.  When we give of ourselves and our talents freely to others, amazing things occur.  This doesn’t mean what you always do is free, but find ways to give back.  It not only makes you feel good but also those you affect.  When you wrap the concept of giving around what it is you have a passion for, you find moments of joy that are truly amazing and almost unexplainable.  If you don’t feel you have found a purpose or passion, begin that search now!

How can you apply Michael’s interview? Which aspects resonated with you?

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

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I am not a fan of rap music, but the words “Oh, I’ve been traveling down this road too long, too long, just trying to find my way back home, back home, the old me is dead and gone, dead and gone,” from the song Dead and Gone by TI featuring Justin Timberlake resonated with me. I feel like over the past two years I somehow lost my way. Have you ever felt that way?

I decided to start over, and the old me is dead and gone, and now there is the new and improved me.  What do you do when your life isn’t quite working the way you’d like? Do you keep going down the same path? Or do you implement band-aid solutions, or do you perform a major overhaul? It takes courage to let go of the person you used to me, and it’s quite scary. The Invisible Mentor blog helps you to be the best you, and there are times when you have to let go of the old, and welcome the new. Is the old you dead and gone?

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

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I realized that I have not had any tips and tricks or resources blog posts in a long time so I decided that it was important to start off the new year right.

Whenever you have to conduct country research, a good place to start is at the CIA Factbook website. At this website you’ll find information on the history, geography, people and so on of the specific country,  and if you’re going on vacation, or even on business, you’d like to learn about political stability. CIA Factbook gives you these types of information. Another place to gather country information is Country Reports.  For next steps refer to the blog post How to Analyze Information.

And while you are surfing, two cool websites are National Geographic and Planet Earth on Discovery Channel. Are these websites helpful? What are three of your favorite websites?

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

Photo credit: Via Apture

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We are a work in progress and should be that way until we breathe our last breath. When you make a mistake or fail at something, pause, look at what you did wrong, learn the lessons and move on. I am getting better at this, I have had some spectacular failures, and I am learning to pay special attention to the lessons then let go. The most successful people know this. No one is perfect, we evolve, grow and become better. We are like fine wine, we get better with age.

If success is taking longer that we think it should, is the delay a byproduct of thinking that we have arrived and have gone as far as we can go in life. And if the success is not as grand as we expected, did we take the easy route or the road less traveled. It’s important to seek new challenges, our results are proportional to the amount of risks we take.

In 2010, what can you learn to do better? What ways can you change the way in which you perform you job? What are three things you can do to become more valuable to yourself, your company and your industry? Be proactive, and always mindful that you are a work in progress and can do much better than you think you can. And expect delays along the way!

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

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Are you your brother’s keeper? In what ways are you helpful? What are your thoughts? Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” What are your thoughts, do you agree with Zig Ziglar’s quote?

We live in a culture that’s primarily survival of the fittest, where we are always competing with each other. But what if instead of competing we decided to create something that would benefit mankind? And what if instead of thinking me-me-me, we decided to lend a hand to someone in need?

Simple Application

What if you are trying to master a subject, one of the ways in which you can test your newly acquired knowledge is to teach the information to others. In doing that you are helping others to help yourself and you are spreading knowledge in the process. Another way would be to mentor another person, who is on the same path as you, and it doesn’t have to be a formal mentoring relationship. You could explain to them what to expect, pitfalls, lessons learned and so on. What are other ways to be your brother’s keeper?

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

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Today we present the second part of Steve Spalding‘s interview. As was the case with the first part of the interview, part two is very detailed and loaded with solid information that you can use.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

What I’ll tell you is that I find questions like that to be hard, on principle. The problem, I guess, is that I never know what it is that you want to hear.

The easiest thing to say is what I do. I run a small firm called Crossing Gaps LLC. We help big brands and small creatives tell their stories using the web, which really is a fancy way of saying that we do strategy design and consulting.

On top of this I write. I write for my blog, howtosplitanatom.com and I write for our stable of side projects.

When I’m not doing that I spend the rest of my time waxing poetic on Social Media channels. Right now I’m pretty deeply interested in psychology, behavioral finance and how all of that ties back into the ways we use the web for business.

As an Invisible Mentor, what is one piece of advice that you would give to readers?

Setup a system to organize your work, immediately. I am not talking about a productivity system or anything complicated like that (though those can be useful for some people) what I mean is a systematic process for achieving your long term goals.

Entrepreneurs tend to get stuck on either the “big picture” or the small details, both of which are myopic viewpoints by themselves. To get anything done you need to be able to have a grasp of the actionable steps that have to be accomplished in order to achieve your goal. These steps need to be real and concrete for you. You should write them down and check them off as you accomplish them. Not only that but every so often you should look back at the list and see how far you have progressed, what you are getting stuck on and just how off the rails you’ve gone since the last time you looked. The more times you revisit, tweak and refine that list of steps the better off you will be.

How do you integrate your personal and professional life?

Once again, organization is key.

Entrepreneurial types are chronic workaholics. We have it in our heads that working more equates to working better. This is fine and dandy when it’s true, but there are a lot of times when we work so hard that we become useless to ourselves and those around us. The smartest entrepreneurs know that those are the times to stop and step away from the desk for a while.

The way I work it is that on weekdays I keep working until I feel like I am losing focus, when that starts to happen I step away and run some errands or read a book or do something outside. Once I’ve cooled down a little, I come back and start again. I also carve out at least one day a week where I don’t work at all, and if I do it’s only when something is critically important.

I’m definitely no expert on work/life balance, but this system is a whole lot better than the other ones I’ve tried.

What’s a major regret that you’ve had in life?

I am sure that if I were being really hard on myself I’d be able to come up with something, but honestly I don’t do regret.

Everything bad that has ever happened to me has contributed to who I am today. When I’ve made mistakes, those mistakes have kept me from making bigger ones later on. It’s really difficult to predict how changing our actions may have affected a situation, There are far too many variables and far too many things working behind the scenes. If you think about it for too long and wallow in regret, you’ll go insane.

To protect my sanity, I just try my best to deeply consider my actions before doing them so that even if I regret an outcome I can say that I did everything that I could to make it right.

What are five life lessons that you have learned so far?

1. You can’t predict the future, though you should try to come close
2. You’ll never be perfect, though you should try to come close
3. You’ll fail over and over again and if you aren’t you should be doing more interesting stuff
4. The only way to learn anything at all is to do it over and over again until your brain is too annoyed at you to forget it
5. Everyone has something to say, everyone is interesting. It’s up to you to be humble and to accept this and learn from as many people as you can

When you have some down time, how do you spend it?

I read (mostly science fiction), I write (mostly non-fiction), I travel (mostly in the U.S.), and I am an assistant coach for the University of Florida Fencing team (mostly to keep sane).

When you live behind a desk, it’s nice to have something that forces you to go outside and interact with people. It’s also nice to have something that gives you a little bit of exercise.

Other than that, I try to keep up on the industry and keep working on any of the dozens of little side projects that are floating around in my head.

What process do you use to generate great ideas?

Remember when I said everyone is interesting and it’s important to recognize that? Well, there is an adjunct to that — to me — everything is interesting as well.

Most often I get my ideas from books, movies, conversations, podcasts and just about everywhere other than my work. That’s why I spend so much time buried in one of those. I think it’s good for knowledge workers to have wide experiences, as you never know when you can draw connections from something seemingly unrelated that will become critical for a project.

What’s your favourite quotation and why?

I have so many of them.

Most recently, it would be this one from Pulitzer prize winning author Annie Dillard,

“If we listened to our intellect, we’d never have a love affair. We’d never have a friendship. We’d never go into business, because we’d be too cynical. Well, that’s nonsense. You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.”

It’s sharp and true and wonderfully apropos for any entrepreneur who is trying to figure out an honest way to look at risk.

How do you define success?

Success to me is being happy to wake up and go to work more days than you aren’t.

It doesn’t mean that you aren’t annoyed or frustrated. It doesn’t even mean that you have to like the details all that much. All it means is that when your eyes open and you think about how you are going to spend the next 8-10 hours of your life, you are content with what you come up with.

Money, fame, cash and prizes all come afterward but happiness is critical. Without happiness the rest — as they say — isn’t worth a hill of beans.

In your opinion what’s the formula for success?

Pick something that you want to do. Make sure you are capable of doing it. Break it apart into small, achievable goals and then work until you’re bleeding on the floor to accomplish those goals.

Somewhere in there you also have to be willing to recognize when the environment changes and it is time for you to adapt your goals and your wants to the new landscape.

Stagnation is the kiss of death in entrepreneurship, and worse than stagnation is believing that you are right. You are always wrong, the faster you get used to that the better.

What are the steps you took to succeed in your field?

I made a lot of mistakes.

It didn’t stop there though, in the wake of every failed idea or half-cocked project I tried to pull out that reason that everything went wrong.

I think it’s OK to fail. I think that entrepreneurship of all stripes, especially in something as esoteric as the web, is about testing and iteration.

That being said, I also think that all this embracing failure stuff only works if you understand the fact that you need to use your failures to make better decisions in the future.

Sometimes people listen to folks like me and get too comfortable failing. You should never be comfortable failing! I don’t want you to fail, ever if you can help it but most of us can’t and I want you to accept that and do your best to lose the fear, minimize failures and learn from the ones you can’t get away from.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

First, do your best not to listen to “experts.”

Second, use your common sense.

If a strategy or tactic doesn’t sit right with you it might be because it doesn’t work.

The best thing anyone can do when trying to learn something new is to consider the incentives driving your teachers. Do they have a book to sell? A consultancy that is based around some particular tactic? Maybe they are trying to butter you up to parlay a speaking gig.

Figure out why someone might be trying to sell you on something counter-intuitive, and take their advice with whatever grains of salt you think their biases deserve.

That being said, don’t be afraid to listen to everyone. Even if someone is motivated by something that isn’t in your best interest, there is a chance that there is a kernel of truth in what they are saying.

If you are going to work on the web in any capacity, you need to learn to become a good filter and to never accept anything at face value.

If trusted friends could introduce you to five people that you’ve always wanted to meet, who would you choose? And what would you say to them?

I like people who tell stories, so if I could meet any five of them they would be:

Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers, Blink)

Ira Glass (This American Life)

Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly, Dollhouse)

Neil Gaiman (Sandman, American Gods, Stardust)

Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Resevoir Dogs, Kill Bill)

As to what I would say — I have this friend of mine who bakes. She’s great at it. Seriously, she is fantastic, if it has sugar and goes into an oven she probably knows something about it. Well, it was my birthday one of these months and she was going to bake me a cake.  She called me up and asked me what type of cake I wanted. I told her that I wasn’t going to tell her, in fact, I wasn’t going to say anything at all about it because I can’t cook my way out of an Easy Bake Oven and anything I said would probably just make her cake worse.

That’s how I treat the second half of your question. Each of these people is very, very good at what he does. If I tried to lead the conversation, I’d probably miss out on the best parts of what they had to say.

If I have to ask questions, I’d ask them each to tell me what they were currently interested in, what was keeping them up at nights. I think that would work pretty well.

Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply? Did you have an emotional or intellectual attachment to this book? Why?

I read a lot of comics as a kid. Heck, I read a lot now but I tend to call them “graphic novels” these days. When you work with stories and help people tell narratives it’s a very good thing to understand a variety of narrative forms yourself.

Anyway, the only “super hero” comic I can read without cringing is Iron Man, and I think that book profoundly affected the way I deal with the world. You’ve probably seen the movie or at least heard about it, but the long and short is that it involves a super hero without super powers. He is just a regular guy, rich as all get out and brilliant, but otherwise as normal as either one of us.

What always interested me about Tony Stark’s character is that the best parts of the books aren’t the super-powered fight sequences, they are when Tony is using his smarts to get over seemingly insurmountable odds. He is like Batman but for Engineers.

It’s a little strange that a comic would have such a profound effect on me, but it taught me that determination, discipline and knowledge where extraordinarily powerful weapons and in the hands of someone who knew how to wield them, they could change the world.

Melodramatic, maybe but that’s what comics are for — right?

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are five books that you would like to have with you and why? Summarize the book in two sentences.

Catspaw (Joan Vinge) – This is the first Sci-Fi novel I ever read. Considering I’ve read dozens and dozens of others since then, I think this would definitely be worth keeping around.

Freakanomics (Stephen Levitt) – I am a big fan of economic theory turned to explain society and culture, that is what Stephen Levitt does in his book. I’m a sucker for anyone who can breath life into numbers.

What The Dog Saw (Malcolm Gladwell) – This is a great anthology from one of the more interesting thinkers of our time.

Something written by Andrew Keen – I so rarely agree with him that I figure time on a desert island might give me some new perspective on his work.

Have you read any books that inspired you to start a business, service or invent “something”? If yes, which book?

As I said I get my inspiration from all over the place. It’s hard to point to one particular book that has spurred me to create a new business. These days I am very deliberate about starting new projects, it would have to be quite a book to get me to go through that process.

What excites you about life?

There is so much that no one knows yet.

Really think about that for a second.

There are questions that exist that we can’t or haven’t answered. Not only that, there are just as many questions that we have answered incorrectly.

For an entrepreneur, that is a massive landscape to work within. Having the drive and opportunity to try to answer a few of those questions and make the lives of others better in the process is an extraordinary gift to me.

How do you nurture your soul?

I think I have the soul of a teacher, so to nurture it, I teach.

I might not have a huge amount of time, but I always try to make myself available to people who ask for my help. Sometimes that means falling behind on things, but the truth is that none of this has a point if you aren’t using a few cycles to try to make the world a better place.

If you had a personal genie and she gave you one wish, what would you wish for? Or, if I gave you a magic wand, what would you use it for?

I would give myself more hours. You can buy just about everything in the world except for time, and in this new world we are all living in time is the biggest and most scarce resource that we have.

If I could wish for anything it would be for more time to work, play, and learn.

Complete the following, I am happy when…..

I am awake.

How can you apply information from this interview? What are your thoughts? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.


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The Greek philosopher Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Benjamin Franklin never went to bed before he examined his day to determine what good he had done for that day.

When was the last time you examined your life, or even your day? Would it be a good practice to monitor the good deeds you performed each day? Why? Why not?

How might examining your life allow you to accomplish more? Let 2010 be the year you exceed your expectations by examining your life, and course correcting as necessary.

Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

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